From hometown hero to superstar
Håkan Hellström shot to fame, seemingly out of nowhere, in the year 2000 with his debut album Känn ingen sorg för mig Göteborg. Since its release, the beloved artist has had a motion picture made based on his music, played club gigs in New York and Berlin, set a new Nordic concert crowd record when he played at the arena Ullevi in Gothenburg 2025 (73 781), and has received numerous awards and accolades. Oh, and British megastars Coldplay even covered a bit of his hit single Känn ingen sorg för mig Göteborg during their Gothenburg gig (in Swedish, sort of).
Håkan Hellström was born and raised in Gothenburg and both the city itself and its thriving music scene in the 90s have had a significant impact on his music. A recurring theme throughout his music has been the city of Gothenburg. The late nights at indie clubs, trips to the beautiful archipelago and the scenic views of the city have all inspired well known lyrics. Håkan Hellström’s fame is such that many of the places he mentions become part of a fan pilgrimage of sorts.
Gothenburg welcomes all Håkan fans with a warm heart with a guide to some of the many Gothenburg locations that feature in his music and what to do when you’re there.
Location: The neighbourhood Vasastaden
Vasastaden is a beautiful neighbourhood in the middle of Gothenburg. The main street Vasagatan is always bustling with life and the surrounding cityscape is made up mostly of stone houses dating back to around 1870–1920. The neighbourhood recurs several times in Håkan Hellström’s music. ‘Vasastan is like Chinatown’ is a catchphrase from the song Magiskt med tragiskt. The lush park Vasaparken behind the main building of the University of Gothenburg is the location where Håkan was yearning for love in the song Atombomb. And if you walk from the park along Vasagatan, you will soon pass the school Schillerska Gymnasium that Håkan sings about in Livets teater.
The neighbourhood where student life meets the art world. The School of Business and Economics and University of Gothenburg are located in one end of Vasagatan and the Academy of Design and Crafts in the other. This means you will find great places for post-exam beers, as well as art galleries and great restaurants.
Location: The streets Första långgatan och Andra långgatan
The bar-lined street Andra långgatan is located just a short walk from the impressive stone houses of the neighbourhood Vasastan and Jazzhuset.
Andra långgatan is one of the main night life hubs in Gothenburg and a favourite among thirsty locals and revelling visitors. The street is mentioned in Håkan Hellström’s song Kom igen Lena, and featured in the 2013 motion picture Känn ingen sorg based on his music. The parallel street Första långgatan is mentioned in the song Dom där jag kommer ifrån.
Grab a seat at one of the many bars on the street and sit and watch people come and go. You’re likely to hear at least one Hellström song.
The area around the square Järntorget, and the four parallell streets Långgatorna, is a hub for the alternative and relaxed life. Enjoy a drink with friends, grab a bite to eat or go for theatre or a gig.
Location: Slottsskogen City Park
Slottsskogen city park is a favourite among locals and when you see the vast green open spaces it’s not hard to understand why. The valley Azaleadalen where the azaleas bloom in May/early June is a popular spot in the park. In the song Valborg Hellström suggests that it’s so beautiful, it’s impossible not to fall in love when you’re there.
Slottsskogen city park also hosts the annual music festival Way Out West where Håkan has performed several times, along with several international superstars.
Park
Slottsskogen is a place for relaxation, recreation, and outdoor life – a wonderful spot for everything from jogging to cosy picnics.
Location: The street Magasinsgatan
The area around the street Magasinsgatan used to be full of clubs, including one where Håkan Hellström unsuccessfully tried to impress a woman in the song Magasinsgatan. Today, it’s an area with trendy interior design and fashion shops well worth a visit, with just a couple of late night haunts left. Visit the inspiring shops around Magasinsgatan, not least Artilleriet, one of the most influential design shops in Sweden.
Magasinsgatan is a given destination for shopping and coffee as well as eating out or grabbing a drink when the evening comes. Trendy shops, restaurants and bars all offer something special, no matter if it comes to barista skills, local clothing brands or restaurant decor.
Location: The quay Gullbergs kaj
The song Mitt Gullbergs kaj paradis describes Håkan walking along the docks of the quay Gullbergs kaj, one of his favourite spots in Gothenburg. The dock is home to rusty boats, debris and ships undergoing maintenance.
Location: Feskekörka
The famous fish market Feskekôrka (the fish church) is located in the middle of Gothenburg. The building is inspired by gothic churches and offers fresh fish and sea food of the highest quality. Make sure you don’t miss it while in Gothenburg. Feskekôrka gets name-checked in Håkan Hellström’s song Tro och tvivel.
