Gothenburg, Sweden

In the summer, Gothenburg is a wonderful place to be, being situated by the sea and having lots of cafés, vibrant street life and beautiful areas for pedestrian exploration. In May, when the bars and restaurants open up their outdoor seating, the nightlife seems to explode in a way that never fails to surprise you. The town is not that lively in the wintertime, but since it is the second largest town in Sweden, there are a lot of concerts, museums and theatres to visit. And when it comes to cinemas, Gothenburg may even have Sweden's best selection of non-mainstream films. And all of the box office hits as well, naturally.

Gothenburg is sometimes described as a large town. Almost, but not quite, a city. This means that nothing is very far away, and if you are in any of the central parts of town, like Vasastaden, Lorensberg or within the moat, you'll find that everything is within walking distance – it may even be quicker to walk than to take a tram or bus. Another aspect of this is that festivals and events such as The Gothenburg Film Festival, Göteborgskalaset and Göteborgsvarvet manage to really permeate the town, both physically and psychologically. That kind of festival atmosphere can be hard to find in larger places. But Gothenburg is still large enough to have plenty of entertainment on offer to everyone, regardless of age or taste.

If you want to reach the sea a car is your best bet, but there are buses heading south (GL Blå and bus 58), where a number of beaches can be found. And there is a tram line (number 4) heading west to Saltholmen, where you can go swimming or take a ferry to the southern archipelago, which offers beautiful scenery and charming wooden houses with lush gardens.

Theatres

Gothenburg has a lot of diversity within the theatre scene, with several stages at Stadsteatern, a number of independent theatre companies, and a fairly new opera house.

Stadsteatern offers a mixture of new drama and classics, often performed in a grand and theatrical manner. The theatre is situated at Götaplatsen, at the far end of Avenyn, and has a number of stages. The old and beautiful venue Stora Teatern, at the other end of Avenyn, is also used for some of Stadsteatern's productions.

Teater Bhopa and Teater Jaguar, two of Gothenburg's independent companies, are located in Vasastaden, within easy walking distance from the city centre. They frequently stage less well-known plays and they tend to be more innovative than the large theatre institutions. Pusterviksteatern and Folkteatern at Järntorget also offer a similar kind of repertoire.

Backa Teater and Angereds Nya Teater are both situated in the suburbs and play mainly for younger audiences, something which is made quite evident by their heavy focus on lots of music and newly written plays. Teater Uno lies by the Central Station and is even more stronly focused on younger audiences. They are unorthodox and innovative. Lilla Teatern is a children's theatre near Järntorget.

The primary venues for farces and cabarets are Lorensbergsteatern near Avenyn, and Lisebergsteatern at the amusement park Liseberg. Their productions are rarely favoured by the critics, but attract large and faithful audiences.

Göteborgsoperan, the Gothenburg Opera House, is fairly new and the building dominates the cityscape by the river. It has a main stage for classics and other large productions, and a smaller stage which is mainly used for newly written operas. The opera enjoys a solid reputation for innovative and technically advanced set designs.

Cinemas

The large cinemas are mainly located along Kungsgatan, and these are the venues to visit if you want to see Hollywood movies or major Swedish films. The two competing cinema complexes, Biopalatset and Filmstaden, are situated near the dome within one block of eachother. And if you follow Kungsgatan you will come to Victoria and Palladium, both of them older cinemas with large beautiful auditoriums and large screens. Along Avenyn, you will find another of the older cinemas, Royal.

If you pass outside of Vallgraven (the moat), the films shown are generally more alternative. In Haga and Linnéstaden, you will find Capitol, Svea and Hagabion, which all show films from a wide variety of different countries, as well as some independent films. The ticket prices are often a bit lower than at the downtown theatres.

The largest and most beautiful cinema in Gothenburg, Draken, is mainly used for conferences nowadays, something which is sorely lamented by film lovers. But once a year, this large cinema comes back to life during The Gothenburg Film Festival in February.

There are also some cinemas outside the central city. For instance, Möllan in Mölndal, Frölunda Bio and Angereds Bio in Frölunda and Angered respectively, and the old cinema Aftonstjärnan at Lindholmen on Hisingen (north of the river). All of those, with exception for Aftonstjärnan, mainly show the latest American box office hits.

Almost all foreign films are subtitled in Sweden, which means that foreign visitors can enjoy the films as much as, or perhaps even more than, Swedish-speaking people. Children's movies are usually dubbed, however.

