The picturesque fishing village gained international fame as “the murder capital of Sweden”, but Camilla Läckbergs books are far from the only reason to visit Fjällbacka. The small town and its beautiful archipelago are top-rated destinations among local Swedes as well as visiting tourists.
Every spring I make the drive down to Fjällbacka with my family and hike through Kungsklyftan up to the top of Vetteberget. The view from atop the granite cliffs is the kind that you never get bored of. To the north, the red brick roofs surround the church of Fjällbacka and to the west, the white masts rise in the harbour, beyond it, the archipelago stretches toward the horizon. If you ask me, there are few places better suited for a picnic.
A short history of Fjällbacka
The first historical mention of Fjällbacka dates back to 1617 and from there the village grew into one of Bohuslän’s most important fishing camps. During the second half of the 19th century, the fishing industry was at its peak. The huge amounts of herring in the area had enriched Fjällbacka and factories as well as the shipping industry grew around it.
Fjällbacka was one of the first towns to become a destination for summer tourism on the Swedish west coast. Today the municipality is home to 819 people and tourism is one of the town’s main sources of income together with the plastic industry and local handmade goods.
Visiting Fjällbacka – How to get there
If you’re arriving by plane the best option is to fly to Landvetter Airport in Gothenburg and the second best would actually be Gardermoen in Oslo. After arriving you have two options, either go by bus or rent a car. I would recommend going for a rental car, while the public transport option is cheap it’s also a lot slower. By car, you can get from Gothenburg to Fjällbacka in about 1h 45min while public transport is 2h 20min to above 3h depending on the bus.
When it comes to parking there are a couple of options and I would recommend this one. You´ll park your car just below the church and will be within convenient walking distance of the harbour and all the other attractions in Fjällbacka. However, if you don’t arrive early during high season it’s probably going to be crowded.
Activities and sights
The first thing to do in Fjällbacka comes quite naturally, just take a stroll through the town. Walk the narrow streets from the parking down towards the harbour, pop into one of the small stores, and continue along the pier. It won’t take long to explore and the houses, small fishing shacks, and boats create a very scenic route.
Kungsklyftan and Vetteberget
This short hike starts at Ingrid Bergman’s square and is well worth the effort, it will lead you through the gorge Kungsklyftan and up to the top of Vetteberget. At the square walk through the stonegate and continue up the stairs.
As you approach Kungsklyftan the stairs will disappear and the path becomes a bit rocky but as long as you take it slow it’s not especially difficult.
The path will continue through Kungsklyftan (the King’s Cleft), where you will pass below a huge rock lodged between the vertical cliff walls. The cleft got its name after a visit from King Oscar II and has been the set for one of Astrid Lindgren’s movies, Ronja Rövardotter.
A couple of meters after passing the lodged rock you will find a second set of stairs that will take you up to Vetteberget. At the top, you will have amazing views in all directions so just pick your spot and enjoy a well-earned rest. If you’re up for more hiking there’s a trail that circles the plateau and guarantees you won’t miss out on any of Fjällbacka’s beauty.
Enjoy the seafood
After hiking Vetteberget you definitely earned a good meal and seafood is always a good choice on the coast. A popular choice among Swedes is a shrimp sandwich definitely, something you should enjoy at least once when visiting the Swedish coast. If you want something other than seafood I recommend heading over to Grano Restaurant, they serve amazing pizza. If you are looking for a place with a bit more lively nightlife, I recommend heading over to Smögen, the small Island really comes alive during summers.
Murder mystery tour
I have to admit to not reading the books myself but if you are a fan of Camilla Läckbergs crime novels this is the tour for you. A local guide will walk you through a 55-minute tour of Fjällbacka as you get to experience the crime scenes described in the books in real life. You get a nice blend of fiction and reality as the guide mixes in some Fjällbacka history. Keep in mind that the tour needs to be booked in advance and you can do that here. Currently, the price is set to 250 SEK.
Explore the archipelago by boat
Go on a romantic sunset cruise, bring the family to a remote island with your own beach, or watch the cute seals on a safari boat. There are a ton of choices and in the fall you can even go lobster fishing with local fishermen. For me, the highlight is the boat tour to Väderöarna (the weather islands). These isolated islands offer a unique nature experience that you won’t find anywhere else.
Cozy hotels in Fjällbacka
If it’s your first time in Fjällbacka, or if you just fell in love with the place, it’s definitely worth spending a night or two. The hotels and other stays in the fishing village are all of the smaller, more personal, type and there are some great options. My top recommendation is Villa Evalotta. Located about 100 meters from the harbour, it’s very well-liked and offers rooms with sea-view balconies.
If you want to be even closer to the sea, there’s Stora Hotellet. It’s located in the same building as Grano restaurant so the food is definitely amazing. The name means “the large hotel” but, like everything else in Fjällbacka, it´s not that large.
That´s it for this guide, hopefully you will enjoy Fjällbacka as much as I do and if you have any questions please don´t hesitate to post a comment or reach out to me through the contact page!
