Things to do in Mariestad – our best tips at Lake Vänern

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated October 2026 |Mariestad is a small town with cobblestone streets, wooden houses and Lake Vänern right next door. We came here with our camper van in April and discovered the Old Town, the harbour and the cathedral – but also islands, strange mines and the Göta Canal just outside the city. Here are our best tips for things to see and do in Mariestad.

Our best things to do in Mariestad

We visited Mariestad at the beginning of a longer motorhome trip through Sweden and arrived here just after Easter. The summer season had not yet started, but that almost made the visit better. It was quiet in the alleys, plenty of space along Lake Vänern and we could discover the city at our own pace.

Mariestad is also large enough to be explored on foot. The old town, the cathedral and the harbour are close together, while Ekudden is a short walk away. If you have a car or camper, you can then continue to Torsö, Brommö, Lugnås or Göta Canal.

We start where we think Mariestad is at its finest.

1. Stroll through the Old Town of Mariestad

The Old Town is the part of Mariestad we would especially recommend starting with. Here, cobblestone streets wind between small wooden houses and older farms, while the large cathedral constantly appears between the houses. It's a small city center, so you don't really need a plan - just start walking.

In the northern part of the Old Town there are still traces of the older buildings. Today it is mainly the environment from the 18th and 19th centuries that gives the neighborhood its character. When Carl von Linné passed through Mariestad in 1746, he described the city as ”small but comfortable”. Almost 280 years later, it's actually still a pretty apt description.

Get lost for a while among the alleys

This is not an attraction where we think you should rush between a number of marked points. Instead, look at the houses, read the signs that tell the history of the city, and turn off when an alley looks interesting. The Old Square is worth seeking out, but a big part of the experience is the walk there itself.

We were here in April, before the summer tourist season had begun, and had the old quarter almost to ourselves. The journey is the destination actually fits unusually well here – some of our best photos from Mariestad are from places we hadn't planned to stop at at all.

2. Experience the harbor and Lake Vänern

From the Old Town, just continue down towards the harbor, and here Mariestad changes quite quickly. The small alleys open up to Lake Vänern, the boats and the quays, and during the summer this is one of the city's natural meeting places with restaurants, ice cream and people watching.

We arrived in Mariestad on a sunny day in April, when the boating season had barely started and many of the summer activities were still waiting to open. Nevertheless, we really liked the harbor. It was quiet along the quays and instead of being crowded with summer guests, we were able to stroll around and see a different side of Mariestad.

Stop for an ice cream by the water

When summer comes, the harbor becomes much livelier. Then the restaurants and stalls around the harbor area open, and you can sit down and have a bite to eat while the boats come and go. Of course, the exact businesses that are available change over time, so we don't need to list restaurants that risk being gone the next time someone reads the article.

However, there is and thing we think goes with a visit to Mariestad. Ice cream. And not just any ice cream. Because from here it's a short step to the next stop – and to something that is actually made in Mariestad.

3. Eat a Kling Ice Cream – made in Mariestad

While we were sitting in the harbor, we did what one should apparently do in Mariestad: bought a Kling Ice Cream each. This is not just another ice cream that happens to be sold in the city, but a local product with roots in Mariestad since the 1950s.

The story began with Harry Kling, and to this day Kling Ice Cream is still made in Mariestad. For us, it was a simple stop during a walk through the city – but also one of those little taste memories that actually stick from a trip. And yes, Peter, of course, tried hard.

4. Check out Mariestad cathedral

Mariestad Cathedral rises high above the low houses in the Old Town and is hard to miss when walking through the city. The church began to be built in the late 16th century on the initiative of Duke Karl, later Karl IX, and even though Mariestad has long since ceased to be the center of its own ecclesiastical area, the church has retained the name cathedral.

The building has been through a lot. It was badly damaged in the city fire of 1693, a later tower spire blew down, and in the 18th century lightning struck it and caused another fire. The tall spire that can be seen over Mariestad today was added in the early 20th century.

We came for church and got coffee as a gift

We of course went inside to see the cathedral from the inside. It's a great contrast to the small wooden houses and alleys outside, and when we were here, the visit ended much more pleasantly than we had expected. We were invited to church coffee.

It wasn't an attraction we had found on any list and nothing we had planned for the day. Just a cup of coffee and a meeting in the middle of our visit – but it's often these small unexpected events that we remember best afterwards. Paste text

5. Discover Marieholm – where the story of Mariestad begins

Why is Mariestad actually called Mariestad? The answer can be found on Marieholm, the small islet in the Tidan River that is located right next to the city center. There was a royal estate here even before Mariestad was founded, and it was here that Duke Karl – Gustav Vasa’s son and later King Karl IX – lived.

