Sweden's Gota Canal Boat Trip
Historic Passenger Ships Travel between Goteborg and Stockholm
Feb 4, 2009
Three historic boats take passengers the length of the Gota Canal, between Goteborg and Stockholm. The most historic of these ships, the 1874 Juno, is the oldest overnight passenger-carrying ship afloat. The baby of the trio is Diana, launched in 1931. They are sweet little ships, their itty-bitty cabins fitted with gleaming mahogany paneling and polished brass.
‘Remember that you are on an historic vessel, traveling as people did in the 1880s,’ a crew-member reminds passengers as the little ship sails out of Goteborg, and everyone falls quickly into the spirit.
Authentic Canal Boat Experience
Knowing that kings and queens, Hans Christian Anderson and Hendrik Ibsen had all traveled on these same little boats makes their history even more enticing. The biggest drawback to this historical authenticity is the lack of en suite facilities, but the “down the hall” bathrooms were kept spotless and never had a waiting line.
The route is never boring, with stretches of canal through bucolic countryside interrupted by locks and tiny villages and interspersed with crossings of Sweden’s largest lakes. Frequent stops to visit Medieval churches, a castle, museums and villages along the way keep the trip lively and are included at no extra charge.
Cruise Highlights
Highlights on the voyage are Trollhatte Locks and canal museum, the vast Lake Vanern, Vadstena’s castle and abbey, 12th-century Vreta Cloister, the flight of locks at Berg, Lacko Castle, the Medieval Hanseatic town of Soderkoping and a stop at the Viking town of Birka.
The last remaining hand-operated lock still in use is at Tatorp, and the oldest house on the canal is at Forsvik, where a family of singers comes to serenade passengers. They have been here to greet every boat that has passed since the 1930s, at least three generations of them singing folk songs and hymns. They end with a familiar hymn that most passengers know and all join in, singing in their own languages.
At several locks crew members guide passengers on walking tours, meeting the boat at the next lock, and at others passengers can walk the towpath to explore villages on their own.The captain welcomes passengers to the bridge, and the crew is always ready to answer questions
International Passengers
The small cabins encourage the 40 guests to ‘live’ on the decks and in the library, quickly creating camaraderie among passengers, an international group who speak varied languages. Announcements and travel commentary are in Swedish, English and other languages.
The atmosphere is informal – rather like being on a friend’s yacht -- with dressy clothes seen only on the final night at the Captain’s Dinner. Meals are excellent (especially impressive considering the tiny galley in which they are prepared) and feature local ingredients and a mix of traditional Swedish and international cuisine. Favorite menus included salmon and venison.
Cruises are four or six days, covering the same itinerary, but varying the number and length of stops. Gota Canal Cruises operate spring through fall.
