Härnösand between island trails, caves and historic district

Härnösand combines a historic city centre with trails across the island of Härnön, a nature reserve with caves and rock formations, as well as museums and art. If you would like to combine nature experiences, maritime landscapes and culture on your trip, you will find a wide variety of places to visit here: from an easy-to-walk trail starting at Lövudden to a challenging cave trail, and from historic urban structures to contemporary art.

Nature trails between Lövudden and Härnön

The Gådeåleden is a 5.6-kilometre-long, easy-to-walk trail. It starts at the Lövudden nature and recreation area. Along the Gådeåleden, Lövudden has several barbecue areas and play equipment. There is also a birdwatching tower at Sparrudden. This means the trail offers different stops along the same route, without its length or starting point being unclear.

The Härnöleden offers a different experience: it follows a route of around 20 kilometres around the entire island of Härnön. The trail starts at Härnösand Central and can be reached directly by train or bus. Both the approximate total length and the central starting point are therefore documented for orientation. The Grottstigen, on the other hand, is a challenging trail leading to the caves outside Härnöklubb.

This creates a clear contrast when choosing a trail: the Gådeåleden combines a short, easy-to-walk route with stops in Lövudden and Sparrudden. The Härnöleden, by contrast, follows an approximately 20-kilometre loop around Härnön, while the Grottstigen is a challenging trail leading to caves outside Härnöklubb.

The Smitingen-Härnöklubb nature reserve showcases the geological side of the surroundings with five large tunnel caves, rauks, erratic boulders, fields of clattering stones and a sandy beach with rocks. Land uplift continues to raise the terrain there by just under one centimetre per year. Smitingens Havsbad features a large sandy beach, shallow water and several beach sports courts as part of the described setting.

Historic centre, art and science

Östanbäcken is located in the centre of Härnösand and is a well-preserved historic district. Most of the wooden houses were built in the 18th and 19th centuries. The irregular street layout dates back to the 16th century and is now one of the most important expressions of the Riksintresse för kulturmiljövård in Härnösand. Anyone wishing to understand the city’s history not only through individual buildings but also through the course of its streets will find a clearly recognisable historic structure here.

The Västernorrlands museum conveys the history of Västernorrland from the Stone Age to the present day. It combines an open-air museum with a modern indoor museum. Härnösands Konsthall displays parts of the Qvistska collection, including works by Matisse, Chagall and Picasso. In addition, the art gallery presents exhibitions of contemporary art. The Technichus Science Center complements this cultural focus with interactive experiences and exhibitions on natural science and technology.

Other places in the surrounding area

Further information about the surrounding places can be found under Älandsbro, Viksjö and Ramvik; the overview of Härnösand complements these place references.

To the overarching travel overview: Härnösand.