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Gothenburg (Swedish: Göteborg, pronounced "Yeutebory") is the second largest city in Sweden with approximately over 500,000 inhabitants in the municipality. It is situated on Sweden's west coast at the outlet of the Göta river. Much like its surrounding region, Västergötland, Gothenburg is known for its industrial backbone, notably hosting the Volvo Group and Volvo Cars headquarters.

Far from the grim industrial city one might imagine, Gothenburg is green and making the most of its riverine and maritime location, featuring many parks and canals. There are also many historic monuments from its relatively short but glorious past, and evidence of the Dutch-sourced city planning which makes Gothenburg share traits with Amsterdam and Jakarta. It also has a youthful side to it, with over 60,000 students (Gothenburg University is the largest in Scandinavia). Gothenburg has a reputation of being a friendly place, even more welcoming than Stockholm, the Swedish capital.

Statue of King Gustav II Adolf, who founded the city

Understand

Gothenburg is a city founded in the beginning of the 17th century by the Swedish King, Gustav II Adolf (see also Nordic history). It was once the center of the Swedish shipbuilding industry but with rising competition from foreign ship yards, many of the dry docks had to close down. Much of the inner harbor area has changed from industrial ship building to high technology and education, representative of the general change in the city. Today Gothenburg has both international sporting events, concerts, and conventions as well as a small town feel.

Politically it is dominated by the left-wing Social Democrats, and has been for many years, though Swedish politics is moving slightly to the right.

The "Guest Harbour" with the famous office building Lilla Bommen 1, jokingly referred to as the Lipstick building, in the background

People

The working-class history is easily visible, for example in the harbour area. Traditionally there has been few fashion houses or posh cafeterias, but that has changed in recent years with the reconstruction of the indoor malls in the city centre and with the opening of quite a number of American-styled coffee shops. In the city centre—where the University of Gothenburg is located—there are many students.

The intonation (which is however neither a dialect nor an accent) of the Gothenburgers is, for other Swedes, associated with cheerfulness and witty humour.

Tourist information

There are two tourist information offices in central Gothenburg - one in the Nordstan shopping center (next to the central train station) and one on Kungsportsplatsen about ten minutes walk from Nordstan. Gothenburg's official tourist website is another source of information.

Gothenburg offers the Gothenburg City Card, which allows entry into many tourist attractions, grand houses, museums as well as offering free travel on trams and buses and free parking. Among attractions covered are Ringlinien vintage train, admission to Liseberg, Universeum, free travel with Paddan boat, boat trip to New Älvsborg Fortress, guided tour by bus, Museum of World Culture, Gothenburg Natural History Museum, Gothenburg City Museum, Gothenburg Art Museum, Röhsska Museum, Maritime Museum Aquarium, Medical History Museum, The sports Museum, Maritiman, Casino Cosmopol, Gothenburgs utkiken, Guided tour of Gunnebo House, The Garden Society of Gothenburg, Greenhouses in the Botanical Garden, Röda Sten, Stinsen Sightseeing, Aeroseum, Volvo Museum, Mölndals Museum Recently, this card was made available to people's mobile phones, making it not only the most cost effective means of sightseeing but also the most convenient.

In case official tourist information is unavailable, Gothenburgers are usually more than willing to help.

Get in

Landvetter is Sweden's second-busiest airport

By plane

Landvetter Airport (GOT  IATA) is Gothenburg's main airport, located 25 km east of the city. It is served by about 30 different airlines, including SAS, Norwegian Ryanair and Wizz Air, who offer the most connections.

Almost all of the flights to Landvetter are short-haul ones from other European cities. If you want to fly in from other continents, you need to connect at a larger airport offering intercontinental flights. Norwegian and SAS offer connecting intercontinental tickets, as do several other European flag carriers flying to Landvetter. A flight ticket from Sweden's capital Stockholm to Gothenburg costs around 400 SEK.

There is a coffee shop, burger fast food service and newsagent land-side. Air-side you can find a few cafes, restaurants and bars as well as a number of gift shops and duty free. Foreign exchange facilities available both sides of security. The airport provides free wifi (Swedavia Airport) for up to 3 hours.

Most of the major car hire companies have facilities just opposite the airport exit.

There is a Flygbussarna bus service from Landvetter into the city. It runs every 15–20 minutes, costs 95 SEK one way (185 SEK return) if you prepay online (otherwise it is 10 SEK extra). The journey takes approximately 20–30 minutes, during the day running every 15 minutes. It stops at several locations (first stop near Liseberg; final stop: the Nils Ericson Bus terminal which is next to the Central Train Station). Be aware that the only method of payment for the ticket is by credit card. Free WiFi is available on the coach.

Until 2014, the city was also served by another airport, called Gothenburg City Airport (GSE  IATA), so you can still find references to it. All flights from GSE have been moved to Landvetter.

Main entrance to Centralstationen at night

By train

Göteborgs Centralstation (tram Centralstationen/Drottningtorget or Nordstan) is the main rail station in Gothenburg. Highspeed trains of SJ and MTR connect with Stockholm in just over three hours. International train services are available to Oslo and to Copenhagen (via Malmö and the Öresund bridge), both in just under 4 hours. A daily night train connects with the northern Swedish cities of Luleå and Umeå.

Also, a private luxury train named Blå Tåget travels the route Gothenburg-Stockholm-Uppsala daily except Fridays. Journey times are longer than SJ fast-trains but the train boasts generous seating, free WiFi and includes an onboard restaurant.

Göteborgs Centralstation is a large complex which includes a long-distance bus terminal

By bus

Several coach services operate in and out of Gothenburg including Eurolines, Säfflebussen, GoByBus, Bus4you and Swebus Express. Nils Ericsson Terminalen, located in connection with the central station, is the most common bus stop.

By ship

Stena Line operates ships to/from Denmark (Frederikshavn) and Germany (Kiel). The terminals are situated near the city centre. Tramway stops: Masthuggstorget (Frederikshavn), Chapmans Torg (Kiel).

