Gothenburg, the unknown jewel of Sweden

It is the second largest city in Sweden and yet the great unknown.

Small, friendly and coquettish, Gothenburg has nothing to envy Stockholm.

In 1621, King Gustav II Adolfo raised his walls after being demolished by the Danes.

It built its canals and planned the port that would make it the largest port city not only in Sweden, but in all of Scandinavia.

Surrounded by water, parks and green spaces, today it is a delight of the city, a university center and one of the most sustainable destinations in the world.

Reasons why Lonely Planet has just chosen it as the best city break for next year in its Best in Travel 2021.

enlarge photo The statue of Poseidon in Gothenburg's Götaplatsen.

Alamy

9.30 Breakfast in style

Do we start big?

Having breakfast in one of the

is synonymous with great atmosphere and good pastries, one of the weaknesses of the Swedes, so you have to arrive hungry and without haste to choose calmly between all the buns, cakes and sandwiches that they prepare at diary.

The most mythical is in the

, one of the liveliest.

That's where the street of the same name was born, full of shops and cafes and with a window that invites you to enter any of its establishments, such as the florist and decoration store

or the clothing

store

, and much more,

.

enlarge photo COVA FDEZ.

11.00 A neighborhood outside the walls

It has never been the scene of any battle, but the fortification of

has always been surrounded by 23 guns.

Construction began at the end of the 17th century thanks to the help of the crown

in Swedish), in the middle of the 19th it was used as a prison and at the beginning of the 20th it was converted into a military museum.

Now this stone bastion topped with the unmistakable golden crown is a private place from which to enjoy good views of the city.

In addition, it is in the Haga neighborhood, the first one built outside the walls.

The classic Gothenburg houses that are still preserved, with the first floor of brick and the rest of wood, together with their cobbled and pedestrian streets, give it that characteristic bohemian air.

Strolling through here is a pleasure that invites you to slow down and enter the cafes and shops that crowd its streets, especially the main one,

.

13.00 Lunch for

gourmets

Fish and seafood are part of the DNA of this city.

For a brutal gastronomic experience, go to

(Feskekôrka, in Swedish)

, an old Gothic church from 1874 that today is a fish market with stalls to taste fish and seafood of the day.

If you like markets, drop by

, the largest in Gothenburg with an infinity of

Of course, due to covid-19, both are temporarily closed.

As an alternative,

, a restaurant with a high quality raw material always prepared with an exquisite modern touch.

enlarge photo The Konstmuseum in Gothenburg houses the best collection of 19th century Scandinavian art, but works do not come from any European royal house, but from donations from individuals.

getty images

15.00 Museums for everyone

Götaplatsen (6)

is the most emblematic square, not only because the unmistakable statue of Poseidon stands there, but also because it houses the Municipal Theater, the Concert Hall (and headquarters of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra) and the

, a highly recommended art gallery with

.

From here

, the main boulevard built in the middle of the 19th century

, extends

to the old moat at the foot of the old fortified walls of the city.

Nothing remains of those defensive walls.

The cultural offer is extensive and covers all tastes:

, for lovers of contemporary art;

the

, in the great

, for those who go with children or want to admire a large collection of taxidermy;

the

, for lovers of the sea, or the

, for motor enthusiasts.

This is where the car brand was born, displaying true jewels from another era.

enlarge photo A terrace on the Stora Hamnkanalen in Gothenburg (Sweden) Alamy

17.30

Fika,

a Swedish tradition

Fika

is the concept that best defines Swedish culture.

An almost obligatory stop to have a coffee and something sweet once, twice or countless times a day.

It can be done alone or accompanied;

at home, at work or in a park;

in the morning or in the afternoon, but it must always be done, without exception, slowly and enjoying the moment.

That is a good

.

Anywhere is good for this sweet break (take advantage of it and try the typical

or cinnamon roll), but

or the

, in the Långgatorna neighborhood, a high point of bars and restaurants.

18.30 Port Ode

Not inconsiderable is the

.

Located in the port, it is an ode to the sea, the docks, its cranes and the ships.

This immense architectural construction of the nineties is inspired by all these elements, which is also the most important cultural investment in recent years.

Also important is the nearby

, or the great canal jetty, built in 1844 and from where you can see a picturesque perspective of the city: a string of old stone buildings that flank the Göta river, crossed by magnificent bridges.

Nearby, next to the train station, is the

, an ancient stone building from 1920 that was once the post office (great for its

on weekends).

21.00 The best farewell

The best way to get around Gothenburg is to go on foot, by bike or by tram.

Some old ones from the sixties still circulate through its streets, whose blue and white aesthetics maintain the modern ones.

Get on one of them to say goodbye to the city at

, an Asian restaurant where you can enjoy Japanese cuisine that some people probably didn't know existed.

Sublime.

Like their cocktails, perfect for before or after dinner if you don't feel like moving elsewhere.

Do you like the plan for dinner and drinks in one place?

Take a look at Yaki-Da

, a multi-storey establishment with a restaurant, bar, café and nightclub.

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