Göta Canal

Holidays on the Göta Canal

Holidays in Sweden and along the Göta Canal. Experience packages and Göta Kanal always offer new experiences and discoveries. Choose between boating and cycling in the footsteps of the founder Baltzar von Platen or play golf in beautiful scenic environments in Knistad and Töreboda. During the winter, we offer long-distance skating when there is ice on the canal.

Göta Kanal is a fantastic piece of construction and a bike ride along Göta Kanal offers lovely environments, new visual impressions and views of viaducts and sluices. A full day along the canal on car-free roads provides fantastic nature and cultural experiences for both young and old. In Söderköping, which is one of our stops during the bike tours, Astrid Lindgren's Madicken was recorded. A cozy little town which is just one of all the attractions Semester på Göta Kanal offers.

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Cycling along the Göta Canal - An environmentally friendly & climate-smart holiday

Experiences along the canal

There is a lot to see and experience on your bike ride along the Göta Canal and here are experiences for the whole family. Along the Göta Canal you will find, among other things, many museums and exhibitions that are well worth a visit.

Museums along the Göta Canal

The lock sports exhibition at Bergs locks (Motala)

In Motala you will find the lock sports exhibition which is located by Berg's locks and which is an outdoor exhibition where you can see the powerful lock sports and read more about the development of the gates over the years. The lock gates are made of cast iron, wood and steel and tell the story of the various building techniques used throughout the canal's 200-year history.

The Canal Museum in Sjötorp

In the old harbor magazine in Sjötorp you will find the Canal and Maritime Museum. The museum is only 50 meters from the locks and here you can learn more about the Göta Canal's rich history through pictures, texts, models and more that tell about past times and how people lived and worked next to the lock.

Motala Motor Museum

It's not all about boats and canals, along a bike ride by the Göta Canal you can also visit the Motala Motor Museum, which is Sweden's largest motor museum. For those interested in motor and car, there is so much to experience here. The museum is not only a display of cars and vehicles but is just as much a nostalgic journey back to times gone by and the premises have fully decorated environments that breathe different eras from the 20s to the 60s. At the Motor Museum, there is also the Vättern Aquarium, which, among other things, holds 15 aquariums in the order of 500 to 10 liters. In the area there is also a hotel and restaurant where you can enjoy a good meal.

The Air Force Museum (Linköping)

For those of you with high-flying plans, we can warmly recommend a visit to the Air Force Museum in Linköping. Here you will find a unique collection of aircraft from the aviation industry's youth to today's JAS 39 Gripen. In the museum, you can also view the wreck from the DC-3 that was shot down by the Soviet Union in 1952. The wreck was found in the Baltic Sea 50 years after the incident and can be seen today at the museum. In the museum you will also find a souvenir shop, restaurant and café.

Food and drink along the Göta Canal

There are many nice and cozy restaurants and cafes along the canal where you can eat and drink well and take a well-deserved break during your bike ride by the Göta Canal.

The waffle house in Sjötorp

Here you can enjoy crispy waffles and a cup of coffee while enjoying the canal atmosphere that prevails in Sjötorp.

Kanalkrogen in Sjötorp

When you settle down on the outdoor terrace at the canal tavern, you are greeted by a beautiful view of Lake Vänern. The restaurant has a wide range of food and on the menu you will find, among other things, beef fillet, shrimp sandwiches, pizza and fresh salads. If you like good food in a cozy environment with fantastic lake views, this is the restaurant for you.

Norsholm Slusscafé (Norsholm, Norrköping)

Right in the heart of Norsholm, right next to the lock, you will find this classic and cozy café. In fine weather, you should sit down at one of the garden tables next to the lock and enjoy a coffee, a freshly baked pie or maybe some ice cream from Sänkdalens Gård.

Skomakarn's Restaurant and Café (Karlsborg)

Skomakarns is a restaurant with full rights and here you will find a large selection of both food, drinks and coffee bread. It serves meat dishes, fish dishes, vegetarian dishes, vegan dishes and there is something for everyone. In the café you will also find a nice little gift shop and outside there is an 18-hole mini golf course and an ice cream café. As I said, there is something for everyone.

Shopping along the canal

For those who are hungry for shopping, there are many cozy shops and summer stalls to visit during the bike ride.

The farmhouse in Sjötorp

In the farmhouse in Sjötorp you will find home furnishings, fashion, gift items, jewelry and delicacies. When you visit Sjötorp and the farmhouse, you can also take the opportunity to have a coffee at Café Baltzar and perhaps a visit to the Canal and Maritime Museum.

Formcraft (Töreboda)

At Formcraft you will find a wide range of handicrafts, ceramics, clothing, accessories and home furnishings. You can shop for durable and functional products such as clothes in organic cotton, products in bamboo, hand-turned ceramics and much more.

The craftsmen around the canal in Hajstorps Magasin (Töreboda)

In a beautiful old magazine next to Hajtorp's locks you will find The craftsmen around the canal. Here you will find crafts, handicrafts, ceramics, jewelry, textiles and much more. Here you can shop in peace and quiet in a genuine canal environment.

Börslycke Gård (Borensberg, Motala)

How about a heavenly good jam or caramel bar? If it sounds like music to your ears, you should head to Börslycke Gård. Genuine food crafts are manufactured and sold here and you will find colors, jams, vinaigrette, chutney and much more in the shop.

Attractions along the canal

There is a lot to experience along the way and by the Göta Canal there are many sights that are worth a visit. During a cycling holiday along the canal, there are many things to experience in addition to museums, restaurants and cafes.

Vadstena Castle

Vadstena Castle began to be built in 1545 and was completed 76 years later (1621). Gustav Vasa decided that the castle would be built and initially the idea was that it would become a defense castle, but over time the castle developed into a beautiful Renaissance palace. For those who like history and beautiful environments, there is much to see and discover at Vadstena Castle. The castle offers various guided tours, concerts and fantastic environments.

Löfsta Castle Museum

Löfsta Slott dates back to the 1600th century and was built on behalf of Axel Lillie as a gift to his wife Christina Mörner. The castle was damaged by fire in 1750 but was rebuilt again and today you can visit the castle which is preserved in the smallest detail and here you can experience art and furniture from times gone by.

Artwork along the canal

For those interested in art, there are several works of art to take part in along the Göta Canal.

In Mem you will find the artwork Utpost, in Forsvik (by the Göta Canal's oldest lock) you will find the artwork Pålstek and by Lake Roxen you can view the installation Dubbelgångaren.

About Göta Canal

Göta Canal is one of the largest building projects in Swedish history. The construction of the canal took a full 22 years, work began in 1810 and the canal was completed in 1832. The architect behind the canal was Baltzar von Platen who in turn enlisted the help of the Englishman Thomas Telford and his knowledge of canal construction to build and complete the Göta Canal. Part of the canal (87 km) is dug by hand and 58 soldiers were required to carry out this work.

The cost for the entire project ended at 9 million riksdaler, which in today's money value corresponds to more than 12 billion kronor.

Göta canal is a total of approx. 190 km long, has 58 locks and no less than 50 bridges. Göta canal stretches from Sjötorp by the shores of Lake Vänern to Mem by Slätbaken.