Alingsås is known as the Café Town and has a long history of cafés and bakeries. At Nolhaga Castle, a stately building in the Italian Neo-Renaissance style dating from the late 19th century, the seasonal exhibition “FIKA! From coffee parties to a simple cup” tells the story of Swedish fika culture, the café town of Alingsås, and the local history of bakeries and cafés. A guided fika walk is also part of the visitor experience in 2026. It connects the long baking tradition with tastings of classic pastries at historic cafés; some departures are tied to specific dates. The exhibition focuses on cultural history, while the walk combines the theme with tastings.
Fika, architecture and culture in Alingsås
Nolhaga Castle is accessible to visitors with reduced mobility: there is a wheelchair lift at the main entrance, and an elevator serves the exhibition floors. The Alingsås Museum presents local historical objects, events and people in the historic Alströmerska Granary. Alingsås Kulturhus comprises the museum, Alingsås Art Gallery, Alingsås Library and Palladium. At the Nolhaga Labyrinth, 33 signs feature texts about the history of Alingsås.
Nolhaga: park, birdlife and places to visit
Nolhaga Park offers walking paths, a cycling trail, a birdwatching tower and an observation tower. Lake Mjörn, with its bathing beach, is nearby. Nolhagaviken is an area open to visitors for birdwatching; a wheelchair-accessible birdwatching tower offers views of its rich birdlife. Part of Nolhagaviken belongs to the Natura 2000 network of protected areas. At Nolhaga farm, visitors can get up close to Swedish heritage breeds in a petting enclosure.
Nolhaga Parkbad has two 25-metre pools, a leisure pool and a relaxation area. Individual facilities may be temporarily unavailable. Nolhaga offers a variety of experiences side by side: architecture and exhibitions at the castle, birdwatching by the water, and activities related to exercise and animals.
Castle history and other cultural traces
The ruins of Gräfsnäs Castle are the remains of a castle built in the mid-1550s on a hill jutting into the northern part of Lake Anten. A cultural reserve was established for Gräfsnäs Park in 2010. Several events, markets and artist performances take place in Gräfsnäs Castle Park during the summer months; dates for individual events may vary. The Anten-Gräfsnäs Museum Railway runs steam locomotives along a 12-kilometre route beside Lake Anten. The station area includes a museum, a café, a railway park and a historic station building.
The Brobacka Nature Reserve also combines landscape and history. It contains about 40 glacial potholes formed by the inland ice; one large pothole measures 18 metres in diameter. A well-marked hiking trail of about 1 to 1.5 kilometres passes through the area of glacial potholes to a viewing platform and a viewpoint on the hill. Trail conditions may change. The area also has a small soldiers’ hut with an exhibition; access may vary. Guided tours are offered in different lengths and difficulty levels, including storytelling walks for children; dates and availability may vary.
Hiking trails of varying lengths
The Gotaleden passes through Alingsås, quiet forests, along Lake Mjörn and through Kongo to the picturesque town centre. It is divided into nine stages, which are easily accessible from commuter train stations along the route. Dammsjöås has a 2.6-kilometre nature and culture trail with about ten information boards. The boards provide information about Allan and the farm. The Dammsjöåsleden is about 6.8 kilometres long and marked in yellow. At Hjortgården, trails range from 1.7 kilometres to a 10-kilometre loop.
The Konstrundan runs through the town centre on paved walking and cycling paths, is about 5.5 kilometres long and takes an estimated one to two hours. The different distance details help you choose a route based on its length; an estimated time is also provided for the Konstrundan. For a different kind of natural scenery, visit clear Lake Stora Kroksjön, whose quiet, undisturbed setting creates a strong sense of wilderness.
Water, art and seasonal experiences
Fishing Sweden offers guided fishing trips on Lakes Mjörn, Anten and Sävelången. Check availability and the provider before travelling. At KAYAKOMAT, you can rent kayaks and SUP boards for paddling in Alingsås; availability may be seasonal. Three murals were created in Alingsås as part of the Artscape project. The Alingsåsparken Cultural Association organizes events including Midsummer celebrations and Halloween parties; the programme varies by season.
Discover more destinations: Alingsås, Hemsjö, Långared/Alingsås, Sollebrunn, Ödenäs, Lycke, Istorp, Uddevalla.
Back to the main travel overview: Västra Götaland.
