Gullholmen – a Pearl of Swedish Coast

Gullholmen

Gullholmen covers the east side of the versatile Hermanö island on the southwest coast of Sweden. Walking down the narrow paths, island streets by the name Gaten (“The Street”) or Hamnen (“The Harbour”), curious eyes can be mirrored in maritime-like decorated windows and verandas of the cute houses painted in the approved colours of blue, red, white and pink.

Stenstugan-Gullholmen

Wood and ropes, fenders and anchors, old style cloth and wise Latin inscriptions on the house walls could remind many visitors to enjoy the precious life and all that really counts in it; by the end of the day, little can match the warmth and light of one`s cosy home, safety provided by the four walls and the roof above and it does not have to be luxury at all. Good old wood, simple solid door and a goodhearted candle would do.

Gullholmen

Gullholmen is animal friendly place and here and there a cat or a dog can be found between the colourful flowers and grass enjoying its time before or after the meal.

Flowers-Gullholmen

Gaten and Hamnen join other Gullholmen’s roads and flow over the common yards and private houses often to end up on the wooden pier that opens the view over the boat harbour by the same name. The harbour itself, however, can be reached by crossing a wooden pedestrian bridge which connects Gullholmen to the rest of the Hermanö. Here one can find cosy cafés, small galleries that sell manmade maritime art, local grossary shop, a post box and a popular icecream kiosk that sells different flavours, from classic vanilla to chilly lacrice or egg punch. Further towards the west there is a big green playground for children, a football field and signs that point towards the paths over the rocky coast, which is very typical for Sweden and Nordic countries in general. The west cost is open for the North sea and its winds but is also welcoming towards those that dare to bath when they are up for it.

Gullholmen

Sailing further south and leaving Gullholmen, many international boat flags will surely come for a visit again to enjoy this beautiful spot, with all its charm and cosiness.

Text by Dragana Paulsen

Photos by Kjartan Ivar Paulsen

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.