Weekend in Gothenburg

Restaurants & bars

Gothenburg’s restaurant scene is very much alive and new gems, big and small, open regularly. At the street Postgatan 16 you will find chef Gustav Trägårdh’s restaurant Gurras, which serves street food elevated to à la carte level with flavours from all over the world. At Tredje Långgatan 7 you will find the brasserie Taverna Averna, which has a nice atmosphere on the weekends, often with a DJ, with a classic menu influenced by Italy and Sweden.

If you’re in the mood for a drink, the popular Kafé Magasinet, located right next to Taverna Averna, is a great choice. If you find yourself in Haga and craving fish or seafood, a visit to the classic Sjöbaren is a must. Its charming courtyard is a favourite during the warmer months, though there’s plenty of space indoors as well.

If you prefer to stay close to Avenyn, a visit to restaurant Natur is a must, where vegetables take the lead together with natural wine. A little further away you will find Hotel Bellora which is a boutique hotel, Italian restaurant and bar in one. Another hotel, which also has a popular restaurant, is Hotel Pigalle with restaurant Atelier. A little further away from Avenyn, on Södra Vägen you will find the pan-Asian restaurant Kaifo where the flavours of various Asian cuisines are mixed with Scandinavian and European.

If you are interested in beer, Gothenburg has a fantastic selection of craft breweries. A visit to Shangri-La at Stigbergstorget is a good option, and if you find yourself on Hisingen, a visit to Ringön is a must, where you will find Ivans Pilsnerbar and Vega Bryggeri, among others.

If you want to experience natural wine at the absolute highest level, you should head to Bar La Lune, which also serves fantastic food. The good wines from Gothenburg’s own winery Wine Mechanics can be enjoyed both at the wine bar in Stora Saluhallen, or in the restaurant in the meat packing district in Gamlestan.

Shopping

Magasinsgatan

The range of shopping in Gothenburg is large, and near the shopping street Magasinsgatan you’ll find the interior design store and Gothenburg classic Artilleriet, which also has a smaller section, Artilleriet Kitchen, at the beginning of the street that focuses on kitchen equipment and interior design. Around the corner you will find the lifestyle store Grandpa, which focuses on Scandinavian and international fashion as well as gadgets, books, interior design and furniture. If you then continue on Magasinsgatan you will come to Norrgavel, where you can find the brand’s designer furniture in a Scandinavian and minimalist style. Next door you’ll instead find Pop Boutique, which attracts with both a lovely atmosphere and a selection of the finest gadgets, furniture, clothes and accessories from the 1950s to the 80s. A little further away on Magasinsgatan is the second-hand and lifestyle store APLACE, which offers progressive Scandinavian fashion. A little further up in the Kungshöjd area you will find the Gothenburg-based clothing brand Emmamalena, which draws its inspiration from the sea, which is visible in their patterns with mackerel, shrimp and jellyfish.

The inner city and the Victoria Quarter

In the historic environment of Antikhallarna there are a number of shops that focus on antiques and vintage. One of these shops is Curiosité, a small shop with French vintage where you can find, for example, old porcelain, cutting boards and posters. On Vallgatan you will find the clothing and interior design shop Vallgatan 12 where you can count on the trendiest in fashion and home decor. Opposite you will find the wallpaper and interior design shop Engelska Tapetmagasinet, where you can be inspired by everything from William Morris, Josef Frank or Emma von Brömssen’s iconic patterns. A very short walk away takes you to Nudie Jeans, the success story from Gothenburg that has taken the world by storm with its sustainability mindset and durable Jeans. Around the corner awaits the cosy Victoriapassagen and Rum för papper, where you’ll find everything in pens, paper and accessories.