Iconic fish market hall
Feskekörka is one of Gothenburg’s most famous landmarks and attractions. In this famous fish market hall, visitors will find all the delicacies of the sea and several restaurants and bars.
Location: Långedrag
Tro och tvivel also takes us out to the tip of the Saltholmen peninsula and Långedrag, where Håkan sang about sitting with the pensioners, cursing the young people passing by.
Restaurant by the water
The inn located in Långedrag harbour.
Location: Brännö
From Saltholmen, you can get a ferry to Brännö, the idyllic archipelago island that gave name to Håkan’s song Brännö serenad. Go dancing at the famous Brännö brygga, immortalized by singer/songwriter Lasse Dahlquist.
Archipelago island
An island famous for its traditional summer dances and child-friendly beaches.
Location: Vinga
If you keep going further out in the archipelago you’ll eventually reach Vinga, the westernmost island of the archipelago. It’s also the island where famous composer and singer Evert Taube was born. Håkan is a big admirer of Evert Taube and the island of Vinga gets a mention in the jaunty Saknade te havs.
Visit the childhood home of Evert Taube, today a popular museum. You can reach the island with different boat tour operators.
Archipelago island
A much loved island, famous for its lighthouse and scenic nature.
Location: Stigberget
The square Stigbergstorget and the street Stigbergsliden are located in the western parts of the city centre, and mentioned in the song Zigenarliv dreamin’. From here you’ll be able to view the rolling street Karl Johansgatan and you’ll spot the bridge Älvsborgsbron in the distance. Discover the cosy area around the square, with its music scene, cafés and restaurants.
The area surrounding the square Stigbergstorget teems with local music, outdoor areas, and historical surroundings. Once a neighbourhood just outside the city centre, the square has now transformed into a meeting place for those seeking to immerse themselves in Gothenburg’s thriving food and cultural scene.
Location: The arena Gamla Ullevi
Sports are a big part of Gothenburg and the city hosts several professional teams in many different sports, among them football. Håkan Hellström was a promising young player for the green and black-striped GAIS, and he still supports the club. GAIS has adopted the song Gårdakvarnar och skit as their anthem, and it’s played when the players enter the pitch of the home stadium Gamla Ullevi.
Football Stadium
Football has been played at Gamla Ullevi arena since the early 1900s. Generations of locals have gathered here to cheer on their teams and experience unforgettable matches.
Location: Hisingen
The northern part of Gothenburg, Hisingen, gets a mention in När lyktorna tänds. It’s a rather large island and home to many great spots. Go up the hill Ramberget, from where you’ll get a splendid view of the Gothenburg skyline and the river Göta älv. Go for a walk along the waterfront from Lindholmen to Eriksberg or head to the neighbourhood Kvillebäcken and check out all the tasty treats at the market hall Kville saluhall.
The former ship-yard district on the northern banks of the river has been transformed into wide-stretched quays, new residential areas, restaurants, cafés and theatres. Go for a stroll along the water and see some of the newest neighbourhoods in town, while feeling the breeze from the river.
More and more people are discovering the neighbourhood around Kvillebäcken in Hisingen, where genuine food from Peru, the Balkans and the Middle East is mixed with charming vintage shops and cosy cafés. In ‘Kville’ you will find a bohemic atmosphere – like in Berlin’s Neukölln or New York’s Williamsburg – and the tram journey here, with a dazzling view from the bridge Hisingsbron, is an attraction in itself.
Location: The street Nordhemsgatan
Head to the neighbourhood of Linnéstaden and position yourself at the intersection of Nordenskiöldsgatan and Nordhemsgatan. From here, you’ll have a clear view of Gothenburg’s steepest street – famously sung about by Håkan Hellström as the one ‘that leads up to heaven’.
Linnéstaden, commonly known as Linné, is a laid-back neighourhood with plenty of local charm. By day a tempting mix of independent shops and cafés and by night a bustling borough with eateries and bars.
Location: The main boulevard Avenyn
The song 2 steps from paradise from 2010 inspires to a Hellström-esque experience: lace up a pair of skates and cross Gothenburg’s main boulevard Avenyn. Maybe towards the suare Götaplatsen where you can take a lap around Poseidon and then visit one of the many the cultural institutions here – the Gothenburg City Theatre, the Gothenburg Museum of Art, the Gothenburg Concert Hall, and the Gothenburg City Library.
Wide pavements, late-night buzz, culture at one end and nightlife at the other. Kungsportsavenyen – usually shortened to Avenyn – is Gothenburg’s most well-known street and a place where many things come together: restaurants and bars, theatres and concert halls, public gatherings and city life. Locals and visitors move side by side here, whether they’re heading out for dinner, a performance at Gothenburg City Theatre, or a late night out.