Trollhattan Mini Guide
I’ve Never Heard of Trollhattan, is it Worth a Visit?
True, it’s not on the usual tourist trail to Sweden but it has a lot to reward the tourist that’s prepared to try somewhere different. It’s found north of
Gothenburg and the same distance away from the southern Norwegian border. It began as a village founded when travellers heading up river were held up by the difficulties faced in the river at the location.
Sometimes stranded overnight, accommodation grew there. Eventually, a series of locks were installed to enable travellers to continue their journey but many still chose to stop off in the area. Later, two hydroelectric power stations were built here causing industries to be attracted to the area. Today, the Saab factory is the most important benefactor of the town’s industrialisation and a major draw to the area.
How do I get to Trollhattan?
The glib answer is to hire a Saab and drive there but the best options are to fly into Fyrstads Flygplats, the local airport, but there are only connecting flights to
Stockholm and a business commuter service to
Frankfurt serving the automobile industry. The alternative is to fly into Gothenburg which has more international arrivals and you can catch a train from there which takes about an hour to reach Trollhattan.
So What Should I be Doing in Trollhattan?
The river is the most popular destination for sightseers and those that like to be active. You can hire boats on the river or fish or just enjoy walking along the river bank. In summer, the river and locks become very popular with people from the town and from further afield. For those interested in machines, there’s a great hands on Science and Technology centre called Innovatum. The wannabe engineers will love this where they can make valves and pistons work in an engine using themselves as power and they can generate their own electricity with the hydroelectric model. Finally, if you have ever driven a Saab, there’s the Saab Museum detailing the history and development of the cars and aeroplanes.
What can I Have to eat There That’s Different?
Whilst it’s not exactly Swedish, Trollhattan is acknowledged to make Sweden’s best pizzas and kebabs. Founded on this fact, several very good pizzerias have opened. Apart from these, there are many other excellent international restaurants and the occasional one serving Swedish fare too!
What About the Shopping?
Shopping is limited there to the usual high street stores plus locally owned shops. The town isn’t renowned for souvenirs, the total really being mementos from the Saab Museum or the ubiquitous plastic trolls that play on the name of the town.
What’s There to do in the Evening?
It’s quite quiet there so most people spend the evenings in restaurants or the relaxed bars. Trollhattan seems to have a lot of coffee shops which are also very popular places for people to meet throughout the day.