Göta Canal Cruises, 4 days from Stockholm
Göta Canal Cruises 2010
Two seas, one river, three canals, eight lakes and 66 locks! | The traditional route from Gothenburg to Stockholm or back has been maintained since the shipping company was founded in 1869.
Step aboard 135-year-old M/S Juno, the world's oldest registered passenger carrying ship, on a four-day journey between Gothenburg and Stockholm. The standard may be a bit old-fashioned, but still nostagically luxurious.
Our large and considerate crew are close at hand during the entire trip, and strive to fulfill the wishes of our guests. Our guides speak Swedish, English and German, enabling them to share their extensive knowledge about life on and around the canal and its locks, as well as the sights we pass along the route.
While journeying between the country's two largest cities, you will pass no fewer than 66 locks, eight lakes, three canals, one river and two seas. The cruise includes three nights' on board accommodation with all meals and six cultural stops along the way.
Emphasizing quality, we are proud to offer first-class cuisine and a wide selection of fine wines.
| Departure | 4 days, Stockholm - Göteborg May 24th, 31st June 2nd, 9th, 11th, 20th, 29th July 8th, 17th, 26th August 4th, 13th, 22nd, 31st September 9th |
| Price | Prices in USD Category C (main deck) $1,340 Double cabin per person $840 Extra bed $1,740 Single cabin Category B (shelter deck) $1,840 Double cabin per person $2,740 Single cabin Category A (bridge deck, including champagne, fruit and bathrobe) $2,540 Double cabin per person $3,440 Single cabin EARLY BOOKING SPECIAL: 10 % early booking discount on regular cabin prices if booked by March 1st, 2010. This discount cannot be combined with other offers. |
| Included | Four days and three nights on board, including one night at the quayside Full board: three breakfasts Four two-course lunches Three three-course dinners Six stops of varying duration |
| Not Included | International airfare Transfers Alcoholic beverages Personal items Travel insurance $25 Service fee |
| Please Note | Cruise also available in reverse order, Göteborg - Stockholm |
| Tour Options | Please see our offer for all Göta Canal Cruises: "Mini Canal Cruise", 2 days aboard M/S Diana "The Good Life on board", 3 days aboard M/S Diana "From Coast to Coast", 4 days aboard M/S Juno, M/S Wilhelm Tham and M/S Diana "The Great Swedish Cruise", 6 days aboard M/S Juno and M/S Diana |
Day 1 DEPART STOCKHOLM 9.00 am Departure from Stockholm, Skeppsbrokajen 103
9.30 am Hammarby lock
The first lock on our journey divides Saltsjön from Lake Mälaren.
9.40 am - 12.30 pm Lake Mälaren
0.3 metres above sea level. Sweden's third largest lake.
10.30 am Drottningholm Castle
Drottningholm Castle, the home of the Royal family since 1981, is on UNESCO's list of World Heritage sites.
12.30 pm - 12.40 pm Södertälje
Södertälje lock, 135 metres long, is the largest lock in Scandinavia.
12.40 pm - The Baltic Sea
The archipelago of St Anna and Södermanland.
4.00 pm - 6.00 pm Trosa
We pass Trosa. The small town of Trosa dates all the way back to the 14th century. It was then known as a fishermens' village. Regular steamer traffic from Stockholm and Nyköping began in 1860, bringing large numbers of summer visitors.
Day 2 DEPART STEGEBORG 12.15 am Stegeborg
The ruins of the Stegeborg Castle are beautifully situated on a small island overlooking the bay of Slätbaken. The fort dates from the early Middle Ages and was built to guard the inlet to Söderköping.
1.00 am - 4.00 am Mem
On 26th Sept. 1832, the Göta Canal was inaugurated at Mem amid great pomp and circumstance in the presence of King Karl XIV Johan and his family. We now go through the first of the 58 narrow locks on the Göta Canal.
5.25 am - 5.35 am Söderköping
The idyllic town Söderköping was founded in the early 1200s and was very important during the Hanseatic period. The town also has a long and very interesting history as a spa. From Söderköping to the lock Carlsborg Övre there are nine locks on a stretch of app. 4 km. A nice place to go ashore and walk along the canal.
8.35 am - 9.05 am Lake Asplången
27 metres above sea level.
10.35 am Norsholm lock
Here the canal crosses the main railway line between Stockholm and Malmö.
10.35 am - 12.30 pm Lake Roxen
33 metres above sea level.
12.30 pm Berg (Carl-Johan)
The Carl-Johan lock staircase is the longest in the canal with seven connected locks.
The convent of Vreta dates from about 1100 and was the first nunnery in Sweden. Its importance was later superseded by the convent founded by Saint Bridget (St. Birgitta) at Vadstena. The old convent church at Vreta is one of Sweden's most interesting, offering many medieval treasures.
Today, it is used as a parish church and is therefore not always open to visitors. The tour guide will take us on a walk (app. 3 km, partly uneven) to see the church and the remains of the convent. As an alternative you can walk along the canal, or take a swim in the warm water of Lake Roxen.