Museums

Most of the museums in Gothenburg are spread out around, but still close to, the city centre. In a large English park–Slottskogen–you will find The Museum of Natural History on top of a hill. This is the place to go if you're interested in the diversity of life on our planet. At the end of Avenyn, the impressive Art Museum looms in yellow brick over Götaplatsen. Röhsska museet is dedicated to design and to Chinese collections, and can be found at Vasagatan, which crosses Avenyn. Down in the harbour, a destroyer, a submarine, and a number of other ships make up Göteborgs Maritima Centrum, which is said to be the largest ship museum in the world.

Music

The main venues for classical music in Gothenburg are Konserthuset and Göteborgsoperan. The Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra also gives a free concert in Slottskogen every year.

In other genres, major concerts and events are often held at the indoor arena Scandinavium, at Lisebergshallen or at Rondo. If an even larger venue is needed, the football stadium Nya Ullevi is sometimes used. But Gothenburg also has a lively music scene for small bands, with a number of venues. Most of them are situated west of the city centre, within the moat and stretching west towards Haga and Långgatorna. Sticky Fingers and Kompaniet usually have rock and metal concerts, Nefertiti has daily jazz concerts (sometimes world, blues or soul), and the small restaurant Jord nearby has a similar selection. Jazzhuset is located in Vasastaden and, in spite of the name, they frequently hold concerts with new and interesting rock and pop bands. Jazzå in Linnéstaden has country music on offer, as does Oakley's Country Club, which is located nearby. The restaurant Louice, situated in the same area, often features blues bands and the same is true for Henriksberg a bit further west.

Clubs and Bars

There are primarily four districts in Gothenburg which feature a lot of bars and nightclubs: the city centre, Vasastaden, Avenyn and Linnégatan. That is not to say that there is no night life outside of these areas, however. The outlying districts usually have their own local pubs, like Götas in Majorna or Halta Lottas at Redbergsplatsen.

Avenyn is the undisputed centre of Gothenburg night life, with a lot of bars, late hours and throngs of people. Most places close at 3, but it is easy to find places that are open until 5, at least on the weekends. The average age varies from place to place, from Valand which caters to a younger crowd to places like Bubbles which cater to the 30+ visitor. Most bars here are fairly mainstream, but the unofficial dress code varies from casual at Dancin' Dingo to smart Latino suits at Havanna and sophisticated fashion at XLNT. Most places play a combination of the latest hits and older favourites, and at Valand you can catch nostalgia acts like Samantha Fox or The Village People on a regular basis. Avenyn is a very safe bet when it comes to finding large crowds and a party atmosphere, but some people find the places here a bit too noisy.

Vasagatan intersects Avenyn, and if you go west on Vasagatan you will find yourself in Vasastaden. The atmosphere here is often a bit more relaxed than on Avenyn. The places close earlier, they are smaller and seldom have dance floors. Vasastan is a good place to find casual pubs like Skål (featuring lots of Elvis and Sinatra) and the perhaps even more casual pub Cheers, which is a bit of a sports bar. But there are also new and hip bars like Vasastaden (which fills up fast on the weekends), the sharp Kafé Japan and the tidy Noon. Oji and Klara have been around for a while and have a large number of regulars.

Linnégatan has a number of bars, and these are at their best in the summer when the large outdoor areas can be used. Unfortunately, most of them close early. Karlsons Garage has a relaxed atmosphere and serves homely fare, Bitter is new and trendy, Restaurant + has a wonderful terrace, and Linnés Trädgårdar attracts a somewhat older crowd.

In the actual city centre there is not much nightlife to be found, but as you get closer to the moat you will find some places. The area around Kungsportsplatsen is similar to Avenyn, both when it comes to the style and the crowds. This area is home to the sports bar O'Learys, the Irish pub Dubliners, and Bärs o Bar which caters to a younger crowd. A bit further west lies another night club district which has more in common with Vasastaden. This district features the jazz club Nefertiti with their tremendously popular weekend club nights (and queues to match!), the rock club Sticky Fingers, the salsa barge RioRio, and Kompaniet with a young crowd and a lot of metal rock fans.

Gothenburg is a seaport. This was more obvious when the wharves were still operating, but the city still has the largest port in Sweden, receiving ships from near and far, and there are regular ferries going out to the archipelago. As a seaport located on the west coast, Gothenburg loves fish and seafood, something that is reflected in the number of seafood restaurants you will find here.

