Things to do in Söderhamn in Hälsingland - 20 tips

What can you do in Söderhamn in Hälsingland? This town offers several wonderful and beautiful experiences by the coast. Here are all our top tips for things to see and do in Söderhamn.

Söderhamn

Söderhamn is a coastal and pleasant town. We travelled here with our motorhome and had some great experiences in the town, and even more in the areas outside. Here you will find fishing villages, beaches and nature reserves!

Söderhamn is located on the coast of the Bothnian Sea, between Gävle and Hudiksvall.

What can you do in Söderhamn?

So what can you do in Söderhamn? There is a lot to see and discover! Here are our top tips for things to do in Söderhamn and the surrounding area.

1. check out the Town Hall

The town hall in Söderhamn is a beautiful building from the 19th century. In Rådhusparken you will find a statue of the theologian and archbishop Nathan Söderblom, who in 1930 received the Nobel Peace Prize for his peace work.

2. Drink coffee at Café Rådis

Right next to the Town Hall is the charming Café Rådis, with a marvellous original interior from 1954. Here you can come to enjoy the environment, while of course you want to take the opportunity to have coffee or lunch.

3. Admire the Ulrika Eleonora church

Ulrika Eleonora Church is an incredibly beautiful cross-shaped church, glowing in red. The church, named after Karl XI's consort Queen Ulrika Eleonora, was consecrated in 1693. Right next to the church you can see the bell tower from 1748.

4. Walk along the Love Trail

In the centre of Söderhamn, at Västra berget, you will find the walking trail The love trail. People have been walking here since the beginning of the 20th century, and the name dates back to this time.

5. Buy bread at Sjölins bröd

Sjölins Bröd is Söderhamn's oldest bakery, and if you look up at the ceiling you can see old photos of the various previous owners. You can still buy bread and pastries here today. Or why not have a coffee in the incredibly cosy café?

6. See the view at Oscarsborg

The Oscarsborg observation tower, located on Östra Berget in Söderhamn, was inaugurated in 1895 and today serves as a landmark for the town. During the height of the summer season, the tower is open to visitors, and at other times it can be viewed from outside.

There are also great views of the whole of Söderhamn from this spot. Please also note that various activities and events are organised here on the mountain during the summer.

7. Take a boat trip with M/S Moa

In the summer, you can experience the Söderhamn archipelago on the fine boat M/S Moa. During the high season, there are day trips a few times a week to Enskärsorn, where you can sunbathe, swim and enjoy nature. Lunch and ice cream are served on board the boat. Shrimp and taco cruises are also organised some evenings.

8. Swim in Lake Färssjön

Färssjön is a really beautiful lake, where there is a nice bathing area with a sandy beach, bathing jetties, changing rooms and toilets.

9. Discover the Eye of Alir

The Eye of Alir is Sweden's largest landscape sculpture. The sculpture is located next to the Hällmyra jogging track, and various events are sometimes organised at the site. However, the shape of the sculpture is best seen from a bird's eye view! The name? "Alir" is a medieval name for southern Hälsingland, known from the early 14th century.

10. Hike on Skatön island

Skatön Nature Reserve is a beautiful outdoor area that offers everything from swimming to hiking. Although Skatön is an island, it is easy to get here by car. You simply park just before the island and then walk across a small suspension bridge.

11. Visit the F15 Aviation Museum

At the F15 Aviation Museum you can learn more about the interesting history of the aeroplanes, warplanes and training aircraft that have been stationed here since 1945. Perfect for anyone interested in aeroplanes, both children and adults!

12. Holiday at Stenö Havsbad & Camping

Stenö Havsbad & Camping is a fantastic year-round campsite located on the coast in Söderhamn. Here you can sunbathe and swim at fine sandy beaches, rent bikes and canoes, eat at the restaurant and much more.

13. Coffee at Systrarna Söderström

Several different people told us about The Söderström sistersand so we want to mention this place, even though it was unfortunately closed when we drove past, on our way to Skärså. It organises music, food, tastings and various events, and may also be open generally during the summer. Check the website and social channels for more info!

