These are the two fishing villages on most west-coast postcards. Here’s how to reach each one, when Smögen is quieter, what the local camping and parking rules say, and what the climb above Fjällbacka involves.
When you need this
- You’re choosing which Bohuslän villages to stop at on a west-coast trip
- You want to reach Smögen or Fjällbacka without a car
- You wonder whether Smögen is worth it in July, or better in May or September
- You plan to camp or park a motorhome near Smögen in summer
- You want the Fjällbacka climb, the Bergman square and the island trips as facts, not a brochure
Two villages, two municipalities
Smögen and Fjällbacka are often sold as a pair, but they’re 40 km apart, about 50 minutes by car, and they belong to different municipalities. That matters more than it sounds: the bus lines, the parking rules and the summer camping rules differ. Both sit in Bohuslän, the historic province that today lies inside Västra Götaland county — the Bohuslän guide explains the names.
| Smögen | Fjällbacka | |
|---|---|---|
| Municipality | Sotenäs | Tanum |
| Main sight | Smögenbryggan, the harbour quay | Vetteberget and Kungsklyftan |
| Bus | Västtrafik 860 | Västtrafik 875 |
| From Gothenburg by car | 135 km, about 1 h 55 min | 128 km, about 1 h 40 min |
Give each village half a day rather than squeezing both into one stop.
Smögen and Smögenbryggan
Smögen is a fishing village you reach over the Smögen bridge from the centre of Kungshamn. Fishermen used its sheltered harbour as early as the mid-1500s, and the name first appears in writing in 1594.
The draw is Smögenbryggan (brygga, quay), the harbourside boardwalk lined with former boathouses that now hold shops, cafés and restaurants. How long is it? West Sweden’s tourist board says “almost 800 metres” on its English page and “1 km” on its Swedish one, so treat it as somewhere in that range. In summer the tourist board calls it one of Sweden’s most visited tourist spots.
Sotenäs municipality runs the guest harbour (gästhamn) on the quay: about 120 berths, with the harbour office at the start of the quay staffed daily in weeks 25–33. If you’re arriving by boat, the guest harbours guide explains how Swedish marinas work.
Fjällbacka, Vetteberget and Kungsklyftan
Fjällbacka is one of the older coastal settlements in Tanum municipality. It appears in a tax register in 1610. About 950 people live there all year, and the population multiplies in summer.
The village sits under Vetteberget (berg, hill or rock), split into Stora and Lilla Vetteberget by Kungsklyftan (klyfta, cleft). Tanum municipality describes the cleft, also called Ramneklovan, as a 200-metre crack in the granite. Wedged boulders form its roof. It got its present name after King Oscar II visited in 1887 and signed the rock wall.
| What | Fact |
|---|---|
| Kungsklyftan | 200 m cleft in the granite, roofed by wedged boulders |
| Named after | King Oscar II’s visit in 1887 |
| Way up | Stairs from Ingrid Bergmans torg |
| Trail | Vettebergsleden loops over the rock and round the village; part of Kuststigen, the coastal path |
The way up starts with stairs from Ingrid Bergmans torg, the village square. This is not a step-free route, so wear shoes with grip.
Film and fiction, in one line each. Scenes from Ronja Rövardotter were filmed in the cleft. Fjällbacka is the setting of Camilla Läckberg’s crime series, and Ingrid Bergman spent her summers on the nearby island of Dannholmen.
A food footnote: Swedish ansjovis, the tinned spiced sprat that Swedes call “anchovy”, originated in Fjällbacka and was made there until 1978.
Nearby:
- Tanum’s rock carvings are a World Heritage site: more than 350 groups made 1800–500 BC. They’re 17 km inland, about 20 minutes by car.
- Väderöarna is an outer-archipelago nature reserve (naturreservat) of 365 islands and skerries, formed in 2011. Tour boats go there from Fjällbacka and Hamburgsund, among other places. Its rules: bird and seal protection areas 1 March–31 August, dogs on a leash 1 March–20 August, no fires and no drones.
- Hamburgsundsleden, a free road ferry, crosses 130 m to Hamburgö in three minutes; some sailings run only when called. See road ferries in Sweden.
Getting there
By car. Gothenburg to Smögen is 135 km, just under two hours of pure driving; Gothenburg to Fjällbacka is 128 km, about 1 hour 40 minutes. From Lysekil, Smögen is 51 km. These are our own route measurements, without stops or queues. The west coast road trip puts both villages on day 3 of the coast drive.
By bus. Västtrafik runs both lines:
| Line | Route | Current timetable |
|---|---|---|
| 860 | Smögen – Kungshamn – Uddevalla – Trollhättan | to 12 December 2026 |
| 875 | Tanumshede – Fjällbacka – Dingle – Håby | 17 August – 12 December 2026 |
The two lines don’t meet in the villages, so a car-free day covering both needs planning in Västtrafik’s journey planner. Timetables change in December; check again then.
Camping, parking and dogs
Sotenäs municipality, where Smögen lies, publishes its summer answers plainly:
- Camping: between 15 June and 15 August, camping is allowed only on the municipality’s campsites, and not at places such as Smögen and Ramsvik. The rest of the year, the right of public access lets you pitch a tent for one night outside built-up and protected areas.
