Introduction
The Gota Canal connects the east and west coast of Sweden with 120-miles of clear waterways and locks. Built in 1894 the canal is still an excellent way to travel from Gothenburg to Stockholm and remains one of the greatest engineering triumphs in Sweden.
Running through lush birch groves and the green farmland of central Sweden, life on the canal takes a more relaxed pace with slow moving steamships and canal boats comprising the majority of the canal's traffic. The most famous vessel on this stretch of canal is the M/S Juno. This steamship launched in 1894 is the oldest registered passenger ship in the world.
The Juno travels at a leisurely pace out of Stockholm's Gamla Stan, transporting her passengers into a less frenetic bygone era before television and radio. This cruise offers guests the chance to escape from their busy everyday lives in journey completely divorced from the outside world.
Taking your own craft is also an excellent way to experience these waterways and mooring up to explore on foot or by bike allows you to explore the route's pretty villages and rolling countryside at a more leisurely pace.
