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ITINERARY
Stockholm - Göteborg, 4 days
Day 1
09.00 Departure from Stockholm, Skeppsbrokajen 103
09.20 Hammarby lock
The first lock on our journey.
09.30-12.30 Lake Mälaren
0.3 meters above sea level. Sweden’s third largest
lake
10.30 Drottningholm Castle
Drottningholm Castle, the home of the Royal family
since 1981, is on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage
sites.
12.30-12.40 Södertälje
Södertälje lock, 135 meters long, is the largest
lock we will go through.
12.40-01.20 The Baltic
The archipelago of St Anna and Södermanland.
16.00-18.00 Trosa
Trosa has been a well-known town since the
14th century. It was moved to its present site in
1610. Regular steamer
traffic from Stockholm
and Nyköping began in 1860, bringing large numbers
of summer visitors. Some of the local
fishermen’s picturesque
red houses have been rebuilt into attractive homes
with carved wood decoration and beautiful
verandas. Guided walk (about 2.5 km) Swimming is an option.
Day 2
01.00-03.45 Stegeborg
The ruins of the Stegeborg Castle are in a lovely
natural setting overlooking Slätbaken bay. The fort
dates from the
early Middle Ages and was built to
guard the entrance to Söderköping.
04.45 Mem
On 26th Sept. 1832, the Göta Canal was inaugurated
at Mem amid great pomp and circumstance in the
presence
of King Karl XIV Johan and his family. We
now go through the first of the 58 narrow locks on
the Göta Canal.
05.50-06.00 Söderköping
Söderköping is an idyllic town, which was founded in
the 13th century and it was most important during
the Hansa
period. The town also has a long and
fascinating history as a spa. Walk along the canal
and board at the lock
“Carlsborg övre” (4.3 km).
09.00-09.30 Lake Asplången, 27 meters above sea
level
10.50 Norsholm
The railway line between Stockholm and Malmö crosses
here. There is also a lock at Norsholm.
10.50-13.00 Lake Roxen, 33 meters above sea level
13.00 Berg (Carl-Johan)
With its seven interconnected locks, the Carl Johan
lock stairway in Berg is the longest on the Canal.
The convent of
Vreta Kloster, now a ruin, was the
first to be built in Sweden. It dates from about
1100 and its importance was later
over-shadowed by the
convent founded by St. Birgitta in Vadstena. The
church is one of the most interesting in
Sweden, with many
medieval works of art. Today, it is used as a parish
church and therefore not always open. Guided
walk (about 3 km, partly hilly) to Vreta
Cloister ruins and church. Or walk along the canal
on your own. Swimming in
Lake Roxen is an option.
15.20 Berg (Heda)
Departure after having gone through 15 locks at
Berg. Board again at the lock of “Heda”, left side.
15.30 Ljungsbro Aqueduct
Here we pass over the first of two aqueducts (built
in 1970) on our journey.
18.15 Aqueduct
Just before Borensberg, there is an aqueduct (built
in 1993).
18.35-18.50 Borensberg
One of two manually operated locks is found here and
also the well-known Göta Hotel.
18.50-19.40 Lake Boren, 73 meters above sea level.
19.40-20.15 Borenshult
Lock stairway of five locks. The song of the
nightingale is often heard in the area. Walk to
Motala past von
Platen’s grave (1 hour)
21.00 Arr. Motala
As Baltzar von Platen had intended, Motala developed
into a town. Motala Werkstad, an engineering works,
was
established here to
serve the Göta Canal and was considered the cradle
of Swedish industry. We visit Motala
Motor museum, which has
an exhibition of antique cars and motorcycles in
authentic surroundings, a collection of
radios, toys, household
appliances and more. Walk
to von Platen’s grave, 1-km walk (left side of the
canal).
Overnight stop.
Day 3
04.00 Dep. Motala
We leave Motala and head out into Lake Vättern.
04.00-06.00 Lake Vättern, 89 meters above sea level.
Sweden’s second largest lake.
06.45 Singing
Before we leave the boat there is singing and
flowers from the Kindbom family, a religious group.
06.45-08.30 Forsvik
Forsvik Bruk is one Sweden’s most interesting
industrial communities and its history is six
hundred years old.
Today, it is a well-known museum
of industrial history with various exhibitions, a
film show, and more. Forsvik
also has the Göta
Canal’s oldest lock, built in 1813, and an
impressive iron bridge constructed in the same year.
Visit a museum (short walk).
08.30-09.15 Billströmmen/ The Spetsnäs Canal
Through two narrow, wooded passages and small lakes
with water lilies, we steer out into Lake Viken.
08.30-10.45 Lake Viken
The beautiful Lake Viken (91.8 meters above sea
level) serves as a water reservoir for the western
section of
the Göta Canal. Possibility to see
osprey.
10.45 Tåtorp
Manually operated lock. Now, we will be going
downwards!
11.15 The Berg Canal / the Obelisk
An obelisk marks the canal’s highest point (91.5
meters above sea level). A difficult bend was
straightened in
1933, the Berg Canal.
13.30 Töreboda
The railway line between Stockholm and Göteborg
crosses the canal here. Sweden’s smallest ferry, ”Lina”,
travels
back and forth across the Göta Canal.
14.15-14.35 Hajstorp
A lock system consisting of four locks. In 1822 the
western section of the Göta Canal was inaugurated at
Hajstorp.
50 min. walk to Lyrestad from “Godhögen”
lock.
16.45-17.45 Lyrestad
According to von Platen, Lyrestad was intended to
become a major town. The old harbor storehouse was
used for
goods carried on the canal. Nowadays, it
contains a museum run by the local homestead
association. Visit the
Homestead Museum.
18.45-20.15 Sjötorp
At Sjötorp there is a set of eight locks. Option to
walk along the canal.
20.15-04.15 Lake Vänern, 44 meters above sea level.
Sweden’s largest lake.
24.00 Läckö Castle
The Castle was built in 1298 as a bishop’s
residence. Its golden age was during the reign of
Magnus Gabriel de la
Gardie, who transformed it into
baroque style in 1652. The boat goes close by and
the tour guide will tell the story
of the castle.
Day 4
05.30-06.45 Trollhättan, Rysskajen
The impressive flight of locks at Trollhättan
consists of four locks, covering a 32-metre
difference in water level.
There are three lock
systems and the biggest one (from 1916) is still in
use. We stop here to await daylight.
Possible to go
on an early morning walk in the lock area.
06.45-07.30 Trollhättan, locks
08.30-08.45 Lilla Edet
The lock at Lilla Edet, built in 1916, is the last
lock on our journey. The original lock was opened in
1607 and was
the first lock in Sweden.
09.45-11.40 Lödöse
Lödöse was a prominent trading centre on the west
coast as far back as the 11th century. We visit the
Medieval
Museum, which depicts the area, the people
and the crafts of early times. Guided visit to a
museum (a walk of
about 1 km).
14.30 Arr. Göteborg, Packhuskajen 10
Our cruise ends at Packhuskajen 10, near the
spectacular Opera House and the Maritime Centre in
Göteborg.
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