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2015-02-06

Colorful Houses in Smögen, Sweden

On Sweden’s western coast, there are places where the landscape feels almost too perfect to be real. Smögen is one of them. Bright wooden boathouses sit beside the water, small fishing boats fill the harbour, and smooth granite rocks rise around the village. The colourful waterfront is one of the most recognisable sights in Bohuslän, in Västra Götaland County.


colorful houses along the waterfront in Smögen Sweden
Colourful wooden houses line the waterfront in Smögen on Sweden’s west coast.

Smögen is best known for Smögenbryggan, its long waterfront boardwalk, where colourful boathouses, restaurants, cafés and small shops face the harbour. But behind the postcard-like scenery is a much older story. Smögen grew as a fishing community, and the sea shaped almost every part of its development.

Where Is Smögen?

Smögen lies on Sweden's Bohuslän coast, in Västra Götaland County. Bohuslän extends along the country's western coastline from the area around Gothenburg toward the Norwegian border. The region is renowned for its rugged coastline, thousands of islands and skerries, fishing villages, and smooth granite formations. Visit Sweden describes the Bohuslän archipelago as containing around 8,000 islands and skerries, making it one of Sweden's most distinctive coastal landscapes. Smögen sits within this landscape, surrounded by the sea and rocky coastal terrain.

A Village Built Around the Harbour

Smögen's location was important long before tourists began arriving to photograph its colourful houses.

According to historical material published by Sotenäs Municipality, the settlement developed around the sheltered water between Smögen Island and Kleven. For centuries, the community remained closely connected with fishing and fish processing. During major herring-fishing periods in the 19th century, Smögen expanded considerably and became one of Bohuslän's leading fishing communities. The harbour was, therefore, not just a picturesque backdrop but also the centre of everyday life. The harbour was the centre of everyday life.

First Image credit: Magnus Karlsson
colourful wooden boathouses beside Smögen harbor
Brightly painted boathouses create one of Smögen’s most recognisable waterfront scenes.
Image credit: Gustaw Jot

Why Are Smögen's Houses So Colourful?


The colourful wooden buildings along the waterfront are likely the first thing that visitors notice. Some are painted red, while others are painted in shades of yellow, white, and other bright colours. Their appearance contrasts beautifully with the blue-grey water and pale granite rocks. It is important, however, not to assume that every colourful building in Smögen follows a single ancient painting tradition. The waterfront has developed over generations, and the buildings reflect the changing needs of a working fishing community. The wider Bohuslän coast is particularly associated with red boathouses and wooden fishing buildings, a characteristic highlighted by Visit Sweden in its descriptions of the region.

From Working Buildings to Famous Landmarks


The boathouses closely connected fishing and life around the harbour. Historical records describe clusters of boathouses standing close together beside the water as the fishing community expanded. Today, these buildings have become part of Smögen's visual identity. The scene looks charming in photographs, but the buildings also tell a story about how people once lived and worked along the Swedish coast.

Smögenbryggan with colorful houses and boats
Smögenbryggan follows the harbour past colourful buildings, boats, cafés and shops.
Image credit: Kjell Nordebrink

Smögenbryggan and the Colourful Waterfront

If there is one place to experience Smögen's famous scenery, it is Smögenbryggan. The wooden waterfront boardwalk follows the harbour and brings visitors close to the colourful buildings and boats. Modern restaurants and cafés now sit alongside the traditional coastal architecture. Visit Sweden's current west coast itinerary, which describes Smögen as a stop with a long wooden pier lined with colourful boathouses, shops, and cafés. Another Visit Sweden feature describes Smögenbryggan as approximately one kilometre long, with restaurants, bars and shops along the waterfront.

Why the Waterfront Looks So Photogenic

Smögen's appeal lies in its contrast. The wooden buildings add colour to the scene. The harbour provides reflections. Fishing boats add movement, while the surrounding granite provides the scene with a rugged edge. There is also a natural sense of depth. Looking down the boardwalk, the buildings seem to follow the curve of the water toward the open coast. That combination explains why photographs of Smögen's colourful houses are so often associated with the west coast of Sweden.

Smögen's Long Fishing History

The village's beauty should not hide its working-class maritime past. Sotenäs Municipality's historical account explains that fishing and fish handling were central to Smögen's development. During the peak herring-fishing period, the local economy expanded, and builders erected large herring warehouses around the harbour. In 1919, Smögen saw the opening of a fish auction, and fishing continued to be the settlement's most important industry well into the 20th century.

