Bohuslän and the West Coast

Bohuslän is islands, fjords and bare granite between Gothenburg and Norway. This page sorts out the names, shows how the coast fits together from south to north, and sends you to the guides that cover each part in depth.

When you need this

• You’re deciding whether Bohuslän is worth a few days on a Sweden trip
• You see “Bohuslän”, “Västra Götaland” and “West Sweden” and want to know which is which
• You want to know which places you can drive to, and which need a boat
• You want the main sights — Marstrand, Tanum, Koster — with dated opening facts
• You’re looking for the long-distance trail, the swimming or the seafood rules

Province, county, region: what Bohuslän actually is

Bohuslän is a landskap (historic province). In today’s Sweden a province is a geographic unit with no administrative function: it’s the name on maps, signs and brochures, but it makes no rules. Bohuslän became Swedish at the Peace of Roskilde in 1658.

The authority on the ground is Västra Götaland county (län). It was formed in 1998, when Göteborgs och Bohus län, Skaraborgs län and Älvsborgs län merged. It has 49 municipalities and Gothenburg as its seat, and it also takes in Dalsland’s forests and Västergötland’s plains. On top of that sits the elected Västra Götalandsregionen, which runs health care, culture, public transport and regional development.

In everyday speech “the West Coast” also runs south of Gothenburg along Halland. That’s a different coast: sandy, flat, and followed by the Kattegattleden cycle route.

Getting there and around

Gothenburg is the gateway. Landvetter airport is 20 minutes from the central station by airport coach, and the city itself — trams, museums, where to start — is in our Gothenburg guide and Gothenburg museums guide.

From the city, the E6 motorway runs up the inland side of the province. Gothenburg to Strömstad is 166 km, about two hours of pure driving; Gothenburg to Lysekil is 132 km. The coast roads are much slower: our measured coast route between the same two ends is 314 km and almost six hours at the wheel. The full plan, leg by leg, is our west coast road trip. One or two bases work better than a new town every night.

Road ferries. Trafikverket runs 40 yellow road-ferry routes, and twelve of them serve the Gothenburg islands, Bohuslän and Stora Le in Dalsland. They’re free — the only paying routes, Ekeröleden and Visingsöleden, are elsewhere. A few sailings run only when called, such as set morning and evening sailings at Hamburgsund; you call them in the Trafikinfo Färjerederiet app. How boarding works is in our road ferries guide.

Public transport is Västtrafik’s, including the Koster boats (line 899) from Strömstad.

The coast from south to north

Tjörn and Orust, like Hisingen in Gothenburg, are among Sweden’s largest islands. Tanum’s rock carvings are more than 350 groups of Bronze Age images made 1800–500 BC, at Vitlycke, Aspeberget/Tegneby, Fossum, Litsleby, Gerum and Kalleby.

Kosterhavet, formed in 2009, was Sweden’s first marine national park and is one of the country’s 31 — see our national parks guide. It covers nearly 400 km², mostly sea, in Strömstad and Tanum municipalities. You can reach its entrances at Strömstad, Saltö, Resö and Rossö by car; only the naturum (visitor centre) on South Koster needs the boat, and every entrance is wheelchair-accessible. Its own rules apply: no oyster picking, no drones, overnight stays on North and South Koster only at the North Koster campsite, and 100 m distance from seal sanctuaries 15 May–15 July and bird sanctuaries 1 March–31 August. The islands themselves get their own Koster Islands guide.

Marstrand and Carlstens fästning

Marstrandsön is a bilfri ö (car-free island). Only utility vehicles are ferried over; you park on Koön and take Kungälv municipality’s passenger ferry, a crossing of a couple of minutes. It is not a Trafikverket road ferry, so it charges a fare, reviewed every year.

Carlstens fästning crowns the island’s highest point. Karl X Gustav ordered it after 1658; it was reported finished in 1860 and closed as a military fortress in 1882. It’s open all year, with seasonal hours:

Outside those periods the fortress asks you to phone before visiting. Guided tours in Swedish, about 45 minutes, are included in entry; English tours can be booked as an extra. Dogs come in free on a leash.

Hiking, swimming and cycling

Bohusleden is the province’s long-distance trail: 27 stages and about 350 km, from Älvsåker in the south, at the Halland border, to Strömstad in the north. The official site has a stage map planner. Västkuststiftelsen coordinates the region’s selected trails, and the municipalities maintain their own stretches. For how Swedish trails work in general, see hiking in Sweden.

Swimming here means rock. Bohus granite covers much of the province from Lysekil north, so people swim off smooth slabs and jetties; the long sandy beaches are in Skåne, Halland, Gotland and Öland (see Swedish beaches). Red lion’s mane jellyfish turn up on the west coast mostly in summer and autumn — rinse a sting with seawater, not tap water.

