How to Plan a Sustainable Seafood Tour of West Sweden

Driving along Sweden’s West Coast, you can’t help but feel a connection not just to the past, but also to what could be a part of an idyllic future. As we made our way around the Bohuslän Archipelago visiting fishing villages centered around sustainable seafood and its production, and I couldn't help but think that this region may be a light forward as we reimagine a new food system.

Seeing the fisheries that had been open for over 100 years carrying you small scale sustainable production that honored the ocean was so inspiring, not to mention delicious.

The Bohuslän runs almost 280 kilometers and is an area of outstanding natural beauty. Off the coast there are 8,000 islands, and up until about a century ago the people of the coast and island relied on the humble herring and quarrying rock for a living. 

The coastline is packed with small fishing villages and little islets that are perfect for sunning, bathing, and, of course, enjoying amazing seafood. 

Here are some of the places we stopped along the way for the ultimate sustainable seafood adventure:

Salt & Sill, Tjörn

Salt & Sill is Sweden's first floating hotel, and what a sight it is to behold. There’s nothing better than falling asleep to the slight undulation of the ocean beneath you — the ultimate sleep machine. The rooms at Salt & Sill are super stylish, done in the clean Scandinavian style. And there is a large sun deck on the roof of the hotel where you can relax and enjoy the wonderful view of the outer islands of Tjörn. I wish we could have just moved right in!

www.saltosill.se/ 

Everts Sjöbod, Grebbestad

Everts Sjöbod in Grebbestad has the best of coastal Bohuslän all year round. Bohuslän’s northern climate and chilly waters make for first-class oysters, and learning to shuck them with the hotel’s owner while inside a boathouse from the 19th century was an experience I’ll never forget. They also have a traditional wood-fired hot tub, which was sadly not running during our stay, but shucks (sorry, couldn’t resist), I guess that means we’ll have to come back! 

Everts Sjöbod also harvesst some of the 20 edible Swedish seaweeds here, and use them for their cooking. In the Bohuslän, seaweed grows wild and is hand-harvested. It can be eated fresh or dried – and can be used for natural, exclusive skin care. It was so incredible to taste, truly the essence of the ocean.

http://evertssjobod.se/en/ 

Slipens Hotel 

Slipens genuinely is one of the most magical places I’ve ever stayed. You can gaze out at the harbor while sitting alongside local fisherman and seafaring folk who make this their Sunday spot to hang. Their smorgasbord is a true feast, with all sorts of seafood and locally produced breads and cheeses, and their collection of hundreds of whiskeys from around the globe is truly mind blowing. 

And did I mention their traditional Swedish sauna that sits on the harbor? It truly felt like a dream. I definitely recommend doing some hot-cold dips to detox from the whiskey. Wim Hof knew what was up! 

www.slipenshotell.se/en/home/

Lysekils Ostron Musslor Tours

We capped off our tour of the region with a seafood safari tour on fisherman Lars’ boat. The Signe. We joined other local Swedes on the wooden boat, built in 1952, and Lars shuffled us out to his family’s mussel farm, showing us you mussels are grown and harvested. Later, Lars and his wife brought the mussels to a beautiful rocky harbor in Käringeholmen, where we enjoyed them cooked with white wine and garlic, as well as some freshly shucked local oysters that they grow. 

Lars talked to us about how these bivalves actually filter carbon from the ocean, and could be the sustainable portion of the future. All I have to say is, I know where I’d want to be at the end of the world. This place is paradise!

www.lysekilsostronomusslor.se/tours/ 

Video produced by by Fork in the Road Media/Danny Simmons/Krista Simmons