DFDS Torline is a cargo line with limited passenger capacity. They can take a small number of passengers (and their car) to Gothenburg from Belgium (Ghent) and United Kingdom (Immingham and Tilbury).

By car

European roads E6, E20 and E45 pass through Gothenburg. If you come by car from Stockholm, you should take E4 to Jönköping, and then national road 40.

Approximate distances & travelling time:

  • to Malmö (E6/E20 south): 300 km, 3 hours
  • to Oslo (E6 north): 320 km, 4 hours
  • to Stockholm (40 east, E4): 500 km, 4 hours and 40 minuites
  • to Copenhagen (E6/E20 south): 317 km, 3 hours and 30 minutes

Be aware that parking in Gothenburg can be difficult and expensive, as free parking is rarely found. Prices per hour vary between 7 different zones and can be as high as 30 SEK per hour. Free parking is however included in the Gothenburg City Card, if you happen to own one.

Gothenburg has implemented a congestion charge (trängselskatt) for the central area since 2013. However, for Swedish rental cars the cost is commonly already included in the daily fee.

Map
57°42′7″N 11°58′12″E
Map of Gothenburg

Get around

Public transportation within Gothenburg (and the west of Sweden) is operated by Västtrafik [1] and consists of trams, buses and ferries. You can find more information about tickets and a journey planner on their homepage.

Public transport in Gothenburg can be very slow: For example, to cross one side of the city to the other can take up to an hour (to cross 10 km). However, inside the central area, transport is fairly rapid.

The local transport company (Västtrafik) has removed maps from just about all the tram stops; be prepared and have a map ready before you get there.

Västtrafik's ticket system

Since 1 December 2009 you cannot buy tickets from the driver on any buses in Gothenburg area, but are available onboard countryside buses or regional trains and in machines on trams in the Västtrafik system.

Tourist Ticket

Tourists and others planning to travel everyday are advised to buy a 1 or 3 day ticket. A blue card called the Västrafik card is charged with ticket information. They are bought at Västtrafik's service centres or from seven-eleven or Pressbyrån or some other stores. They cost 85 SEK (1 day) or 170 SEK (3 days) inside Gothenburg. One can also buy a tourist card from the tourist office which is valid as a tram/bus ticket and for museum entrance fees etc. You could also get a five trips card, valid for exactly five trips and costs 102 SEK. Longer period tickets (30 or 365 days) can be loaded onto a västtraffik card.

Single ticket

If you only travel occasionally, you can either buy tickets at 7-eleven, the Västtrafik "Tidpunkten" customer service centers, the Pressbyrån shops, from the blue ticket machines on the trams - which accepts coins or major credit cards, online via the Travel planner, or via sms if you have a Swedish mobile phone account. During daytime the cost is 25 SEK for an adult within the city zone (22 SEK with sms ticket).

Prepaid card (Pay-as-you-go)

If you will be travelling more often it might be a good idea to buy a prepaid västtrafik card that also gives a discount. This card can be charged with any amount at a time until the card contains a maximum of 1500 SEK. In addition you must pay a 50 SEK deposit which can be used in part to pay for your trip, but if any of the deposit money is used, another trip cannot be made until you recharge the card again. If you return the card to a Västtrafik service center the deposit will be refunded to you.

If you travel within one zone a fixed price is deducted from your card, which is SEK 19.40 for an adult within the Gothenburg zone at the time of writing. If you travel across a zone border the journey will be more expensive. With the exception of the southern part of tram no. 4 (all stops from Krokslätts Torg to Mölndals Centrum) the entire tram system lies within the Göteborg municipality.

The card is used by touching it to one of the card readers in the vehicle when you board. If you intend to travel in more than one zone you must press the + button on the card reader before touching in and also touch the card to the reader when exiting the vehicle (otherwise, you will be charged for a journey to the terminal destination of the bus/tram). For tourists it's recommended you always touch in and out with the + button as the system will then always deduct the correct amount and you will not have to bother about the zones.

The Västrafik card can be bought from Västtrafik's service centres or from most convenience stores.

You can change freely between buses, ferries and trams 90 minutes after you first used your ticket. If you traveled in more than one zone the 90 minutes time will count from the time you disembarked in the last zone. When travelling between zones, remember to always touch in and touch out on each separate vehicle - otherwise you will be charged for each as separate journeys.

One should know that it might seem easy to get on one of the buses or trams without a valid ticket, but if a biljettkontrollant (ticket controller) would find out, you will be charged with a fee of 1200 SEK.

  • Gothenburg public transport network map, including the major bus lines, the ferry lines and a small map with tram and Stombuss lines. [2]

By tram

Gothenburg has a famous network of trams, covering most of the city. With over 150 km the Gothenburg tram is the largest light rail network in Scandinavia. The network consists of 12 tram lines, 1 to 11 and 13, and every line except no 8 passes through the main tram stop Brunnsparken ('Well Park'). It is located one tram stop or a 2 minute walk from the train station, Centralstationen. The trams runs approximately every 8–10 minutes during daylight and twice every hour at night, at weekends the trams run every 15–30 minutes. Notice that not all lines runs nighttime. This and the boats Paddan (operating from Kungsportsplatsen) is the best way to see the city as they run above ground at a comfortable yet quick pace.

  • Gothenburg tram and Stombuss network map [3]

By bus

Trams are the most efficient way to travel within the city centre, but if you're planning to go further you might need to go by bus. Bus lines heading in the same direction often departs from the same part of the city. There is no real equivalent to the large central tram and bus stop Brunnsparken—most others are divided into several "smaller" hubs, which you often reach by tram.

By ferry

Two ferry services run across the river; Älvsnabben is the regular ferry service with traffic every thirty minutes, and Älvsnabbare that only run between Rosenlund and Lindholmspiren (free of charge) during work hours. Besides transport, this can be a good way to see the city from the river.

Ferries to the southern archipelago run from Saltholmen, with three different lines: Vrångö line, Brännö Rödsten line and the less trafficated Förö line. The service runs once an hour or less.

Styrsöbolaget [4] run the ferry services under licence of Västtrafik - you can still use the city public transport ticket. On their homepage can you find time tables and more information about the islands.

