Day Trip: Slow Travel in Trosa
Lisa Ferland takes us on a day trip from Stockholm to the seaside town of Trosa.
Cars swarmed around us like bees around a hive. The narrow highway lanes overlooking Stadshuset felt extra skinny in comparison to our usual wide-laned roads and generous suburban drivers of Åkersberga.
Driving through the heart of Stockholm on a Saturday morning is an exercise in patience and precision driving as Stockholmers often switch lanes at excessive speeds without signaling.
We headed south on E4 and eventually broke free from the city’s grip onto open roads. Merely exiting the city has a near-instant calming effect. From winding and crisscrossing city streets onto straight roads and open farmland, our collective blood pressure dropped a few points. It felt like we could slow down and breathe a bit.
Traffic virtually disappeared as we continued past the city limits. My husband’s grip on the steering wheel relaxed and I made a mental note for us to explore like this more often.
A Day Trip Away
Our destination was a small, charming town called Trosa. We had already explored historical Sigtuna, stunning and regal Drottningholm, and eaten organic vegan food in Norrtalije on our weekend trips.
We love exploring new towns and neighborhoods and have discovered some of our favorite cafes and playgrounds during our weekend travels.
The thrill of a random road trip has been in my veins since I turned 16 in New York state. Our kids love to travel because we do it so often. Since traveling with kids tends to slow everything down to a snail’s/toddler’s pace, we’ve embraced the slow travel approach.
After an hour of driving, we turned left off the highway and followed the signs to Route 218.
Nestled between Stockholm and Norrköping, Trosa was built on the Baltic Sea and has a population of around 10,000 residents. The town becomes a bit crowded in June and July as it is a popular summer house destination.
The town offers Stockholmers a welcomed break from busy city life and a rare chance to escape the usually crowded tourist destinations of castles, royal residences, and historic churches.
Without an agenda, we set off to explore the cobblestone paths around town and allowed our bellies—and mostly our kids’ moods—to dictate our activities.
We wandered into a cozy cafe, Trosa Å Café, and grabbed a table upstairs while our lattes brewed.
The kids enjoyed chokladbollar and kanelbullar while we rested our feet and contemplated our next activity.
Properly warmed up, we found the pedestrian pathway that led us to the harbor. Spotting a playground, the kids stopped to play with my husband while I continued walking. Locals were out and about jogging and walking their dogs, enjoying the weak February sunshine.
I wandered to the World’s End and stood alone at the end of the pier. The harbor was quiet and my kids’ voices were far off in the distance.
So far away was I from our usual routine, our daily life, and the house that I rarely leave as a writer who works from home.
For a minute, I closed my eyes, tilted my face toward the direction of the sun, and imagined that yes, I was at the end of the world and loved every minute.
Trosa’s History
Trosa is also often referred to as “Världens ände” or “World’s End,” and indeed, you do feel like you’re standing at the end of the world overlooking the harbor.
Known for their festivals,
Wander About
Peruse
Be sure to wander along the beautiful pathway from the center square to the harbor. You’ll pass a little playground on the way for the kids to stretch their arms and legs.
Around the square, you’ll see a charming old telephone booth filled with books. Take one or leave one and enjoy a new book.
If you want to stay a bit longer
Slow travel is all about enjoying travel at a leisurely pace. You may want to spend the night and enjoy more of what Trosa has to offer.
In the warmer months, you can golf at
Take the car or travel by the Trosa bus which travels between Trosa and Liljeholmen seven days a week.
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