The Göta Canal – from Gothenburg to Stockholm by boat

On a Göta Canal cruise through Sweden aboard the Juno

The Göta Canal has been on our travel wish list for a long time. Ever since I made a report about this waterway in Sweden read that connects Gothenburg with Stockholm, I wanted to drive it myself. If so, then it should be on board the historic river steamer Juno, the oldest registered passenger ship in the world. Said and done. We embark on a Göta Canal cruise aboard the Juno from Gothenburg to Stockholm.

 

 

 

 

The Juno was built by 1874 at the Motala shipyard in Sweden. There where she leaves the Lake Vättern today on her journeys over the Göta Canal. From there she continues her way via locks towards Borensberg. My dream comes true in early June. We ship after our overnight stay in the Radisson Blu Riverside Hotel in Gothenburg at the Packhuskajen. From there we set off for a four-day river adventure on the Göta Canal.

 

 

 

Passengers from all over the world travel with us on the Göta Canal

Together with passengers from all over the world - they come from Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, England and the USA - we move into our tiny but comfortably furnished cabins for the next three nights. In our cabin on deck A, the top deck of the Juno, we find two bunk beds, where I squeeze into the lower bed next to the vanity and Petar chooses the upper bed. After initial doubts, we sleep amazingly well in it during the three nights on board. The fresh air that we get on the way certainly contributes to the rest.

The cabins aboard the Juno

We follow the crew's recommendation and unpack everything we need for the trip, stowing it in the small cupboards provided. We can even charge our cell phones and use the excellent Wi-Fi network on board. However, this is one of the few concessions to modern times aboard the Juno.

The cabin has a wash basin, sufficient for brushing teeth and bathing. Showers and toilets are shared by all passengers. It's a bit like traveling in a train compartment. Only here, the floor rocks a bit more. The cabins are slightly larger than those on our Houseboat in Holland.

 

 

The cabins are actually only intended for overnight stays. Unfortunately, we didn't bring enough warm clothes for the trip. Sweden and the Göta Canal can be windy in spring. The temperatures this June are apparently below those of "normal" years, as we've been repeatedly assured. Therefore, we keep seeking the warmth of our cabin.

There, we warm up and let the beautiful landscapes and villages along the Göta Canal pass by, admiring them through the open cabin door. This protects us from the wind. Our warmer-clad fellow passengers sit on the Juno's deck with blankets instead.

Alternatively, Juno passengers can use the library as a lounge during the journey. However, it doesn't have enough space for everyone. The dining room is only open during meal times.

 

 

The Göta Canal - historical waterway between Gothenburg and Stockholm

As is the case with historic routes, they are quite old. And sometimes something can stop working properly. On our trip, it was the first lock in Lilla Edet.

Our captain, Albert Hakansson, is a true sea dog who's actually already retired. He only steers the Juno through the Swedish lakes and the Göta Canal during the summer months. He considerately yields to a container ship.

As we were about to enter the lock on our river steamer, we were suddenly told: "No more going!" The lock gate wouldn't open. And as is often the case, things like this always happen just before the weekend. Murphy's Law!

The lock needs to be repaired

Repairing a broken lock gate on Friday afternoon turns out to be not as easy as originally thought, so we can only continue with almost nine hours late. This is the travel program, which we have received from the shipping company for our tour on the Göta Canal, once more no longer comply. Wherever we should go sightseeing and hiking, we arrive in the middle of the night - or what is left of it just before Midsummer in Sweden.

You have to be flexible on the Göta Canal

The nights are short here at the Göta Canal in early June. In any case, most passengers in these places are in bed. However, our crew knows how to handle it well and quickly organizes great excursions, which bring us closer to the Göta Canal and the lakes that cross the Juno in a very pleasant way. Katharina, who is responsible for the entertainment program, conjures up new ideas and places to visit and makes the journey a pure pleasure.

 

 

The lock staircase on the Göta Canal

We particularly like the lock staircase at Sjötorp. Here the Juno has to take in fresh water and climb eight locks. This gives us passengers the opportunity to visit the Göta Canal Museum in Sjötorp, to watch the crew at work in the locks and to walk along the Göta Canal to the 8 lock, where we can board the boat again. A nice and comfortable stay, which brings us closer to life on the canal.

What the lock keeper does

We watch the lockkeeper wheel from lock to lock to prepare for Juno as he opens bridges so that the boat can pass underneath and chat with hikers and cyclists along the canal. Leisurely we walk along the canal and take us back to the times when this was still an important trade route from the west to the east coast of Sweden.

 

 

The Juno passes a total of 58 locks on its way from west to east. There are even some that are opened by hand, such as the lock at Tatorp. Every now and then we have to wait for bridges to rise in front of us so that we can pass through. It always amazes me how short the queues for cars at the road-river crossings are. Sweden is a sparsely populated country. I noticed that on our road trip through Smaland. This is even clearer here on the Göta Canal further north.