By taxi

There are several taxi companies, for example Taxi Göteborg (031-650000), Taxi Kurir (031-272727) and Minitaxi (031-140140). Initial fare from 35 SEK, and then from 10 to 14 SEK/km. Every taxi must have comparing prices well visible according to law, and it's often placed in the side window. No 1 is daytime, no 2 is rush hour and no 3 is for night time service, and then you see the initial fare, price per hour, price per kilometre and comparing prices for a typical journey.

Note that prices between companies vary. For the above-mentioned larger companies the visible comparing price is about 300-350 SEK. Dubious taxi operators take about double the price, so make sure to compare before you enter. For longer travels, negotiate a fixed price. To the airport it should be around 500 SEK.

Illegal taxis, called "svarttaxi", are operating, particularly during Friday and Saturday nights. They are generally cheaper, but using them is not advised, particularly for women or drunk passengers, since muggings and rapes have occurred involving illegal taxis.

By bicycle

Gothenburg city bikes

Gothenburg has a nice network of bicycle paths, reaching all parts of the city. You can buy network maps at the tourist information centres, and you can find an online version at the link.[5]

You can bring your bike on the ferries, on some trains but not on trams or buses. The service is free on Älvsnabben but cost 10 SEK on the ferries in the southern archipelago.

You can rent a bike from Cykelkungen or if you are staying at a hostel they can often provide it for you.

In the most central parts there are an automated loan bike system Styr & Ställ, registration of 25Kr fo r3 days an reserving an amount on your credit card they are free to use as long as you use for only 30 minutes and then replaced in another place. You can then take a bike again 2 minutes later. An real-time map showing how many bikes and free parking slots are available at each station can be downloaded from [6].

  • Bicycle planner [7]

By foot

With a compact city centre most sights are easily reached by foot, and it's a nice way to get around.

Popular walks around the city includes the nature reserve around the lake Delsjön, the park Slottskogen, the botanical garden, on any of the islands in the southern archipelago, or in the neighborhood Haga.

See

Notable buildings

  • 1 Gothenburg Cathedral, Västra Hamngatan. Built in 1815. 
  • 2 Christinae Church (German Church), Norra Hamngatan. Built in 1748. 
  • 3 Crown House (Kronhuset), Postgatan. Built in 1643-1655, and briefly home of the Swedish Parliament. It currently houses Göteborgs Musik, and the surrounding buildings are now cafes and crafts workshops. 
  • 4 Oscar Fredrik Church, Värmlandsgatan. The largest and most well decorated church. Built 1893. 
The Skansen Kronan is positioned atop a steep hill in Haga
  • 5 Skansen Kronan (Crown Keep). A hilltop fortification, southwest of the city center, built in the 17th century. In the 19th century it served as a prison, and now houses a military museum. Its twin Skansen Lejonet (Lion Keep) unfortunately finds itself in the middle of a railroad and industrial area but guided tours are held the first and third Sunday of every month. 
  • Close to Skansen Kronan is Haga, a city district with picturesque wooden houses from the 19th century. Don't forget to explore the more bohemian Långgatan streets (Första, Andra, Tredje and Fjärde Långgatan) nearby.
  • 6 Feskekörka, Rosenlundsgatan. Tue-Fri 10-6pm, Sat 10-3pm. The indoor Fish Market, called "Feskekörka" (Fish Church) because of the shape of the building, is located by the canal near the harbor. 
  • 7 Skanskaskrapan (Läppstiftet), Lilla Bommen, ☏ +4631156147. Jul-Aug, daily, 11:00-16:00 (lift goes several times per hour); rest of the year: mon-fri, 11:00-15:00 (lift goes every hour). Informally called "the lipstick" by the local, it features a viewing platform at 86 metres, which offers great views over the city. SEK 40, children 5-15 years: SEK 20, family: SEK 100. 
  • 8 Guldhedstornet, Dr. Sven Johanssons backe 1, ☏ +46 (0)31 - 82 00 09. May till October. At 130 meters above sea-level this is the highest point and the highest café in Gothenburg. Sitting inside with a panorama view, or outside on the balcony, you get a view of the downtown, the old and new harbors, the Göta Älv River, the sea (Kattegat), the archipelago, the suburbs and the hilly, forested areas surrounding the city. 