In 1583, Duke Charles founded a new town next to the royal estate. He named it after his wife. Mary of the Palatinate and gave it the name Mariestad. The royal estate, which was previously called Tunaholm, also received a new name: Marieholm. 

Suddenly, two names you come across while walking through the city become parts of the same story: Maria became Mariestad – and Tunaholm became Marieholm.

Visit Vadsbo Museum

Today, Vadsbo Museum is located on Marieholm, and here you can continue back through the history of the area. The museum tells the story of Mariestad and the surrounding countryside, from ancient times to the town's crafts and industries.

The nice thing is that some things we have already encountered during the walk reappear here. The local industrial history includes, among other things Kling Ice Cream, which is still made in Mariestad. Suddenly the ice cream we ate down in the harbor is not just ice cream anymore, but a little piece of the city's industrial history.

And that's pretty much how we think Marieholm should be experienced. You don't need to memorize kings, years and old administrative borders. It's enough to go a long way from here with the answer to a much simpler question: Why is Mariestad called Mariestad? The answer is a woman named Mary.

6. Experience Lake Vänern and nature at Ekudden

After the Old Town, the harbor and all the houses, it's nice to discover a completely different side of Mariestad. At Ekudden you get out to Lake Vänern and nature, even though you're still within walking distance of the city center.

Here is the nature reserve Gamla Ekudden with old gnarled oaks, dead wood and a rich birdlife. When we arrived here in the camper van we had been out and about running around among the sights during the day, and the walk among the oaks was a welcome contrast. We also met a small, fearless squirrel who ran around near us and seemed to have a lot to say in his own squirrel language. But it was only in the evening that Ekudden showed what the place really had to offer.

The sunset that just got better and better

We had parked the camper right next to Lake Vänern and realized after a while that we had misinterpreted the signage. We initially thought that the car had to be parked with the front facing away from the lake. When we discovered that this was not the case, we of course moved the camper. Of course we would see Lake Vänern through the windshield.  It turned out to be a pretty good decision.

In the evening the sun began to set over Lake Vänern right in front of us. We took out our cameras and took pictures. The sky became more beautiful and we took pictures again. Every time we thought that Now it can hardly get better. The light changed and the next moment became even more beautiful.

In the end, we sat there in the front row in front of a sunset that we still remember. We use the word magically far too often when we write about travel. This time we tried to find a different word. We failed. It was magical. 

Stay at Lake Vänern with a campervan

We stayed at First Camp Ekudden, which is right next to the nature reserve and Lake Vänern. When we were here it was low season and almost empty down by the water, which of course affected our experience. During the summer it looks different.

For us, the place was above all a reminder that you don't have to leave Mariestad to experience nature. One moment you can walk among the wooden houses in the Old Town and the next moment you can stand among old oaks on the shore of Lake Vänern.

READ MORE: Camping in Mariestad - magical at First Camp Ekudden

7. Take a trip to Torsö and car-free Brommö

Once you have seen central Mariestad, it is time to follow Lake Vänern further. A nice excursion is to Torso, the largest island in Lake Vänern, located north of Mariestad and reached via the Torsö Bridge. Here, the city's cobblestones and wooden houses are exchanged for countryside, forests, beaches and much more Vänern.

Torsö is big enough to drive around and explore by car or camper, but if you want to continue the adventure further, something completely different awaits on the other side of the island. At Laxhall, the car can be parked. From there, the ferry continues to Brommö.

Leave the car and continue to Brommö

Brommö is a nature reserve and has no bridge connection. The ferry from Laxhall takes pedestrians and cyclists, but no cars, which is also a big part of its charm. On the other side, forests, sandy beaches and paths await you where you can continue on foot or by bike.

This is not the excursion for those who want to drive to the next attraction, take a picture and move on. Brommö requires a little more time – and rewards those who actually leave the car behind.

The island has marked hiking trails and a cycle path approximately 16 kilometres long. Cycling is therefore a good way to see more of Brommö, while those who come for swimming and nature can just as easily choose a smaller area and take the day as it comes.

And what about Djurö?

Further out in Lake Vänern lies Djurö National Park, which also belongs to Mariestad municipality. On the map it may look like a natural next stop after Torsö and Brommö, but it's not really that simple.

There is no regular ferry service to Djurö. You need your own boat or arrange transport by taxi boat, and the crossing is dependent on the weather on Lake Vänern. We would therefore not plan Djurö as a regular excursion during a first visit to Mariestad.

For those who really want to get out into the Vänern archipelago, however, it is a place to read more about and plan separately.

In addition to camping on Torsö, there is a car park just before the Torsö Bridge. Really nice view from this place!

