The Göta Canal
The Göta Canal winds its way through the south of Sweden, linking Stockholm on the Baltic with Gothenburg on the Skagerrak, taking in a wealth of sights, sounds and tastes along the way. Using boats built for the canal in 1874, 1912 and 1931, the relaxed pace of the cruise and old-world elegance of the cabins perfectly complement the tranquil beauty of the scenery en route.
Itineraries
The Göta Canal company runs two main cruise itineraries along the canal:
From Coast to Coast
takes 4 days with two nights spent cruising and one moored in
Motala. Shore visits include:
- Trollhättan Canal Museum
- Motala Engineering works
- Vreta convent
- Söderköping
- Birka Viking dig
The Great Swedish Cruise
takes 6 days with overnight mooring throughout so you don't miss
any scenery. Shore visits include all of the above plus:
- Läckö Castle
- Lyrestad Glass-blowing centre
- Vadstena Abbey & Castle
- Coffee & Waffles at the Göta Hotel, Borenstad
- Stegeborg Fortress
The ships
The three ships of the Göta Canal line are
MS Juno - built 1874
MS Wilhelm Tham - built 1912
MS Diana - built 1931
All three have been recently restored to the same high standards, recalling the golden age of travel with brass and wood fittings and veranda-covered decks.
Cabins are small and cosy, with bunk berths and shared WC and shower facilities - just as it would have been back in the golden age of travel. The ships are small, with around 30 cabins each on board, giving a friendly, intimate atmosphere to any journey on board. All cabins are outside facing and above the waterline so everyone has a view.
Meals served on board are as varied and traditional as the scenery - classic Swedish dishes and specialities with a modern twist, made with locally-sourced ingredients by highly-trained chefs, accompanied fresh bread baked on board, a good selection of wines and of course Swedish Akvavit.