The city center

A few blocks away you will find the exclusive department store Nordiska Kompaniet. Here you will find leading Swedish and Nordic design together with international luxury brands divided into 45 departments, such as women’s, men’s and children’s. Right next door you will instead find the Arkaden mall, where you will find, for example, the second-hand store Beyond Retro with carefully selected second-hand and vintage. In the same mall you will also find Caroline Svedbom Jewelry, a store that offers Swedish handmade and colourful crystal jewelry. If you go across the street you’ll find the famous Swedish clothing and lifestyle store Arket. Here a carefully selected assortment of well-known brands is mixed with Arket-designed clothes.

Adjacent to the area around Central Station is the Nordstan shopping center, which is Scandinavia’s leading shopping mall with 200 stores offering the latest in every conceivable area. Here you will find, for example, the Åhléns department store, which offers over 1,000 own and external brands in areas such as beauty, fashion and home decor. If you are looking for affordable and timeless children’s clothing, a visit to Newbie is recommended.

The Avenyn area

Avenyn is Gothenburg’s main street, and around the Avenyn street you’ll find, in addition to many bars and restaurants, everything from the exclusive second-hand store Ex Exklusive to Elin PK’s food and drink poster shop. Oscar Jacobson also has a store on the street that offers Swedish classic and timeless men’s style.

Haga

Haga is one of Gothenburg’s oldest districts, and is widely known for its cobblestone streets and special tree houses called Landshövdingehus. Along Haga Nygata, which is the area’s promenade, you will find a number of shops. Among them is the classic Fåfängan Antik, which is the shop for antique enthusiasts, vintage connoisseurs or just those looking for something unique. A little further up the street is the interior design shop Tell Me More, where you can find everything from furniture to details for the home.

Hotels

In Gothenburg there is a lot of high-standard hotels at all price levels, and since Gothenburg is a city that is easy to get around, it doesn’t really matter where in the city you choose to spend the nights.

Spa

Several of Gothenburg’s hotels offer wonderful spas, such as Gothia Towers with its Upper House Spa. If your hotel does not offer a spa, there are plenty of good alternatives to choose from, such as Hagabadet in Haga, where you can relax in a classic and elegant environment.

Coffee & Swedish fika

If you end up in the neighborhood around NK, Bar Centro on the street Kyrkogatan 31 is a must. Here you will dive into an environment that breathes Milan, where you can expect a perfectly served espresso. Another coay café is Viktors Kaffe on the street Geijersgatan 7, which you’ll find next to Götaplatsen. Gothenburgers often sit here studying or working, and enjoying really good coffee. If you want to try some Gothenburg classics, a visit to Brogyllen or Ahlströms Konditori is a must, both near the Domkyrkan. If you prefer an ice cream in the sun (or indoors), a visit to Gelaterian at the square Grönsakstorget is a must instead. If you want to try what may be the world’s largest cinnamon bun, you should go to Café Husaren, where the cinnamon buns are as big as plates (and therefore good to share).

Galleries & museums

In Gothenburg there is everything from small, exciting galleries that show contemporary art, to large museums with art from the 15th century onwards. A classic is, of course, Gothenburg Museum of Art, where you can see works by, among others, Rembrandt, Monet, van Gogh and Picasso.

In the middle of the shopping district, at Vallgatan 15, you’ll find Mankovsky Gallery where you can find a mix of future talent and well-established artists in a unique selection. All artworks are also for sale. The Copenhagen-based duo Wang & Söderström’s exhibition Sharp Feelers – Soft Antennas is now on display at the Röhsska Museum, where the artists explore what it means for our senses that we are moving towards an increasingly digital future.

Getting around town

As we mentioned at the earlier, it is easy to getting around Gothenburg. Public transport consists of everything between trams, busses and boats, and there are also alternative ways to getting around.

Go City Gothenburg

With Go City Gothenburg, which is a digital ticket that is downloaded directly to your mobile phone, you get access to some of the most sought-after attractions, while saving up to 50 percent off the admission price. The pass is active in over 30 cities worldwide and is there to simplify how you experience a city. Whether you want to see Gothenburg via a Paddan boat tour or want to immerse yourself in the immersive museums, including Universeum or Maritiman, Go City offers these attractions plus 25 other locations in Gothenburg.