8. Go underground in Europe's only open-to-the-visit millstone mine

Outside Mariestad there is an attraction that is much stranger than its name suggests. On Lugnåsberget, people have been quarrying stone for millstones for hundreds of years, and today you can follow along down into The Millstone Mine – Europe's only millstone mine open to visitors.

There are traces of around 600 open pits and 55 mines on the mountain. Generations of people have carved millstones out of the rock here, and according to oral tradition, the quarrying began as early as the 12th century. Millstone production continued for around 800 years. And of course we wanted to go down.

We arrived when the mine was closed.

There was just one small problem. We were in Mariestad in April. We usually set out with the camper van and start collecting new material from the beginning of May and often continue until the end of October. Yet surprisingly often we manage to get to attractions just before they open for the season – or just after they have closed.

This time we were even too early for our own season. When we arrived at the Qvarnstensgruvan mine, the guided tours down into the mine hadn't started yet. To get underground you have to go on a guided tour, so we never heard any picks hitting the rock. But we walked around above ground instead.

The millstones are everywhere

Around Lugnåsberget, traces of the old mill are still visible. We followed the paths, read the information and found large millstones that have remained in the landscape. Only when you see them in place do you begin to understand the work that must have been required to carve them out of the rock – long before anyone had modern machinery to help them.

So we missed the mine itself. And that means we have a reason to come back. For those of you who want to succeed better than we did, the advice is simple: check current opening hours and times for guided tours before you drive to Lugnås. The area itself can be experienced even when the mine is closed, but if you want to go underground you need to come when the guided tours are running.

9. Follow the Göta Canal to Sjötorp

From Mariestad it is not far to Sjötorp, where the Göta Canal meets Lake Vänern. There are eight locks within walking distance, and during the summer you can follow the boats as they slowly work their way up or down the lock stairs.

We have visited Göta Canal many times and in many different places, but there is something special about Sjötorp. This is where the canal actually ends – or begins, depending on which direction you are heading – and Lake Vänern opens up in front of you. For us, Sjötorp was also the end point of a short trip along the canal that had already begun earlier in the day.

We started among the locks in Norrqvarn

Before we got to Sjötorp we stopped at Norrqvarn, where we sat down and watched the boats going through the locks. In the middle of it all the passenger boat appeared M/S Bellevue up – an old acquaintance that we had recently seen further along the Göta Canal at Töreboda and Hajstorp.

We also found a strange tree, a Weymouth pine, which according to the sign on site may have originated from a pine cone that the canal builder Thomas Telford brought with him from England in the early 19th century. We don’t know if the story is entirely true – but it definitely made the tree much more difficult to just walk past. Then we continued towards Sjötorp.

Watch the boats pass through the locks in Sjötorp

In Sjötorp we saw three of the eight locks and did pretty much what you're supposed to do here: walked along the canal, looked at boats and took it easy. And ate ice cream. Of course. We also bought frozen perch and pike-perch from Sjötorp, so the excursion didn't really end when we left the canal. Dinner followed us on in the camper.

That's also why we think Sjötorp is such a great day trip from Mariestad. You don't have to come here with a long list of things to check off. Follow the locks, watch a boat pass, buy an ice cream and let the Göta Canal set the pace for a while.

• Sjötorp - and the locks in Norrqvarn
• Töreboda, Hajstorp and Sweden's smallest ferry

Living in Mariestad – near the city center or Lake Vänern?

Mariestad is a small town, which makes choosing accommodation quite easy. If you want to be close to the Old Town, the harbor, restaurants and the cathedral, a central accommodation is the most convenient option. Then you can leave the car and discover large parts of Mariestad on foot.

If you would rather wake up close to Lake Vänern, there are accommodations further out towards the water. This is especially suitable if nature, swimming and walking are an important part of the visit – and for those of us traveling by motorhome, there are of course additional options.

Stay centrally in Mariestad

The city center is best if Mariestad is the main destination of your trip. From here you can walk between the Old Town, the harbor, the cathedral and Marieholm without having to worry about parking every time you go on.

It is also the option we would choose for a first weekend in Mariestad without a camper. You have the city on your doorstep and can instead use the car for excursions to, for example, Torsö, Lugnås and Sjötorp.

Stay at Lake Vänern

If you prefer to have nature outside your door, you can look for accommodation closer to Lake Vänern. At Ekudden there is both the nature reserve and First Camp Ekudden, where we stayed with our camper.

For us, the location was more important than the campsite itself. We could walk towards Mariestad, walk among the old oak trees and, above all, stay at home in the evening while the sun set over Lake Vänern. It's hard for a hotel room to compete with that view.

Mariestad with a motorhome – campsites and parking spaces

Mariestad is a city that is exceptionally well suited to visiting by motorhome. You can choose between staying in the middle of the city within walking distance of the Old Town and the harbor, staying at a campsite by Lake Vänern, or heading out towards the Göta Canal and waking up next to the locks.

