Sweden’s second city is often overlooked.
That’s because there are no nonstop flights between Gothenburg and the United States. For those willing to make one or even two connections, this city along the Swedish West Coast is well worth the detour.
As European cities go, Gothenburg is actually quite young. Founded just 403 years ago, you won’t find anything medieval.
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What you will find is a thoroughly modern city with restaurants serving the freshest seafood, underrated museums and a relaxed vibe. And when compared to elsewhere in the Old World, it can feel like no Americans go here.
If the streetscape feels Dutch or maybe German it’s because Dutch, German and even Scottish merchants were very influential after the founding of Gothenburg (Goteborg in Swedish). The Dutch influence is most obvious at the canals, which can be cruised through the touristy hop-on, hop-off Padden boats.
The neoclassical Gustav Cathedral is one of the major landmarks. Named after Gustav II, the Swedish king who established Gothenburg, the cathedral is the seat of a Church of Sweden (Lutheran) bishop and hosts an English language liturgy every Thursday at 6 p.m. Except for some baroque or rococo flourishes — like the pulpit and high altar — the white interior feels very Protestant.
The contrast between the relatively plain cathedral and Vasa Church couldn’t be greater. This mere parish church — a granite edifice built in the early 20th century — with its blend of Romanesque revival, national romanticism and even art nouveau is without question the city’s finest church. Of note are the muraled apse and ornately carved baptismal font. And yet, Vasa seems completely overlooked.
The recently opened World of Volvo combines a museum dedicated to all things Volvo with conference spaces, a restaurant and even showroom to take delivery of a new car. Yes, that’s right. You can buy a car at your local dealer and then take delivery of it in Sweden, where it can be driven around on a road trip-themed vacation before being returned and shipped to the dealer. The carmaker will even pay for the round-trip airfare.
With works by Monet, Picasso, Rubens, Gauguin, Rembrandt, Van Gogh and others, the Gothenburg Museum of Art is by any definition a world-class museum. Unlike the considerably better-known museums in bigger and more visited cities, Gothenburg’s museum felt approachable. I could browse the art without being overwhelmed. That’s not always the case.
City history museums are frequently boring for anyone without a connection to the city whose story is being told. That wasn’t my experience at the Museum of Gothenburg, which is housed within an 18th century building and sits next to the German-looking German Church. Importantly, exhibits, which include some religious items, have English language signage.
Plan for a nice meal at Fish Church. Dating to the late 19th century, this fish market is named after its church-inspired Gothic revival design. Inside are five seafood-focused restaurants serving lunch and dinner. Nearby is another option: Wine Mechanics, an urban winery with a casual food menu. It’s located in Market Hall, a 137-year-old market that features 92 stalls and some of Gothenburg’s best people watching.
If you go
My one complaint is Gothenburg’s underwhelming hotel scene. Swedish hotels fall considerably short of what you get at an upscale international chain.
One of the better hotels is Hotel Eggers. Located adjacent to Gothenburg Central Station, this old-school hotel is within walking distance of everything. Or you can feel like you’re staying in Las Vegas by booking a room at the soulless 1,200-room Gothia Towers.
Don’t even think about a car, unless you’re taking delivery of a new Volvo. Gothenburg is very walkable. The only time I needed a ride was getting to and from the airport. Uber is considerably cheaper than a local taxi.
You can fly from most major U.S. airports with just a single connection through Air France, British Airways, KLM and SAS, the Danish-Norwegian-Swedish airline. I checked a few airports and saw round-trip economy airfares consistently below $700 on most dates in the second half of August and all of September.
Dennis Lennox writes a travel column for The Christian Post.
Dennis Lennox writes about travel, politics and religious affairs. He has been published in the Financial Times, Independent, The Detroit News, Toronto Sun and other publications. Follow @dennislennox on Twitter.
