Things to do in Lysekil - 20 tips for a West Coast gem

What to see and do in Lysekil? This gem on the west coast offers beautiful cliffs, boating, seafood and various holiday activities. Here you will find our best tips for sights and experiences in Lysekil and the surrounding area.

Lysekil in Bohuslän

Lysekil has a history as both a fishing village and a seaside resort for society, and today it is a popular holiday destination. We travelled here with our motorhome and checked out what the resort has to offer.

Lysekil is located on the west coast of Bohuslän, just north of Skaftö, just south of Smögen and just south-west of Stockholm. Uddevalla.

Getting to Lysekil

You can easily get to Lysekil by car or motorhome. We came from Fiskebäckskil on Skaftö and therefore took the ferry across Gullmaren, from Skår ferry station.

What can you see and do in Lysekil?

What can you see and do in Lysekil? In addition to being able to relax and enjoy the wonderful environment, there is a lot to do. We have collected our best tips here in a list.

1. strolling in Gamlestan

One thing you won't want to miss in Lysekil is discovering Gamlestan, the oldest part of the town. Here you can stroll along cobbled streets, fine wooden houses and charming alleys.

The neighbourhood was developed during the herring period in the 16th century, and the houses here date from the mid-19th century onwards. On several of the houses you will find small signs telling the history of the houses and people.

2. go on one of Lysekil's city walks

In Lysekil, there are four different city walks, all of which have different colour markings and take you to different interesting and beautiful places. Following one of these can be a nice way to look around.

3. Admire the church of Lysekil

Lysekil Church was completed in 1901 and was designed by Gothenburg architect Adrian Crispin Petterson. The church is Bohuslän's largest and is set high on a mountain, overlooking the harbour below.

The church is also beautiful inside.

4. See the view from the Lookout Tower

High up on Flaggberget, right next to Lysekil's church, the Utsiktstornet (Viewing Tower) is the perfect place to look out over the town. The tower was designed by the seaside resort doctor Carl Curman, who had a great influence on Lysekil in the 19th century.

However, when we arrived, it was not possible to climb the tower. There was damage to the building and the tower was therefore sealed off. Nevertheless, we could enjoy the view from the mountain!

5. Experience the spa feeling at Kallbadhuset

The Havsbad area in Lysekil tells the story of an era when society flocked to Lysekil for health-giving spas. It was in the middle of the 19th century that Havsbadet in Lysekil was founded by doctor John Gabriel Mollén.

After Mollén's death, the spa doctor Carl Curman took over and was commissioned to build a new bathing facility. A society house, sea bathing park, outdoor stage, cold and hot baths were built in the area, and Lysekil became an extremely popular health resort.

Today, the cold bath house is still used as a bath house, and is open all year round to the public as a nude bath. The area also includes Bohuslän's diving and kayak harbour, where there are also four snorkelling trails.

6. check out Curman's villas

Curman's villas were built in 1875 by the spa doctor Carl Curman. The houses are built in a pre-Nordic style inspired by pre-Nordic tales and have a very special design. Today the villas, which are still owned by the Curman family, are a listed building.

7. Hang out in Lysekil's city park

Lysekil City Park was established in the 1860s and serves as a green oasis in the centre of town. Although the park is not very big, it is nice and full of everything from flowers to activities. Above all, the park is a perfect stop if you're travelling with small children. There is a very nice and inviting playground here.

8. Visit the art gallery in Lysekil

The Lysekil Art Association shows art in Konsthallen, located on Drottninggatan in the centre of Lysekil. We popped in for a visit, and it turned out that a new exhibition was just being shown, with an artist having his very first exhibition.

The artist, Emir "Yinzu" Sipic, was there and we had a very nice chat. Really nice paintings too! Of course, when you visit the art centre, there may be another exhibition going on, but feel free to drop by!