Museums

  • 9 Gothenburg Art Museum (Göteborgs Konstmuseum), Götaplatsen, ☏ +46 31 368 35 00. Housed in a magnificent edifice flanked by the theater and concert hall, it features a world-class collection of Nordic art (SEK 40, people up to 25 years free). The adjacent Hasselblad Center periodically holds public exhibitions. The Art Hall (free entrance) features contemporary art. 
  • 10 Gothenburg City Museum (Göteborgs Stadsmuseum), Norra Hamngatan 12, ☏ +46 (0)31-368 36 00. Covers the history of the city and region from prehistoric times to the present, with emphasis on the 19th-century Swedish East India Company, which was once housed in the building. 40 SEK, people under 25 free. 
Entrance to the Universeum
  • 11 Universeum, Södra Vägen 50 (Liseberg), ☏ +46 (0)31-335 64 50. A new museum focusing on the environment with an indoor rainforest, experiment workshop etc. Adult SEK 175, under 3 years free, 3-16 years SEK 120, family SEK 545. 
  • 12 Museum of World Culture (Världskulturmuseet), Södra Vägen 54 (Liseberg). Tue, Thu, Fri 12-5pm, Wed 12-8pm, Sat - Sun 11-5pm, Mon closed. A cultural counterpart to the science-oriented Universeum, it's a museum of ethnography and anthropology, with a thoroughly contemporary approach. There are regular special events such as concerts, films, and lectures. Free entrance to some of the museum's exhibits. 40 SEK (annual pass), free for people under the age of 19 years. 
  • 13 Maritiman (Between GöteborgsOperan and Kajskjul 8). Packhuskajen 8½. "The world's biggest floating museum of ships" consists of 19 boats of all sizes. The biggest attraction is the former military destroyer Småland. 100 SEK, children (5-15) 50 SEK, family 270 SEK, students & senior citizens 70 SEK. 
  • Maritime Museum, Stigbergstorget, Majorna, explains the maritime history of Gothenburg, West Sweden and of the fishing industry; has models of sailing ships. There is a lookout, in pillar of the "Seamans wife", just by the museum where you can view the harbour.
  • 14 Gothenburg Natural History Museum (Göteborgs Naturhistoriska Museum), Slottsskogen (Linnéplatsen), ☏ +4610441 44 00. Tue-Sun: 11:00-17:00, closed on Mondays. The oldest museum in Gothenburg includes a stuffed blue whale and is situated in Slottsskogen. SEK 40, under 25 years free. 
  • Swedish Ship Götheborg. A reconstruction of the mid-18th century east indiaman Götheborg. During summer 2015 the ship is open for visits at Stenpiren close to the city center. 
The Volvo Museum is about more than just cars and trucks
  • 15 Volvo Museum, Arendal Skans (Hisingen), ☏ +46 31 664814. Tue-Fri: 10:00 - 17:00, Sat-Sun: 11:00 – 16:00, public holidays: closed. Yes of course, in the home town of Volvo you can view the past and present models of the Swedish car. 60 SEK, children 6-12 years 25 SEK, children below the age of 6 free, family 120 SEK. 
  • 16 The Röhsska Museum. The national museum of Swedish design and applied art. 
  • Gothenburg Radio Museum. Anders Carlssons gata 2 (Götaverkens industriområde). 
  • KA 4 Museum and the Fort of Oskar II. A museum at the former Coast Artillery Regiment at Käringberget. Irregular opening hours.
  • 17 Aeroseum. At Säve Depå, is an aircraft museum in a former military under ground Air Force base. It's located on the Hisingen bypass (Hisingeleden), at the opposite side of the airstrip to Gothenburg City Airport. Also home of the annual Göteborg Aero Show and other events. 
  • Röda Sten (Tram 3 or 9 to Vagnhallen Majorna, then walk). Tuesday-Sunday 12-17, Wednesday 12-19. Edgy art hall in an old industrial furnace station covered in graffiti. 40 kr/20 kr/free. 
Botanical Garden in June

Parks and Gardens

  • Slottsskogen, tram stop Linnéplatsen, a big English garden close to the Botanical Garden and a popular spot for relaxing and picnics. Within the park you'll find the Museum of nature history, an observatory, a mini golf course, and a child zoo. In the zoo, you can also pay a visit to the quintessential Swedish animal: the älg, also known as moose. Slottskogen is famed for its valley with over 60 different kinds of Azalea that blooms during early summer. The museum and the zoo don`t have an entry fee. Slottskogen can be very crowded with people going for a barbecue in Summer. On the night before the 1st of May, there is usually a big bonfire in the park, which is worth watching.
  • 18 Botaniska Trädgården (Botanical Gardens), Carl Skottbergs gata 22, ☏ +46 31 741 11 00. 9AM-sundown. Built in 1923, the botanical gardens has an area of 175 hectares and was selected as the most beautiful garden in Sweden in 2003. It contains a rock garden, arboretum and green houses, along with a restaurant and café. Don't miss the rare Easter Island tree. Free entrance, except for the greenhouse. 
  • 19 Trädgårdsföreningen. A picturesque garden in the city centre with a very nice collection of roses awarded with three stars in the Guide Michelin. No entrance fee during off season, otherwise 20 SEK. 

Do

  • 1 Liseberg. The biggest amusement park in all of Scandinavia, with lots of different rides for all ages. Be sure to try Balder, the new wooden roller-coaster. Liseberg is the number one attraction, by number of visitors, in Sweden. 
  • Paddan. The tourist boats run in the city canals and in the harbour. 
  • In summer, you can go canoeing in or walking around the lake Delsjön. Only 6 km from city center, it can be a good way to experience nature.
  • Lisebergslinjen. Is a vintage tram line that runs during summer from the central station to Liseberg. Prices: Adults 20 SEK, Children 10 SEK, Small children Free. 
  • Börjessons. Does tourist boat tours in the archipelago every day in the summer and is very popular. 
  • Southern Archipelago. For a low price one can visit the islands in the southern archipelago with regular passenger boats. These islands are car free and very picturesque. The boats go from the tram stop "Saltholmen". Note that it is difficult to park there. Tram tickets are valid on the boat too.
  • Charter a Sailing Yacht sBoats.com [8] or yachtbooker.com [9] give you independent information on how to find a yacht charter in Gothenburg.
  • The square at the top of Avenyn is the location of the magnificent Gothenburg Concert Hall and the city's drama theatre.
  • Gothenburg Walkabout Tours, Gustav Adolfs Torg (Tram/bus to Brunnsparken), . Free walking tours of Gothenburg running all year round in English. Mainly catered to backpackers and budget travellers but all welcome. Tours must be pre-booked either by email or on webpage. Free!. 

Concert/Entertainment Venues

Events

  • The Cortège. 6:15pm. Every year students from Chalmers University organize the carnival parade on Walpurgis Night (30 April). The parade starts at Gibraltargatan next to the campus, proceeds via Läraregatan, Viktor Rydbergsgatan, Kungsportsavenyn, Vasagatan, Aschebergsgatan back to the campus and takes about 2 hours. During about a week before the parade, the students construct the different vehicles on campus next to Gibraltargatan. free. 
  • Every year in February, the town is invaded by cinema buffs for the annual Gothenburg Film Festival. The festival, which is growing every year, is now one of the major Scandinavian movie festivals.
  • Julstaden the Christmas celebration takes place in December. The city centre is filled with Christmas lights and various activities. The event has become a popular tourist attraction.
  • Göteborgskalaset (now called Kulturkalaset) takes place annually in August. City-festival featuring musical performances, a wide array of foreign food booths and lots and lots of beer. Massive public drunkenness and under-aged intoxication has made the city council consider to cancel the whole thing. If you stay off the absolute city-centre like the Avenue (Avenyn) you may find interesting parties and activities though.
  • VROM (Volvo Rendezvous for Owners & Members). An annual meeting for Volvo enthusiasts. 
  • Since 2007 Gothenburg has its own Pride festival called West Pride.
  • Göteborg Aero Show. Sweden's major annual air show, attracting tens of thousands spectators every year 
  • Way Out West. A yearly music festival held in Slottskogen, usually in August. 

