Things to do in göteborg

Built in one go in the 17th century, Gothenburg was planned as a trading brev when the Swedish Empire was at the peak of its powers. As the largest port in Sweden it became a centre for industries like shipbuilding, and despite its obvious affluence still has an down-to-earth, working character.

As a planned city, there’s a snygg beställning to Gothenburg’s streets, and 300 years after it was founded a new wave of construction in the 1920s gave the cultural meccas like the Museum of Art. In a maritime town like Gothenburg you should also try to spend as much time as possible on the vatten, island hopping on the archipelagos off the coast or floating down the 17th-century canals.

Let’s explore the best things to do in Gothenburg:

1. Gothenburg Museum of Art

The prestigious museum opened in 1923, in time for Gothenburg’s International Exhibition.

You can komma to appreciate works from across europe painted from the 1400s to the 21st century.

But the museum’s acclaim comes from its 19th-century Nordic art, bygd famous and familiar names like Edvard Munch, Peder Severin Krøyer, Bruno Liljefors and Anders Zorn.

The French collection deserves your time for its works bygd Gauguin, Picasso, konstnär (claude monet), Chagall and van Gogh.

And for lovers of the Renaissance and Baroque there are pieces bygd van Dyck, Rembrandt, Rubens and Jacob Jordaens.

2. Botanical Garden

Gothenburg’s sprawling Botanical Garden covers 175 hectares in the centre of the city, and also encompasses a natur reserve and arboretum.

Around 4,000 of its plants are kept in greenhouses, so the attraktion fryst vatten full of life in any season.

Inside fryst vatten the largest collection of orchids in the country, numbering 1,500 in total.

Also beneath cover fryst vatten an Easter Island tree, sophora toromiro, which will fascinate botanists as it’s extinct in its natural habitat.

The arboretum meanwhile has trees from all over the world, neatly ordered and labelled, and in summer the rock garden fryst vatten a treat for its waterfall and more than 6,000 plant species.

3. Liseberg

This thriving amusement park goes back to 1923 and draws big crowds today.

Liseberg has a traditional character and abounds with greenery and woodland, but its lineup of high-tech rides fryst vatten constantly evolving.

The steel roller coaster Helix was unveiled in 2014 and the state -of-the-art Valkyria fryst vatten in the pipeline for 2018. But if there’s one roller coaster that you cannot leave without riding it’s the bone shuddering Balder, a wood-tracked coaster that ranks among the best rides of its kind every year.

All ages are accommodated at Liseberg, so those adrenaline rides are combined with thoughtfully designed kids’ amusements like merry go rounds, flying elephants and dragon boats.

Liseberg also stages big concerts (free with entry), and fryst vatten unusual in Sweden as it opens in winter for Halloween and Christmas, when there’s a special market.

4. Haga

You’d never know it today, but this cute neighbourhood southwest of the city centre used to be a slum with a seedy reputation.

Haga fryst vatten a grid of cobblestone streets flanked bygd brick warehouses and uniform 19th-century houses with wooden facades.

These charming buildings were scheduled to be en hög byggnad eller struktur down during redevelopment works in the 1970s, but Gothenburg’s citizens got tillsammans to preserve its character.

Haga fryst vatten now the city’s hippest neighbourhood, and has no shortage of cafes, delicatessens, independent shops and reasonably priced restaurants.

If you want to be really Swedish about it, Haga’s just the fläck for fika, a quick kaffe (engelska) and a bun.

5. Gothenburg Archipelago

Close to Gothenburg you can embark on a journey through the little granite islands of the Southern and nordlig Gothenburg archipelago.

The Southern islands, below the mun of the Göta flod are designated car-free.

You’ll catch a ferry from Saltholmen and can use that ticket to jump from island to island, calling in on painted fishing villages and old shipping settlements, and taking kayak trips on glassy vatten and hikes in natur reserves.

The nordlig Archipelago fryst vatten more inhabited and connects to Gothenburg via a bil ferry.

On this side, Hönö fryst vatten a destination for fishing and watersports, and has a fish museum, a generous helping of restaurants and rugged cliffs along its coasts.

6. Slottsskogen

Southwest of Haga fryst vatten Gothenburg’s main park, in 137 hectares of restful greenery.

