Our Favourite Places Around Nordic Refuge in Dalsland
We havent' established the Nordic Refuge in Dalsland by chance. We enjoy it.
Dalsland is filled with hidden gems — from artisan cafés and local bakeries to scenic nature reserves, swims in clean lakes and peaceful paddling routes. Here are some of our favourite places near Nordic Refuge, perfect for exploring during your stay in West Sweden.
Here are some of our favourite places. We will be really happy to show you around :-)
Best Cafés & Local Eats
Brukets Godaste
Let's be honest, it's probably the best bakery in the World where our daily organic bread is
sourced. You won't come out of their kannelbullar unscathed!
(2Km from the B&B)
Not Quite café
A hype café in the middle of Dalsland. Great food, nice atmosphere, good cakes in the arty old factory of Fengersfors.
What else, really?
(2Km from the B&B)
Tollebols Kvarn
The mill of Tollebol is well
preserved and has a wonderful location. The premisses are an eco museum and a great coffee place to have probably the best waffles in Sweden!
(12km from the B&B)
Nature & Outdoor Experiences
Katie's best weekend in Dalsland
Katie is a writer and a photographer, she's behind the travel blog "Katiesaway", focusing on Sweden.
Katie stayed with us at Nordic Refuge while exploring Dalsland, and her two-day itinerary mirrors the gentle rhythm of the region perfectly. Her writing focuses on slow mornings, scenic drives, lakeside pauses and the small, characterful places that make Dalsland so special. Many of the spots she shares are close to our hearts and just a short distance from the house, making her guide a lovely source of inspiration for guests looking to experience Dalsland at an unhurried pace.
Farawayistan celebrating Midosmmar in Dalsland
We had the pleasure of welcoming Sabina and Robin, the couple behind Farawayistan, during their stay at Nordic Refuge, when they explored Dalsland by gravel bike around Midsommar. Their article captures the joy of riding quiet forest roads, linking lakes, villages and long summer evenings under endless daylight. It’s a beautiful reflection of how cycling here is less about performance and more about immersion — nature, freedom and the simple pleasure of moving through the landscape at your own pace. A wonderful read for anyone curious about discovering Dalsland on two wheels.
Sörknatten
Sôrknatten is a mythical mountain in Swedish culture. It has inspired a landscape by locally born painter Otto Hesselbom: "Vårt land" (our country). It is now a natural reserve where a
path leads you over the cliffs for a magnificent view. It's a great late afternoon walk!
(8Km from the B&B).
paddling in lake Råvarp
With hundreds of lakes and untouched nature, Dalsland has to be discovered form a Canoë. Råvarp is a narrow lake situated at the southern end of the Dalsland's canal making it easy to paddle for
beginners. The lake is secluded and has a great feeling of wilderness. Major rock carvings from the bronze age can be found on its shores.
(10Km from the B&b) Canoë rental available.
our own little Nordic Lagoon
A hidden gem on the hill just over the B&B. Not easy to find but ask us!
(1,5Km from the B&B)
cycling till Yttre Bodane
Yttre Bodane is an archipelago on lake Vänern, south of Åmål. It's great to cycle the small gravel roads through villages and rural communities to this beautiful nature reserve. The route
will take you on low trafic roads, by the shore of lakes and through the forest.
(23Km from the B&B).
swimming in lake Ärr
In Dalsland, you can virtually swim everywhere in clean waters. A few hundreds meters from the B&B, there is a small bathing place where you can just jump into the water. Fresh feeling
guaranteed! The beach is suitable and safe from small children.
(less than 500m from the B&B)
Vandra i Ronjaland: Bläsenrundan
"Ronja the robber's daughter" is a film inspired by Astrid Lindgren's book and was shot in the hills around the B&B. The filmmaker found the landscape fits the atmosphere of the book and he
was right. A network of
walks was created to discover the shooting place and one of them starts right at our doorstep! The walk will take you to a peak, a lagon, some caves and a fortress.
(3.8 Km circle walk starting from the B&B)
Baljåsen, the peak of Dalsland!
