It’s small enough to explore with ease yet big enough to have plenty to do, plus Gothenburg is cheaper than the capital. It’s also arguably Sweden’s coolest city with its hip pavement cafes, free-thinking artists and craggy windswept islands.

Liseberg Amusement Park

The Liseberg Amusement Park is smack bang in the middle of the city, and is Sweden’s most popular tourist attraction, with three million visitors every year. It has plenty of hair-raising rides.

Destination guide – Sweden
Dog-seldding in northern Sweden

Gothenburg highlights

Open since last summer, The Wheel of Gothenburg, set on the water’s edge, has glass gondolas offering sweeping views of the city. Other city highlights include the Rohsska Museet, the only design museum in Sweden; Varldskulturmuseet, a cutting-edge museum of world culture; the Universeum science discovery centre (complete with an indoor rainforest); and the spectacular waterfront Opera House.

Seafood heaven

Gothenburg has an abundance of fresh, delicious seafood on offer. Pickled herring is a specialty, particularly when served with a tangy sauce.

You can find it at the Feskekyrka, also known as the ‘Fish Church’, a huge indoor seafood market that resembles a cathedral. For giant shrimp sandwiches and knockout views, check out Heaven 23,
a restaurant on the 23rd floor of the Hotel Gothia Towers.

Shop til you drop

A walk down Andra Långgatan, Gothenburg’s trendiest street, reveals uber-cool junk shops and record stores jostling for space alongside student-friendly drinking dens.

Essential information

WHEN TO GO: Any time. Snow in winter can be enchanting, while summers are warm.
GETTING THERE: BA, bmi and Ryanair fly direct to Gothenburg from London from £27.
VISAS: South Africans need a Schengen visa.
CURRENCY: Swedish kroner. 1 GBP = 8.9 SEK
LANGUAGE: Swedish. Most people speak English.
GETTING AROUND: The Goteborg Pass gives you free entry to the Liseberg Amusement Park and museums, plus unlimited rides on public transport.
GOING OUT: A beer costs about 35 SEK.
ACCOMMODATION: Dorms from about 190 SEK. A double in a basic hotel is about 800 SEK.
GET MORE INFO: goteborg.com