By the Stockholm By Boat captain team · Last updated

Sandhamn

Sandhamn is the village on the north side of Sandön, an island in Värmdö municipality in the outer part of the central Stockholm archipelago, beside the Sandhamnsleden fairway. By private boat from Strandvägen, the trip takes about 1h 50min by motorboat or 3h 30min by yacht. Recommended stay: full day.

The old pilot and customs village on Sandön in the outer archipelago, home waters of the Royal Swedish Yacht Club (KSSS).

Aerial view of Sandhamn's marina full of sailboats and motorboats, Stockholm archipelago

Sandhamn is the village on the north side of Sandön, an island in Värmdö municipality in the outer part of the central Stockholm archipelago, beside the Sandhamnsleden fairway. Stockholms läns museum describes Sandön as about three kilometres long and one kilometre wide, made of sand broken up by scattered outcrops of bedrock. Sandhamn has been a pilot and customs station since the late 1600s. Customs opened a station here around 1670, and the large yellow stone customs house that dominates the harbour was designed by the palace architect Carl Hårleman and built in 1752. Sandhamns Värdshus, the inn by the harbour, dates from the 1670s and is one of the oldest inns in Sweden; Sandhamn Seglarhotell says the first inn on the island opened in 1672. During the Russian raids of 1719 every building was burned to the ground, and the village was rebuilt within a few years. A regular steamboat service to Stockholm started in 1865, which Seglarhotellet says makes Sandhamn one of the oldest seaside resorts in Sweden. Since the late 19th century Sandhamn has been the home waters of the Royal Swedish Yacht Club, KSSS. King Oscar II inaugurated the club's clubhouse here in 1897, and the building now houses Seglarrestaurangen. The Gotland Runt offshore race has finished at Sandhamn since 1939, and the regatta dinner is traditionally held at Sandhamn Seglarhotell. Around the harbour, old customs and pilot cottages stand next to summer villas from around 1900. Two small 18th-century cottages, Bryggstugan and Tullvaktstugan, house a museum run by the association Sandhamns vänner, with objects from the island's time as a customs and pilot station, including the spirits-smuggling years of the 1920s. On the south side of the island is Trouville, a popular sandy beach, and you can still see the remains of a sand pit that operated into the 20th century, when sand was sold as ballast and as building material for Stockholm. Sandhamnsbageriet is known for its seglarbulle, a sailing bun that comes back every year, and the harbour has several hotels and restaurants, among them Sandhamns Värdshus and Seglarhotellet with Seglarrestaurangen. Waxholmsbolaget runs boats to Sandhamn from Stockholm, Vaxholm and Stavsnäs, and Strömma's Cinderella boats sail from Strandvägen in season. From Strandvägen, the route out through the archipelago to Sandhamn is an estimated 28 nautical miles. Cruise time is about 1h 50min at 15 knots in a motorboat and about 3h 30min at 8 knots in a yacht. These are estimated cruise times at those speeds, not a scheduled departure, and the actual time depends on traffic, speed limits and conditions on the water.

Best time to visit: June-August

Travel time from Strandvägen: motorboat 1h 50min, yacht 3h 30min

Sandhamn at a glance

TypeIsland
Travel time by motorboat1h 50min from Strandvägen
Travel time by yacht3h 30min from Strandvägen
Distanceabout 28 nautical miles from Strandvägen
Best time to visitJune-August
Recommended stayFull day
AmenitiesToilet, Restaurant, Seating, Café, Drinking water, Shower, Trash bins, Shop, Wi-Fi, Fuel, Pet friendly, Baby changing
Coordinates59.2823, 18.9140

Pictures from Sandhamn

Sandhamn village seen from the water, with red and yellow wooden houses and jettiesSandy beach and rounded granite rocks on SandhamnRed wooden buildings and an outdoor café with a blue parasol on SandhamnCrowd dancing at an outdoor stage party with smoke effects in SandhamnRed wooden building with a tower reflected in the calm harbour at SandhamnSandhamn harbour from above, with boats moored along long jetties

Go to Sandhamn with our boats

Private boats with a licensed captain from Strandvägen. Cruise times are estimates at 15 knots by motorboat and 8 knots by yacht.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Sandhamn?

Sandhamn is the village on the north side of Sandön, in Värmdö municipality in the outer part of the central Stockholm archipelago. It lies beside the Sandhamnsleden fairway, and the island is about three kilometres long and one kilometre wide.

How long does it take to reach Sandhamn by boat?

From Strandvägen the route out through the archipelago is an estimated 28 nautical miles: about 1h 50min at 15 knots in a motorboat and about 3h 30min at 8 knots in a yacht. Those are estimates, not a scheduled departure.

What is Sandhamn known for?

Sailing and maritime history. Sandhamn has been the home waters of the Royal Swedish Yacht Club, KSSS, since the late 19th century, and the Gotland Runt race has finished here since 1939. The customs house from 1752 and Sandhamns Värdshus, which dates from the 1670s, recall its time as a customs and pilot station.

Is there a beach on Sandhamn?

Yes. Trouville, on the south side of Sandön, is a popular sandy beach. Most of the island is sand, with scattered outcrops of bedrock.

Can you get to Sandhamn without a private boat?

Yes. Waxholmsbolaget runs boats to Sandhamn from Stockholm, Vaxholm and Stavsnäs, and Strömma's Cinderella boats sail from Strandvägen in season. A private boat takes you straight there on your own schedule.

When is the best time to visit Sandhamn?

The best time to visit by boat is June to August. Outside the summer season, check the opening hours of restaurants and the museum before you go.

Nearby destinations

About Stockholm By Boat

Stockholm By Boat is a Stockholm-based private boat charter company. We arrange private boat trips with a licensed captain in Stockholm and the Stockholm archipelago, and most charters depart from Strandvägen in central Stockholm. Our fleet includes more than 50 motorboats, yachts, sailboats and event vessels, supported by over 40 professional captains. Destination guides like this one are written and kept up to date by our captain team.

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Visit Sandhamn by private boat

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