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Exploring Utö - The Friendliest Isle in Stockholm's Archipelago 

26/7/2016

 

On this tiny archipelago island, there are berries, boys, and bikes a plenty - and a few goats too!

Charlotte Schröder, authorized archipelago guide Uto Picture
Charlotte starts the tours with some stories.
There are precisely six goats on the Swedish archipelago island of Utö and as far as Charlotte Schröder is concerned, that's more than enough. Goats are one of the few things in the natural world by which she can't abide. The parrots her daughter breeds are another. ("They sounds like a car alarm!") But when it comes to the people of Utö (there are 223 full time residents) or the dogs (47 - Charlotte acts as the veterinarian's nurse during their quarterly visits), she knows and loves them all. Or nearly so!

As an authorized archipelago guide, riding school owner, wedding officiant (and don't forget, veterinary nurse), there's not much that happens on Utö that escapes Charlotte's eye and in my opinion, the tours are the better for it. Charlotte provides the perfect introduction to the island, one of the southernmost in Stockholm's archipelago chain and, as one of the hundreds of thousands who visit Utö each year, I was one of the lucky ones to have Charlotte as my guide.
Old iron ore mines Uto Sweden Picture
The old mines are now pretty to look at - but that's about it.
A trip to Utö makes for a perfect day trip from Stockholm. The island is home to the oldest iron ore mines in Sweden which, as Charlotte explains, have done much for the island's sense of hospitality. Utö is one of the very few islands in the archipelago which had an economy dominated by one industry and as mining waxed and waned over the years, the resident population grew and shrank accordingly. A revolving door of workers meant the island never got boggled down in the idea of old families or the significance of being able to stake a claim to family land. 

The mines influenced the demographics of Utö in more ways than one. Utö is famous for a birth rate dominated by boys. For centuries, an expectant mother could well expect to give birth to sons and a generally accepted theory was that the drinking water from the wines contained iron, silver, zinc, and arsenic and these contaminants somehow contributed to the curious gender gap. Today, the islanders drink desalinated sea water and the birth patterns are now more typical.
Cottage Uto Sweden Picture
Cheerful cottages can be found around the island.
Fence post, Uto Picture
It's hard to get lost here.
Farmer's field, Uto Picture
There are no cars here and plenty of open spaces.
Iron ore has dominated Utö since 1150 when Vikings landed on the island and for 500 years the industry thrived. But a 1790 Russian invasion ended badly for the industry - and for Utö. The houses were burned down, the inhabitants fled to Stockholm, and the mines were sabotaged and blocked by rocks.

​Over the course of the 1800s and 1900s the island slowly rebuilt with charming cottages thanks to wealthy (and likely opportunistic) investors who encouraged artists and writers to spend the summers, as well as the military ("Worse than the goats") who occupy the southern part of the island for a training facility.

​But while modern day visitors will be mostly out of luck if it's iron ore they seek, Utö still has many other treasures to share.
Wild strawberries Uto Sweden Picture
Wild strawberries are just about the most delicious things in the world!
Our guided walk with Charlotte led me to one of my favourite treats of all time - wild strawberries! It turns out that Utö is covered in them, if you just know where to look (and you can bet that Charlotte does!) I also feasted on wild blueberries and tried many wild herbs under Charlotte's guidance. I overheard her say that she was spending the rest of her afternoon helping her young granddaughter forge for wild mushrooms. If you know your wild plants or are eager to discover more, Utö is the place to be.
Bike rental Uto Sweden Picture
Hiring bikes is easy and inexpensive.
Swimming Uto Sweden Picture
There are beautiful swimming spots.
Boating Uto Sweden Picture
And lots of boating too!
If local lore and endless berries aren't enough, Utö can keep you busy. With just one main road but plenty of paths, biking is a popular past time - one that I took up for the afternoon. In my true wimpy, anti-adventurist spirit, I found the paths slightly less flat and smooth than I'd like (though any person with just an ounce of moxie will do just fine), and the "bikes with no breaks" were a challenge (they DO have breaks - you just have to peddle backwards to stop.) The island is just 15 km long, so it's hard to get lost and easy to pass an afternoon at a leisurely pace. If conditions are nice, there are also plenty of options for swimming and boating. 
Uto Vardshus Pickled Herring Picture
A pretty plate of pickled herring.
Uto Vardshus trout menu restaurant Picture
And equally nice sea trout.
For a small island, Utö has a number of well reviewed eateries, especially in the summer months. I ate at the largest and best known of them all, the Utö Vardshus. My first course was a selection of different pickled herring bites, each in a different sauce, and served with the traditional sides of bread, rusks, boiled new potatoes, cheese, sour cream, chives, and chopped red onions.

