Halmstad, Tylösand and Haverdal
About half of our Halland cottages are in and around Halmstad, a harbour town on the river Nissan with a castle, a pedestrian centre and good supermarkets. Tylösand, the best-known beach, is around 15 minutes west. Haverdal, to the north, has dunes and a nature reserve with a quieter shore. Halmstad airport has flights from Stockholm, and Gothenburg Landvetter is about an hour and a half by car.
Best for: Sandy beaches, a proper town and easy summer days
Not for you if: You want empty beaches in July: Tylösand is one of the busiest on the coast.
Laholm and Mellbystrand (Laholm Bay)
Mellbystrand sits on Laholm Bay, where a sandy beach runs for kilometres south towards Skummeslövsstrand and the shallow water warms up early in summer. Laholm, a few minutes inland on the river Lagan, is a small old town with an art and drawing museum. The Hallandsåsen ridge and Båstad are a short drive south. Copenhagen airport is around an hour and three quarters away, Landvetter about two hours.
Best for: Families who want shallow water and a long sandy beach
Not for you if: You want rocks and coves: this stretch is flat sand and dunes.
Falkenberg, Skrea Strand and Heberg
Skrea Strand is Falkenberg's town beach, a long curve of sand with a pier and dunes behind it. Falkenberg itself has a short old town by the river Ätran and the old stone bridge across it. Heberg and Slöinge are farming villages a few minutes inland, quieter but still close to the sea. Landvetter is around an hour and a quarter by car.
Best for: Beach days with a small town for dinner
Not for you if: You need a big choice of cottages: there are only a handful here.
Ätran and Ullared (inland Falkenberg)
Ullared is known across Sweden for Gekås, a huge discount department store that draws coach parties all year, so expect traffic on summer weekends. Ätran is a small village on the river of the same name, which is fished for salmon and sea trout, with permits sold locally. The countryside around both is forest, lakes and small farms. Varberg and Falkenberg are each about 30 minutes away.
Best for: Shoppers heading for Gekås and anglers on the Ätran
Not for you if: You want to walk to the beach: the coast is around half an hour away.
Varberg, Källsjö and Karl Gustav
Varberg's fortress stands on the shore next to the centre, and the open-air cold bath house (Kallbadhuset) is on a pier nearby. The coast north of town is rockier, with small beaches and a coastal path. Källsjö and Karl Gustav are inland villages among lakes and forest, around 20 to 30 minutes from Varberg. Landvetter airport is about an hour away, and trains run to Gothenburg in under an hour.
Best for: A fortress town on the sea and rocky bathing spots
Not for you if: You want soft sand everywhere: much of the shore near Varberg is rock and pebbles.
Simlångsdalen, Oskarström and Hyltebruk (inland)
Simlångsdalen is a valley of lakes and wooded hills around 20 minutes east of Halmstad, crossed by the Hallandsleden walking trail. Oskarström and Hyltebruk are mill towns on the river Nissan as it runs down from the forest, and Torup is a village near Hyltebruk. Swimming here means lakes rather than the sea. Halmstad's beaches are 20 to 45 minutes away by car.
Best for: Lake cottages, walking and fishing within reach of Halmstad
Not for you if: You want shops and restaurants close by: these are small places with a supermarket at most.
