7-day itinerary to Höga Kusten, Sweden’s High Coast
Welcome to Höga Kusten, a stunning UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its dramatic coastal cliffs, lush forests and charming fishing villages.
Sweden’s High Coast stretches from Härnösand in the south to Örnsköldsvik in the north, with some of the most beautiful landscapes in between.
This 7-day itinerary includes the best hiking spots, fun experiences and mouth-watering food in this breathtaking part of Sweden.
Höga Kusten Fun Facts
- It’s been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000.
- It has the world’s highest coastline with almost 300 meters, and still rises 8 mm every year.
- The High Coast Trail, a 128 kilometer long trail, is one of Sweden’s best hiking regions.
- It has some unique flora and fauna from the Ice Age, and you might even spot brown bears, lynx and moose.
- The island of Ulvön is famous for surströmming, a traditional Swedish delicacy of fermented Baltic herring.
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Hi, I'm Nadine
Part-time traveler with full-time wanderlust. I travel the world one weekend and one vacation at a time, and create inspiring travel guides to make your next adventure truly epic!
Day 1 - Arrive and explore Härnösand
Start your Höga Kusten trip in Härnösand, also often referred to as the “gateway to the High Coast” because it marks the southern tip of the region.
Take a stroll through the city center with its charming little church, walking street and Nybro bridge.
Enjoy a typical Swedish fika at Café Sigrid with delicious vegetarian options.
Stay the first 2 nights at the Royal Hotell in the center; they have free parking and a great breakfast included.
Day 2 - Beaches, an old fortress and stunning sunset views
After a great breakfast, pick up your rental car and start your Höga Kusten trip with a visit to Smitingens Havsbad.
Just a short 10-minute drive from Härnösand’s city center, Smitingens Havsbad is a nature reserve with a beautiful sandy beach surrounded by Höga Kustens famous rocky shoreline.
You can even find some caves to explore if you follow the trails!
The beach is popular by locals, especially in the summer, because Höga Kusten doesn’t have a lot of sandy beaches. They’re also currently (as of July 2024) building a few new amenities like a restaurant and bar.
In the afternoon, take the short 45-minute drive out to Hemsön island and visit Hemsö Fortress, historically one of Sweden’s most significant defense installations. The fortress has a past as the largest coastal defense facility and is the only preserved one of its kind.
HYTT Travel Tip:
It takes a short, free ferry ride (4 minutes!) to cross over to Hemsön from Strinningen. You have to call 10 minutes ahead to let the ferry operator know you want to take it.
In the evening, get ready for a sunset hike to Hultomsberget. The trail is rocky and steep, taking about 30-40 minutes each way, but the views are more than worth it.
Once back in Härnösand, enjoy a late dinner at Engströms Food & Deli, known for its delicious local delicacies.
Day 3 - Nordingrå: beaches, charming fishing villages, stunning views and a secret cabin
After another great breakfast in Härnösand, check out and make the 1-hour drive to Nordingrå.
You’ll cross the famous Höga Kusten bridge with a great view across different smaller islands. If you want to, stop for a quick picture at Hornöberget viewpoint and browse the souvenir shop with local products.
On the way towards Nordingrå, pull into 1923 Tünnbröd Deli in Ullånger, famous for its home baked thin crisp-bread and local delicacies like bear sausage, cured elk meat and cheeses and jams.
HYTT Travel Tip:
My favourites were the råg crisp-bread, garlic brie and Västerbotten cheese puffs. They’re a great evening snack for your stay in the secret cabin, too!
In Nordingrå, make a quick stop to see the historic church and maybe even some beautiful lupin fields around the lake.
For lunch or fika, stop by Gårdsbutiken, a lovely little shop and café that’s also the starting point for the Själandsklinten hike if you want to see the land-bound views of Höga Kusten.
If you don’t, head further to Rotsidan nature reserve for a refreshing swim and some beach time.
In the afternoon, visit the charming fishing villages of Bönhamn and Norrfällsviken. You can also rent kayaks to explore the waters around.
In the evening, get ready for more stunning views over Höga Kusten: Rödklitten, the remains of a prehistoric hill fort dating back to the Middle Ages. After a short 1 km hike that only takes 20-30 minutes, you’ll be rewarded with some of the most beautiful views in all of Höga Kusten.
Stay the next 2 nights at a secret cabin in the woods for the ultimate Swedish nature experience.
Day 4 - Skuleberget nature reserve and Höga Kusten’s history at the Naturum
Skuleberget is the tallest mountain in Höga Kusten, standing at 295 meters above sea level. Since all of Höga Kusten has risen from the ocean floor 10.000 years ago, there are now signs at 286 meters to indicate the highest coastline in the world!
Enjoy fresh waffles, a glas of wine and one of the best views in Höga Kusten from the top.
To get up there, you can choose between hiking, climbing the Via Ferrata, or taking the ski lift on the other side of Skuleberget (180 SEK/pp both ways).
HYTT Travel Tip:
Avoid the mid-day rush because it gets busy up there. Keep an eye out for the opening times of the Toppstugan cafe, though, if you want to buy food or drinks.
After visiting Skuleberget, explore the Naturum visitor center close by and learn more about the Höga Kusten area and its history.
Before heading back to the cabin, make a stop at Jeltsjes Chokladpraliner, a cute little shop with delicious home made chocolates and pralines.
You can also enjoy dinner at Restaurang Vardagsrummet before heading back to your cabin in the woods.
Day 5 - Hiking in Skuleskogen National Park
After checking out of your secret cabin, head to Skuleskogen National Park, one of 30 national parks in Sweden, for a day of hiking and stunning views.