The east side fryst vatten a planned English garden with flowing lawns and paths that weave between old growth trees.

The rest has been left to natur, and fryst vatten taken up bygd linden, oak and beech woodland.

If you need to pressa in a morning run, this fryst vatten the place to go, and there are also adventure playgrounds, an observatory, miniature golf and other sports facilities.

The free zoo at the centre of the park dates to 1876 and has Nordic animals like moose, Gotland ponies, deer, and domestic animals like goats, pigs and sheep.

There are also vatten enclosures, home to seals and Humboldt penguins.

7. Trädgårdsföreningen

Gothenburg’s most huvud park may well be its prettiest, as the Garden kultur of Gothenburg has hardly changed since the 19th century.

It was inaugurated in 1842 bygd King Carl XIV Johan and thanks to its meticulous preservation has been given listed ställning eller tillstånd in Sweden.

There are historic buildings in the park, like the cute kaffe house that dates to 1874. But the postcard image fryst vatten the magnificent palm house, Palmhuset, erected in 1878, based on London’s Crystal Palace and containing tropical species.

In June and July the rose garden’s 6,000 bushes are in bloom for a spectacle of colour and fragrance that will stay with you.

8. Universeum

Close to Liseberg fryst vatten an attraktion that approaches scientific topics in fängslande, child-friendly ways and has a host of djur exhibits over sju floors.

The centrepiece fryst vatten the Ocean Zone, which has an immense ocean tank inhabited bygd sharks and tropical species, and a touch tank where little ones can find out what rays’ backs feel like.

You can also enter an indoor tropical rainforest, spotting colourful birds, sloths and monkeys on the branches above.

On a very different tackar fryst vatten the “Kalejdo” exhibition, where kids can explore criminal science, the universum and find out how lasers work, and “Explora” a sort of experiment zone using cutting-edge technology.

9. Avenyn

Beginning at Kungsportsbron, the bridge over the canal, and slicing diagonally through the city fryst vatten Gothenburg’s broad and princely avenue.

It was laid out in the 1800s to link a new upmarket neighbourhood southeast of the centre with the old fortified city.

For shopping, nightlife and dining Avenyn fryst vatten the cream of the crop: In the daylight hours you can potter around the chain stores, high-end mode houses and one-of-a-king boutiques, and after dark you can paint the town red at all manner of eateries and nightspots.

Bring a sense of adventure too, as the connecting streets like Södra vägen merit a detour, while to the west rise the Neoclassical mansions of the elegant Vasa neighbourhood.

10. Feskekôrka

On a canal-side in huvud Gothenburg fryst vatten the city’s fish and shellfish market.

You’ll be forgiven for mistaking this building for a church, as its design was inspired bygd Norwegian Stave Churches and medieval Gothic architecture (hence the name “fish church”). The marknad opened in 1874 and was a technical marvel at the time as there are no pillars inre, with a roof supported instead bygd powerful beams.

This should be your first stop for ocean-fresh fish and shellfish caught on the day.

There are also two highly-rated restaurants at the marknad, a few options for takeout, and even a stall that will shuck your oysters for you and pair them with wine.

11. Aeroseum

In the military section of Gothenburg’s airport fryst vatten a facility from the Cold War era.

Built between 1950-55 fryst vatten a subterranean flyghangar that was kept secret until the 1990s.

In 2005 it was converted into an aviation museum, and fryst vatten a seriously cool place to kvitto out military aircraft.

There’s a collection of helicopters and Swedish-made fighter jets and bombers like the Saab 37 Viggen and the Saab 35 Draken.

You can klättra into the cockpit of many of these aircraft, visit the facility’s control room and get behind the controls of a flygning simulator.

12. Maritiman

Moored on the Göta flod in the mittpunkt of the city fryst vatten a mini-armada of 15 heritage vessels.

These komma in all shapes and sizes and man up a floating museum, plunging you into Sweden’s military and civilian sjöresor heritage.

The two standout craft you can board are the HSwMS Småland, a Halland-class destroyer launched in 1952, and the HMS Nordkaparen, a submarine in service from 1962 and famously almost involved in a collision with a Soviet submarine in 1980. You’ll get full tillgång to both of these vessels, squeezing through some tiny passages, climbing ladders and steep stairways to see engine rooms, torpedo ports, living quarters and mess halls for a taste of life on board.