This history is still visible in the waterfront landscape. Boats, harbours, seafood restaurants, and old fishing buildings all connect modern Smögen to the community that existed before it became a popular summer destination.

Seafood Is Still Part of the Experience

The fishing heritage also explains why seafood is such an important part of visiting the Bohuslän coast. The region is known for prawns, oysters, mussels, lobster, and other seafood. Visit Sweden describes the west coast as a major destination for seafood experiences and highlights Smögen as one of the key stops along the coast. For visitors, this means they can explore Smögen beyond just sightseeing. The local food culture is another way to experience its relationship with the sea.

traditional colorful waterfront houses in Smögen
Traditional wooden buildings add character to Smögen’s busy coastal waterfront.
Image credit: Romain Gaulier

Smögen and the Rocky Bohuslän Coast

The colourful buildings would not look the same without their surroundings. Bohuslän is renowned for its smooth granite rocks, narrow waterways, and scattered islands. The coastline has a distinctly rugged appearance compared with many of Sweden's softer sandy shores. Visit Sweden describes the region as a landscape of fishing villages, red boathouses, and smooth rock formations, surrounded by an extensive archipelago. In Smögen, the combination is particularly striking: bright wooden buildings stand directly beside a landscape shaped by wind, water and rock.

A Different Picture of Sweden

Smögen reveals a side of Sweden that is easy to overlook. Instead of forests and inland lakes, saltwater, fishing boats, granite, and small coastal buildings dominate the scenery here. It feels distinctly Scandinavian, but not in the way of a traditional red cottage in the countryside. This is a maritime Sweden shaped by the North Sea and generations of fishing.

When is the best time to visit Smögen?

Summer is the busiest period, and for good reason. The long days, open restaurants, and lively harbour make the village particularly attractive. But Smögen is not only a summer destination. Visit Sweden notes that although Smögen can become busy during peak summer, the area has year-round appeal. Autumn brings a quieter atmosphere and is closely associated with the beginning of the lobster season. For photography, early morning can offer quieter streets and softer light. Evenings can be equally beautiful, with sunlight catching the colourful buildings and the harbour.

Why Smögen's Colourful Houses Are So Special

The famous houses of Smögen are unimpressive because they are neither enormous nor architecturally elaborate. Their charm comes from something much simpler. They belong to the landscape. The colourful wooden buildings, working harbour, rocky coastline, and fishing history all fit together. Remove the sea, and the village would feel different. Remove the old boathouses, and it would lose much of its character. That is what makes Smögen's colourful houses so memorable.

Colourful Houses in Smögen: A Charming Fishing Village on Sweden’s West Coast

colourful boathouses reflected in the water at Smögen
The colourful buildings create beautiful reflections in the calm harbour waters.
Image credit: shtumpi

red yellow and white houses along Smögen harbor
A row of brightly painted houses stands beside the harbour in Smögen.
Image credit: Laurent

colorful houses and fishing boats in Smögen Sweden
Colourful waterfront buildings and fishing boats reflect Smögen’s maritime heritage.
Image credit: Mickael Hernandez

Smögen colourful houses against the rocky Swedish coast
Colourful wooden houses contrast with the rugged granite coastline of Bohuslän.
Image credit: Ivan Furlanis

picturesque Smögen harbor with colorful waterfront buildings
Colourful wooden buildings surround the picturesque harbour at Smögen.
Image credit: Alex

colorful houses viewed from Smögenbryggan in Sweden
The famous Smögenbryggan boardwalk offers views of the waterfront houses.
Image credit: Bengt Nyman

bright wooden houses beside boats in Smögen harbor
Brightly painted houses and boats provide Smögen with its distinctive coastal character.
Image credit: Dagendet

Conclusion:

The colourful houses in Smögen are more than just a beautiful collection of waterfront buildings. They are part of a coastal community that has tied its history to fishing, trade, and the sea for generations. Today, visitors come to walk along Smögenbryggan, photograph the colourful boathouses, enjoy seafood and explore the rocky coastline. Yet the old character of the fishing village remains visible beneath the modern tourism. Set against the granite landscape of Bohuslän on Sweden's west coast, Smögen offers one of the country's most distinctive coastal scenes—a place where bright wooden houses meet the sea and centuries of fishing history remain part of everyday life.

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References & Sources

- February 06, 2015

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