Over the ancient village of Edsleskog, you will find the highest peak of Dalsland. It's certainly not the Alps but it offers a great point of view over the area till the Lake Vänern. The walks around are great and the cabin at the top
of the hill has a secret. Come to know more!
(13Km from the B&B)
Tresticklans National Park
The National Park offers uninterrupted wilderness and stimulating hiking in an area bordering Norway. The Tresticklan area is a forested region without settlement and roads that is unusually large for Götaland. A must visit for nature enthusiasts! (65Km from the B&B)
Some hiking and cycling tours
We have selected some of our favourite cycling and hiking tours starting at the B&B.
You can download the GPX files, ask us for details.
(hikes and rides starting from the B&B)
Historic & Cultural Spots
Not Quite
Not Quite is an unexpected artistic centre far away from the big cities. Exhibitions, art, craft, concerts, ... will definitely surprise you! (2Km from the B&B)
Håverud
Håverud is nearly at the southern end of the Dalsland's canal and offers an interesting view on technical solutions for communications at the time. Now it's one of the main
attractions in Dalsland. It offers a good brasserie, nice small shops and a really great vintage furniture
shop where we bought our first midcentury sideboard!
(23Km from the B&B)
Fröskog's church
The oldest church in
the area and probably one of the best preserved is on the top of the hill, just over the B&B. Fröskog's church is a wooden church from the 18th century, typical of the "peasant baroque"
style. It's brilliant!
(just across the street in front of the B&B)
Fröbacken flower boutique and café
By the church, in the garden of the old presbytery, You'll find an unique
flower boutique and summer shop. The flowers are locally grown, you can either pick them up yourselves or ask for a bouquet. We are lucky to dispose nice bouquets from Fröbacken in the
B&B!
(just across the street in front of the B&B)
Hidden Gems Around Dalsland
Kosteröarna
The Koster islands are an archipelago at the border with Norway. You reach the main islands (Koster South and North) with a pedestrian ferry from Strömstad. The islands are nearly completely free of cars (Northern Island has no road) and are a real paradise. Great bathing places, nice walks, great food.
(One hour and a half from the B&B)
Väderöarna
The Väder islands were an outpost for the pilots helping the sailing boats to get into the harbour of Fjällbacka. The islands are the farthest in the sea in West Sweden and their remoteness is part of their uniqueness. There is now a brasserie where you can have lunch, rent a sauna and jump into the sea. The boat to the island should preferably be booked well in advance.
(One hour and a half from the B&B)
Fjällbacka
Fjällbacka is definitely a beautiful harbour facing its archipelago, a nice little town with shops and sea-food restaurants. Hometown of actress Ingrid Bergman, it's well known nowadays from the novels of Swedish writer Camilla Läckberg. If you fancy confronting the dark side of Swedish criminals with the nearly perfect landscapes and neat sea side villas, Fjällbacka is yours.
(One hour and a half from the B&B)
Göteborg, the great city by the sea
Göteborg is sometimes underestimated by visitors. It's a great, dynamic, cultural and cosmopolitan city though. Göteborg is for foodies, for design lovers, for coffee amateurs and sharp fashionistas.
Haga district
Haga is one of the oldest districts in Göteborg and its houses have kept their original character. You'll find independent shops and cafés on the pedestrian cobblestone streets of this typical neighbourhood.
Majorna district and second hand shops
If you like vintage shops as much as we do... You'll love Majorna neighbourhood. Some of them have top tier curated furnitures while you'll have to search more in some others. But all of them are really worth a visit and there are always nice cafés nearby ready to welcome you for a fikka. Ask us for tips!
best coffee places
Göteborg has a great culture of coffee enthusiasts.
We are getting serious here. No words , just facts!
- Da Matteo is the first place where we stop for a coffee.
- Kafé Magasinet in Järntorget area is a well known venue.
- Materia will be your resting place or a while after your second hand shops safari in Majorna.
the archipelago
From Göteborg, you can easily take a tramway to Saltholmen where you can jump on any boat (public transportation) to one of Göteborg's southern archipelago islands. The rest is up to you!