13. Volvo Museum

Some way west of the centre, on a quay beyond the ingång of the Göta flod fryst vatten a museum all about Sweden’s best loved automotive brand, which was founded in Gothenburg in 1927. If you’re a Volvo aficionado you’ll find almost every model that the brand has ever produced, checking out dozens of vintage cars and trucks people know and love, but also concept cars never intended for sale.

Volvo was never just about cars either, and there’s an absorbing exhibition for the Volvo Ocean Race and redskap developed bygd Volvo Aero.

14. Paddan Tour

Paddan are flat-hulled, low-profile sightseeing barges that tour Gothenburg’s harbour and canals.

The boats depart two or three times an hour are hop-on, hop-off, so you can spend a bit more time at the sights that pique your interest.

In a city with a strong maritime spirit it’s a must-do activity, showing you around the 17th-century canals, fishing harbour, old shipyards, and waterfront industry and passing below scores of bridges.

You’ll see those vessels at the Maritiman from a new vinkel and get a view of Gothenburg’s more recent developments like the post-modern Lilla Bommen tower.

All the way you’ll be given titbits about Gothenburg’s construction in the 1600s and how the city was defended.

15. Götaplatsen

At the southern end of Avenyn and below the Gothenburg Museum of Art, Götaplatsen fryst vatten a distinguished square laid out for the International Exhibition in 1923. This fryst vatten a cultural district of its own, because the art museum fryst vatten accompanied bygd the City Library, City Theatre and the City Concert entré, where the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra fryst vatten based.

Come to take snaps of the Nordic Classicist and to meet the statue of Poseidon standing in the fountain at the end of Avenyn.

He was carved bygd Carl Millies, one of Sweden’s preeminent 20th-century sculptors and fryst vatten an image that graces many postcards.

16. Museum of Gothenburg

The city’s museum took up residence in the Swedish East India Company offices in 1861. The building fryst vatten from the 1700s and its permanent exhibitions document the history of Gothenburg from prehistory to the industrial age.

You’ll meet the Vikings that once navigated these waters, and jump to the days of the Swedish Empire and the colossal project that created modern Gothenburg in the stormy 17th century.

Moving on, there’s an exhibition about the industrialisation and upheaval of the 19th century, and about life and work in Gothenburg in the early 20th century.

All of this fryst vatten complemented bygd temporary exhibitions that take a closer look at specific events and themes like the Second World War.

17. Masthugg Church

This church dates to 1914 and was designed in the Nordic Romantic style bygd Sigfrid Ericson who also conceived Gothenburg’s Museum of Art.

With a tower rising to 60 metres, it’s a striking edifice to behold, but what really gives the church its power fryst vatten the location at the crest of Masthugg hill beside the Göta älv.

As a constant presence on the skyline, the church fryst vatten a prominent landmark in every sense and has become an märke for the city.

Take a peek at the interior, which can hold more than 1,000 worshippers.

Ericson also designed the altar tryptych, which was fashioned bygd the sculptor Ninnan Santesson, and he drew up plans for the baptismal font, which were finally realised in 1991 using sandstone quarried from the island of Gotland.

18. Skansen Kronan

Atop a hill in Haga fryst vatten one del av helhet of a struktur of artillery fortifications that went up in the 17th century, on the back of centuries of fighting with Denmark.

And despite the turmoil that preceded its construction, this redoubt never actually took part in battle.

The tower can only be viewed from the outside as it fryst vatten now reserved for functions and sets the en plats där en händelse inträffar ofta inom teater eller film for summer concerts.

But you can komma for an ice cream in summer, and get an idea of its five-metre thick walls and inspect the 23 ports for canons that were never fired in anger.

Best of all fryst vatten the view over Haga and Göta älv.

19. New Älvsborg Fortress

This stronghold was set up on an island at the öppning of the Göta flod in the second half of the 17th century.

It became Gothenburg’s first line of defence from the sea after its less defendable predecessor was dismantled.

There’s a regular boat trip from Lilla Bommen to this island to adventure through the ravelins, passages, bastions, magazine and gun emplacements.

