Guide to Rånö – Lazy Days
The sun is high in the sky and the southern archipelago full of summer tourists and bustling with activity. But a calm is not as far away as you might think. A couple of minutes from Nåttarö and a stone’s throw from Utö you will find Rånö, a summer paradise that takes you back to a simpler and calmer life.
There is a long line of people waiting for the boat at the harbor in Nynäshamn, but we manage to get on the boat and settle down ready to enjoy our fresh cinnamon buns we bought at the harbor, in the bright sunshine on the upper outdoor boat deck. Most people seem to be on their way to Nåttarö, where the sandy beaches attract both vacationers and day visitors. The boat passes Ålö and the outdoor dining area of Båthaket restaurant, a place that will soon be filled with lunch visitors and bikers that have crossed the bridge from Utö. The archipelago is teaming with life. Next stop - Rånö! As soon as we get off the boat, we can feel the calmness. We walk the short path up to the island’s culinary center, restaurant Rånö Källan, where chef Christian Henriksen is taking a break from the lunch preparations to have a little chat with us. He describes Rånö Källan as a typical archipelago restaurant with classical food.
– People usually tell me they have waited all winter to come here again, to have the Rånö burger. We serve it in a classic style with brioche bread, white onion and beefsteak tomato. Our famous boullabaise, we can never remove that from the menu, people love it too much. We make unique Toast Skagen – with eggs. This time of year, you need to book a table. Many guests come from the cabins, and others have taken the boat from Nynäshamn, or sailed here by private boat. On Fridays and Saturdays, the place is packed with people.
But Christian still says that Rånö is an unusually calm island. Even though we are approaching high season, you can feel the peace and quiet at the restaurant’s outdoor dining area. According to the chef, it is the peaceful atmosphere that attracts so many visitors to the island west of Utö.
– Rånö feels quite far from the city life, like a separate and special island compared to Utö and Nåttarö, islands that usually have more visitors. Here, you can just take it easy, in the calm environment.