How to spend: 48 hours in… Gothenburg

STAY

The Radisson Blu Riverside Hotel offers designer rooms and a rooftop terrace with stunning views. For something more boutique, try Hotel Pigalle, which earned second place among Swedish hotels in TripAdvisor’s 2018 Travellers’ Choice Awards.

SEE

The Paddan boat tour is the best way to see the city’s moat and canals.

Have fun at Liseberg, Scandinavia’s largest amusement park, which has head-spinning rides, carousels and concerts.

Just a stone’s throw from the city centre is the Garden Society of Gothenburg (Trädgårdsföreningen) – one of the best-preserved 19th-Century parks in Europe. A short tram ride away, you’ll find Gothenburg Botanical Garden with more than 16,000 different species of plants.

EAT

World-class restaurants, experimental food rebels, trendy bars and a rolling armada of food trucks – Gothenburg has it all. But for traditional Swedish home cooking head to Smaka. Try the classic dish of meatballs with mashed potatoes and lingonberries. Or if you are brave there are dishes such as elk, reindeer and cabbage rolls.

DRINK

Coffee is central to local life. Bar Centro is a “hole-in-the-wall” café with a fantastic espresso. Sit at the counter or on the street (they do this even in the colder months wrapped in blankets provided).

Nearby Heyday is a combined shop and coffee bar run by sisters Charlotta and Kajsa Söderberg and soundtracked by scratchy, old jazz and soul records. At night, head towards Järntorget and Långgatorna, the major restaurant and entertainment hubs. Tredje Långgatan has loads of great restaurants and bars to choose from, including Olssons Vin, a wine bar located in a charming covered courtyard. Sit down for a glass and enjoy.

The Beyond Retro store in Gothenburg is packed (yes, literally!) with unique vintage pieces, handpicked from the US and Canada, from the turn of the century until the 1990s. The store is refilled daily and there is something to suit every taste and style. Looking for something special? Don’t hesitate to ask the friendly and creative staff for advice.