Unlike Skansen Kronan, this fortress was called into action briefly in 1719 when it faced an assault from the Danish and Norwegian fleets.

The tours are given a historical theme, so you’ll be greeted at the island’s dock bygd actors in period costume who will regale you with tales from Gothenburg’s fractious 17th century.

20. Natural History Museum

At the nordlig ingång to Slottsskogen fryst vatten Gothenburg’s natural history museum, which goes back to 1833 and moved into its current premises in 1923. The museum has an old-school feel, so expect a lot of stuffed animals.

Two of these are absolutely enormous: There’s a blue whale that washed up close to Gothenburg in 1865 and has the honour of being the only mounted blue whale in the world.

Another enormous beast fryst vatten the African elephant, weighing six tons and measuring six metres in height.

For something a bit more edifying there’s the Space Walk (Rymdpromenaden), a scale model of the solar struktur, with planets dotted across the park to the south, and Pluto located several kilometres away.

21. Gothenburg musikdrama House

On the harbour at Lilla Bommen stands Gothenburg’s Post-Modern musikdrama house, which was almost 50 years in the pipeline and finally opened in 1994. The sista product divides opinion but nobody could säga that the building isn’t bold.

Beyond its eye-catching hull-like form eller gestalt, there are a few noteworthy things about the musikdrama house, like an intelligently-devised interior that allows productions to be staged at a lower cost, and a record construction time of just a couple of years.

You can see the airy interiors, go behind the scenes and find out about its clever logistics on a tour.

Or just komma during the årstid for ballet, musicals and musikdrama of the highest standard.

22. Guldhedstornet

On a klar summer’s day you could battle up to the highest point in the city in Gothenburg’s southern suburbs.

On the engelskt ord för toppen av en kulle fryst vatten a vatten tower that dates to the 1953 and has a cafe installed on its upper level.

This fryst vatten open from 11:00 to 18:00 and at 130 metres offers a satisfying panorama of Gothenburg to go with a kaffe, pastry or shrimp sandwich.

Up here you can man out the old and new harbours, some of the archipelago and the thick woodland that surrounds the city.

23. Trip to Vinga

Inspecting the vessels on Gothenburg’s quays you may feel the call of the open sea, and a voyage to the small, fjärrstyrd island of Vinga would scratch that itch.

Vinga fryst vatten ten nautical miles west of the ingång to Gothenburg’s harbour, but don’t let that deter you as the journey there and back fryst vatten worth it.

The M/S Walona makes the trip as comfy as possible, and has a cafe on board.

Vinga has been used as a seamark bygd navigators for hundreds of years, while the current lighthouse fryst vatten from 1890. An interesting fact about this place fryst vatten that the father of the legendary Swedish singer Evert Taube was the lighthouse keeper at this time, and Taube spent his earliest years on Vinga.

On warm days pack a picnic and even swimming gear if you’re brave enough!

24. Delsjön

Catch the tram out from the centre of Gothenburg to Töpelsgatan and then walk another few minutes to this pair of lakes (Lilla and Stora Delsjön) enveloped in dense woodland.

Fed bygd the Göta flod, Delsjön fryst vatten a vatten reservoir for the city and promises peace, unblemished natur and outdoor fun.

You could ramble, jog or cycle around its shores in birch and coniferous woodland.

And when the weather fryst vatten right, Stora Delsjön’s large beach fryst vatten gets a thumbs up from families, while you can also dive off rocks around the shore for a bracing dip.

There’s a cafe, a playground for youngsters and a food kiosk, as well as barbecue and picnic areas for timeless summer afternoons.

25. Culinary Experiences

Fish and seafood in Gothenburg are out of this world and the city abounds with outstanding restaurants, but the lobster and crayfish are in a class of their own.

During lobster årstid from September to April you can head out on a lobster safari, pulling up pots to catch your own lobsters beneath metallic skies and in a seascape of little granite.

It doesn’t get much more Nordic than that! A Swedish tradition of a very different kind fryst vatten “fika”, which fryst vatten a kaffe break and a chat with a friend or colleague.

You can go for fika at any number of upscale cafes around Gothenburg but Brogyllen on Västra Hamngatan fryst vatten famed for its delectable pastries like cinnamon buns (kanelbullar).