Beyond Gothenburg: Multi-Day Trip Ideas
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The right multi-day trip out of Gothenburg depends less on interest than on how much time you actually have, so it is worth sorting the options by day count rather than by theme.
One extra day: take a direct train
If you only have a single spare day, do not try to squeeze in an island loop; take a train instead. Vy regional trains run every two hours to Oslo Sentralstasjon in about 3.5 hours, and Öresundståg trains run hourly down the coast through Malmö to Copenhagen, also around 3.5 hours. Either gives you a full day in a second capital and a return trip that does not require an overnight stay.
Two to four days: the Bohuslän coast
With more time, Gothenburg’s real strength is what sits just north of it. Smögen, roughly 1.5 to 2 hours out, is built around Smögenbryggan, a boardwalk of fishing shacks, prawn sandwiches, and granite swimming ladders that gets busy but stays worth it; compare rates for a Smögen overnight on Booking.com if you want to stay past the day-trip crowd. Push on to Fjällbacka, Ingrid Bergman’s old summer village, and the Kungsklyftan ravine nearby, before continuing to Strömstad for the ferry into Kosterhavet, Sweden’s only marine national park. None of this requires renting a car; a mix of regional bus and train covers the route, though public schedules thin out fast once you are north of Lysekil, so check current departures on goteborg.com’s day-trip listings and build in flexibility rather than a tight itinerary.
Two to six days: the Göta Canal by ship
This is less a way of getting to Stockholm than a destination in its own right. Historic vessels including M/S Juno (1874) and M/S Wilhelm Tham (1912) run full-board voyages between Gothenburg and Stockholm through 58 manual locks and two of Sweden’s largest lakes, May through September. Book cabins well ahead of the June to August window; this is a slow, scenic trip, not a shortcut.
Two to three days: Dalsland’s canoe country
About two hours northeast, Dalsland centers on the 1868 Håverud aqueduct, where canal, road, and rail cross at the same point in mid-air. Rent a canoe for the wilderness lakes and stay in one of the architect-designed 72-Hour Cabins, built specifically for a short, deliberate break from routine rather than a resort stay.
Before you book
Pay by card throughout; Sweden runs close to cashless and does not use the euro anywhere on these routes. If you have already covered the city’s bus tour options, our guided adventure tours page covers the Bohusleden hiking and lobster-safari side of the same coastline in more depth.
Browse Göta Canal cruise dates on GetYourGuide or check gotacanal.se directly, since the longer cruises book out a season ahead.