On the water, the rules for your own or a rented boat are in boating in Sweden and guest harbors.

Fishing rules: lobster and oysters

Two shellfish rules catch visitors out:

• Lobster (hummer) is not for visitors. Only Swedish citizens and permanent residents may fish it; foreign citizens may fish only with hand tackle. The 2026 recreational season opened on 21 September at 07:00 and runs to 30 November.
• Oysters near shore belong to someone. Within 200 m of the mainland or an island they belong to the fishing-rights holder, and in Kosterhavet picking is banned outright.

Everything else — where you may fish free, sizes and seasons — is in our free fishing guide and fishing rules guide.

Seasons

• Spring (from April): Carlsten opens at weekends; the 100 m bird-sanctuary distance in Kosterhavet applies from 1 March.
• July (weeks 29–31): the Swedish holiday peak. Harbour towns fill and road ferries queue; Trafikverket suggests crossing in the morning. More on the season in Sweden in summer.
• Autumn: lobster season for residents from late September; jellyfish still around.
• Year-round: the Koster boats run all year, and Carlsten opens with shorter hours.

Practical information

FAQ

Is Bohuslän the same as Västra Götaland?

No. Bohuslän is a historic province, today a geographic unit without an administrative function. Since 1998 it has been part of Västra Götaland county, formed when Göteborgs och Bohus län, Älvsborgs län and Skaraborgs län merged. The county has 49 municipalities and also covers Dalsland and Västergötland. The elected region, Västra Götalandsregionen, runs health care and public transport.

How do I get to Bohuslän from Gothenburg?

Drive the E6: Gothenburg to Strömstad is 166 km, about two hours of pure driving, and Gothenburg to Lysekil 132 km. Koön, where you park for Marstrand, is 48 km away. Public transport is Västtrafik’s, including the line 899 Koster boats from Strömstad. Landvetter airport is 20 minutes from central Gothenburg by airport coach.

Are the ferries in Bohuslän free?

Trafikverket’s yellow road ferries are, except Ekeröleden and Visingsöleden, neither on the west coast. Twelve of the 40 routes serve the Gothenburg islands, Bohuslän and Stora Le, including Gullmarsleden, ten minutes across the Gullmarsfjord. Some sailings, such as set ones at Hamburgsund, run only when called. Marstrand’s passenger ferry is municipal and charges a fare.

When is Carlstens fästning in Marstrand open?

All year, with seasonal hours. In 2026 it opened weekends 11:00–15:00 from 3 April, daily 11:00–17:00 in June, 10:30–18:00 from 1 July to 9 August, and weekends 11:00–15:00 in September; call ahead outside those periods. Entry in 2026 is 120 kr for adults and 60 kr for children aged 5–15.

Can I fish for lobster in Bohuslän?

Not as a visitor. Only Swedish citizens and people permanently resident in Sweden may fish lobster; foreign citizens may fish only with hand tackle, such as a rod and line. The 2026 recreational season opened on 21 September at 07:00 and runs to 30 November. Oysters within 200 metres of the shore belong to the fishing-rights holder.

What is the Bohusleden trail?

Bohusleden is a hiking trail of 27 stages and about 350 km. It runs from Älvsåker in the south, at the border with Halland, to Strömstad in the north through Bohuslän’s countryside, and its official site has a stage map planner. Västkuststiftelsen coordinates the region’s selected trails; the municipalities along the way maintain their stretches.

Are there sandy beaches in Bohuslän?

Few. Bohuslän is a granite coast, with Bohus granite across much of the province from Lysekil north, so people swim off smooth rocks and jetties. Sweden’s long, flat sandy beaches are mainly in Skåne and Halland and on Gotland and Öland. Watch for red lion’s mane jellyfish in summer and autumn, and rinse stings with seawater.

Related guides

• West coast road trip — the drive north with every leg measured and the ferries named
• Koster Islands — the car-free islands and the marine park in depth
• Road ferries in Sweden — how to board, and which routes you must call
• Gothenburg — the gateway city, its airport and transport
• Skåne and Dalarna — Sweden’s other regional hubs

Facts verified 25 September 2026. Sources: Länsstyrelsen Västra Götaland, Västra Götalandsregionen, Kungälvs kommun, Trafikverket, Riksantikvarieämbetet, Naturvårdsverket, Havs- och vattenmyndigheten, Sveriges Riksdag, SGU, 1177, Västtrafik, West Sweden Trails and Carlstens fästning; distances measured with OSRM. Full register in this topic’s source file. Found something outdated? Tell us and we’ll fix it.