While I appreciated the beautiful presentation, I have to admit that pickled herring is not for me. But judging from the feedback of the rest of my group, it was incredible. I'd encourage anyone to give it a try - if any place can tempt you with proper pickled herring, it's this.

The main course of fresh fried sea trout with potatoes, gherkins, capers, and a caviar cream sauce was more to my taste. The fish was exceptionally done and it was the perfect balance between being hearty and light. 
Picture
A view over the marina.
Stockholm is a hard city to tear yourself away from but I think it's well worth taking a day away from the city to explore the archipelago - and it's no secret which island is my favourite! Utö has all the makings of the perfect summer getaway and with the warm welcome that Charlotte and so many others provide, you'll never want to catch the boat back to the mainland again.



If you enjoyed this article, you'll also like:
Stealthy Stockholm Savings
Loving London for Less
Tales from the Anti-Adventurist: Vanessa Goes Kayaking


My visit to Uto was part of the TBEX conference. All research, writing, and opinions are  my own.


Marissa_My Greece_My Travels blog link
26/7/2016 05:51:49 pm

Nice post, Vanessa. Charlotte made that tour that much more interesting for sure. Loved her local insight too. Memories of Uto... ahhh!

Vanessa
29/7/2016 11:30:00 am

It was such a wonderful trip!

Alex link
18/9/2016 12:54:36 am

Haha, Charlotte sounds like a champion (aside from the fact that she doesn't like goats—HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?). It's great that you got to explore the town with such a knowledgeable guide. Towns are charming in themselves, but there are so many things you'll miss without a bit of local know-how... Though maybe it's better to miss out on things like pickled herring ;)

Vanessa
18/9/2016 07:16:03 am

I love goats too - but I wasn't going to admit that in front of Charlotte. I'm guessing when there's only so much island to share, they can be a bit troublesome.

Robson V Cadore link
18/9/2016 02:20:20 am

Charlotte seems to be a very interesting woman :)
Happy to found your post, we are planning our trip to Northern Europe and deciding on how many days to stay in Stockholm, might ad one to visit Uto. Although we will not find the berries on January...

Vanessa
18/9/2016 07:17:12 am

Sadly, you're probably right about that. Happily, Uto does have year-round amenities, a real bonus as many islands have their services shut for the winter months.

Megan Jerrard link
18/9/2016 02:56:59 am

Looks like a gorgeous place Vanessa - really does sound like Utö makes for a perfect day trip from Stockholm. Will keep that in mind! Charlotte sounds fantastic - how lucky to have gotten her as your guide!

Vanessa
18/9/2016 07:18:03 am

You would just love Charlotte - she's one of the most fascinating people I've ever met.

Claire link
18/9/2016 04:36:07 am

Uto looks like a great place to visit ! I've never been to Scandinavia and it looks so lovely. One Day!

Vanessa
18/9/2016 07:18:50 am

You've got to add it to your list.

Jen link
18/9/2016 08:54:47 am

Utö looks lovely and Charlotte sounds like a fantastic guide! I have always wanted to visit Sweden as one of my best friends in high school is from there. Good to know Utö is a short day trip from Stockholm!

Vanessa
18/9/2016 09:58:33 am

Lucky girl! Having someone to stay with for part of the trip would be a huge cost savings.

Carla Abanes link
18/9/2016 09:06:06 am

The house is so cute, I really think I can stay there forever. Plus hiring bikes is easy so I think I can really stay there! Lovely that a day trip to Uto from Stockholm is possible! Soon!

Vanessa
18/9/2016 09:59:37 am

It's such a charming spot - I think most people would be tempted to stay overnight or for a day or two.

Sheena link
18/9/2016 12:17:21 pm

You got me sold at wild strawberries and blueberries! Utö seems so charming and I hope I'll have the opportunity to visit someday!

Vanessa
20/9/2016 09:06:01 am

It really is lovely and delicious.

Carol Colborn
18/9/2016 08:47:24 pm

We were in Stockholm last year but were not able to go out of town...except for the short cruise around the islands. What I remember most are the sauna houses. Did you have any in Uto?

Vanessa
20/9/2016 09:06:52 am

I can't say that I saw any in Uto but that's not to say that they aren't there. Certainly I'm sure all the hotels would have sauna facilities - it's such a big part of the culture.

Carmen's Luxury Travel link
19/9/2016 04:33:09 am

Oh wow, what a beautiful part of the world! Bookmarking this. Thanks for sharing :)

Vanessa
20/9/2016 09:07:15 am

Glad you liked it!

Anita Hendrieka link
19/9/2016 09:31:49 am

What a beautiful place. The food looks delicious too! Sounds like a great place to come to.

Vanessa
20/9/2016 09:07:34 am

Glad you enjoyed it.


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