Varberg
It’s hard to write about your home town. You’re easily biased. You lose sight of light and shade. We’ll take that risk, and humbly conclude that Varberg most likely is the best town in the world.
Large enough, without losing that personal touch. Small enough to make all the distances short. Varied, colourful and close. Of course, we cannot cover all there is to write about Varberg here – we’ll leave that to others. Here, we’ll just mention a few of the reasons, great and small, to visit Varberg. If you wish to find out more, and have us show you a few of our personal favourites, make sure you follow us in social media.
The sea
The sea puts its mark on Varberg. On everything. On us. The salt of the Kattegat, the beaches, the baths and the promenade. You can’t even imagine the city without it.
We’ve lost count of our favourite spots. Rödskär, Getterön, the new Fortress bath, Ankaret, Subbe, Läjet. Kåsa and the harbour. How many of us have not fallen in love both with and at Rantzau rock?
ALL YEAR ROUND
The sea is magnificent throughout the seasons. From pale blue and inviting to near-black in winter. If you have ever seen the unbroken horizon, you have to see it again.
Surfing
The surf culture is tangible in Varberg. The enthusiasts come out as soon as the wind is up. Winter, sleet and sub-zero temperatures won’t stop them. If the winds are favourable, many people will travel as much as three hundred or even four hundred kilometres in a day to surf the waves of Apelviken.
Of course you should try windsurfing when you’re visiting Varberg.
Gekås
No, we know. Strictly speaking, Ullared is outside Falkenberg, not Varberg. But we’ve never been too pesky about those made-up borders. Ullared and the country’s most famous discount store is no more than a thirty-minute drive away. A visit to Gekås is a must! But we don’t need to tell you that.
THE VARBERG
FORTRESS
If you have ever been to Varberg, you will have seen the fortress looming right near the harbour. You can’t really miss it. Its foundations were laid as early as the 13th century, as a castle on the rock, which was later expanded into a defence structure in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Today, the fortress houses the Halland Museum of Cultural History, which offers a number of events and touring exhibitions each year. But of course, perhaps the Bocksten Man is still the most alluring feature of the museum; creepy, exciting and fascinating all at once.
We feel that all families with children should visit the Medieval festival. A colourful performance in late June or early July. A walk in the November dark is a spectacular thing as well!
THE ÅKULLA BEECHWOOD
FORESTS
In the borderlands, where the coastal landscape gradually gives way to the inland forests – that’s where they are. The Åkulla beechwood forests. A nature reserve, covering fifty square kilometres. Magical. Grand views. And sadly, less well-known among the tourists of Varberg than the beaches and the town market. The locals know what you’re missing. An extensive network of nature paths and hiking trails. Filled with history and experiences. Walk a little along the Medieval “Via Regia”, and go past the Bocksten Bog, climb the Hiaklitt hill, stop at Öströö for a coffee, or go cross-country skiing along some of the best ski trails of the southland.
The Åkulla beechwood forests allow you to experience nature in an extraordinary way, throughout the year. But the place is perhaps never more splendid than in the spring, for a few weeks at the end of May, when everything is covered in bright green beech leaves after the winter’s barrenness
City life
Varberg still has the heart of a small town; the market in the square, held every Wednesday and Saturday all year round is enormously popular. In the summer, the streets and squares are filled with open-air cafés, and in the Societetsparken and the harbour, there is almost always something going on. Small, personal shops, cafés and restaurants. Strolling around town and simply being yourself is an experience in its own right.