WE ARRIVE IN TJÖRN in time to see the late afternoon sun cast a warm magical glow to the town. As with the two towns we stopped by today, there are not many people, and the gentle sounds of the ocean are all that we hear.

Tjörn is one of the area’s most popular islands, mainly due to its alluring landscape and scenic hiking trails. It also helps that it’s connected by a bridge to mainland Sweden that, coupled with its proximity to Gothenburg, makes it a very accessible day trip. In August, the place swells with crowds as the country’s largest sailboat competition takes place.

In this time of the year, though, we have to content ourselves with taking in the island’s tranquility. Tjörn has also been described as artists’ haven, and it’s not hard to see how nature in this part of Sweden have inspired countless of people to translate nature into art. The waterfront houses and rugged Bohus rocks, as well as several boats that provide a glimpse to the town’s nautical connections, all blend together to form an unforgettable image of calmness.

Just a few minutes later, and the sun’s rays turn into a deeper shade of orange, and the shadows elongate further. I weave my way through the narrow pathways and eventually find myself on a boardwalk where two men are conversing while tying a boat to the dock. I walk a bit further and reach a dock with dozens of boats. I stand there and feel the cold air, wishing I can have a few more days of this.

We leave Tjörn just after sunset and drive back to Gothenburg. There’s a bittersweet feeling to all this, just as with any sunset, knowing that the day is finally coming to an end, though a new one is coming.

In the meantime, a short stop in Ikea in the city to see the store and have cheap dinner would be a nice way to end the long drive.