14. Discover picturesque Skärså

Don't miss out on a visit to the lovely Skärså! This is one of our top tips for things to do in Söderhamn and the surrounding area. In this picturesque harbour you can eat at the Albertina restaurant, buy fish at the smokehouse, shop in the Glasstanten country store or visit the small museum. Don't miss this gem!

15. Be fascinated by Trönö Old Church

Trönö Old Church is the best preserved medieval church in Norrland. The oldest parts of the church date from the late 12th century. Other parts date from the 16th and 18th centuries.

Right next to Trönö Old Church is Söderblomsgården, where Nobel Prize winner and Archbishop Nathan Söderblom was born in 1866. Today, the farm serves as a homestead and museum, which is open during the most intense high season.

16. See the new church of Trönö

Trönö Old Church was eventually replaced by Trönö New Church, which was completed in 1895, according to drawings by Axel Fredrik Nyström. This mighty rural church was destroyed in 1998 and rebuilt after that.

17. experience Hälsingegården Erik-Anders

Erik-Anders is one of seven Hälsingland farms that became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012, as "Decorated Farmhouses of Hälsingland". During the summer you can visit the farm, either on your own or during a guided tour. The farm also has a café and shop. Really fascinating to see this place!

18. Visit Bergvik Industrial Museum

Bergvik's industrial museum tells the story of a historic era. The world's first sulphite pulp factory was built in Bergvik in 1874, and part of the old factory building now houses a museum and restaurant. The museum was unfortunately closed when we came here, but can certainly be interesting to visit.

19. Climb up the Kasberget mountain

Kasberget towers 202 metres above sea level, and the Mo Hembygsförening has had a viewing tower built on top. The tower is made of telephone poles, which have been dragged up to the top by members of the local community centre. You can almost feel the blood, sweat and tears in the air!

The hike to the top is not very long, and can be done by anyone who has no specific health problems, both adults and children. Expect to take about 20 minutes to reach the top. At the top, you will be treated to a marvellous view!

20. Take an excursion to Axmar Brygga

You might also not want to miss a trip to Axmar Brygga, located between Söderhamn and Gävle. At Axmar Brygga havskrog you can eat fantastic meals inspired by the sea. There is also a caravan park, a mill, a park, a nature reserve, the opportunity to borrow a boat and much more.

More to do in Söderhamn

There is of course even more to see and do in Söderhamn than our tips. Here you will find some more suggestions.

• Fishing you can do. Ljusne fishing is popular, with salmon and trout fishing below the power station in Ljusne. 
• Kanonholmen Seafood is a restaurant with a smokehouse, which seems to be very popular.
• Lennart Plahn Sagoskog is a place in the forest with unique works of art in glass and wood, created by Lennart Plahn from Ljusne.
• Kayaking/canoeing you can do at various places in Söderhamn, for example rent at Kajakshopen or Kayakomat Söderhamn.
• Swedish fisherman's museum is an art museum in Söderala, focussing on the Haymarket art classic "The Old Sea Bear".
• Söderhamn golf course is a forest and park course with 18 holes.
• Söderhamn City Museum tells the story of how the South Harbours used to be in the past. Open mainly during the high season.

Where can you stay in Söderhamn, or park your motorhome?

In Söderhamn there are of course several hotels and other accommodation options. If, like us, you are travelling with a camping vehicle, there are also a bunch of different options in and around Söderhamn. The most central campsite is Citycampingen, but Stugsundskajen is also an excellent campsite with a good location. Here you will find some different options:

• Axmar Brygga car park, Axmar
• Sandarne boat club car park, Stenvägen 25, Sandarne
• Stenö Havsbad & Camping, Stenövägen 130, Sandarne
• Skärså camping, Skärså
• Stugsundskajen car park, Sjömansvägen 2
• Söderhamns Citycamping caravan park, Norra Hamngatan 14

More to see and do near Söderhamn

Travelling south from Söderhamn you can get to Gävle, which has a lot to offer in terms of history, culture and nature. If you head north instead, you can visit Hudiksvall, where you'll find everything from charming boathouses to fishing villages and nature experiences.

More tips on things to do in Söderhamn?

Have you visited Söderhamn? Do you have any other suggestions for things to see and do in Söderhamn? Please tell us!