Gothenburg Archipelago Guided Cruise

As the ship pulls away from the harbour, the industrial skyline of shipyards and cranes gives way to a mosaic of granite islands. In just a few minutes the city is left behind and the air becomes saltier, purer. To port, the vermilion roofs of Styrsö contrast with the silver-grey rocks; to starboard, the little houses of Brännö seem nailed to invisible piles.

As you go along, the guide reveals how the nooks and crannies of the Skagerrak offered refuge to Vikings and later to Prohibition smugglers. Beneath the surface, dense 'forests' of kelp feed the mussels that purify up to 40 litres of water a day, making the archipelago a prime nature reserve. From the deck, it is easy to spot common eiders, sunbathing seals or the distinctive striped lighthouses.

The boat slows down in the narrower passages so you can enjoy the silence broken only by the squawking of seagulls. Halfway along the route, a sheltered cove provides an opportunity for panoramic photographs: the pink granite, the wooden farmhouses and, on clear days, the silhouette of the Vinga lighthouse silhouetted against the horizon.

On the way back to Gothenburg, the conversation turns to the archipelago's sustainable present: electric boats, smart buoys that measure the health of the water and fishermen's cooperatives that manage responsible quotas. Each turn offers a new postcard until, once again, the shipyard cranes announce the arrival at the quay, this time with a full reel and sea-scented hair.