Varberg

The name of the town of Varberg, in the province of Halland on Sweden’s west coast, with a population of 25,000, derives from a fortification. Varberg Fortress still dominates the town today. It was built from the 13th century onwards, when the area was still under Danish rule. From the mid-17th century until 1931, the fortress served as a prison. Today, the former prison cells are used in their original state as accommodation for the youth hostel. Guests can spend the night in “individual cells” and experience the atmosphere of their former purpose; breakfast is served in a modest communal room.
At the heart of the fortress is the castle, which now houses the Historical Museum. The museum’s main attraction is the exceptionally well-preserved bog body known as the “Bocksten Man,” discovered in the 14th century. The museum also houses the button-like object used to shoot King Charles XII from within his own ranks in 1718, outside the Norwegian fortress of Fredrikshald.

Varberg is a classic seaside resort on Sweden’s west coast, with a two-hundred-year tradition. The lively atmosphere of summer is shaped by the many cafés, restaurants and shops in the town centre, musical events, an annual jazz festival, and several open-air stages featuring live music. Shops, restaurants, tennis courts and miniature golf sit side by side in Societetsparken. Kallbadhus, a kind of pier on stilts with seawater swimming pools and a sauna, offers a distinctive atmosphere.

The area around the town is also geared entirely towards summer tourism, with beaches right in town—including a well-known nudist beach—as well as boules, bicycle hire and golf courses. South of Varberg are the popular excursion destinations of Träslövsläge and Apelviken, former fishing villages that are also well known among surfers. A sandy beach at Apelviken is the counterpart to the rocky beach at Getterön, which also marks the southern boundary of the archipelago on Sweden’s west coast. Himleriket amusement park (“Kingdom of Heaven”) is a major draw for family holidays and a popular day-trip destination for holidaymakers and tourists staying in the surrounding area.
Ferries run from Varberg across the Baltic Sea to the Danish port of Grenå on the Jutland peninsula. In the quintessential holiday town of Varberg, every visitor can find the right accommodation, whether a hotel, campsite, holiday home or youth hostel.