Located on a small island, in the heart of Bohuslän, Smögen is home to the most famous pier in all of Sweden. Every year it draws thousands of visitors, and for good reason. Lined with colorful fishing cottages and old boat houses converted into cozy cafés and shops, taking a stroll on the 600-meter-long pier is like walking in a postcard. The town truly comes alive during summer as the population grows from around 2000 people to over 30000 during peak season.
No matter if you come during the busy summer season or the calmer months during spring and fall it’s well worth a visit. I live only about 2 hours away from Smögen and every year I visit at least once. After coming here for around 25 years, there’s still something special about walking along the wooden pier while enjoying an ice cream in the sunshine. In this post, I´ll detail my favorite swimming spots, boat tours, and restaurants so you can enjoy the place as much as I have come to do.
Getting to Smögen
Getting to Smögen by car is easy, the island is so closely connected to the Swedish mainland that you might not even notice when you drive across the bridge. While there are plenty of parking spots, I do recommend arriving early. During peak season it can get quite crowded and you might have to park closer to Kungshamn than to Smögen. However, parking on the mainland will still only leave you with a 30-minute walk to the pier of Smögen.
While the connections aren’t the best, getting to Smögen by public transport is also fairly easy. I would recommend that you download the Västtrafik app or visit their website. It will let you see the connections, plan the trip, and buy the tickets all in one place. However, if it is possible for you, I definitely recommend renting a car. Traffic in Sweden is fairly easy to navigate and going on a west coast road trip is going to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Top things to do in Smögen, Sweden
While the island itself is quite small, there will be more than enough activities to keep you busy for the full day. Aside from strolling along the bridges and walking through the town, there’s also a nature reserve on the island that offers a short hike. You can easily spend an hour or two browsing the shops and make sure to have enough time for at least one boat tour. Book a private fishing tour, go on a seal safari, or take the ferry to beautiful Hållö. If you’re a whiskey person you might want to check out Mackmyra Whiskey Cellar for a tasting session, right next to the pier.
Keep in mind that Smögen is more of a summer destination in Sweden and many of the shops, restaurants, and activities will close during the off-season. This means there will be significantly fewer options from mid-September until mid-April. So if you plan on going on a boat tour outside of peak season, make sure to reach out and see if the captain is open for business.
Walk along Smögenbryggan and explore the harbour
We´ll start with the obvious, you cannot visit Smögen and not take a walk along the famous pier Smögenbryggan. It might be the most photographed location on the entire coastline. The pier follows the cliffside and is lined by colorful wooden houses that were previously used to store fishing equipment. It’s extremely photo-friendly but if you want the perfect Instagram shot, without a crowd, you need to either wake up early or visit off-season. Along it, you will find small shops selling handcrafted goods, souvenirs, and clothes as well as restaurants and ice cream shops. The pier really is the center of the entire island.
Take the ferry to Hållö
Boat tours are probably the best way to experience the unique archipelagos of Sweden and in Smögen there’s a bunch to choose from. My favorite trip is the one to the island of Hållö and its iconic lighthouse. The island is located south of Smögen and getting there is only a 10-minute ferry ride. The beautiful island is part of a nature preserve that, despite the lack of soil to grow in, contains more than a hundred different plant species. It’s also a popular destination for birdwatchers as there are plenty of seabirds nesting on and around the island.
When going on a trip to Hållö you should also make sure to pack your swimwear as it offers some fantastic opportunities to jump into the sea. On the west side of the island, you will find Marmorbassängen, a protected bay with turquoise water and one of my favorite swimming spots in the area. On sunny days it’s a very popular destination and, along with the old Lighthouse, one of Hållös main attractions. Overall this island offers a fantastic excursion and you can easily spend all day here.
In summer the small ferry leaves every 30 minutes starting at 09:30 in the morning, with the last ride back from Hållö at 17:00. The price for a roundtrip is currently only 125 SEK (around 11 euro) for adults and 65 SEK (around 6 euro) for kids. However, be sure to check up-to-date times and prices here. Also, it’s important to note that you can only pay for your ride with cash or with the Swedish payment app Swish.
Go for a short hike
While the small island won’t offer very challenging hikes there are some trails available that are well worth exploring. On the northern part of the island, you will find the nature preserve Sandön which offers a short but beautiful walk. The trail is very easy to walk and about 1,5 – 2 km long. On the other side of the island, you have Kleven, another short hiking trail that offers an easy way to get away from the crowds. A beautiful area, great for a picnic lunch or a quick dip in the sea. If you decide to take the ferry to Hållö, that island also offers some beautiful and easy trails to explore. Another place that offers a short but very worthwhile hike is Fjällbacka with the famous Kungsklyftan.
Enjoy a spa day in Smögen
Let’s be honest, there’s never a bad time to go to the spa and luckily Smögens Hafvsbad is open year-round. The place offers indoor and outdoor pools as well as jacuzzis. You also have the classic sauna, located seaside, and a steam sauna to choose from. Smögens Hafvsbad also offers rooms so if you’re staying for more than one day I definitely recommend making a reservation. The location is great and you can enjoy the pools as well as the great restaurant.
Go for a seaside swim
The seas on the Swedish West coast are a lot warmer than most visitors would expect during summer and Smögen offers some amazing spots to go for a dip. My favorite spot is the aforementioned Marmorbasängen at Hållö but if you do not have time for the ferry that’s not a problem. At Valleviksbadet you have all kinds of options to get into the sea, there’s a small child-friendly beach, a tower to jump from, and stairs for those that prefer going in slow and steady. There’s also Badhusparken which provides easy access to the sea with convenient jetties and stairs. If you want to jump into the water from the cliffs, keep in mind that the barnacles growing on them get rather sharp so bring swimming shoes.
Best places to stay in Smögen
I have already brought up my favorite spot to stay in Smögen, the local spa has a great location, superb food, and ofcourse all the obvious advantages that come with a spa. Smögens Hafvsbad has been open for more than 120 years and the place has always been popular. Start the day with a great breakfast, explore Smögen, go for a dip in the pools, spoil yourself with a spa treatment, and round it all out with a 3-course meal in the excellent restaurant.
Best restaurants in Smögen
Aside from the fancy meals at Smögens Hafvsbad, I would also recommend that you stop by Hållö Bar for some more casual meals. The seafood is obviously very fresh and on the warm summer evenings, they often feature live bands. If you, like me, have a hard time saying no to a good burger, The Barn is the place to go to. To enjoy the local seafood there are several good options but I would recommend either Göstas Fiskekrog or Klevens Tre Kök. If you’re here for the nightlife and looking for a good place to grab a drink, just follow the noise and go where it’s loudest.
That´s all for now, I hope you end up visiting Smögen and that you come to enjoy the Swedish West Coast as much as I do!