But Sweden's second largest city also has a lot of other food to offer –you will find food and drinks from almost the entire world, if you only look closely enough. If there is one obvious starting point in Gothenburg, it is Götaplatsen at Avenyn–"the most Swedish of all Swedish places" as someone is reputed to have remarked–where The City Theatre, The Art Museum and The Concert Hall flank the statue of the god of the sea, Poseidon. But looking at Gothenburg from a culinary point of view, there are some places worth mentioning before we get to Avenyn…

Lorensberg:

If you start at Korsvägen, opposite Svenska Mässan, you will find a small Italian gem (with no pizzas!) called av La Cucina Italiana, and if you turn the corner to Södra Vägen you will find the exclusive restaurant Linnéa. Further down on the same street, where Berzeliigatan crosses Korsvägen, is the mysterious Restaurang ?, where Swedish fare is mixed with international food (Bosnian for example) and where you can watch the chefs in action. Yet a bit further down is another pasta restaurant, Pasta +. There are also a lot of cafés selling those apparently universally popular lunch baguettes.

Avenyn:

If you return to Götaplatsen, with its view of the entire length of Avenyn, you will find an exclusive restaurant called Fond located next to The Art Museum. It has a big, rounded glass front facing towards Götaplatsen. Unless you want to miss one of the gems along this route, you have to make a detour to Arkivgatan, a short way down to the left after passing Restaurant/Brasserie Julien, to acquaint yourself with med Steak, the exclusive restaurant belonging to one of Sweden's top chefs, Leif Mannerström. The fare to pick here is one of the excellent meat dishes. A bit further away, at Götabergsgatan, you will find another gem, 28+. Just as the name implies they specialize in cheese, but that is not all they have on offer. Good food does not come cheap here, but you will definitely leave 28+ satisfied. If you return to Avenyn, you will come upon Babar, a cosy place with rustic exteriors and large windows on the second level, from which you have good view of Avenyn. Evas Paley, a bit of a classic in Gothenburg, is located in the same building.

If you cross Avenyn, you may enjoy a bit of atmosphere from 'Down Under' at Dancin' Dingo on Kristinelundsgatan. From here, you can continue to Restaurang Räkan on Lorensbergsgatan, where you get your prawns delivered by remote-controlled fishing boat. They serve the prawn and crayfish stews that are so typical for the West Coast. Continue down the street and you end up at Harrys, a place for good (and occasionally inexpensive) food and entertainment by stand-up comedians. On the opposite side of the street, you will find Kometen, a hang-out for artists. Return to Avenyn once again and you will come upon Avenyn 10 (formerly Harley's) and further down is the venerable, French-inspired Brasserie Lipp with its large glass front and a nice outdoor section out front. They're also neighbours with the nightclub Bubbles. Not far from there, you will find English joviality and football (and some other sports) on the TV screens at The Rose and Crown. Across the street is Nivå, which is also very popular, both when it comes to eating and drinking and to nightlife.

If you want to make an evening of it, you may want to go to Nya Allén and Trädgår'n. They offer lots of great food and a very popular nightclub in a large modern building located next to the enclosed park Trädgårdsföreningen. If you continue towards Kungsportsplatsen, you have to cross the bridge to find a place to eat. The first place you come to is Restaurant Berså, with a trendy atmosphere catering to the in-crowd. Around the corner, you will find some traditional restaurants offering choice fare, including some which specialise in seafood. If you turn yet another corner, you will find yourself at the pasta restaurant Pasta Fresca Aldardo, where you can eat your pasta standing at the counter, or take advantage of their take-out service. If you look out the window, you will see Saluhallen, an indoor market with not only a plethora of meat, vegetables, bread, fruit and spices, but also a number of restaurants which provide a good and fairly inexpensive alternative for lunch. Next to Saluhallen, there is a restaurant called Esther, a place where designers, PR-people and other city folk meet and mingle. If you cross the street, you arrive at Kungsportsplatsen, with its meeting place by the statue Kopparmärra and, a bit further down, you will see Gamle Port, a restaurant, pub and nightclub that has been around for ages and renews its popularity at regular intervals. They offer a good, solid lunch menu, and a bit more sophisticated fare for dinner. This whole neighborhood boasts many restaurants and a good variety of fare–Japanese, Spanish, Swedish, Chinese, Thai, etc.

