Sweden - Becky Ohlsen [171]
Pråmen (143 52; Södra Hamnen; lunch Skr120, mains Skr150-270; noon-late Apr-Sep) Crabs, mussels, prawns, halibut, salmon: if it swims, scuttles or sticks to rocks in the sea, this popular floating restaurant-bar will have it on the menu.
There are a few fast-food places on and around Rosvikstorg and eateries all along the main street.
GETTING THERE & AWAY
Express bus 840 and 841 run every couple of hours from Göteborg to Lysekil via Uddevalla.
Smögen
0523
Another seaside star, Smögen sports a buzzing waterside boardwalk, rickety fishermen’s houses, and steep steps leading up into a labyrinth of lovingly restored cottages and pretty summer gardens.
The summer-only tourist office (375 44; info@sostenasturism.se; Smögenbryggan; 10am-7pm mid-Jun–mid-Aug) sits in a little yellow building just off the boardwalk.
Dubbed Smögenbryggan, the boardwalk heaves with bars and shops around the harbour; head in early or out of season if you’re seeking solitude. Fishing boats unload their catches of prawns, lobsters and fish at the harbour, where there’s a small fish auction (www.smogens-fiskauktion.com; Fiskhall; 8am Mon-Fri, plus 5pm Thu): the big one happens online these days.
Boats (312 67; return trip Skr70) leave for the nature reserve on the nearby island of Hållö up to 16 times daily in summer from Smögen harbour.
The Kon-Tiki Dykcenter (374 74; smogen@kon-tiki.se; Madenvägen 3) does boat dives, PADI courses and hires out kayaks (Skr250/350 per three hours/day).
Makrillvikens Vandrarhem (315 65; makrillviken@telia.com; Makrillgatan; dm Skr250-300, r from Skr500; ), in the former spa bathing house with smashing views of the archipelago, is a sterling, hugely popular budget choice – 500m from the boardwalk crowds, and with an old seaside sauna for guest use. There’s a small playground, and canoes for hire. Book ahead!
Hotel Smögens Havsbad (668 450; www.smogenshavsbad.se; Hotellgatan 26; s/d low season Skr1250/1560, high season Skr1550/1950; ) has a hideous prosthetic extension that is (thankfully for guests) beautiful on the inside, with light Scandi-style rooms, many with sea views. The on-site restaurant celebrates local seafood, with dishes like wolffish with blue mussel froth and sautéed new potatoes.
There’s no shortage of appetising cafes, grill-bars and seafood restaurants all along Smögenbryggan.
Anyone pining for an English breakfast will sing hallelujahs at Coffee Room (308 28; Sillgatan 10; breakfast from Skr30, mains Skr90-130; 8am-at least 10pm in summer, shorter hours in winter) over the egg, sausage, bacon, tomato and baked beans. There are quick, low-fuss lunchtime snacks (panini, pasta salads, stir-fries), and evening tapas or barbecues in the trendy, laid-back garden.
Skärets Krog & Konditori (323 17; Hamnen 1; mains Skr235-325; Sat & Sun May–mid-Jun, daily mid-Jun–mid-Aug), near the Fiskhall, has a ground-floor konditori serving light meals and sweet treats and a gourmet upstairs restaurant. Here, the focus is on creative seafood (think mackerel with lavender, dill and smoked bread), cooked by chefs hailing from A-list kitchens including Sydney’s Rockpool and New York’s Aquavit.
Bus 860 runs regularly from Göteborg to Smögen (around 2½ hours), via Uddevalla, Munkedal, Hunnebostrand and Kungshamn. A couple of the services are direct, otherwise you’ll have to change in one of the towns en route.
Fjällbacka
0525
Film star Ingrid Bergman spent her summer holidays at Fjällbacka (the main square is named after her). Despite the crowds, the tiny town is utterly charming, with its brightly coloured houses squashed between steep cliffs and rolling sea.
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NORDENS ARK
Snow leopards, wolves and lynx prowl Nordens Ark (0523-795 90; www.nordensark.se; Åby säteri; adult/5-17yr Skr180/50; 10am-7pm late Jun–mid-Aug; 10am-5pm late Apr-late Jun & mid-Aug–late Sep; 10am-4pm Jan-late Apr & late Sep-Dec;