Sweden’s “second city”, Gothenburg, is less crowded than Stockholm and, thanks to its “icy, clear waters surrounding the coast”, is known for its excellent seafood, said Ariel Domb in The Independent.
Situated on the southwest coast of the country, at the mouth of the Göta River, the city has been a “most important” location for the fish and shellfish trade since the 18th century. Feskekerk’s daily indoor fish market is still open today. Housed in a church-like building with “pointed Gothic arched windows”, you’ll find “colorful fish stalls” selling everything from lobster and crayfish to whole salmon. The two-day seafood festival, celebrating West Coast ingredients, takes place every September this year from 6 to 7 p.m.
Gothenburg is full of trendy restaurants and cafes. Bar Bulot is a great place to try natural wines and seafood dishes such as “delicate halibut ceviche with thin slices of melon” or “oysters with spicy tapioca mignonette”. If you want truly “gourmet” food, try Champagnebaren, where you can feast on “edible dishes decorated with flowers that look like paintings.” And if you fancy a cocktail after dinner, head to the stylish bars Bruno or Unity Jazz, both around the corner.
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If there’s one “must-see neighborhood” in the city, it’s definitely Haga, said Alicia Miller at National Geographic. Grab some salty licorice in Lakrizroten to munch on while you explore the “cobbled streets and cute boutiques” and stop to browse the antique shops.
“There’s nothing more Swedish” than fika – slowing down for the sake of the country’s cherished “coffee and cake ritual.” If you want to “feel like a local,” go “have an artisan coffee” at da Matteo on Magasinsgatan’s central shopping street, then buy a sourdough cinnamon bun from Alvar and Ivar for a “snack in Slotzskogen Park.”
To “experience” the city’s history, consider spending a day at the Gothenburg Museum, which is “conveniently located in the former 18th-century headquarters of the Swedish East India Company, on the banks of the Stora Hamnkanalen” (Great Harbor Canal).
Perhaps best of all, Gothenburg is within easy reach of the “attractive” archipelago, said Lizzie Freiner in The Times. Vrongo, the southernmost inhabited island, is just 30 minutes by ferry from the port of Saltholmen. Home to fewer than 400 residents, it is home to two “extraordinarily beautiful” nature reserves, each with its own hiking trail. There is only one hotel on the island, Kajkanten Vrångö, where traditional boat houses have been converted into stripped-down self-catering accommodation with water views. Order a seafood basket from nearby Fiskeboa to enjoy “the sweetest langoustines you’ve ever tasted.”