9. See exhibitions at Gallery TINT

If you like art, don't miss Gallery TINT. During the summers, there are various exhibitions, as well as a varied selection of art for sale. When we were here, there were exhibitions by Pernilla Stappe and Ian Rusth. Amazingly beautiful paintings!

Pernilla's colourful art offers joy, and you can lose yourself for a long time in all the details of the paintings. It was extra fun that Pernilla herself was at the gallery, and we had a nice conversation with both her and the gallery owner. Don't miss this cosy place when you are visiting Lysekil!

10. Learn about marine life at the House of the Sea

Visiting Havets Hus is one of the most popular things to do in Lysekil. Here you can stroll around some 30 aquariums, with everything from starfish and sea urchins to sea eels and halibut. There is also a small cinema where different films about the sea are shown. Here we watched a film about how long litter stays in the oceans - scary and important.

The House of the Sea has previously a press release told us that they have a shy and special octopus with ten arms, a so-called "kragsepia". We were actually looking for this, but suspect that it was another octopus we found, hidden in a pot. Above the aquarium it was written "vortex octopus", which is an eight-armed octopus. In any case, it is exciting to look around this place!

11. Swimming at Pinneviksbadet

Relatively central in Lysekil, on the way to the Stångehuvud nature reserve, you will find Pinneviksbadet, which is perhaps the most popular bathing area in the town.

This bathing area has a sandy beach with a shallow sandy bottom, making it an excellent place for families with children. You can also swim from rocks and there are excellent spots for crab fishing. In summer there is a kiosk where you can buy ice cream and drinks.

12. Hiking at Stångehuvud nature reserve

One thing you won't want to miss doing in Lysekil is hiking at Stångehuvud Nature Reserve. Children and adults alike are mesmerised by the beautiful landscape and it's easy to spend a few hours at the smooth, rounded rocks, whether you want to climb and play, or perhaps just enjoy a packed lunch with wonderful views.

The granite in the area was formed around 920 million years ago, but in the second half of the 19th century the area was being destroyed by quarrying. Fortunately, Calla Curman, the wife of Carl Curman, a spa doctor, was concerned about the destruction and between 1916 and 1920 she bought most of the remaining natural area. Thanks to her, today we can enjoy the fantastic environment at Stångehuvud.

A well-known and often photographed landmark in the area is the lighthouse (the top two pictures in the article), built in 1890. The area also has information signs, a bathing area, a boat harbour and, in summer, toilets and a kiosk at Pinnevik's bathing area.

13. take a ride with the City-Tuffen.

Want to take a tour of the city and get some guidance, but don't want to walk in the summer heat? Then you can take a ride on the City train. The train gets on and off at Södra Hamnen, and there are another 12 places to get on and off along the tour. The guided tours take approximately one hour.

14. Take an archipelago tour by boat

Lysekil is located by the sea, surrounded by the archipelago, so it is natural to do different types of archipelago tours. For example, you can go on oyster and mussel adventures with the boat Signe or on archipelago or fishing trips with the experience company Sea4Fun. It is also possible to rent your own boat, either in the South Harbour or in Lysekil's marina.

15. go on a seal safari

An exciting thing to do in Lysekil, not least for those holidaying with children, is to join a seal safari. Havets Hus organises seal safaris in the beautiful archipelago, where you can see harbour seals sunbathing on the rocks and learn more about seals and marine life.

16. Take the ferry to Fiskebäckskil on Skaftö.

From the harbour in Lysekil there is a ferry, Carl Wilhelmsson, which can take you across to Fiskebäckskil on Skaftö. Fiskebäckskil is a picturesque little town with a history as both a fishing village and a seaside resort. There are many fine boathouses here, and there are also several restaurants where you can sit down for a meal.

17. Take an excursion to Grundsund on Skaftö.

From Fiskebäckskil you can move on to discover Grundsund, also on Skaftö. This too is a charming town with a history of fishing. Here you can stroll around the harbour, eat seafood at a restaurant, swim or walk a hiking trail.