3.00 pm Berg (Heda)
The ship has passed all 15 locks in the Berg lock system. It is time to board for departure.
3.15 pm Ljungsbro, aqueduct
We pass the first of two aqueducts in the canal. The Ljungsbro aqueduct was built in 1970.
5.45 pm Kungs Norrby, aqueduct
The aqueduct at Kungs Norrby was built in 1993 as part of the national route 36.
6.15 pm - 6.25 pm Borensberg
At Borensberg there is a hand-operated lock. Shortly before the lock we pass a small gazebo leaning out over the canal in a sharp bend known as the "Helmsman's Horror", and after that we see the well-known Göta Hotel, built in 1908.
6.25 pm - 7.25 pm Lake Boren
73 metres above sea level.
7.25 pm - 7.55 pm Borenshult
Lock staircase of five locks where you might hear the nightingale sing.
9.00 pm Arr. Motala
It was Baltzar von Platen who drew up the plans for Motala, and today it is called "the Capital of the Göta Canal". In 1822 an engineering works, Motala Werkstad, was established here to serve the Göta Canal and is today considered to be the cradle of Swedish industry.
Here you will also find the head office of the Gota Canal Company, responsible for operation and maintenance. We visit the Motor Museum, with its large exhibition of antique cars and motorcycles in authentic surroundings, collection of radios, toys, household appliances and more. You can also walk to see Baltzar von Platen's grave, about 1 km along the left side of the canal.
Overnight stop.
Day 3 DEPART MOTALA 5.45 am Dep. Motala
We leave Motala and head out into Lake Vättern.
5.45 am - 8.00 am Lake Vättern
89 metres above sea level. Sweden's second largest and also deepest lake (128 metres deep).
8.00 am - 10.00 am Karlsborg Fortress
We visit Karlsborg Fortress, initiated by Baltzar von Platen and built 1819-1909. The guided tour is a journey through time and space, full of surprises and special effects.
10.45 am - 10.55 am Forsvik
Forsvik has a very interesting industrial history. The lock, built in 1813, is the oldest one in the canal. The impressive iron bridge dates from the same year. In the lock we are greeted with songs and flowers by the Kindbom family, a religious group.
10.55 am - 11.40 am Billströmmen/The Spetsnäs Canal
Through two narrow, wood-lined passages and small lakes full of water lilies, we steer out into Lake Viken.
10.55 am - 1.10 pm Lake Viken
The beautiful Lake Viken (91.8 metres above sea level) serves as a water reservoir for the western section of the Göta Canal. If we are lucky we might be able to see the Osprey couple that nest in the same tree here every year.
1.10 pm Tåtorp
At Tåtorp there is another hand-operated lock. From here on we will be going downwards!
1.40 pm The Berg Canal/the Obelisk
An obelisk marks the highest point (91.5 metres above sea level) of the canal. This part of the canal is called the Berg Canal and originally had a sharp bend which was straightened in 1930-33.
3.55 pm Töreboda
The railway line between Stockholm and Gothenburg crosses the canal here. Töreboda also proudly presents Sweden's smallest ferry, "Lina", which travels back and forth across the Göta Canal.
4.40 pm - 5.00 pm Hajstorp
A lock system consisting of four locks. In 1822 the western section of the Göta Canal was inaugurated at Hajstorp. Here you can see the old home of the Canal Engineer. If you want to stretch your legs this is a good place, Hajstorp to Riksberg lock app. 4 km.
8.10 pm - 10.15 pm Sjötorp
At Sjötorp there is a set of eight locks, and also the remains of some old shipyards. We visit the old warehouse, where the Visitors' Centre and the Sjötorp Canal Museum are located.
Here you can see old pictures of Sjötorp, the interiors of several old ships, a large collection of ships' engines, etc. There is also a map of all the sunken ships in the Lake Vänern. It is also possible to take a walk along the locks.
10.15 pm - 5.45 am Lake Vänern
44 metres above sea level. Sweden's largest lake and the third largest lake in Europe, after the Ladoga and Onega lakes in Russia.
Day 4 ARRIVE GÖTEBORG 7.00 am - 8.00 am Trollhättan, locks
The impressive lock staircase at Trollhättan consists of four locks, and has a total drop of 32 metres. Of the three parallel lock systems here, only the biggest one (from 1916) is still in use.
9.00 am - 9.15 am Lilla Edet
The lock at Lilla Edet, built in 1916, is the last lock on our journey. The original lock was opened in 1607 and was the first lock in Sweden.
1.00 pm - 2.00 pm New Älvsborgs Fortress
The fortress was built in the middle of the 17th century and played an important part in the Nordic war in the early 18th century. Today it is a popular tourist attraction, situated right at the inlet to Göteborg. The tour guide will take us on a guided walk around the fortress. Uneven ground.
2.30 pm Arr. Göteborg, Packhuskajen 10
Our cruise ends at Packhuskajen 10, near the spectacular Opera House and the Maritime Centre in Gothenburg.
Subject to changes. Note! All times stated are approximate.