Stillingsön: History of a Seaside Resort

Stillingsön combines a rural past with the development of a seaside resort on Sweden’s west coast. Located on the eastern side of Orust, it is one of Bohuslän’s smaller seaside resorts; at the same time, the town is considered a well-preserved example of 19th-century seaside resorts. These two descriptions make Stillingsön’s character clear: it is part of the region’s seaside resort history and also a smaller town within Bohuslän. For travellers interested in the history of coastal towns, the story begins well before the seaside resort came into being.

Early traces before the seaside resort era

Bishop Jens Nilsson’s visitation books from 1574 to 1597 list Stillingsön as common land belonging to the Kåröd estate. Another early date is 1688, when Stillingsön is mentioned as a croft site. The two accounts shed light on different aspects of the town’s early history—its association with the estate and its designation as a croft site—and both predate its tourist development by a considerable margin. The seaside resort was established in 1865 and was the first independent tourism initiative on Orust. This makes it possible to distinguish the early history of the land and settlement from the later seaside resort tradition, rather than reducing Stillingsön’s history to a single founding year.

Steamer connection and boarding house

In 1866, the steamer “Uddevalla” called at Stillingsön four times a week on its route between Gothenburg and Uddevalla. This account names not only a vessel but also the route and weekly schedule—a specific aspect of the seaside resort in the first year after its establishment. The Sjöhult boarding house was built in 1868. Thus, the early years of the seaside resort’s development saw its founding, a named steamer connection and a named boarding house. This sequence of events brings the early period of Stillingsön’s tourist history to life.

Buildings and landscape of the seaside resort

The former vicarage of Myckleby was rebuilt on the shore at Stillingsön and named Sjövik. There was also a bathing house, later referred to as a warm bathhouse, as well as a bathing pool. Different types of buildings and facilities stand alongside one another here: a rebuilt vicarage and amenities for bathing. The town’s history can therefore be explored not only through dates, but also through named buildings and facilities.

The historic surroundings of the seaside resort were characterised by lushly vegetated areas and calmer waters. Stillingsön is also included in a current listing of smaller cold bathing houses on Sweden’s west coast. These accounts shed light on different periods: the green surroundings and calmer waters belong to the seaside resort’s historic landscape, while its inclusion as a cold bathing house is part of a current listing. The landscape and seaside resort tradition thus offer two different perspectives on Stillingsön.

Choose Stillingsön as your destination

The character of a town can be a factor when searching for a holiday rental. Stillingsön may be particularly appealing to travellers who want to take the history of a seaside resort into account when choosing a destination. The town’s history stretches from early connections with land use and settlement to the transport links and buildings of the 19th century. If cultural history matters to you when choosing a holiday destination, this development offers a concrete point of reference to consider.

Discover more destinations: Nosund, Gullholmen, Svanvik, Henån, Hälleviksstrand, Käringön, Mollösund, Varekil

For the main travel overview: Orust.