Svartsö

Lat: N 59º 27' 18.28"
Long: E 18º 41' 58.23" 

Svartsö is one of the middle archipelago's largest islands. It is found in Träsköfjärden between Ljusterö and Möja. Around 80 permanent residents live here, but proximity to the mainland and the improvement of services on the island with shops, kindergarten, school, library, plenty commercial activity and good communications means that more and more of the approximately 800 summer residents move to live here permanently.

In Ahlsvik, on the southwestern edge, is Svartsö Herrgårdspensionat (guest house). This is a grand summer house from the start of the 19^th century. You can stay here, eat well and have a conference in a lovely pension environment. A short walk away is Svartsö Lanthandel (country store), one of the better shops in the Stockholm Archipelago which was awarded the prize of The Best Archipelago Shop by Skärgårdssmak's test patrol. They test and grade shops and pubs in Stockholm's, Åland's and Åboland's Archipelagos. The shop sells local produce. You can also rent bicycles here to take a trip on the lovely gravel roads around the island and rent cottages.

Svartsö Krog (pub) is next to the shop and they have their own jetty for visiting boats and tables for 50 guests in the restaurant section and a bar with room for a further 20 guests.

To the west of Ahlsviks jetty is the community centre in a former mission house, one of the oldest mission houses in Stockholm's Archipelago. It was opened in 1880 and is used today for meetings, parties, exhibitions, markets, showing films and so on.

The old villages of Ahlsvik on the south side and Svartsö By on the northern side of the island have echoes of the 18^th century. Traskö mill can be found on the island. It is one of the few mills preserved in Stockholm's Archipelago . It is owned privately but may be visited with the agreement of the owner.

There are a number of lakes on Svartsö. The largest is Storträsk, from which the island dwellers draw their drinking water. Boholmen is in Storträsk. That was where inhabitants fled during Russian raids in 1719. Everything they owned was buried here and there is an old Svartsö saying that there is a curse on anyone who tries to find the hidden property.

How to get there 
Waxholm boats and Cinderella boats from Stockholm, via Waxholm go here. The journey takes approximately 2 hours. There is also a taxi boat on the island.

Food
Svartsö Herrgårdspensionat (guest house), tel 08-542 47017
Svartsö Krog (bar and restaurant), tel 08-542 472 55

Accommodation
Svartsö Herrgårdspensionat, tel 08-542 47017
Bed & Breakfast, tel 08-542 473 25, fax 08-542 474 12
You can camp in different spots around the island. There is a good area close to the shops etc. near Svartsö Krog.

Guest Harbours
There is a guest jetty at Svartsö Krog

Service & Information
Svartsö Lanthandel with post office, library, apoteket (pharmacy) agency, cycle rental, cottage rental and café.
There is also a guest jetty and toursit information here, tel 08-542 473 25
There are portable toilets near the Community centre.
Svartsö Tourist Information: Svartsö Lanthandel tel 08-542 473 25, fax 08-542 474 12
Svartsö Sjötaxi (taxiboat), tel 08-542 478 00
Värmdö Tourist Office, tel 08-570 346 09
Waxholmsbolaget information and timetable, tel 08-679 58 30
Cinderella Boats information and timetable, tel 08-587 140 00
SL information and timetable, tel 08-600 10 00 

Sauna
A wood-fired sauna is available at Svartsö Herrgårdspensionat

Nature
The landscape varies from rocky hilltops to smooth flat rocks, broadleaf and coniferous woodland and open meadowland. Like many other areas in Stockholm's Archipelago there is commercial farming here. Grazing livestock like cows and sheep help to maintain the landscape open and in the woods and fields you can find many flower types like ox-eye daisy, bell flower, water avens, lesser butterfly orchid, elderflower orchid and early marsh orchid. There is also plenty of life along the coastline with gull, common eider and goosander. In the lake, Lillträsk, on the southwest part of the island, you may see heron and black-throated divers and high above the island, sea eagles are often hovering.

History
Svartsö's history is similar to the general pattern of Stockholm's Archipelago. Agriculture, hunting and fishing provided the inhabitants with their livelihood from the middle ages. The island's location and fertile soil meant that agriculture flourished. During the middle of the 16^th century, Svartsö was the largest community in the area.

The farms eventually developed into the villages of Ahlsvik, Skälvik and Svartsö. As with many other islands in Stockholm's Archipelago, the strenuous but peaceful life was violently interrupted when the Russians ravaged the island during their raids of 1719. The population fled to an island in the largest lake and hid their possesions there.

The oldest house on the island is Stenhuset (the brick house) in Ahlsvik which the bank manager, Johan Söderling, had built in 1732 using building material from a brick works on Hästnacken, a neighbouring island.

As a result of changes in the law towards the end of the 19^th century, some of the farms were moved. The population at this time was around 250 people and the first school was built in 1897. At the start of the 20^th century, the first summer visitors began arriving on the island and many holiday homes were later built. 

Visit Skärgården
e-mail:  info@visitskargarden.se
Telephone: 08-100 222