We have been traveling by motorhome for many years and almost always choose a place based on what we want to wake up to the next morning. In Mariestad we had Lake Vänern in front of the camper at Ekudden – and got a sunset that is still one of our strongest memories from the visit.

Parking space in Mariestad harbor – best for the city center

If you want to experience Mariestad itself, we would first look at Ställplats in the outer harbor. From here, you have Lake Vänern on your doorstep, while you can walk to the harbor, the Old Town, the cathedral and the restaurants.

The municipality's current information states that motorhomes may be parked at a maximum height of three days on the parking space. The price is 220 SEK per day without electricity and 250 SEK with electricity, and shower and toilet are included. Between June 1 and September 15, extra spaces will be added at the far end of the pier in 2026.

First Camp Ekudden – best for nature and camping life

If you want more camping service and nature, we would instead choose First Camp Ekudden – Mariestad. This is where we parked our camper, right next to Lake Vänern and the Gamla Ekudden nature reserve.

More parking spaces around Mariestad

Mariestads Golf Club has two parking areas: Greenside at the golf course and Seaside by Lake Vänern. Seaside has pitches facing the lake, while showers and toilets are in the clubhouse.

And if you're still following our excursion to Sjötorp, something new has happened: in 2026 a new parking lot was built on the former bandy field, with 32 motorhome spaces, 16 of which have electricity. 

Parking space at Strandvägen

We have previously parked our camper for free on Strandvägen, right next to Lake Vänern. The location was fantastic – we basically only had the birch trees between the camper and the water.

Since the summer of 2026, new rules have been in effect. On Strandvägen there are now 16 special motorhome spaces where you can park for free for a maximum of four hours during the day. If you want to stay overnight, it costs 150 kronor. There is no electricity or service here, so this is primarily an option for those who are self-sufficient and prioritize the location by Lake Vänern.

Our advice – choose a location based on what you want to experience

For the Old Town and the restaurants: the port.
For Lake Vänern, nature and camping: The Ekudden.
For Göta Canal: Sjötorp, Lyrestad or Norrqvarn.

More to see and do near Mariestad

Not far from Mariestad are Forsvik Mill and Karlsborg Fortress, both of which offer interesting sights. It's also not too far to the fantastic Tiveden National Park.

• F0rsvik – Göta Canal's oldest lock and Forsvik mill
• Karlsborg Fortress - 19th century building on Lake Vättern
• Tiveden National Park - hiking in wild forests

FAQ – frequently asked questions about Mariestad

How long do you need in Mariestad?

One day is enough to experience central Mariestad with the Old Town, the cathedral, the harbor and Marieholm. If you also want to visit Ekudden and make excursions to, for example, Torsö, Brommö, Qvarnstensgruvan or Sjötorp, we would instead stay two or three days.

Mariestad is not a city where you need a week to reach the center. It is the excursions around the city and Lake Vänern that make it easy to stay longer.

Can you experience Mariestad on foot?

Yes. The Old Town, the harbor, the cathedral and Marieholm are close to each other and central Mariestad is very well suited to exploring on foot. Ekudden is also close enough that a walk there can be part of the day.

However, for Torsö, Brommö, Qvarnstensgruvan and Sjötorp you need to plan transport separately.

Can you take a boat ride on the Göta Canal from Mariestad?

Not directly from central Mariestad in the way you might imagine, but from lake village There are day trips on the Göta Canal. The tourist information office lists trips with the M/S Bellevue between Sjötorp and Töreboda, where the boat trip takes about five hours and includes a bus return. The trips must be booked in advance and the timetable varies.

This is also a bit fun for us because it is precisely M/S Bellevue which you happened to encounter at Norrqvarn.

Can you take the car to Brommö?

No. You drive via Torsö to Laxhall and leave your car there. The smaller ferry to Brommö takes pedestrians and cyclists, but not cars. Brommö is therefore well suited to exploring on foot or by bike.

I love that question. This is exactly the kind of practical information someone could ask Google or AI about and get a straight, useful answer from FREEDOMtravel.

Where can you park your campervan in Mariestad?

If you want to stay near the Old Town, there is a camping site in Mariestad harbour. For camping with more service and nature near Lake Vänern, there is First Camp Ekudden, where we have stayed ourselves. There are also camping sites at Mariestad Golf Club and along the Göta Canal, among other places.

We would choose the harbor for the city and Ekudden for nature. If you travel further towards the Göta Canal, there are also parking spaces at Sjötorp, Lyrestad and Norrqvarn, among others. Mariestad's tourist information office specifically recommends parking spaces for overnight stays with a camper van.

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