Sport events

  • Once a year during July, football playing youths from more than 50 countries take part in Gothia Cup, the world's biggest football tournament with over 1,000 teams.
  • Göteborgsvarvet. Is half a marathon (21 km) which is run in May in central Gothenburg once a year, with more than 30,000 participants. 
  • On weekends during season Ullevi stadium hosts soccer games featuring one or two of the local teams IFK Göteborg, Örgryte IS or GAIS. The fourth major team, Häcken, plays at Rambergsvallen.
  • At Scandinavium hockey stadium the local team Frölunda Indians plays games every week during season.
  • On occasion you can see wrestling on different locations in Gothenburg.

Itineraries

Learn

While the Gothenburg University generally requires a longer stay to partake in their courses, if you want to do a shorter course, for example a language course or pottery course rhere are a few options:

  • Medborgarskolan
  • Folkuniversitetet
  • Vuxenskolan
  • Sensus

Buy

Gothenburg's focus is strongly on industry - it is not especially known for a kind of confectionery or a novelty item like many other historic cities. So, if you are after something made in Gothenburg that the city is famous for, get yourself a Volvo. If you are on a budget, an SKF bearing will do as well.

Otherwise, Gothenburg is rich in shopping opportunities for more mundane or even special products that might not be made locally or be known for being so:

  • 1 Nordstan, Nordstadstorget (Tram and bus stops Nordstaden, Brunnsparken or Lilla Bommen). Opens every day at 10:00, closes 20:00 during the week or 18:00 on weekends, closes only for Midsummer, parking garage open 24/7. Gothenburg's largest shopping centre with 180 stores is just outside the Centralstation, to which it is linked by an underground tunnel. Walkways also link the centre to Lilla Bommen and the Opera. Inside you will find the usual mix of convenience stores (including a Systembolaget), global retail formats, including Espirit, H&M and Yves Rocher, as well as an outlet of the Swedish department store chain Åhléns City and some popular Swedish shopfronts such as Hemtex or Nilson Shoes. The centre also hosts a Tourist Information stand in its middle. 
  • 2 Arkaden (Tram/bus stop Brunnsparken). If you cannot find your favourite retail format at Nordstan, it is probably at the Arkaden 
  • 3 NK (Nordiska Kompaniet), Östra Hamngatan 42. Stockholm's famous upscale department store has branched out to Gothenburg, bringing in premium brands such as Paul Smith, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Dior, YSL and Prada and equally well-known Swedish brands - for instance the crystal manufacturers Orrefors and Kosta Boda. Situated just opposite Arkaden, the NK also features an upscale-ish cafe and sushi restaurant. 
  • 4 Saluhallen, Kungstorget. A charming indoor food hall. 

Apart from the abovementioned, the entire island of Inom Vallgraven is one big shopping area, with shopping windows extending along entire streets, so if you want to shop 'til you drop, this is where you should go. For other shopping opportunities, see below:

  • Bengans. Stigbergstorget 1. A big, famous Swedish record store with lots of records, old and new, in all kinds of genres. You will find something to buy here, no matter if you're a record collector, hipster, or chart music fan. They also have a cafe. 
  • There is a regular bus service to Ikea and other "big box" warehouses just outside the city.

Eat

Raggmunk: Potato, wheat pancake with fried pork belly and lingonberries

The main restaurant street in Gothenburg is Linnégatan running from Järntorget to Linnéplatsen. It has a high concentration of good restaurants of all kinds in the low to moderate price range.

Most restaurants offer lunch menus ranging 60-80 SEK, mostly they are served between 11:30 and 14:00.

Budget

  • 1 Kastells Pizza, Kastellgatan 15 (Take Tram 2 from Centralstationen towards Högsbotorp and get off at Brunnsgatan. Alternatively, take Tram 6 from Centralstationen towards Kortedala and stop at Olivedalsgatan). Arguably the best kebab in Gothenburg offering massive amounts thereof on the cheap. Kebabrulle (kebab roll) is highly recommended. Pizzas are very good, large enough for two people to share. Staff is very friendly, but speaks little English and only accepts cash (no cards). 50-100 SEK, Kebabrulle 65 SEK. 
  • 2 Andrum, Östra Hamngatan 19A. Tasty and healthy vegetarian/vegan buffet. 
  • 3 Café Hängmattan, Karljohansgatan 16. Vegetarian buffet. 85 SEK for the buffet.. (updated Aug 2015)
  • 4 Maharani, Första Långgatan 4. Indian food in a cozy atmosphere. Starters for 30-40 SEK and main courses for about 110 SEK. 
  • 5 Bombay Palace, Södra Vägen 19. Serves tasty Indian food in a good atmosphere. Seating arrangement is not so good, but the food will leave you happy. A 3 course meal could cost up to 150-180 SEK (without alcohol). 
  • Café Skåne, Nämndemansgatan 1, . Open 24/6 (closed Saturdays). The antithesis of a trendy cafe with affordable prices and large sandwiches to fill you up. A coffee costs 1.5€. 
  • 6 Japan Shop, Kungsgatan 9C. Small, unassuming place with good, cheap sushi. Mains 50-75 SEK. 
  • 7 Sunset Falafel, Erik Dahlbergsgatan 4 (1 street west of Vasaplatsen). Classic falafel place. Used to have a mobile stand on Kungstorget. There are more falafel places around the city but far from all make good ones. 45 kr for falafel. (updated Aug 2015)
  • Feskekôrka. The fish market is not only a nice tourist attraction, but all fishmongers offer fantastic fish dishes to take away at low low prices (50-60SEK). Make sure you try the fish soup sold at the last booth, under the restaurant.
  • 8 Grillköket Jonsborg på Avenyn (at the corner of Kungsportavenyn and Engelbrektsgatan, across the street from the Elite Park Avenue Hotel). Make a stop here for some traditional Gothenburg street food. The Halv Special is a hot dog served on a grilled bun topped with a mound of mashed potatoes. This dish can be topped with shrimp salad. 
  • 9 Govindas, Timmermansgatan 8. 11.30 - 15.00. They speak German (natively), English, and Swedish. 80 SEK. (updated Aug 2015)