- Motorhomes: park at any municipal campsite, or at named spots including by the Smögen bridge abutment towards Kungshamn.
- Parking: wardens work all year. A parking disc (P-skiva) is free from the municipal offices, and the first hour is free, also when you pay by text message.
- Dogs: welcome to swim, but not at the public bathing places in summer.
Two sea rules apply along the whole coast. Only Swedish citizens and permanent residents may fish lobster; visitors may fish only with hand tackle. Oysters within 200 m of land belong to the fishing-rights holder. The fishing rules guide has the detail.
Seasons and crowds
Smögen is at its fullest in the Swedish summer holidays, with July the peak. The tourist board itself suggests spring or early autumn for a calmer visit. Fjällbacka’s population also multiplies in summer.
| Period | What changes |
|---|---|
| Weeks 25–33 (mid-June to mid-August) | Smögen guest harbour office staffed daily |
| 15 June – 15 August | Sotenäs camping on campsites only |
| July (weeks 29–31) | Swedish holiday peak |
| 1 March – 31 August | Väderöarna bird and seal protection areas |
| Summer and autumn | Red lion’s mane jellyfish; rinse stings with seawater, not tap water |
| 21 September – 30 November 2026 | Lobster season, residents only |
Don’t expect sand. Bohus granite covers most of the province from Lysekil north, so people swim off the rocks; the Swedish beaches guide shows where the sandy ones are.
Practical information
| Item | Detail (checked 25 September 2026) |
|---|---|
| Parking in Sotenäs | Free P-skiva; first hour free; wardens all year |
| Hamburgsundsleden road ferry | Free |
| Buses 860 and 875 | Fare in Västtrafik’s journey planner; timetables to 12 December 2026 |
| Tour boats to Väderöarna | Operator prices; not published here |
| Smögen–Fjällbacka by car | 40 km, about 50 min |
FAQ
How do I get to Smögen and Fjällbacka without a car?
By Västtrafik bus. Line 860 runs Smögen–Kungshamn–Uddevalla–Trollhättan, and line 875 runs Tanumshede–Fjällbacka–Dingle–Håby. The two lines do not meet in the villages, so plan any trip between them in Västtrafik’s journey planner. The current timetables run until 12 December 2026; check again after that date.
How far apart are Smögen and Fjällbacka?
About 40 km, roughly 50 minutes of driving on coastal roads. From Gothenburg, Smögen is 135 km, just under two hours, and Fjällbacka 128 km, about 1 hour 40 minutes. Fjällbacka to Tanumshede, for the World Heritage rock carvings, is 17 km. These are our own route measurements without stops or queues.
What is Kungsklyftan in Fjällbacka?
A 200-metre crack in the granite of Vetteberget, the hill above Fjällbacka, with boulders wedged in as a roof. It is also called Ramneklovan and took its current name after King Oscar II visited in 1887 and signed the rock wall. The way up starts with stairs from Ingrid Bergmans torg in the village.
When is Smögen least crowded?
Outside the Swedish summer holidays. Smögenbryggan is among Sweden’s most visited tourist spots in summer, and July is the peak holiday month. West Sweden’s tourist board suggests spring or early autumn for a quieter visit. The municipal guest harbour office on the quay is staffed daily in weeks 25–33, roughly mid-June to mid-August.
Can I camp or park a motorhome near Smögen?
Between 15 June and 15 August, Sotenäs municipality allows camping only on its campsites, and not at places such as Smögen and Ramsvik. Motorhomes may park at the campsites and at named spots, including by the Smögen bridge towards Kungshamn. Parking wardens work all year; a free parking disc gives the first hour free.
Why is Fjällbacka linked with Ingrid Bergman and crime novels?
Ingrid Bergman spent her summers on Dannholmen, an island near Fjällbacka, and the village square is named Ingrid Bergmans torg. Fjällbacka is also the setting of Camilla Läckberg’s crime series about a fictional Tanum police officer and his wife. Scenes from the film Ronja Rövardotter were shot in the Kungsklyftan cleft.
How do I get to Väderöarna from Fjällbacka?
By tour boat: boats run to Väderöarna from Fjällbacka and Hamburgsund, among other places. The islands are a nature reserve of 365 islands and skerries, formed in 2011. Bird and seal protection areas apply from 1 March to 31 August, dogs must be leashed 1 March to 20 August, and fires and drones are banned.
Related guides
- Bohuslän and the west coast — the region, its names and its car-free islands
- West coast road trip — the whole coast drive, with these villages on day 3
- Marstrand — the car-free fortress island further south
- Koster Islands — Sweden’s marine national park, further north
- Road ferries in Sweden — how the free yellow ferries work
Facts verified 25 September 2026. Sources: Tanums kommun, Sotenäs kommun, Länsstyrelsen Västra Götaland, Västtrafik, Trafikverket, Riksantikvarieämbetet, Havs- och vattenmyndigheten, Sveriges Riksdag, SGU, 1177 and West Sweden’s tourist board; distances measured with OSRM. Full register in this topic’s source file. Found something outdated? Tell us and we’ll fix it.