There are 3 main entrances, all of which offer free parking and marked trails to Slåttdalsskrevan and Slåttdalsberget, the main attractions of the park. Park at the north or south entrance for a shorter, easier hike to Slåttdalsskrevan (about 3 km), or the west entrance for a longer 6 km hike.
If you start your hike at the west entrance, you’ll enter Slåttdalsskrevan through Trollsportalen, a natural gate formed by rocks and trees. Slåttdalsskrevan is a 200 meter long and 30 meter high crevice that cuts the mountain of Slåttdalsberget in half. To reach the top of Slåttdalsberget for amazing views over the Höga Kusten archipelago, it’s a short but steep climb up the cliffs (don’t worry, there are guardrails to help).
If you follow the trails from the south entrance, you’ll reach Slåttdalsberget first, and have to climb down the hillside to get to Slåttdalsskrevan.
HYTT Travel Tip:
If you love hiking, forests and great views, the longer trail from the west entrance is beautiful. If you simply want to see Slåttdalsskrevan and Slåttdalsberget, start from the south entrance instead.
Stay the next 3 nights at the Elite Hotel in Örnsköldsvik; breakfast is included and after a long day of hiking you can enjoy their free sauna with an amazing view from the 14th floor.
For dinner, check out Malin’s Bistro, a small place with a stunning interior and even more amazing food, just a short walk from the Elite Hotel.
HYTT Travel Tip:
Download the free Parkster app to easily pay for your parking online.
Day 6 - Day trip to Trysunda
After breakfast, make your way to Köpmanholmen to catch a boat to Trysunda. You can park right by the harbour for 30 SEK/day.
During the summer, the boat leaves Köpmanholmen at 9 and 11 am, and back from Trysunda at 11:25 am and 16:40 pm.
Make sure to check the times online for the most up to date information.
Alternatively, you can also spend the night on the island at the Vandrarhem.
HYTT Travel Tip:
Buy tickets for the boat online before so you are guaranteed a spot.
The boat ride takes around 30-45 minutes, depending on the size and speed of the boat, so sit back, relax and enjoy the beautiful views of the Örnsköldsvik Skärgard.
On Trysunda, a well marked trail goes around most of the island, past a charming little white chapel and the 3 bays and beaches that give Trysunda its name.
Each beach has different terrain, from white sand on Björnviken beach over Höga Kusten’s famous red rock formations on Rödskateviken beach, to small grey pebbles on Storviken beach.
Enjoy a dip in the ocean and soak in the sun from whichever beach is your favourite.
The picturesque harbour of Trysunda looks like a postcard and the view from Flaggberget makes it even better.
Before heading back to Örnsköldsvik, stop for dinner at Kajkanten Restaurant B&B for locally caught fish and chips.
Day 7 - Iconic shopping experiences and departure
On the way back to Härnösand from Örnsköldsvik, which is about a 1.5 hour drive, plan to stop at some of the famous outdoor stores that were founded in Höga Kusten.
Fjällräven, one of the most well known outdoor companies in the world, started out in Örnsköldsvik and has a large outlet store just outside the city.
Docksta Sko, a shoe company founded in 1923 in Bjästa, still makes their famous shoes and accessories by hand with local products. You’ll find their store close to the Naturum in Docksta.
And if you haven’t managed to stop at 1923 Tünnbröd Deli in Ullånger yet, a deli store that’s famous for its home baked thin crisp-bread and local delicacies like bear sausage, cured elk meat and cheeses and jams, now is the time!
After returning your rental car in Härnösand, head back home with a lifetime full of memories of one of the most beautiful spots in Sweden: Höga Kusten!
How to get to Höga Kusten
Getting to Höga Kusten is quite easy; you can either fly to Stockholm Arlanda airport and take a 4 hour train to Härnösand, or you can fly from Stockholm to Sundsvall-Timra airport and then hop on a short 45-minute train.
The best time to visit Höga Kusten
Sweden’s High Coast is a great destination year round, it simply depends on what you want to do and see, and whether you like long days and warmer temperatures or fun winter activities.
This itinerary is based on traveling during the summer months (June/July) to make the most of the long days and enjoying beautiful hikes and views, and refreshing swims in the ocean.
What to pack for a trip to Sweden’s High Coast
The weather in Höga Kusten can be unpredictable; even in the summer it can go from cloudy to sunny to spontaneous rain showers in the same day.
Swedes lovingly joke that summer is “the best day of the year”. 😂
Since you never know what kind of weather you get, pack a few lighter clothes you can layer.
A rain jacket is always a good idea, especially if you’re out and about and the weather changes unexpectedly.
Trail sneakers or proper hiking shoes are a must for all the big and small hikes you can do in Höga Kusten, especially after it rained and the terrain is muddy.
Always bring a water bottle you can easily re-fill from any tap (yes, tap water is drinkable in Sweden), or even from a running stream.
Sunglasses, a hat and sunscreen are good to have with you as well because once it is sunny in Sweden, the sun is powerful.
Also, to fit everything nicely into your suitcase or backpack, use packing cubes!
They’re a game changer and make it possible for me to basically travel with hand luggage only whenever I go anywhere.
These ones from traveldude are made from 100% recycled plastic so they’re super practical AND sustainable!
Thanks so much for for reading my 7-day itinerary to Höga Kusten, Sweden’s High Coast!
I hope it inspired you to plan your own epic adventure.
Säkra resor (safe travels in Swedish),
Nadine
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