West Sweden is an exciting mix of lakes, forests, islands and pretty coastal villages. The coastal city of Gothenburg is the second biggest in Sweden.
Luxury Holidays in West Sweden
© Alex Vizeo Loris Monteux
West Sweden, Designed Around You
West Sweden is characterised by wild and dense forests, glittering lakes, and rivers. A perfect base for a Sweden luxury adventure holiday.
With 450 square km of open water, the region is recognised as a world-class destination for kayaking and a perfect getaway for those who enjoy freshwater swimming.
With an abundance of wildlife and stunning scenery, it is definitely not one to miss.
Where to Stay: Handpicked for You
Discover handpicked retreats along the Bohuslän coast and beyond, where sustainability, design, and warm hospitality meet sea breeze and scenic calm.
The Guidebook
Explore West Sweden
West Sweden is a real hidden gem that needs to be discovered – the fact that most Scandinavians head here for their holidays speaks volumes on why it is so popular and the ‘go to’ place in Sweden during the Summer and Autumn months.
Starting in the city of Gothenburg which is known as the ‘culinary and festival capital of Sweden’ you have a host of great hotels to choose from here and when it comes to places to eat; if you are meat eater, shellfish lover, or vegan you will be truly spoilt for choice!
From Gothenburg, you can then head out by either car or by train to explore the lakes, forest, islands, and pretty coastal villages of the three provinces of Bohuslän, Dalsland and Västergötland! These three main provinces offer contrasting landscapes and activities that include sea kayaking, cycling, and hiking.
There is so much nature to discover too from seals, dancing cranes (in the March/April months), to learning about endangered species at Nordens Ark.
Getting There
Gothenburg has many ways of accessing it. To start with you have Gothenburg Ladnvetter Airport where international flights fly – other options include flying into either Oslo (4hrs), Stockholm (3.5 hrs), or even Copenhagen (4hrs) and getting the train from those cities there. That way you can do a twin centre and, at the right time of year, get to see all the parts of the country on a scenic train ride.
Climate
Due to its latitude, West Sweden has a relatively mild climate. The winters are short and can be quite cold with an average temperature of around 0 but the summer offers long daylight hours and warm temperatures sometimes reaching the late twenties or above. In general, the climate is similar to that of Southern England.
We really enjoyed our Norwegian adventure despite the -22 days! Unfortunately no real experience of viewing the Lights but we did capture a couple of images on our last night – too much cloud otherwise so lots of snow. We really enjoyed the husky lodge – not at all what we had tentatively imagined. Thanks for your assistance, maybe next time we will see the Lights in all their glory.
Andrew
Exceptional service throughout the entire planning and booking process – travel agencies don’t get any better than this. A brilliant, seamless experience matched by the holiday experience itself. Would recommend ‘Off the Map Travel’ to anyone considering booking for a Nordic experience ‘par excellence’.
Chris
We have loved it so much here that we have extended our stay and will come back to Bjornfjell and stay in one of their cabins until Jan 3 then we are staying in the igloo hotel the night of the 3rd. 😊We added a few excursions this week – we did the whale trip on the RIB boat (wow!), toured the igloo hotel (which is why we decided to book the last night!) and did the reindeer sleigh at Sorrisniva. You were so right, the bonfire excursion was incredible!!It has been an absolutely amazing trip!
Kristen
I used OTMT to organise a holiday to see the Northern Lights for my partner’s 50th birthday. They took the time to understand my priorities, the kinds of places we like to stay and the things we like to do. They recommended a fabulous itinerary in Norway centred around the Lyngen Experience Lodge. The holiday itself lived up to expectations and I have no hesitation in recommending OTMT. They listened carefully during the planning and delivered the perfect present for my partner.
Alex
We – the whole family – loved the whole journey!!
The accommodations, the activities and especially the great people – thank you very much for this fantastic organisation !!!
Barbara
We did! Everything was truly wonderful! I think the Holman Husky Lodge was our favourite place. Beautiful accommodations, but best of all, wonderful people! Everyone was so friendly and accommodating, excellent food, we really enjoyed our time there. We also greatly enjoyed Bergen! Opus XVI was beautiful and we loved being able to walk to restaurants and bars and take in the sights. All of our drivers were punctual and friendly. The itinerary was full but not overfull.
Thank you so much! It was an epic trip, we are taking home wonderful memories!
Shelly
We originally hired Off the Map Travel in 2020 to set up a trip to see the Northern Lights. That didn’t happen, thanks to COVID. But, we persisted and in March of 2023, we took a 16-day trip that included both Iceland and Norway. IT WAS MAGICAL! Off the Map took care of everything! We were pampered at every stage of our trip. The people they hired and the activities they planned added up to a trip that will set the standard for any we’ll ever take in the future. Alex and his team were fabulous! We recommend them without restraint!
Jim & Kris
The ease of everything stood out to me. All we had to do was be there at the right time. The dog sledding was the highlight for my daughter and sister. We had the best time! For me, Manshausen was the highlight. We were very lucky and the only guests there for the majority of our stay. The staff was amazing and the food was so delicious. We had moose steak and it was the best meal I’ve ever had.
The cabins were comfortable and we were so lucky to have 2 clear nights where we just sat and watched the northern lights. We were able to get some awesome pictures too.
I appreciate all your time and care with planning our trip! I won’t hesitate to use Off the Map travel for our next adventure.
Kelly
I would thoroughly recommend this company. Their planning and advice was spot on. Alex responded to my calls and emails very promptly. I will definitely use them again for future trips.
Rosie
Fantastic trip to Svalbard which delivered the true Arctic experience we were hoping for. The hotels were excellent and the activities – dog sledding and snowmobile expedition were lead by first class guides.
Top tip! The champagne tasting in the world’s most northerly wine cellar in the exceptional Funken Lodge is not to be missed!
Faith
The best travel experience ever on every level you can think of during a Lapland expedition (food, activities, timings, accommodation, transport, service, equipment…). I highly recommend Off The Map Travel for their outstanding level of professionalism and detail oriented mindset!
Sophie & Guy
Off the Map Travel was great! Alex helped us plan the most amazing 10 day honeymoon to Iceland. He gave us great recommendations and was so patient with us during the planning process!
Tori