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Hamburgsund - West Coast charm and seafood feast

Hamburgsund is a cosy little town on the west coast, with high cliffs, boats, red cottages and an abundance of seafood. Here you can hang out on outdoor terraces, swim, go on boat trips, engage in crab races or feast on the delights of the sea.

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Hamburgsund on the West Coast

You probably come to Hamburgsund because you like to be by the sea, or the "best coast" as the insiders like to call the west coast. To the south of Hamburgsund are places like Smögen, Kungshamn and Hunnebostrand, and to the north you will find Fjällbacka and Grebbestad. In other words, you are in the middle of the idyll!

Hamburgsund is located less than 20 miles north of Kungshamn, less than 13 miles north of Gothenburg and more than 30 miles south of the city centre. Strömstad.

To Hamburgsund on the West Coast

We are travelling this summer by motorhome in Sweden. We started by following Göta Canal, and then we continued to follow Trollhätte canal and the Göta River. Our last stop along the river was Bohus Fortress in Kungälv. We had initially planned to continue to Gothenburg, but when we heard that some of the immediate family had rented a house in Hamburgsund, we changed our route. That's the great thing about a motorhome, you can change your plans at any time!

Vägen till Hamburgsund

Things to see and do in Hamburgsund

Hamburgsund is a distinctive holiday resort on the west coast, where you can sunbathe and swim, take boat trips and hang out in cafés and restaurants overlooking the water. We saw a lot of people on the outdoor terrace at Hjalmars bar & brygga.

Hamburgsund

There are several different swimming spots, and if you want to be more active, you can kayak in the archipelago, book fishing trips, dive at the Väderöarna or hike in the Valön nature reserve.

Hamburgsund

We have also heard that the children like to have so-called "crab races", where different crabs compete to be the first to arrive. For our part, we were content to walk along the water. What a fantastic idyllic environment!

Hamburgsund

Hamburg Island

Just off Hamburgsund is the island of Hamburgö, which is almost 5 kilometres long in a north-south direction. Between the mainland and the island there is a 130 metre wide winding strait called the Hamburgsundsleden. If you don't have your own boat, you can cross the strait and get to the island by a free cable ferry.

Head over and swim at "Boviken" or the bathing area "Vänd igen". Walk a small 2.5 km loop called Bergaleden and enjoy the west coast.

Linfärja till Hamburgö

Accommodation in Hamburgsund

Hamburgsund has a guest harbour and a hostel, and you can also stay at the Rörvik family campsite. Peter's son Robin and his wife Alexandra had rented a house via Booking.com, together with Peter's niece Dessi and her husband Lasse. When we squeezed the cars together properly in front of the front door, our camper van also fit!

Hyra hus i Hamburgsund

Shellfish festival

We all went down to the centre and shopped in the fish shop by the harbour. Everyone bought what they wanted, and then we put everything on the table.

Skaldjurfest i Hamburgsund

It was a luxurious mix of prawns, crayfish, lobster, crab and oysters. There was also bread, cheeses and cheese pies... What a feast!

In addition to eating good food, it was great fun to meet. We all had a lot to talk about and it was a relatively late evening, before it was time for us to continue our motorhome trip the next day.

Skaldjursfest i Hamburgsund

The rock carvings in Torsbo

The Torsbo rock carving area, located near Hamburgsund, is really exciting to see! There are lots of ships here, the largest of which is 4.5 metres long. There are at least 10 large rocks where people once sat and carved patterns at the edge of the lake, which is now 25 metres lower.

Continuing the journey

Where did the motorhome journey continue? Initially we had planned to drive down to Gothenburg, and continue from there up to Stockholm. Along the way, however, we got "bitten" by the canals, so we decided to take another canal. Don't miss it!

Husbilen Freedom i Hamburgsund

See more in the neighbourhood

Near Hamburgsund there are plenty of other charming west coast towns such as Fjällbacka, Hunnebostrand, Smögen and King's Harbour. We can also advise you to visit both Vänersborg and Trollhättan! Or why not head north towards Dalsland Canal and Bengtsfors?

All our top tips for holidays in Bohuslän

Have you been to Hamburgsund?

Have you been to Hamburgsund? How was your experience?

Facts about Hamburgsund

  • Municipality: Tanum municipality
  • County: Västra Götaland County
  • Landscape: Bohuslän
  • Population: Around 700 (2019)
  • Name: The name Hamburgsund comes from 'Hornbora', which means 'the horned one' and refers to the protruding parts of Hamburgö.
  • Read more: You can find more information at the town's website and at Western Sweden.

Things to do in hamburgsund

  • Bathing places: Norra Ejde Pluret (child-friendly with sandy beach and jetty) or Boviken bathing area on Hamburgö (with diving tower).
  • Experiencing nature: Valö nature reserve with hiking trails, sea kayak hire, fishing trips and diving at the Väderöarna nature reserve.
  • Cultural experiences: Hornbore Castle ruins and the Gerlesborg School of Art have exhibitions and more.

History of Hamburgsund

  • 11th century: At this time, the courthouse of Viken was located at the place called Hornborg Castle, just south of the present Hamburgsund.
  • 1585: Hamburgsund is mentioned as a customs station.
  • 18th century: During a long herring period (decades when the herring runs close to the coast), there were a number of wooden cookers in the area.
  • 19th century: At the beginning of the 19th century, settlement was limited, but when shipping began, the population increased. Wood and bricks were shipped from Norway, coke from Gothenburg and stone from Bohuslän. Several stone industries were also established in the area.

Travel to hamburgsund

  • Car: Take the E6 motorway from the south and turn off on road 163 towards Hamburgsund, or take road 165 from the north.
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