What to do in Motala - 9 tips for the capital of the Göta Canal.

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated May 2026 | Looking for things to do in Motala? Motala likes to call itself the capital of the Göta Canal, with the second largest lock staircase. Here are the best sights, tips and a complete itinerary for 2 days.

Motala

We made an extended stop in Motala during our journey along the Göta Canal, and this city offered several nice surprises. Here are some of the best things to do in Motala - from sightseeing to nature experiences.

• Visit Motala Motor Museum
• Take a dip at the Varamo baths
• Walk along the Göta Canal
• Discover Motala harbour
• Enjoy Lake Vättern

Planning more trips? Don't miss our guides to Vadstena and Nora

9 things to do in Motala

Motala is the capital of the Göta Canal with all its charm. Here are 9 things we can recommend in Motala.

1. checking out the Borenshult locks

Borenshult's locks in Motala are the canal's second largest lock staircase (after Berg's locks) with five interconnected locks. The lock staircase is also the steepest in the canal, with a 15 metre difference in height between Lake Boren and the canal. When we arrived in town, we drove straight here, and we immediately started looking at the locks.

Among other things, we watched the passenger boat Kung Sverker lock up. With this boat you can make day cruises between Motala and Borensberg. Fascinating to watch the locks!

2. Visit Motala Industrial Museum

While the electric bikes were charging, we took a walk to Gamla Motala Verkstadsområde, which is within walking distance of the locks. Here you meet a pretty cool industrial environment, from the time known as the "cradle of the Swedish engineering industry".

The museum is quite simple in its design, simply displaying different products produced by Motala Verkstad. At the same time, it is fascinating to see the incredible variety of objects: everything from trains and boats to torpedoes, workshop machines, stoves and cash registers. The visit was definitely worth the 50 SEK we thought.

3. Coffee at Café Mallboden

On the other side of the canal from the Industrial Museum is Café Mallboden. Several people have told us that this café has fantastic waffles. Since we just ate a soft ice cream, there were no waffles for us, but here is a photo of the café anyway. There is also a tiny (4 places), but nice parking space for motorhomes.

4. Walk or cycle along the Göta Canal

After charging the electric bikes, we went on a longer ride along the canal, towards the guest harbour and the city centre. It is fantastic to cycle here, and the water was really shiny.

6. Make a stop at the Von Platen's tomb

After a while we arrived at the grave of Baltzar von Platen. He chose this grave site himself, and his children are also buried here. At the grave, you can dial a phone number and get a 3 minute guided tour by phone. An easy way to get some history!

7. Hang out in Motala harbour

We cycled on to the guest harbour, which turned out to be really nice. Here are several small boats and bobbing at the piers and on the other side of the water you see a large caravan park, the caravan park at Södra strand.

The harbour also has several restaurants and cafés, and we took the opportunity to have a beer here. Meanwhile, you can take the opportunity to look at all the vintage cars spinning around.

8. See cars at the Motormuseum

The guest harbour also houses the Motala Motor Museum, with Sweden's largest collection of old cars. We first thought of looking in here, but then the sun finally looked out and beer and beach visits attracted more. We will visit the motor museum next time we come to Motala!

9. Sunbathing and swimming at Varamo beach

We cycled on to Vararamobaden beach, which is the largest inland beach in the Nordic countries. The beach is several kilometres long and shallow, with really fine-grained sand. A fantastic beach!

Want to extend your trip? Combine with a weekend in Mariestad or Västerås

Where can you stay in Motala?

Best areas to live in and explore

• Motala city centre - Perfect location near restaurants, shopping and the harbour.
• Varamone - For beach life, swimming and summer fun.
• By the Göta Canal - For peaceful walks and boating.
• Areas close to Lake Vättern - For nature, views and relaxation.

Pitches and campsites

Right next to the Borenshult locks is a parking lot for campers. There are six places with electricity, and a number of other places without electricity. We hadn't had access to electricity since we left Stockholm and were more or less in desperate need of charging everything (read: living room battery, electric bikes, drones), so we grabbed one of the electric spots in no time.

More city guides nearby

Planning more trips nearby? Find more guides with tips on things to see and do here

• Things to do in Nora
• Things to do in Örebro
• Things to do in Vadstena
• Things to do in Mariestad
• Things to do in Västerås
• Things to do in Linköping

FaQ - frequently asked questions about Motala

WHAT IS MOTALA BEST KNOWN FOR?

Especially Varamobadet, the Göta Canal and its location on Lake Vättern.

HOW TO GET TO MOTALA?

Motala is easily reached by car and is close to Linköping and Örebro.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT MOTALA?

Summer is definitely the best time for swimming and beach life, but spring and late summer are also great.

HOW MANY DAYS DO YOU NEED IN MOTALA?

1-2 days are enough to experience the best, but more days give time to enjoy both beach and excursions.

READ MORE: Campsites and pitches in Östergötland

READ MORE: Things to do in Östergötland - sights and experiences