{"id":1498,"date":"2014-03-12T10:06:37","date_gmt":"2014-03-12T10:06:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.baltictravelcompany.com\/blog\/?p=1498"},"modified":"2024-04-24T09:20:38","modified_gmt":"2024-04-24T09:20:38","slug":"a-short-and-reliable-guide-to-gothenburg","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.baltictravelcompany.com\/blog\/index.php\/scandanavia\/a-short-and-reliable-guide-to-gothenburg\/","title":{"rendered":"A short and reliable guide to Gothenburg"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Where is that you might well ask\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 Sweden?! \u00c2\u00a0Spot-on!\u00c2\u00a0 I think we pigeonhole Sweden with the reliably-popular Stockholm as the other cities are perceived as largely un-touristy.\u00c2\u00a0 But I have to admit \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Gothenburg turned out to be somewhat of an undiscovered jewel.<\/p>\n<p>Just a short, fairly cheap flight away, I can honestly say that Gothenburg stands out as a must see, must visit European city.\u00c2\u00a0 As great for a quick city getaway as it is a proper family holiday.\u00c2\u00a0 Simply because it has the best of both worlds \u00e2\u20ac\u201c city buzz (museums, boutique hotels, shops, fine dining) and 30 minutes on the ferry will take you to the lovely country side on all the small islands.\u00c2\u00a0 Amazing!<\/p>\n<p>Here is a collection of basic and entirely reliable <b>facts about Gothenburg<\/b>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Founded \u00e2\u20ac\u201c 1621<\/li>\n<li>Population of the city \u00e2\u20ac\u201c 526,089<\/li>\n<li>Sunrise and Sunset, June 21<sup>st<\/sup> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Rise 04:11 Set 22:16<\/li>\n<li>Largest Private Companies \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Volvo, Ericsson<\/li>\n<li>Number of Roses in the Rose Garden \u00e2\u20ac\u201c 2,500 (1,300 varieties)<\/li>\n<li>Museums \u00e2\u20ac\u201c 20<\/li>\n<li>Typical weight of fish and shellfish sold at the weekly fish auction \u00e2\u20ac\u201c 86 tons<\/li>\n<li>Public transport ferries \u00e2\u20ac\u201c 9<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>I visited Gothenburg in December, when the Christmas feel was in the air.\u00c2\u00a0 A small group of us stayed in centrally located hotels and we soon realised how compact the city is; indeed, everything is within walking distance.<\/p>\n<p>Breakfast in the morning was a happy reunion with my Baltic roots \u00e2\u20ac\u201c rye bread, smoked herring, pickled herring, beetroot salad, smoked salmon, the list goes on:\u00c2\u00a0 very tasty and very Scandinavian.\u00c2\u00a0 It was a great discovery for one of my English colleagues that having rye bread for breakfast keeps you fuller for longer: which is true!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baltictravelcompany.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/hanging-xmas-tree-clarion-hotel-post.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1499\" src=\"https:\/\/www.baltictravelcompany.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/hanging-xmas-tree-clarion-hotel-post.jpg\" alt=\"hanging xmas tree clarion hotel post\" width=\"924\" height=\"693\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.baltictravelcompany.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/hanging-xmas-tree-clarion-hotel-post.jpg 924w, https:\/\/www.baltictravelcompany.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/hanging-xmas-tree-clarion-hotel-post-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 924px) 100vw, 924px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Hanging Christmas trees at Clarion Hotel Post<\/p>\n<p><b>On the first day<\/b> of our 3 day stay, we left the city and after a 30 min drive south of Gothenburg reached our first stop &#8211; <b>Gunnebo<\/b><b> Mansion<\/b> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c a beautiful\u00c2\u00a0 neo-classical country estate.\u00c2\u00a0 The house, still with its original furniture, boasts three styles of gardens: kitchen garden, formal garden and landscape garden.\u00c2\u00a0 All the gardens are managed organically and are certified organic.\u00c2\u00a0 Products from the gardens are served at the caf\u00c3\u00a9.\u00c2\u00a0 I chose parsnip soup that was absolutely delicious.<\/p>\n<p>Then we went back to the city and the next stop was the <b>Art Museum.\u00c2\u00a0 <\/b>I can thoroughly recommend the guided tour where you will discover the different elements in Scandinavian art. \u00c2\u00a0The <b>Fashion museum<\/b> was the next stop.\u00c2\u00a0 If you are interested in fashion, design or decorative arts, there are temporary exhibitions of work by Scandinavian designers, which are fascinating.<\/p>\n<p>In the evening we took <b>the winter City tour by Paddan boat<\/b> in order to see the beauty of Gothenburg from water.\u00c2\u00a0 The trip in the open \u00e2\u20ac\u201ctopped boat, with hot mulled wine being served, took us through the Old Moat on 17<sup>th<\/sup> century canals to the <b>Christmas market at Lisberg<\/b> where millions of lights twinkle in the dark.\u00c2\u00a0 I have to say that LisbergPark would have to be a very close rival to Hyde Park\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Winter Wonderland.\u00c2\u00a0 There are so many things to do for adults and children of all ages and my favourite had to be Father Christmas\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s entire house with a factory line inside where we saw his little helpers sort our letters and pack our presents ready to dispatch them.<\/p>\n<p><b>The second day in Gothenburg<\/b>, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s middle of December and it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s raining.\u00c2\u00a0 But we are from England where we are used to rain so we don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t complain!\u00c2\u00a0 We took a tram and a boat ride to visit a beautiful island in the southern archipelago \u00e2\u20ac\u201c <b>Styrso island<\/b>.\u00c2\u00a0 This is located just 30 minutes from the city by boat.\u00c2\u00a0 The island offers inspiring walks on the rocks at the edge of the sea or you can have a luxurious afternoon tea at the <b>Styrso Skaret guest house<\/b> restaurant.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baltictravelcompany.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/styrso-skaret-guest-house.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.baltictravelcompany.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/styrso-skaret-guest-house.jpg\" alt=\"styrso skaret guest house\" width=\"924\" height=\"693\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.baltictravelcompany.