18. Check out the carvings at Långevik.

There are plenty of "real" rock carvings in Bohuslän, i.e. carvings that date back to the Bronze Age. In Lysekil, however, there are also some carvings from a completely different time in history, namely from 1914.

It was the then 15-year-old boys, Sven Hård and Just Malmström, who carved the pictures while dreaming of America. During this time, jobs were scarce in the area around Lysekil, and many people fantasised about something better.

Both eventually made it across the Atlantic, but their works are also preserved here, on a number of rock walls in Lysekil. Scribbles, graffiti, art or rock carvings? Well, that's for everyone to decide. A bit cool anyway, we thought!

19. See the Backa rock carvings

In Brastad, about 17 kilometres from Lysekil, you will find the Backa rock carvings. Within a distance of one kilometre there are over 30 carvings from the Bronze Age (1700 - 500 BC), which have been given the name "Via Sacra" (the holy road). Here you can see carvings depicting, among other things, solar tripods (a sun mounted on a stand), two-wheeled chariots, horses and agricultural tools.

A visit here is really interesting and there are car parks at the two main sites. The larger of the two also has an accessible ramp.

The most famous rock carving at the site is the so-called "Shoemaker". No one knows today why the carving was given this name, but perhaps someone perceived the axe as a shoemaker's hammer.

In fact, it is probably a predecessor of the weather god Thor who is depicted with his hammer. Although Thor is associated with the Viking Age, and it is not known what the god was called this far back in history, it is known that weather gods existed as early as the Bronze Age.

20. Feast on fish and seafood.

Last but not least, you want to enjoy seafood when you are in Lysekil. We shopped at Bengts fisk, which is located right at the parking lot in Fiskhamnen, and where there are lots of goodies.

There are also, of course, various seafood restaurants, as well as more casual places like Skaldjursboden, where you can buy everything from seafood baguettes to langos.

More to do in Lysekil for those who like culture and history

There is of course more to see and do in Lysekil than what we have described above. Here are some more tips for those who like culture and history:

• The Scandia Museum is run by the association L.Laurin. The museum tells about spark plug engines and also owns the tugboat Harry. (Verkstadsgatan 2)
• Vineyard stones is the tallest building stone in Scandinavia (7.86 metres high) and is located in an Iron Age burial ground (Holländaröd).
• Museum of the Vicarage tells about the life of fishermen, stonemasons and cannery workers in the past. (Tourist Street 17)

More things to do in Lysekil for nature lovers

Are you most comfortable in nature? Then you will find even more tips on things to see and do in Lysekil here, which may be suitable for you.

• Diving is popular in Lysekil, partly because of the deep Gullmarsfjord. The Dive Team diving centre has a diving school.
• Fishing you can do in many places in Lysekil.
• Climbing is a popular archival site in Lysekil. You can climb the granite mountains and there is also a climbing centre in Brodalen.
• Kayaking around Lysekil is popular. Kayaks are available for hire in the northern harbour and Outdoor West organises various kayak tours.
• Big and Little Kornö are two beautiful islands located northwest of Lysekil.

More to do in Lysekil for those who like events

Do you like events and happenings? For you there are also things to do in Lysekil. Keep an eye out for the following events.

• mussel festivals is organised once a year, with "Muselloppet" and mussels in Kungstorget.
• Maritime Week is a thematic week for the marine environment, organised along the entire west coast.

More to do in Lysekil for those travelling with children

Travelling with children or teenagers? Then you can find even more tips on things to do in Lysekil here.

• Bangolf at the House of the Seawhere you can also learn about life in the North Sea (Strandvägen 9).
• Fishing for crabs is a popular activity among children everywhere along the coast.
• The Ark of the North is a zoo located between Lysekil, Munkedal and Kungshamn/Smögen. (Åby säteri, Hunnebostrand)

Where can you stay in Lysekil, or park your campervan?

