The High Coast and Dalarna

A loop from Stockholm along the High Coast and Lake Siljan

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🌲 The High Coast and Dalarna

The High Coast is one of Sweden’s quietest beautiful stretches: rocky shoreline, little islands and forests. From Stockholm you drive north on the E4 and come back via Dalarna and Lake Siljan. A good route if you want to see Sweden without the crowds of the south.

Researched by Arjan from Zuidlaren, so you don’t have to · Sources: Sveriges nationalparker, Sveriges nationalparker (Naturvårdsverket), Naturvårdsverket · updated 24 October 2026 · About this page

± 1,222 km in 5 stages
± 8–10 days (our suggestion)
Driving times per stage (OSRM)

Overview

📌 The route at a glance

Duration	± 8–10 days (our suggestion)
Distance	± 1,222 km of driving (OSRM)
Driving time	± 16:48 h without breaks (OSRM)
Best time	June–August for hiking and swimming (see best time to travel)
Ferry	No ferry needed on this route
Tolls	No toll roads listed on this route; keep an eye on the signs along the way
Costs	Price: see the official websites for tolls, ferry and accommodation

Day by day

🗺️ Stages and driving times

Stage	Distance	Driving time	On the road
1. Stockholm → Sundsvall	± 377 km	4:36 u	First stop on the coast
2. Sundsvall → Docksta	± 113 km	1:33 u	Base for Skuleskogen
3. Docksta → Örnsköldsvik	± 39 km	0:33 u	Northern end of the High Coast
4. Örnsköldsvik → Rättvik	± 423 km	6:11 u	On Lake Siljan in Dalarna
5. Rättvik → Stockholm	± 270 km	3:55 u
Total	± 1222 km	16:48 u

Distance and driving time per stage: OSRM (OpenStreetMap), retrieved on 24 Oct 2026. That’s driving time without breaks, traffic or waiting; ferry crossings are estimated. Allow more time in practice. (OSRM (driving distance and time based on OpenStreetMap))

Days out

🎟️ Worth a stop on the way

Skuleskogen National Park on the High Coast — Photo: Ymblanter · CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped) · Photo credits

Days out and places to stay we’ve already looked into; prices and times are always at the source.

The Vasa Museum in Stockholm (the building with masts on the roof) — Photo: Martin Falbisoner · CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped) · Photo credits

🎯 Vasa Museum (Stockholm)

Location: Stockholm (Djurgården) Type: Museum · indoors

💶 Cost: adult 1 May – 30 Sep: SEK 240 (± € 22) · adult Jan–Apr and Oct–Dec: SEK 195 (± € 18) (source)

The Vasa Museum is all about one ship: the Vasa, a warship that sank on her maiden voyage in 1628 and was raised centuries later. A guided tour around the ship is included in the entry, and there’s a 17-minute film. The museum suggests allowing about 90 minutes.

More info

All prices: adult 1 May – 30 Sep: SEK 240 (± € 22); adult Jan–Apr and Oct–Dec: SEK 195 (± € 18); ages 0–18: free

Distance: ± 1,550 km from Utrecht (± 16.9 hrs drive, one way, no breaks); ± 4 km from Stockholm (± 0.2 hrs) (OSRM, 21 Oct 2026)

Season: all year; Jun–Aug 8:30–18:00

Suitable for: families (ages 0–18 free), couples; wheelchair accessible

The museum is entirely card-only (no cash).

Accessible for visitors with disabilities; disabled parking at the entrance.

Prices according to vasamuseet.se, checked on 21 Oct 2026 · euro amounts ± converted at the Norges Bank rate on that day.

👉 See current prices & availability

Also via official website · location on the map

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🎯 Skansen

Location: Stockholm (Djurgården) Type: Outdoors · Open-air museum

💶 Cost: children 0–15 free · adults: price varies by season, see the official website (source)

4.5 (Google, 35,011 reviews, via Wanderlog, 21 Oct 2026)

Skansen is the world’s oldest open-air museum, on the island of Djurgården in Stockholm. You walk past old farms and houses from all over Sweden and see Scandinavian animals such as elk, bears and wolves. At Lill-Skansen young children can pet animals.

More info

Allow a whole day.

The button goes to Stockholm: Skansen Open-Air Museum Admission Ticket on GetYourGuide.

👉 See current prices & availability

Also via the official website

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Good to know

💡 Good to know

Skuleskogen National Park is on the High Coast; the park authority has information on trails and car parks. (source: Sveriges nationalparker)
In Sweden you can spend the night in nature under the right of public access, with rules; read the guide wild camping and the right of public access. (source: Naturvårdsverket)

Quick to sort

✅ Sorted

Read more about hiring under car hire in Scandinavia; about tolls and rules under traffic rules.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Where is the High Coast?

On the Gulf of Bothnia in northern Sweden, north of Sundsvall. From Stockholm you drive there on the E4.

Can I wild camp on the High Coast?

Under the right of public access it’s allowed in Sweden, with rules. National parks often have their own rules; check with the park authority.

Read on

🧭 Also useful

Accountability

📚 Sources

Every number and every rule on this page comes from a source. Here they all are in one place, checked on 24 October 2026. We only mention prices if the provider publishes them itself; otherwise we refer you to the official website.

View 4 sources

sverigesnationalparker.se: Sveriges nationalparker: Skuleskogen
sverigesnationalparker.se: Sveriges nationalparker (Naturvårdsverket)
naturvardsverket.se: Naturvårdsverket: right of public access (allemansrätten)
project-osrm.org: OSRM (driving distance and time based on OpenStreetMap)

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