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/styrso-skaret-guest-house.jpg 924w, https:\/\/www.baltictravelcompany.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/styrso-skaret-guest-house-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 924px) 100vw, 924px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Back to the city and lunch at the <b>Fish Market Hall.<\/b> Known as Feskekorka, it offers top quality fresh fish and seafood in a distinctive church-like building dating back from 1873.\u00c2\u00a0 The restaurant is award winning and serves the best fish soup I have ever eaten.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baltictravelcompany.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/fresh-fish-gothenburg.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1501\" src=\"https:\/\/www.baltictravelcompany.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/fresh-fish-gothenburg.jpg\" alt=\"fresh fish gothenburg\" width=\"924\" height=\"693\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.baltictravelcompany.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/fresh-fish-gothenburg.jpg 924w, https:\/\/www.baltictravelcompany.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/fresh-fish-gothenburg-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 924px) 100vw, 924px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>In the evening we wandered around the city, taking in the district of <b>Haga<\/b> with its 19<sup>th<\/sup> century cobblestone streets and outdoor markets with home-made and locally-produced products.\u00c2\u00a0 The Christmas feeling was definitely there!<\/p>\n<p>For dinner, we headed to a <b>Michelin star restaurant<\/b> called <b>Aveqia<\/b> where you cook your dinner yourself with guidance from your own chef.\u00c2\u00a0 It was a unique experience and we all managed to cook something special: quite unforgettable.<\/p>\n<p><b>Our third and last day in Gothenburg<\/b> gave us enough time to visit another small and cosy <b>Christmas market in the Crown-house.\u00c2\u00a0 <\/b>Dating from the 1600s, the Crown House building is a genuine step back in time and its Christmas market follows this theme.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baltictravelcompany.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/gothenburg-blog.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1502\" src=\"https:\/\/www.baltictravelcompany.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/gothenburg-blog.jpg\" alt=\"gothenburg blog\" width=\"924\" height=\"693\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.baltictravelcompany.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/gothenburg-blog.jpg 924w, https:\/\/www.baltictravelcompany.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/gothenburg-blog-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 924px) 100vw, 924px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>As it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s our last day in Gothenburg, we treat ourselves to a mouth-watering Christmas buffet lunch on another small island in the archipelago \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Alvasborgs Fortress.\u00c2\u00a0 The restaurant serves typical Swedish food in a unique setting of an historical site.\u00c2\u00a0 Boats operate from Lilla Bommen according to lunch or dinner times.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baltictravelcompany.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/gothenburg-lunch-spread.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1503\" src=\"https:\/\/www.baltictravelcompany.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/gothenburg-lunch-spread.jpg\" alt=\"gothenburg lunch spread\" width=\"924\" height=\"693\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.baltictravelcompany.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/gothenburg-lunch-spread.jpg 924w, https:\/\/www.baltictravelcompany.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/gothenburg-lunch-spread-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 924px) 100vw, 924px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Eventually our three wonderful days came to the end and it was time to make our way to the airport and fly back home.\u00c2\u00a0 What a wonderful experience this was!<\/p>\n<p>Would I recommend Gothenburg to you?\u00c2\u00a0 Yes, definitely!\u00c2\u00a0 There are wonderful restaurants, the archipelago is fascinating, the hotels are comfortable and the people are friendly and welcoming.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Antra Lumb<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Travel Consultant at Baltic Travel Company<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Where is that you might well ask\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 Sweden?! \u00c2\u00a0Spot-on!\u00c2\u00a0 I think we pigeonhole Sweden with the reliably-popular Stockholm as the other cities are perceived as largely un-touristy.\u00c2\u00a0 But I have to admit \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Gothenburg turned out to be somewhat of an undiscovered jewel. Just a short, fairly cheap flight away, I can honestly say that&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":1506,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[102,80,137],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.baltictravelcompany.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1498"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.baltictravelcompany.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.baltictravelcompany.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.baltictravelcompany.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.baltictravelcompany.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1498"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.baltictravelcompany.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1498\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4502,"href":"https:\/\/www.baltictravelcompany.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1498\/revisions\/4502"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.baltictravelcompany.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1506"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.baltictravelcompany.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1498"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.baltictravelcompany.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1498"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.baltictravelcompany.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1498"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}