Mid-range

  • Pasta e contorni, Nordensköldsgatan 21. Italian.
  • Nonna Former Etc. Grande, located at Kungsgatan 12 and the sister restaurant "Enoteca Signore" at Vasaplatsen 12, where the later is smaller and cozier but doesn't serve quite as many. Serves fantastic pasta in various flavours.
  • 12-52. Linnégatan 52. Modern food with excellent service. Main courses for 150-250 SEK. 
  • 10 Pasta Etc.. Kapellgatan 12. Italian. Main courses for 78-185 SEK. 
  • 11 Lilla Torgets Vinkrog. Lilla Torget 3. Cozy atmosphere in an old (wine?) cellar. Serves house-baked bread with the meals. 
  • Holy Cow, Södra Vägen 77, ☏ +46 31-20 45 09, . Mo-Th 17-22, Fr 17-23, Sa 13-23, Su 13-21. Fancy hamburger restaurant with a farmer concept. Main courses for 85-189 SEK. 
  • The BARN, Kyrkogatan 11, ☏ +46 31-352 49 49, . Mo-Tu closed, We-Th 17-23, Fr-Sa 17-01, Su 14-00. Another fancy hamburger restaurant with a farmer concept. Main courses for 98-169 SEK. 
  • Beijing 8, Magasinsgatan 3, ☏ +46 31-701 08 08, . Mo-Th 11-21, Fr 11-22, Sa 12-22, Su closed. Modern dumplings place with minimalistic design. Located on what may well be Gothenburg's hippest street right now. 
  • 12 Fiskekrogen, Lilla torget 1, ☏ +46 31 10 10 05. Sea food (updated Sep 2015)
  • 13 Pasta +, Södra Vägen 2, ☏ +46 31-16 56 00. Reasonable italial (updated Sep 2015)
  • 14 Berzelius Bar & Matsal, Södra Vägen 20, ☏ +46 31-16 00 30. Good restaurant and bar serving traditinal Swedish food (updated Sep 2015)

Splurge

  • Restaurang Sjömagasinet, Adolf Edelsvärdsgata 5, +46 31-775 59 20. Excellent (and pricey!) fish restaurant at Klippan. [10] Earned a star in the Michelin Guide Rouge.
  • Restaurang 28+, Götabergsgatan 28, +46 31-20 21 61. Earned a star in the Michelin Guide Rouge.
  • Hos Pelle, Djupedalsgatan 2, +46 31-12 10 31.
  • Basement, Götabergsgatan 28, +46 31-28 27 29. Earned a star in the Michelin Guide Rouge
  • Restaurang Fond, Götaplatsen, +46 31-81 25 80. Earned a star in the Michelin Guide Rouge
  • Kock & Vin, ☏ +46 31-701 79 79, . Viktoriagatan 12. Swedish and French cuisine with a warm, welcoming atmosphere in cozy bistro style. Earned a star in the Michelin Guide Rouge. 
  • Thörnströms kök, Teknologgatan 3, Tel: +46 31-16 20 66. Excellent international cuisine, despite the comparatively low prices (main courses at SEK 200-250).

After Work

Every Friday, some pubs and restaurants have After Work specials with happy hour prices in the bar. Some pubs also offer after work on the other weekdays.

  • Tres. Lindholmspiren 5. Buffet costs 33 SEK, beer 33SEK, small buffet but delicious food, starts at 4PM. 
  • 15 King's Head, Andra Långgatan 32A, ☏ +46 31-24 20 40. A free buffet containing mostly vegetarian food is provided 5-7 PM to everybody buying a beer. The afterwork here is offered every weekday, from Monday to Friday. Beer 32 SEK. (updated Apr 2015)

Drink

In the summertime there are outdoor serving along Avenyn and Linnégatan.

You can pick up the free Nöjesguiden and Djungeltrumman magazines in various stores to read more about Gothenburg's nightlife. They are only available in Swedish though.

  • Ölhallen 7:an, Kungstorget 7, +46 31-136079. One of the best places for good beer, and the only traditional "Beer-hall" left in the city. It is situated next to Saluhallen.
  • The Rover, Andra långgatan 12, close to Järntorget, is a freehouse known for its knowledgeable staff. Specializes in Swedish micros on tap and US micros on bottle. Has Gothenburg's second largest selection of whisky (according to local newspaper G.P.), including the Swedish brand "Mackmyra".
  • Kellys, Andra Långgatan 28. Cheap beer. Lots of vegan food. Mixed crowd of middle-aged regulars and young people.
  • Sejdeln, Andra Långgatan 28. When Kellys is packed Sejdeln is a perfectly adequate option, it's right next to Kellys and has even cheaper beer and roughly the same clientele.
  • Kings Head, Andra Långgatan 32. On this street well known for its cheap pubs and porn stores, this pub is an alternative for those who wants to spend time in a little more sophisticated environment. The clientele is more well adjusted in this place.
  • Dancin Dingo, Australian pub on a street parallel to Avenyn. "Let's put another shrimp on the barbie!"
  • Ölrepubliken. A good selection of beers on tap with a bias toward British and Belgian beers, this pub is an excellent alternative to the mid centre locations. Found not far from Kronhusbodarna a couple of hundred meters from Nordstan.
  • Heaven 23 Gothia Towers at Korsvägen, one of the finest bars in town if you want cocktails and a nice view.
  • The Bishops Arms A chain of English pubs. In Gothenburg there are three located at Kungsportsavenyn 36, Västra Hamngatan 3 and Järntorget. Good selection of beer on tap and fine single malt whiskey. A bit pricier than other pubs.
  • Rockbaren A traditional rock bar located in a parallel street to Avenyn, just across from Dancin Dingo.
  • The Rose & Crown, ☏ +46 31-10 58 27. Kungsportsavenyn 6. English pub showing live sports. 
  • 1 Jamesons Pub, ☏ +46 31-18 77 70. Kungsportsavenyn 32. Swedish pub with live music. 
  • 3 3 små rum, Kristinelundsgatan 4, ☏ +46 31-181904. Mon-Sat: 16.00 -. The top priority is the well-selected beers both draft and bottled, in combination with carefully selected jazz that flows from the speakers 

Clubs

There are several different clubs in Gothenburg, with a wide array of music styles.

  • Haket, Masthuggstorget/Första Långgatan 32. Indie pop/goth. Often arranges theme nights, with music, videos and even drinks featuring a certain artist. Hosts Monochrome [11], a long-running Goth club the first Saturday every month. Haket is also a restaurant and bar, with an excellent selection of microbrewed beers.
  • Trädgår'n - EBM & Synthpop, house
  • Nefertiti - House, jazz, northern soul
  • Sticky Fingers, ☏ +46 31-7010717. Kaserntorget 7. Young rock fans flock to Sticky Fingers for live bands and clubs. 
  • Uptown/Studio One - Reggae.
  • Peacock Dinner Club - House.
  • 4 Port du soleil, Åvägen 24, ☏ +46 761998124. May-Aug tue, fri-sat: 21.00 - 03.00. Great really professional summer-club with house music. 
  • Gretas - Drottninggatan 35. The biggest gay nightclub in the city, with 2 dancefloors playing schlager, pop, 80s, 90s and disco downstairs, as well as house and r'n'b upstairs.
  • Lounge - Trendy bar and night club.

Cafés

Gothenburg has a vast array of cafés practically everywhere. In the district Haga (near Järntorget) you can find a lot of nice cafés. It is quite normal to get a free re-fill if you buy filter coffee (bryggkaffe in Swedish).

  • Guldhedens vattentorn. A little nice café placed on top of an old water tower. You get a good view of Gothenburg and around. Take Tram 10 to Doktor Sydows gata, or a bus 42, 52 to Syster Estrids gata. During January and February only open on Saturday and Sunday.
  • Bar Centro, Kyrkogatan 31. Small Italian-style espressobar, takes coffee very seriously.
  • Ethels, Linnégatan 72. A charming family-run café that also offers warm sandwiches and soup if you wish to have something savoury.
  • Cafe Skåne Nämndemansgatan, Mölndal. This cafe is situated outside Göteborg in Mölndal. 24hour open, 6 days a week (closed Saturday nights). Here you don’t sit and read trendy fashion magazines and pay €5 for a caffè latte. Instead you eat big sandwiches cheap and pay 1.5€ for a tasty (but not so trendy) coffee.
  • Café Husaren Located in the Haga district, in Haga Nygata 28, a street with lots of other nice cafes. This particular cafe is famous for its tasty, giant kanelbullar (cinnamon buns). You can easily share one of these with three or four people. Or, if you don`t care about diabetes, you can eat one for lunch or dinner.

Sleep

Clarion Hotel Post, formerly the Central Post Office Building

Budget

Many Youth Hostels only offer their lowest prices to members of STF or IYHF.

  • Great Living,, ☏ +46 31-12 06 21. They offer private accommodation. The owners can profit from their home, even when they are away, and companies and individuals can gain access to a different type of accommodation during their visit. All apartments are located in the central of Gothenburg. 
  • 1 Slottsskogens Youth Hostel, ☏ +46 31-42 65 20. Check-in: 14+18, check-out: 11. Vegagatan 21. Open 24 hrs. Popular among travellers. Free Internet. Prices start at 195 SEK for dorm beds. Situated in the lively Linnéstan - an area with a lot of pubs, restaurants, cafés etc. Tram stop: Olivedalsgatan (tram 1,2,6 and 13). The backpackers section is clean and modern. All beds in dorms have lockers under the bed, and some beds have curtains around them for privacy. Arrive early if you want one of these since beds aren't assigned - when you check in you just go and grab any free bed in the dorm. Note that sheets and towel are an extra 65SEK. Breakfast is quite nice - fairly standard buffet style with bread, cheese, meats, cereal, muesli, coffee, juice etc. But it is a bit expensive at 70SEK. 
  • Great Living,, ☏ +46 31-12 06 21. They offer private accommodation. The owners can profit from their home, even when they are away, and companies and individuals can gain access to a different type of accommodation during their visit. All apartments are located in the central of Gothenburg. 
  • 2 Gothenburg Hostel, Gbggatan 29. An very nice and cheap Hostel with modern rooms. The hostel has pensions options and is located in the middle of the centre. 
  • Kärralund Camping Youth Hostel. Located 2.5 km from Liseberg amusement park, the prices start at 345 SEK (one time entry to Liseberg included during summer) but they are a lot higher during peak months.
  • The Tourist Bureau just off Avenyn organises an excellent private home B&B service.

Mid-range

  • 3 Hotel Riverton, ☏ +46 31-750 10 00. Stora Badhusgatan 26. Hotel, restaurant and Sky bar with a beautiful view of the harbour. Close to the Casino. Shopping and restaurants just around the corner. 
  • 4 Scandic Europa, Köpmansgatan 38 (200 m from Göteborg Centralstation, 250 m from Brunnsparken tram interchange), ☏ +46 31 751 65 00, fax: +46 31 751 65 11, . Large modern hotel belonging to a major Scandinavian chain, attached to the Nordstan shopping centre. Standard rooms range from 18–20 sqm and are efficiently laid out. Breakfast, wireless internet, a mini-fridge, and air conditioning are included. 
  • 5 Hôtel Eggers, ☏ +46 31-333 44 40, fax: +46 31-333 44 49. Drottningtorget. Located right by the train station, with nearly 150 years of history. 
  • 6 Hotel Gothia Towers. Scandinavia’s largest hotel, with good quality rooms and four popular bars and restaurants. Gourmet restaurant Heaven 23 is on the 23rd floor with an unbeatable view of Göteborg. Try their huge shrimp sandwich! Basic rooms are a a reasonable size with well laid out furniture, contains fridge, kettle, cloths iron and small but practical work desk. Suites are of very good class and size. Standard breakfast in a canteen like room (as opposed to the restaurants) has a reasonably large choice but of basic quality and staff do not clear tables very often. 
  • Novotel Göteborg, Klippan 1, ☏ +46 31-720 22 00, . Novotel Göteborg is a modern hotel with all services and facilities, and is located at the entrance to the Port of Gothenburg a bit outside of the city centre but easily accessible through tram or ferry. (updated Dec 2015)
  • 7 Hotel Royal. Drottninggatan 67. A classy, centrally located hotel that was founded in 1852. 
  • 8 Hotel Poseidon. Storgatan 33. A family owned, 49-room hotel perfectly located in the city center. Trams stop a block away at Vasaplatsen and the popular Kungsportsavenyn is just a few blocks in the other direction. Wireless internet is included as well as a great breakfast. 

Splurge

  • 10 Clarion Hotel Post, Drottningtorget 10 (On the square just south of the central station.), ☏ +46 31-619050, . This former post office, with 500 rooms, including three suites this is one of the biggest hotels in the city. Includes high-end restaurants, own spa, rooftop pool and even home-brewed beer. They also have a hugely popular for after-work entertainment. Just don't expect a quiet lobby! Prices starts at 1200 SEK on weekends and 1600 SEK weekdays. 
  • 14 Clarion Collection Hotel Odin, Odinsgatan 6 (350 m from Göteborg Centralstation), ☏ +46 31 745 22 00, fax: +46 31 711 24 60, . Four-star hotel in a modern tower. Rooms are air-conditioned, include breakfast and dinner buffets, and have reliable high-speed wireless internet. Superior rooms have a full kitchenette (utensils at a surcharge), and hot drinks are available in the lobby. Some rooms have a large balcony overlooking the river. Single rooms are 23-24 sqm, doubles 30–35 sqm with two single beds. From ca. 1400 kr. 

Stay safe

Most crimes against tourists are crimes of opportunity, such as pick-pocketing, bicycle theft, auto theft and auto vandalism. Pickpockets converge in Gothenburg during the summer months so beware. As always, do not leave valuable items in your car or in a cloakroom, and watch your bag in crowded places. Most shops and all major taxi companies accept credit and debit cards, so there is no need to carry a lot of cash. Downtown Gothenburg is plagued by illegal taxis by night, and they are considered very unsafe, especially for women. Check the taxi rate, which should be on a yellow window sticker; the preferred price should be in the range of 300-350 SEK. Generally speaking, crime rates in Gothenburg are quite low from an international perspective.

Respect

As in many secondary cities around the world, the people of Gothenburg are known to be die-hard hometown patriots. Any compliments about the city will be appreciated. Comparisons with Stockholm, on the other hand, would be rather unwelcome.

Cope

  • The Local, local English-language newspaper.
  • Mailboxes Etc., Cheap place in town to print PDF's - handy e.g. for boarding passes or bus tickets

Religious Services

Protestant churches:

  • Smyrna international, Hagakyrkogata 2. Celebration 15.00 (in English). Iranian meeting thursdays 17.30.

Roman Catholic churches:

  • Kristus Konungen, Parkgatan 14, . Holy mass: Sa: 11:30AM, 4:30PM (Span.), 6PM, 7PM (Polish); Su: 9:30AM, 11AM, 1PM (Pol.), 4PM (Croatic), 7PM; M-F 8AM, 11:30AM, 6PM.

Church of the Anglican community:

Islamic Mosques:

  • Nasir Moskén, Tolvskillingsgatan 1. Sweden's first mosque built in 1975. (ahmadiya)
  • Bellevuemoskén, Generalsgatan 2A.
  • Göteborgs Moské, Myntgatan 8. This newly built mosque, with its beautiful cross between Islamic architecture and modern design, is a must go to for architectural fans.

Go next

  • Near Gothenburg is the beautiful Gothenburg archipelago. Here you can enjoy nature, have great views over the islands, swim in the ocean, buy ice cream and maybe eat at the restaurants on Brännö, Styrsö or Vrångö. The ferry terminal in Saltholmen which connects to the islands is easily reachable by tram from Gothenburg city center. There's a resident population on most islands, so ferries run all year.
  • Älvsborgs fortress (Älvsborgs fästning) from the 17th century was built on an island to protect the city from being attacked from the sea. Tourist boats [12] make the trip regularly during summer.
  • Vinga - the last outpost before the sea and the place where Evert Taube (a famous Swedish poet) grew up.
  • Gunnebo House and Gardens, in the neighbouring municipality of Mölndal, is a large 18th century wooden mansion built in the neo-classical style with Rococo interiors set in a Baroque park. There is a restaurant, a gift shop, guided tours and annual markets in the autumn and at Christmas.
  • Tjolöholm Castle, in Kungsbacka municipality south of Gothenburg, is an anachronistic Tudor castle built in the years around 1900 for the Scottish-Swedish merchant and factory owning family Dickson, one of Gothenburg's many generous donors (they founded Gothenburg's first public library and built decent homes for the families of their factory staff).
  • Bohuslän region with its scenic coastline landscapes is easily reachable by Västtrafik busses and trains, the company also operating the public transport in Gothenburg.
  • Denmark: Frederikshavn on the northern tip of Denmark has daily ferry connections operated by Stenaline. Depending on the ferry, the ride takes between 2 and 3 hours. The ferry itself can also be attraction in its own right, as you get good views of the Gothenburg Archipelago, and you will see a lot of Scandinavians going crazy because of the duty-free alcohol sale on the boat. Copenhagen can also be easily reached by bus.
Routes through Gothenburg
Oslo ← Kungälv ←  N  S  → Kungsbacka → Malmö
Malmö ← Kungsbacka ←  W  E  → Alingsås → Stockholm
Karlstad ← Trollhättan ←  N  S  → → Frederikshavn




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