Sweden and Norway in early November
 

Hello! My husband and I have an opportunity to travel to Sweden for a week in early November (short notice). I would love any suggestions for spending time in Gothenburg (likely where we will fly in), Trollhattan (we will stay 3 days here - he will work and I will have a car for day trips), and Stockholm (a possible 3-4 day stay if we do not do Norway cruise).

We are considering doing a short cruise along the coast of Norway (Hurtigruten or Havila) - I am very interested if folks have suggestions on the best portion of coast for a 3-day cruise and best transportation option to travel to/from Trollhattan/Gothenburg to pick up the boat. Bergen appears to be the easiest starting point.

We love to hike, bike, enjoy the outdoors and wildlife. We would love an active vacation.

I don't see hiking in that season, more likely skiing. I would choose the Stockholm option. At least it offers different possibilities, depending on the weather. With a cruise you are stuck on the boat regardless of the weather conditions.

In Stockholm, if the weather is good you could visit the skansen:


the near-by Vasa museum is fully enclosed:


There's also the Royal armory:


There aer more museums than you could cover in three days:

https://www.google.com/search?client...clholm+museums

You won't know if it will be hiking or skiing at that time of the year. Early November does not always have snow in Stockholm or Gothenburg, some years it comes early, other years late into December and even January. This year there was a bit of snowfall even in May. Its more likely to be rain. Whatever the weather brings, Stockholm is the better choice of city to see than Gothenburg, esp at that time of the year, which isn't the best. It's good you have a rental car as provincial Swedish towns can be rather dreary, functional with everything you need but not very interesting. But you can almost always find places to visit, if they have a FB page for the town or the kommune (Västra Götalands län), they might list events there. Apparently there is a SAAB car museum in Trollhättan.

I think there is congestion charge in Gothenburg and Stockholm, so ask your rental company about driving into city centres and how the charge works/when etc.

[QUOTE

I think there is congestion charge in Gothenburg and Stockholm, so ask your rental company about driving into city centres and how the charge works/when etc.[/QUOTE]

We were in Stockholm last week and in Sjöstad area there was no congestion charge.
Our hotel was walking distance to Luma Brugga ferry stop.
We did a lot of walking
www.ressel.se

We took the Stena ferry to Karlskrona, which is about a 4 hour drive from Gothenburg.
I would have liked more time there, mainly for the Naval Museum.

According to Transport Styrelsen there is a congestion charge for driving into Stockholm & Gothenburg's city centre. Maybe you did not drive into what is considered Stockholm's city centre.

https://www.transportstyrelsen.se/en...-and-goteborg/

I didn't, there was no need.

Thanks much for the suggestions!