Gothenburg and its surrounding areas is a beautiful and tranquil part of Sweden with something to offer to almost every traveler.
Gothenburg is Sweden’s second largest with a population of just over half a million people and the city is located on the Swedish west coast on the mouth of the Gota river. The size may not seem impressive and even though the city is dwarfed by her bigger sister Stockholm, Gothenburg has no problem holding her own. It has the largest port in the Nordic countries and is the host of some of the largest events in Scandinavia, including the Gothenburg International Film Festival and the Gothia Cup football tournament.
Downtown Gothenburg boasts a mix of small town charm and metropolitan style that makes it decidedly unique, and the main boulevard Kungsportsavenyn – or just Avenyn among locals – is a great place to sit people watching at one of the many excellent outdoor restaurants in the area. The city has a progressive and open-minded atmosphere due to a large number of students, which makes street life both multifaceted and inviting.
Scandinavia’s largest shopping center, Nordstan, is located in downtown Gothenburg and so is a large number of smaller boutiques and shops. The city center is quite compact and you can easily reach many of the most interesting spots by foot, or by jumping on the tram. Just make sure to buy the ticket upfront as they do not sell them on-board. The easiest is to buy a City Card which gives you unlimited travel by bus, tram and boat.
Points of interest
The Liseberg amusement park is the city’s greatest attraction, drawing more than 3 million visitors annually. The park’s more than forty rides and attractions offer thrills, spills and laughter for kids and the kid inside you.
The Gothenburg Opera house was inaugurated in 1994, and is an architectural landmark situated right next to the Göta älv river. It’s stagecraft was at the time the most advanced in the world the venue is after a comprehensive renovation in 2009 it’s once again back on the top.
The Gothenburg Botanical Garden was inaugurated in 1923 when Gothenburg celebrated its 300th anniversary. It is about 40 hectares large with more than 16,000 different species and is considered one of the best in Europe. The garden has three stars in the French Guide Rouge and two stars in the Michelin Green Guide.
Some of the most important museums are the Gothenburg Museum of Art, Göteborgs Konsthall, Röhss Museum, and The East India Company house. There are also a number of naval museums due to the city’s rich seafaring heritage, with The Maritime Museum being the most important.