Page 217 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sweden

WESTERN GÖ T ALAND  215

an open-air museum featuring
fishermen’s cottages.
The harbour with bars and
shops is in the centre of the
town and boats from here
serve the islands, including
Kosteröarna. Seal safaris
operate to waters around the
Ursholmarna islands south of
Sydkoster. The nature reserves
on Rossö and Saltö can be
reached by car.
Hotell Skagerack on the harbourfront in Strömstad E Strömstad Museum
Södra Hamngatan 26.
2 Åmål 3 Strömstad Tel 0526-102 75. Open Tue–Fri; Jul &
Aug: Sat. Closed public holidays.
Dalsland. Road 45. * 12,000. Bohuslän. E6. * 12,000. £ @
£ @ ~ Karlstad.  n Marinan, g from Sandefjord, Norway. ~ from E Friluftsmuseet Fiskartorpet
Hamngatan 3, 0532-170 98. _ Åmål Rygge, Norway.  n Norra Hamnen, Karlsgatan 45. Tel 0526-617 53.
Blues Festival (2nd week in Jul). 0526-623 30. _ Winter World Festival Open summer: daily. -
∑ dalsland.nu (1st weekend in Mar), Strömstad
Shrimp Festival (Jul), Summer music
Dalsland’s only town, Åmål, (Jul). ∑ vastsverige.com 4 Koster Islands
was founded in 1643. Thanks to Bohuslän. * 300. 4 from Strömstad
its strategic location on Lake When Strömstad became (about 45 mins).  n Norra
Vänern, Åmål soon became Swedish in 1658 it was just a Hamnen, Strömstad, 0526-623 30.
an important market place, small fishing village, but by 1676
controlling timber exports to it had become a town, acting The islands of Koster are
Norway and later acting as a as a strategic counter to the renowned for their beauty and
transit port for timber and iron Norwegian towns of Halden their flora. Together they form
to Gothenburg. After several and Fredrikstad. In the mid-19th a nature reserve. These are the
fires in the 17th century and a century sea-bathing became westernmost Swedish islands
major fire in 1901, a new town the fashion and ever since, to be inhabited. Sydkoster is
was built on the north side of Strömstad, with its glorious island the largest island in the group.
the Åmålsån river. Little remains archipelago and many hours of It is greener than Nordkoster
of the original buildings apart sunshine, has been one of and is best explored by bike.
from a few 18th-century Sweden’s major holiday resorts. In contrast, Nordkoster is
houses around the town park, Strömstad is a modern town much more barren and can
Plantaget. The local history and its proximity to Norway is easily be explored on foot.
museum, Åmåls evident from the number of The highlights of the Koster
Hembygdsmuseum, whose Norwegian cars and boats. The Islands’ calendar include the
three floors house a dentist’s Svinesund bridges between Koster Chamber Music Festival
clinic and a flat furnished in Sweden and Norway offer in July and the lobster festival
1920s style, can be found in magnificent views. in the autumn, when visitors
Snarhögsgården. The Railway The Strömstads Museum can sample the freshest
Museum is located in former focuses on local history, while seasonal shellfish and take part
engine sheds at Åmål Östra. Friluftsmuseet Fiskartorpet is in thrilling fishing trips.
At Forsbacka on the Åmålsån
river, 7 km (4 miles) from Åmål
towards Bengtsfors, a
mechanical hammer for
producing iron bars was built
at the end of the 17th century.
It was used until the end of the
19th century. Today the 18th-
century house at Forsbacka
ironworks is a hotel and the
old buildings are protected.
A golf course is on the land.
E Åmåls Hembygdsmuseum
Hamngatan 7. Tel 0532-158 20.
Open mid-Jun–Aug: daily; Sep–mid-
Jun: Mon–Fri. & 7 partly. Made for sunbathing, the polished granite rocks on Nordkoster
For hotels and restaurants in this area see pp287–8 and p299

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