Vänersborg combines art and culture with trails through nature reserves and leisure activities by Lake Vänern. When planning, you can weigh up scenic walks, a loop with a stated distance, public art, and longer hiking or cycling stages.

Art, museums and public spaces

Vänersborgs museum is Sweden’s oldest museum setting. Public art can be explored in several ways: Vänersborgs konsthall offers guided tours of Vänersborg’s public art for large and small groups of all ages. As part of ARTSCAPE Vänersborg, nine large-scale artworks were created on selected building façades in the town. Restad Gård Sculpture Park features works by internationally acclaimed artists. Together, guided art tours, selected façades and a sculpture park represent the town’s varied cultural offerings.

If you are planning a gathering, the renovated Gröna salen at Vänersborgs bibliotek is available to rent. The room can accommodate 105 seated people, or a maximum of 150 people at a time. Check the current rental terms before making plans.

Trails through nature reserves

In Dalbobergen Nature Reserve, easy-to-walk trails lead to beautiful views across Vänersborgsviken. In Nygårdsängen Nature Reserve, trails pass through reed beds and meadows and run along the water; the area is rich in birdlife. The loop in the area is about 1.2 kilometres long. The two areas therefore offer different points of reference: Nygårdsängen has a stated loop distance, while Dalbobergen is highlighted for its easy-to-walk trails and views across the bay.

Lake Vänern and leisure activities

Vänersborg has ten Swedish miles of shoreline along Lake Vänern, or about 100 kilometres. Skräckleparken has several swimming spots right by the lake. The park also has a nine-hole disc golf course. If you are considering different leisure activities for your stay, you will find both water and disc golf at the same named location.

Vattenpalatset is an aquatic centre for all ages. Its listed attractions include water slides, a water pistol, a current channel and a cave. The centre is a two-minute walk from Vänersborg station—a useful point of reference when planning your journeys from the station.

Hiking and cycling trails from Vänersborg

The Pilgrimsleden Göta Älv runs from Trollhättan along the Göta älv river, past the Överby shopping centre and the excavated Karls grav canal. After the lock, the trail follows the northern bank of the canal to the centre of Vänersborg. If you are planning this route, check trail conditions before setting out.

Beyond Vänersborg, Pilgrimsleden Dalsland continues for a total of 100 kilometres along Lake Vänern towards Sikhall, then inland via Mellerud and Håverud to Edsleskog. There is also a named cycling route. The Vänerleden has a stop in Vänersborg; the Vänersborg–Åmål and Vänersborg–Mariestad stages start or end there. These details distinguish the longer routes by their course and destinations, without specifying a particular stage length for the sections mentioned.

When looking for a hotel in Vänersborg, you can first decide what you want to focus on during your stay: art and museums, trails through nature reserves, leisure by the water, or a stage of one of the hiking and cycling routes mentioned.

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