Gota Canal

The Gota Canal celebrated its 175th anniversary in 2007. Considered Sweden's greatest feat of engineering, it is a maze of 58 separate locks and is 190 kilometers in length. Hurtigruten invites you to experience the Gota Canal on one of its renowned Gota Canal cruises. Enjoy a water journey filled with plentiful vistas, inexplicable adventure and exceptional opportunities for educational exploration. Aboard our Gota Canal cruise you will enjoy daily informational meetings where our ship's guides impart their knowledge and history of the Gota Canal and its local sites. Enjoy guided shore excursions as well as ample time to experience the local flavor independently.

This Gota Canal adventure goes from Gothenburg to Stockholm or vice versa. From the bridge to the harbor, The Palm House to the square, Gothenberg is rich with exploration opportunities. Once you begin your cruise you will sail to Trollhättan with its four locks, travel Lake Vanern, navigate Sjötorp, the Gota Canal's first lock, sail through the manually operated lock of Borensberg, explore the medieval town of Vadstena, visit the idyllic town of Soderkoping, and so much more. This incomparable adventure is filled with too many things to mention, as words can never do it justice.

On this first day of your Gota Canal adventure, after checking into your hotel, you will enjoy the rest of the day exploring Sweden's second largest city independently. Venture to one of its local prides, the Poseidon statue, become absorbed in the cultural art and photography museum. Walk the streets of the working class, stop in the local amusement park. Become absorbed in the cultural life built from its sea, trade and industrial roots. No matter what you choose to do you will surely note the different architectural structures from the Neo-Classical look of the Gotaplatsen square to its post-modernist style structures.

This morning you will embark on your vintage vessel enjoying the beautiful landscape of fertile fields and lush forest as you sail your way to Trollhättan with its four locks and interesting Canal Museum. In the evening, enjoy a guided tour of the Hunneberg Royal Hunting Museum in Vanersborg. [L/D]

Today you will travel to Lake Vanern, the third largest lake in Europe, and Sweden's largest. On the lakefront sits Lacko Castle, built in 1298 as a bishop's residence, and later renovated in the baroque style. This medieval castle offers you a number of activities and castle adventures including a glimpse at the castle's richly decorated interior and beautiful gardens. After this the vessel will navigate Sjötorp, the first of the Gota Canal's 58 locks. [B/L/D]

After passing through locks and lakes, and by fortresses and vast land masses, your vessel reaches the medieval town of Vadstena, celebrated for its narrow streets, wooden houses, and handmade lace. Here you'll visit the convent founded by St. Birgitta in the 14th century and built to her design. In the evening you will stop at the industrial town of Motala, where you may visit the Motor Museum, known for its collection of antique cars and motorcycles. Motala is where the Swedish naval officer, statesman, and architect of the Gota Canal, Baltzar von Platen, is buried. [B/L/D]

As your Gota Canal cruise continues through Borensberg, you will see a manually operated lock and visit the well-known Gota Hotel, built in 1908. Later your vessel will pass over two aqueducts before reaching the Carl Johan lock stairway in Berg, the longest on the canal. [B/L/D]

Founded in the thirteenth century, Soderkoping is an idyllic town, which served as an important port during the Hansa period. It also has a long and fascinating history as a spa. Here you will enjoy leisure time, before the vessel crosses open water on the Baltic and then weaves through the Stockholm archipelago. [B/L/D]

The Viking community of Birka, on the island of Bjorko, is regarded by many as Sweden's first town. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1993. A vibrant trading center for some 250 years, it was abandoned by the end of the 10th century, possibly because the Sodertalje had become too shallow for trade ships. Later, you will pass the 17th century Drottningholm Palace, home to the Swedish royal family. In the afternoon, you will reach Stockholm, disembark and check into your hotel. [B/L]

Meal codes: [B] Breakfast [L] Lunch [D] Dinner

Pricing is valid for North American residents only.

Hurtigruten explorations including Gota Canal cruises await. Request a brochure, contact a travel agent or book online. Embark on a journey of exploration, adventure and luxury with Hurtigruten, authentic voyages to pristine lands.