Vänersborg lies at the southern tip of Lake Vänern. The municipality has five larger municipal bathing spots on the lake—and the different shorelines show just how varied a day by the water can be. Along with beaches, nature trails, history and art are among the discoveries that make a stay here memorable.
Beaches with different shorelines
Ursand is a shallow bathing beach with grassy, rocky and sandy areas. Facilities on site include toilets, a playground, a kiosk, food service and a swimming pool. At Skräcklan, you’ll find a sandy beach, rocky bathing spots and steps; playgrounds, toilets, benches and the services at Skräcklestugan round out the amenities. Gaddesanna on Vänersnäs is known for its long, child-friendly sandy beach. It also has a kiosk, parking and toilets.
The differences are clear: Ursand combines several types of shoreline, Skräcklan has a mix of sand and rocky bathing spots, while Gaddesanna is defined by its long sandy beach. This lets you choose a beach according to what you’re looking for by the water. These three places are examples of the larger municipal bathing spots on Lake Vänern.
Lakeside trails and other views of the water
The Dalbobergen Nature Reserve follows the shore of Lake Vänern for more than three kilometres between Dalbobron and Ursand. The Dalbostigen trail runs through the reserve, often high above the water, with impressive views. The shoreline and the trail offer two different perspectives on the same landscape: the lakeside setting and the view from above the water.
There are walking and cycling paths on both sides of Karls Grav, about 8.5 kilometres long in total. The Vänerleden offers a longer route: this national cycling trail is about 640 kilometres long and circles Lake Vänern in four stages. The Vänersborg–Åmål and Vänersborg–Mariestad stages start or end in Vänersborg. Linnéleden, Sverigeleden, Västgötaleden and Dalslandsleden also pass through the area. A shorter individual route and the stages of a cycling trail around the lake offer very different distances.
The Pilgrimsleden Göta älv offers another perspective on the trails: its tenth and final stage runs from the church in Trollhättan to Dalbobron in Vänersborg. If you’d like to experience the water from more than just the shore, you can rent kayaks from KAYAKOMAT at Skräcklan. Paddles, life jackets and spray decks are included. Brinkebergskulle Lock is another nearby landmark: it lies in Vänersborg Municipality and is the uppermost of six locks that regulate the waterway between Lake Vänern and Sweden’s west coast.
Collections, local history and art
Vänersborgs museum is Sweden’s oldest museum institution. Exhibits include Egyptian mummy cases, African birds, Nordic animals, art and changing exhibitions. The collections of the museum and Kulturlagret comprise about 350,000 objects, 1,500,000 photographs, about 60,000 books and around 120 individual archives. They range from nature and art to extensive collections of images and written material.
The town’s history also has several chapters. In the 16th century, Brätte grew from a marketplace into a town with royal privileges. Later, the older market town was replaced by a new town farther north; Vänersborg was granted town privileges in 1644. Vassända-Naglums kyrka tells another part of the area’s history: the Gustavian-style church was built between 1797 and 1799.
You can also see 16 murals by Artscape Vänersborg in Vänersborg Municipality. A map shows their locations. Restad Gård has a 50-hectare park on the site of a former psychiatric hospital; the grounds are still being developed and improved. For a view of the surrounding landscape, Predikstolen on the summit of Hallesnipen offers far-reaching views and a panorama of Sweden’s largest lake.
Market traditions in the town centre
Oktobermarknaden is a recurring market event that has been held in central Vänersborg for more than 200 years. You can buy items such as handicrafts, sweets and reindeer sausage there. Alongside the museums, historic buildings and murals, the market adds an insight into local event culture to the region’s nature experiences.
Discover more destinations: Vänersborg, Brålanda, Frändefors, Vargön, Ekenäs, Västra Tunhem, Dals-Ed, Svenljunga.
Return to the main travel overview: Västra Götaland.
