Fjällbacka – a real archipelago idyll.
Fjällbacka is a small fishing village located in the outermost coastal strip about 8 km south of TanumStrand. The village, which dates back to the 17th century, takes its name from the large mountain that characterizes the community. The old community, with picturesque archipelago buildings, spreads out below the mountain towards the sea, while the newer part lies in the fields towards the land. Off the coast is the Fjällbacka archipelago and the Väderöarna islands in the far west.
The famous little community of Fjällbacka is for many a real archipelago idyll with salty winds and lovely summer nights. Ingrid Bergman was one of those who enjoyed spending quiet days here. Author Camilla Läckberg also holds Fjällbacka dear, which is particularly evident in her crime novels about the Fjällbacka murders.
The history of Fjällbacka in brief
It was thanks to the great herring season in the 1750s that the construction of the coastal community of Fjällbacka took off and by the middle of the 19th century Fjällbacka was referred to as the county’s busiest fishing village. At this time, trade became very important for Fjällbacka, which became a trading center for the area’s countryside and archipelago. Fishing, salting, herring oil industries and canning factories made up a large part of the locals’ livelihood. The local cannery invented what we now call ‘anchovies’. Between the 1890s and 1940s, stone processing became an important industry for the town. Quarries in several parts of the community and the ruins of a powder house on Slaktarudden at Sälvik are still reminders of this era. Nowadays, the community is perhaps best known thanks to the world-famous Ingrid Bergman and popular crime queen Camilla Läckberg, who was born in Fjällbacka and has the village as the setting for several of her crime novels.
King’s divide
A walk along the quay is popular, but to really appreciate the history and beauty of the coastal community, a visit to the island’s many viewpoints is a must. From Vetteberget, which rises above Fjällbacka, you have a fantastic view of both the archipelago and the mainland – on the way up Vetteberget you pass Kungsklyftan – a powerful place.
Location – see on map:
More places to visit in Tanum
Tanum is one of Sweden’s largest tourist municipalities and offers many delights to visit both on land and sea.