In Lysekil, there are many different hotels to choose from, such as Beach Girls' Sea Hotel, which looks very charming.

We ourselves are travelling by camper van and we stood on one of the three municipal pitches, namely Kolhomarna (Bangårdsgatan 18). This is located just beyond the car park Fish harbour (Bangårdsgatan 1), but still within easy walking distance of the harbour and the city.

We found this to be an excellent site where we had access to electricity, toilets and showers and a fresh emptying station with both grey water drainage and CamperClean for emptying the toilet cassette.

In addition to these sites, there are more sites where you can stay overnight with your motorhome. You can also rent a cabin at the campsites.

• Gullmarsbadens camping, Dalskogen 144
• Holma Stångenäs Golf car park, Gamla Holmavägen 158, Brastad
• Lysekil marina car park, Slättna Basteviksholmen 601
• Löfgren's campsite, Dalskogen 190
• Siviks camping, Träleberg 172
• Trellebystrands camping, Träleberg 340
• Vallbodalen Motorhome Parking, Vallbogatan 37

Things to do in Lysekil - on film

Here you can also find a film from Lysekil that we showed on our Instagram account. @freedomtravelnews. Peter is now also posting these films on Youtube, on the account freedomtravelnews.

More to see and do in Lysekil - nearby

While visiting Lysekil, you can of course also take the opportunity to experience more of the west coast. In addition to making excursions to Skaftö, you can also continue southwards to visit Orust, including Mollösund and Käring Island. If you are travelling north instead, you can get to Malmön, King's Harbour and Smögen.

More suggestions for things to do in Lysekil?

Have you been to Lysekil? How was your experience? Do you have any other good tips on what to see and do in Lysekil?

Facts about Lysekil

• Landscape: Bohuslän
• County: Västra Götaland County
• Residents: More than 14 000 (2022)
• District: Lysekil district and Lyse district
• Read more: You can find more information at West Sweden website.

History of Lysekil

• Past tense: It is not certain when Lysekil was first settled, but archaeological finds from the Sandarene culture (8000-6000 years before Christ) have been found in the municipality. Large quantities of rock carvings from the Bronze Age have also been found around Brastad.

16th to 17th century

• 1566-1587: Herring period with lots of herring. However, the fishing village is older, as there was already a church and a priest at this time.
• 1658: Lysekil, like the rest of Bohuslän, became Swedish. Shipping was restricted by Swedish authorities, which had a negative impact on the local economy.
• 1666: After large catches of herring, Lysekil became one of six harbours in the county where herring packing and herring wrecking were permitted.
• 1675: The herring season slowed down.
• 1675-1679: The Scanian War was between Denmark-Norway, Brandenburg and Sweden, and took place in Bohuslän and elsewhere.

18th century

• 1712: Norwegian Admiral Peder Tordenskjold's ships were fired upon in the northern harbour of Lysekil.
• 1717: Tordenskjold returned and ran aground off Gåsö. Swedish horsemen on land were fired on from the ship.
• 18th century: The population of Lysekil increased significantly, from 226 in 1750 to 536 in 1770.
• 1773: Lysekil was hit by a fire and 23 of the 80 houses in the fishing village burned down.

19th century

• 1836: Lysekil became a market town.
• 1847: Doctor John Gabriel Mollén founded Havsbadet in Lysekil.
• 1859: The spa doctor Carl Curman came to Lysekil and took over the Havsbad area.
• 1869: The Sea Baths Restaurant was built, followed by the Oscars Social Centre, the Cold Baths House and the Warm Baths House.
• 1899: Lysekils Mekaniska Verkstad was founded.

20th century to present

• 1903: Lysekil was granted town rights and became a town.
• 1920s: PLM had production in Lysekil.
• The Second World War: Lysekil was involved in the export of ball bearings to England in Operation Bridford.
• 1975: The Scanraff refinery (later Preemraff Lysekil) became an important industry.