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Marstrand has always been one of those places I have heard about since living in Sweden, but was never really a priority for me to see. It’s not so much a city, but an island, situated about an hour north of Sweden’s 2nd most populous city of Gothenburg.

The island is a popular spot for sailing and boat races. It has a population of around 1,320 inhabitants and is part of Västra Gotland county.

Anytime you take a trip to a Swedish island or archipelago for that matter, the best season to go is obviously in the summer. The ferry times are much more frequent, the outdoor cafes are open, and the weather is something to appreciate (when it is cooperating). The ferry runs 24 hours a day and the journey takes about 2 minutes. During the daytime, the ferries go every 15-30 minutes or so (40 SEK per person round trip).

As far as getting to Marstrand from Gothenburg, your best bet is to hire a car to get there. The drive, especially in the second half, takes you through gorgeous vistas of the Swedish countryside and the occasional summer bathers soaking the sun on giant rocks protruding from the waters.

Have no car? You’re still in luck. You can take two buses to get to Marstrand from Gothenburg. The first bus leaves from Nils Ericson Terminal in Gothenburg and takes 30 minutes to reach Ytterby Station. The next bus, called MarsEx leaves Ytterby Station and takes you to the Marstrand ferry terminal some 30 minutes later. This journey can easily be planned and paid for using the Västtrafik application (one that you should download before your journey to this part of Sweden anyway).

As an aside, if you find yourself with a lot more time in Sweden, try to see some of the other cities that make this country so great. I have summarized some of them in blog posts on this site. You can access them directly with the links below:

• Stockholm (Blog Post Title: Why Stockholm is the best Scandinavian capital)

  • Stockholm Tunnelbana (Blog Post Title: The World’s Longest Art Gallery - Riding on the Stockholm Tunnelbana)

• Gothenburg (Göteborg) (Blog Post Title: A Tour of Gothenburg: Sweden's 2nd Largest City)

• Uppsala (Blog Post: Uppsala: the hidden gem just North of Stockholm)

• Helsingborg (Blog Post: Just a few reasons to see Helsingborg in the South of Sweden)

• Malmö (Blog Post: Take a weekend break in Malmö, Sweden)

• Lund (Blog Post: A Day tour of the university town of Lund)

• Kalmar (Blog Post: Kalmar: The town you should know more about in Sweden)

• Öland (Blog Post: A Day Tour of the Swedish island of Öland)

• Swedish Castles (Blog Post: A Tour of Sweden’s Coolest Castles)

Despite being a rather small island, there is plenty to do in Marstrand that will take you the better part of a day. If time is on your side, I would recommend staying on the island for a night so you can experience the long summer sunsets and sunrises as well.

Carlstens Fästning or Carlsten fortress is probably the most prominent landmark on Marstrand. It’s at the highest point on the island so it is nearly impossible to miss. The fortress was built by King Carl X back in 1658 as a means to protect the newly acquired province from attacks. Marstrand is an important strategic position for Sweden since the harbor almost never freezes making it an ideal home for the Swedish Navy; this is another reason why a fortress on the island was sought after.

As always, there have been centuries of wars between Sweden and their Danish neighbors. Carlstens Fästning fell into Danish hands in 1677, and also again in 1719, that time by the Norwegians. After negotiations and treaties, the fortress was returned to Sweden. Currently, there is a cafe and other spaces that can be explored on the grounds, even the top of the fortress itself. I found that resting here after a hike around the island was a welcomed treat. I’m also fortunate that I have a drone to get a birds eye view of the entire island, but if you don’t have one, Carlstens Fästning is where you want to be to get similar vantage points.

Bergs Konditori is one of the many cafes on Marstrand, but its location on the harbor and outdoor seating area makes it ideal to enjoy on a summer day. We managed to come here after our island hike to rest and take in some classic Swedish dishes like kardemummabulle (cardamom rolls) and skagenröra (shrimp sandwich). It’s really great for people watching as well.

As I mentioned before, there are some hiking trials around the island. The main trail takes you all along the periphery of Marstrand with smaller trails intersecting it. This main trial is about 5 km long and will take about an hour to do, if you don’t do any stops, which you most certainly will. You don’t have to wear hiking gear as it is not an advanced walk.

If you like some of my photos that you have come across, just know that I have many prints showcasing a variety of landscapes, including Sweden, available for purchase below! (Sold as Posters, Canvas, or in Metal-Frames).

More information about the trail can be found here. Some sights you will come across on this hike include numerous swimming spots, Smugglarrännan (Smugglers Gorge), a variety of caves, Trollskogen (Troll Forest leading up to the castle), as well as the Skallens Fyr lighthouse.

It seems rather impossible to live in Marstrand and not have a boat. There are boats as far as the eye can see. You can arrange to have a boat tour of the island through reputable operators like Elin af Marstrand (just google them). Experienced guides like these will gives you information about the maritime beach, celebrities who live or lived on the islands and about all the old king's visits to the maritime beach.

Strandverket Konsthall is hard to miss. It is located just near the Marstrand harbor in a building that resembles a small fortress. Part of it functions as a small bistro as well as a space for art exhibitions, lectures, concerts and other events. You can even rent it out for large gatherings and functions but it serves as another landmark of Marstrand.

While walking through Marstrand on a warm summer day, what struck me the most was just how enchanting the whole area was. I don’t use that term often, nor do I use it for ‘fluff’. While walking through the meandering trials and countryside, it felt almost fairytale-like, especially with Carlstens Fästning in the distance. I cannot recommend seeing Marstrand enough. I am sure that I will visit again.

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