The two largest lakes in Sweden

On our boat trip through Sweden, we sail across two of the country's largest lakes: Lake Vänern in the west and Lake Vättern, whose southern shore we first encountered near Jönköping. We cross the second at night, after Katharina warned us at dinner that the crossing could be rough.

Well-equipped with seasickness pills, I let the waves of the lake lull me to sleep. Petar, who had bravely refused to take any pills, sometimes has to cling to his bed above me to avoid falling out of bed in the rough seas. It's a good thing I chose the cozy bunk next to the vanity.

 

 

Monastery Vreta, Birka and Drottningholm Castle on the way to Stockholm

Shortly after Ljungsbro we get off at one of the locks and walk to the Vreta monastery, which is not far from the Göta Canal. While the Juno continues to the lock staircase of Berg, we look at the romantic monastery with its cloister and the church, in which the bishop is excitedly expected by the community. We do not want to disturb you for long and we continue to Berg, where Juno is waiting for us at the bottom of the locks.

 

 

Sweden's best ice cream on the Göta Canal

From here we cross the lake Roxen - this time with calm sea - and cross between Norsholm and Mem the last piece of the 190 km long Götakanals. In Söderköping we make a promise that we will be one of our hostesses on our Tour through Smaland We will try the ice cream shop at the lock of the place where the Juno will pick up fresh water for the last time during our trip.

This is actually as good as it had announced to us. Really Italian and "with real milk", the ice cream shop owner assures us. If you want, you can take a walk through the town with Katharina. We decide to use the beautiful evening light for photography and can take the Juno in the evening sun. A few kilometers later we leave the Göta Canal and continue on towards Slätbaken Lake towards Stockholm.

 

 

Back on schedule on our Göta Canal cruise with the MS Juno

In the meantime, as the captain proudly explains, we have made up for the lost time at the first lock at Lilla Edet and are exactly on schedule. We are very happy about that and give us enough time to visit the Viking settlement in Birka, which is part of the 8. to 10. Was the most important trading center of the Vikings in Sweden in the 19th century. Birka is located on an island in Lake Mälaren west of Stockholm. We look at the reconstructed houses of the Vikings and the museum, which shows how the Vikings lived at that time.

Castle Drottningholm

On our way to Stockholm we make a detour to the castle Drottningholm, the residence of the Swedish royal family. The castle is located on the shores of Lake Mälaren and the Juno turns a loop in front of it. If you want to visit the castle, but must book a trip from Stockholm, because we do not stop here.

 

 

About Lake Mälaren

With a touch of nostalgia, we follow the Juno's route through the final locks that separate Lake Mälaren with its freshwater from the saltwater of the Baltic Sea. An exciting journey that has transported us back to times gone by is coming to an end. Four enjoyable days on board and on land showed us Sweden from an extraordinary perspective.

We particularly enjoyed traveling on the historic riverboat Juno, which required a fair amount of flexibility. While our small cabin took some getting used to at first, over the course of the trip it became a nest where we felt at home.

Arrival in Stockholm

The other passengers we had got to know each other better in the four days, and the farewell on the wharf of Gamla Stan in Stockholm was difficult. But we especially appreciated the care we received from the Juno's crew, who made the journey a pleasure and went to extraordinary lengths to ensure our well-being.

One thing became clear to us during our river trip: a journey on the Göta Canal is not a journey to destinations, but a journey where the journey is the destination – crossing Sweden by water between Gothenburg and Stockholm.

 

 

If you before the Göta Canal cruise with the Juno the city Gothenburg in a day If you want to explore, Nina-Kristin also has tips for you. Our tips for a day in Stockholm help everyone starting their journey on the Göta Canal in Stockholm.

Have you already sailed on the Göta Canal yourself?

Not all trips on the Göta Canal are like ours. What were your experiences? Do you have any specific tips you can give other travelers? We look forward to hearing about your experiences, and our readers will certainly appreciate your recommendations. Share with them in the comments.

 

Travel Arrangements

Parking at the airport

Here you can reserve your parking space at the airport.

How to Arrive

Compare and book flights here*. There are flights to Gothenburg or Stockholm.

You can book the river cruise at:

Rederi AB Gota Canal
Pusterviksgatan 13
SE-413 01 GOTHENBURG

Sweden

 

 

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Source Götakanal Juno: research on site. We would also like to thank Strömma for inviting us to her canal trip. Our opinions definitely remain our own.

Further Slow Travel Recommendations here.

Text: © Copyright Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
Photos: © Copyright Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
Video: © Copyright Petar Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline