When people visit Sweden they often head to popular Stockholm. But if you want to see a bit more of Swedish culture and amazing food then Gothenburg is the perfect place for a city break.
1. Sleep on a boat
We stayed at Good Morning Hotel and as always booked through Booking.com
This was a nice affordable hotel a 14 minute walk from the central bus station so we could easily walk to most places or grab a bus or tram.
Breakfast was included and 24/7 water, tea, coffee and cookies available. Reception is open 24/7 as well which is something I always appreciate especially if I’m travelling solo (but for this trip I was with my Mum)
2. Southern archipelago
There are a few tour companies that offer boat trips around the islands but I would recommend taking the public ferry which you can tap on using contactless visa or Mastercard. For a full day of using trams and ferries to 2 different islands it cost us £5 each.
Some of the islands have less frequent ferry times than others so I would recommend visiting Vrango and Donso.
Vrango island
This was my favourite. Very easy to get around only took 10 mins to walk to the port from the ferry terminal and there are really handy maps at the ferry terminal that show things to do/hiking trails.
We headed over to the port for some lunch at Fiskboa. Really recommend the chilli mussels with fries and aioli it was so fresh and delicious. I’d say go for lunch at 12 as by 1pm the queue was huge with later ferriebsuaving arrived and not many tables available.
Donso
Didn’t enjoy this island as much as was more built up and I guess more for people who live there and commute to the city? While we waited for the ferry back we went to Popsicle which had a cute clothing store icecream brunch dishes and where I first tried a carton of pear juice which seems to be very popular in Sweden.
3. Enjoy Pic n Mix
Although the Swedish are health conscious and most of the food is super fresh they also love their sweets! Every little shop and Seven Eleven has sweets or even pic n mix. Just an FYI you’ll see “Skum” written on a lot of them- this means “foam” which we discovered after also seeing Skum written above a fire extinguisher.
4. Art Museum
Gothenburg’s Museum of Art is world class and definitely a must-do when in the city. A wide variety of modern, classic and sculpture there’s plenty to see a a general art admirer or serious art nerd. Van Gogh, Picasso, Munch to name a few have pieces there. Plus it costs less than £5 per person for entry which is a great way to spend half a day in a fairly expensive city.
5. Volvo Museum
We didn’t get round to visiting the Volvo Museum but would make the effort if I visited again. It is 2 buses and around 50 minutes to get there from where we were staying. You can’t book in advance and is only around £12 for entry.
6. Local festival
We visited in early September and it was still the 400 Years of Gothenburg cultural festival. This meant there was a number of food stools and live music during the day and early evening which was a great treat. There was also a marathon that weekend so it feels like a city where there is always plenty going on.
7. Fine dining
Gothenburg is a major foodie city with an array of options if you want to try Michelin star dining. Although we didn’t go that high end we visited some popular and delicious restaurants. Kometen was great for us to try traditional Swedish meatballs with lingonberries and pickled cucumber. Our favourite was Sjobaren in Haga which we went to for dinner 2 nights in a row. The fish is all locally sourced from Gothenburg harbour. First night I had the seafood soup with garlic bread and the second night the cod with shrimps and mushrooms. Many think of France and Italy as the culinary capitals of Europe but I’d say Sweden should really be up there as a contender.
8. Eat the biggest cinnamon bun in the world
Enjoy a giant cinnamon bun (Kannelbuller) at Cafe Husaren in Haga. They sell takeaway ones wrapped in cling film outside in the morning or you can order from within the cafe.
9. Explore Haga
Haga is the historical centre of Gothenburg. The industrial architecture is very pretty and enjoys many independent shops from clothes, soaps to souvenirs. I’d recommend to not go on a Sunday as some of the shops are closed.
10. Gothenburg Botanical Gardens
A short tram from the centre (again you can tap on with contactless) this is a lovely way to spend a few hours in nice weather. A wide variety of plants, trees and epic viewpoints. It’s free entry and where I didn’t see a donation station I bought a cute sweet tin from the gift shop. The cafe at the garden had some lovely salads and lunch options too.
Surprise top tip
I got stung by a wasp in Vrango and often found wasps around me first part of the trip. Then a Swedish lady told me to lift my elbows up at them and it actually worked! So if you have a wasp bothering up raise your elbows up (like a chicken dance) and they won’t bother you again (maybe because they’re embarrassed for you).