Sweden's second city, Gothenburg has a relaxed, maritime spirit far removed from Stockholm's bustle. The historic heart of Haga charms with cobbled streets, wooden « landshövdingehus » houses and fika cafés along Haga Nygata. The trendy Långgatorna area around Järntorget concentrates vintage shops, bars and restaurants. Along the Göta älv river, the former Lindholmen shipyard has become a tech and cultural hub. Thrill-seekers head to the Liseberg amusement park, an institution since 1923, while families explore the Universeum science centre. In summer, the city is an ideal base for the southern archipelago, with its pink granite islets and fishing villages reachable by ferry from Saltholmen.
🎬The biopic « Känn ingen sorg » (2013), about Gothenburg singer Håkan Hellström, features the city's landmarks throughout: the Stora Teatern theatre, Andra Långgatan street and the bar Café Publik. The « Johan Falk » police saga, meanwhile, shot its chase scenes in the Victoriapassagen arcade and the Nordstan shopping mall.
✨The Feskekörka fish market, opened in 1874, owes its « fish church » nickname to its neo-Gothic, chapel-like architecture. After a four-year renovation, it reopened in 2024 reinvented as a high-end seafood hall blending market stalls and restaurants.
🧭At Café Husaren in the Haga district, order the « Haga-bullen », a giant cinnamon bun the size of a dinner plate, invented here in the 1980s. Keep your data eSIM active to check the schedules of the southern archipelago ferries, which change often outside the high season.
ℹ️The best season runs from May to August, when long, bright evenings make the archipelago a delight; winter is mild but grey and damp. The centre is walkable, complemented by Scandinavia's densest tram network, practical and cheap. Tip: buy a Gothenburg City Card to combine transport and museums. Mobile 4G/5G coverage is excellent across the urban area and on the nearby archipelago ferry routes; free wifi is widespread in cafés, but a data eSIM remains handy for real-time transport schedules and island-hopping navigation.