On Södra Hamngatan there's another great place for sports fans. O'Learys has adopted the "standard American" concept. Dubliners, across the street, has a similar concept but the atmosphere here is more Irish/British than American. If you continue down Hamngatan you will eventually arrive at Brunnsparken, where you find the bar Palace, a real classic. Further down towards the harbour, there are a number of small places, like Bommen and the exotic Restaurang Simba, serving African and Caribbean cuisine. The opera house lies across the street, and they have a good restaurant as well.

Vasastaden:

If you are at the intersection of Avenyn and Vasagatan and walk up Vasagatan (which some people call "Campus Street" because of all the thousands of students that rush through Vasastaden every day searching for books, lectures or food) there are many places to discover. Cafés dominate the scene in this area, but there are quite a few restaurants as well. Most of these are situated on side streets like Victoriagatan, where you find, among other places, Klara, something of a classic on the Gothenburg pub scene, and Vasastaden, which has a good menu with a wide variety of dishes. There are a few places at Vasaplatsen, among them Smaka, which serves typical Swedish staple fare. Near Vasaplatsen, on Vasagatan, is Oji, which serves a mixture of "Scandinavian spartan functionalistic" and "Asian ascetic" food. Sushi is the main feature on the menu, but there are many interesting courses, both for lunch and for dinner. This is also a good place for watching "Campus Street", having large windows facing the street. Further down Vasagatan, near Handelshögskolan, you find Bazar, a place that has expanded from being a café to being a full-scale restaurant serving Turkish specialties. And, as mentioned earlier, there are many more places to discover on the side streets.

Haga:

This district has a very distinct character, being full of small shops, cafés and having very little traffic–this makes it an oasis in the city. Haga is situated between Avenyn and Vasastaden on one side, and Järntorget and Linnéstaden on the other. This is a section of the city which has many nice, small places, like cosy Sjöbaren at Haga Nygata with its wonderfully atmospheric back yard area, and further down the same street you will find Hemma hos. You are now at the very heart of the Haga district, so take some time to absorb and enjoy the special atmosphere of Gothenburg's own Greenwich Village. At the back of the same block lies the vegetarian restaurant Solrosen, which is a favourite among students with their standard vegetarian menu. Their lasagna is very popular.

Linnégatan/Linnéstaden:

To the east, Haga ends at Järntorget and Linnégatan. Close to Järntorget, there are many so-called exotic restaurants, many of them Asian. This could be called Gothenburg's Soho, with a full range of prices and standards. The top of that range is represented by the expensive and critically acclaimed Le Village, for instance, where you can buy not only a meal but also furniture. Plantagegatan is home to the perfect place for both fish 'n' chips fans and whiskey connoisseurs—the well-known British restaurant Old Beefeater Inn. Further up, on Linnégatan, you will find Restaurang + housed in a classical yellow building from the turn of the last century with a great view of the street. If you follow Prinsgatan from here, you will come to Gothenburg's most famous pizzeria, the French (!) Bistro Cyrano. You may have to wait for a while at the bar before you get a table, but it is worth it when your meal arrives.

Along Linnégatan–which may be called Gothenburg's second city parade, and perhaps a bit more mature and cultivated than Avenyn–there is a multitude of restaurants. There is an almost infinite selection, and you are sure to find a favourite of your own. Knossos is a popular Greek restaurant with an outdoor section in the summer. Further up are Istället, well-known to most locals, and Bitter. The side streets also have their share of large and small, good and not so good, restaurants and small eateries. Hos Pelle at Djupedalsgatan has received awards both for the management's commitment to environmental preservation and for the exclusive menu (lots of fish and seafood). 12-52 at the corner of Majorsgatan/Linnégatan plays in the highest division when it comes to restaurants in Gothenburg, and Karlsons Garage is a rustic meeting point that has specialised in simple but hearty fare. Another small gem is the Greek Den Lilla Tavernan, located on Olivedalsgatan, up towards Slottsskogen. It is extremely popular, in spite of crowds and long waits for a table, and you will quickly understand why once you have tried it.

These are but highlights of the restaurant scene in Gothenburg, so there are still many major restaurants and bars which have not been mentioned in more detail. To truly do culinary Gothenburg justice, you would also need to visit Bryggeriet at Avenyn, Venue, Excet, Etc, all the restaurants in the area around Kungsgatan and up towards Kungshöjd, or those further away from the city centre—nice places with a lot of character and local colour. And we mustn't forget about Sjömagasinet with its star in Guide Rouge, or Fiskekrogen at Lilla Torget with its delicacies from the sea. They are all worth exploring. Try them all, at least once, if you are visiting this lovely maritime city by Kattegatt and Nordsjön.