Mondays, we discovered, are not the best day to be a tourist in Gothenburg. The Swedish city runs as normal with shops open, students attending university and people going to work. But very few tourist attractions are open.
Many of Gothenburg’s museums were closed when we set out to explore. My husband no doubt breathed a sigh of relief. He isn’t big on museums. He prefers to ‘mooch’ around and get a feel for a city rather than cram in as many attractions in as possible. I like a mixture of both. Thankfully, there is a lot more to Gothenburg than museums.
Not to be confused with Gotham, the fictional city in Batman, Gothenburg is quieter, has less crime and is decidedly cleaner too. But sadly no superheroes. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, it is the second largest city and a major port.
Far more relaxed than the capital Stockholm, Gothenburg is made up of a series of districts and is very green with plenty of parks and is bike-friendly too. The university city is fairly compact with a good tram network. As such I found it a great city to visit as a family. Known for its music scene, a random incident in the city brought back a memory from my work as a showbiz reporter (more on that later).
We travelled to Gothenburg from Oslo via coach with our two daughters, a four-year-old and three-month-old baby. Our day in Gothenburg also happened to be our wedding anniversary! So what did we do together on a rather blustery August day?
First of all, we headed to one of Sweden’s most famous retailers, H&M. That’s cultural, right? We hadn’t brought many warm clothes with us. In fact, my husband took the one hoody I’d packed out of my suitcase just before we left the UK, insisting I ‘wouldn’t need it’. He, on the other hand, thought it necessary to bring ten pairs of trousers – a different one for each day we were away. The mind boggles.
Harbour
Once we were suitably kitted out in our new hoodies and cardies, we ventured to the harbour area. The opera house which stood before us isn’t quite the architectural sight we had experienced earlier when visiting Oslo.
Outside there was bouncy trampolines Mrs T enjoyed playing on and a more advanced climbing wall too.
From the opera house, we could view the floating ship museum, the Martiman. Although this museum was open, with a pram in tow, it would prove tricky so gave it a miss.
With the wind biting I urged my husband to navigate us inland. We had a wander by the canal and walked past the City Museum (which was closed, of course).
Gothenburg Cathedral
Walking south from the City museum, we came to a large square with a rather strange looking statue guarding the gate. Inside was Gothenburg’s cathedral, the second largest in Sweden. Built in the 1800s, the current building is the third cathedral in Gothenburg after the first two burned down.
After looking around the simple, classical interior, we hopped on a tram to the Haga District. On the way we passed the famous indoor fish market which is shaped like a church.
We had bought an all day travel ticket for the tram (from a newsagent) and it was a great way to get around the city.
Gothenburg old town
Gothenburg’s oldest area, the Haga district, is filled with wooden houses and boutique shops, restaurants and cafes.
It is a great place to wander around as a family, especially when you happen upon a toy shop with a giant teddy outside.
We stopped off at a cafe for lunch, Cafe Husaren, which we later discovered is THE place for cinnamon buns.
Skansen Kronen
For some reason, Mrs T got an injection of energy after the giant bun, smoothie and whatever else my husband had purchased for lunch. She was going to need to run off the excess sugar. In our sights was the nearby fortress, Skansen Kronen at the top of a steep hill. Mrs T bounded up while Paul got a decent bit of exercise pushing up the pram.
It was worth it. You can see for miles across Gothenburg at the top while the cannons and grassy area held my daughter’s attention.
Battling against the wind, we attempted a selfie and were rewarded with one of our funniest family selfies. It makes me giggle every time I look at it.
On the way down, we passed by a restaurant with some very distinct sculptures displayed in the window. I immediately recognised one in particular, a multi-coloured knotted gun.
Five years ago, in my work as an entertainment reporter, I interviewed Ringo Starr. He was unveiling his design of the sculpture in London – on the 31st anniversary of John Lennon’s death. Despite three decades since the musician’s death, it was still very raw for Ringo, his eyes welling up as he talked about it. A touching moment. Here I was stood face to face with the artwork once more.
The original Knotted Gun stands outside the UN headquarters in New York and is a memorial to Lennon who was shot in 1980. It was created by Swedish artist Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd which goes some way to explaining why I was suddenly reacquainted with it on a quiet side street in Gothenburg.
After reflecting on this memory for a few moments we headed back to the hotel to freshen up. We stayed at the Gothia Towers which are a bit of a destination in their own right and are particularly handy if you are intending to visit the nearby Liseberg Amusement Park.
The sun appeared as evening came and we wandered a few blocks for dinner. We had an excellent meal of Swedish cuisine at Familjen and on the way home these colourful fountains attracted Mrs T’s attention although I successfully managed to stop her from running through them.
Gothenburg in a day
It was a whistle stop tour of Gothenburg and if we had had longer, we could have done more on my 10 things to do with kids in Gothenburg list. But we got a feel for the city and really liked the vibe and relative quiet of the city, particularly compared to busy Stockholm. If we return, I shall definitely visit for longer (and not just on a Monday)!
Have you been to Gothenburg? How do you like to view a city? Are you a planner that like to cram lots in or do you prefer walking and getting a feel for the city?
It’s looks like a beautiful city even if the museums were closed. I don’t think any trip to Europe is complete with lour an emergency run to H&M #citytripping
Wandermust mummy recently posted…COMING UP IN NOVEMBER
Haha, I’m glad I’m not the only one who does that.
Next time ask your Husband to leave the packing to you.. I cannot understand the packing 10 pairs of trousers.. what’s up with guys? My Husband always packs the most clothes.. He brings more clothes than me and the 2 kids combined!
The wind looks insane there. But that selfie pic was absolutely priceless. And tell me the trick to stopping kids from running through fountains. My boys get attracted to them like magnet! And the most annoying part is after they run through the fountain, they complain about having to walk in soggy shoes. (Coz I usually bring change of clothes out but not change of shoes.) #CityTripping
Bumble Bee Mum recently posted…Pokemon Research Exhibition @ S.E.A. Aquarium, Resorts World Sentosa
Haha – not sure there is a secret…she was quite tired. I can imagine if she had a play mate with her there would be no stopping her. Men! I know, he always over packs. I will be vetting his packing in future !
I’d love to go there and think I’d love to museum hop. Shame they were shut but you crammed so much else in anyway. My Z loves canons at castles so think he’d love these ones too!
Notmyyearoff recently posted…Going to the Olympic parade
It’s a great city so didn’t matter too much that many places were shut. Cannons and castles are always a winner
I was so hoping you were going to say you ran into Batman while exploring Gothenburg! Say day! At least you got a hilarious windy selfie picture and delicious cinnamon bun! Maybe next time the superheroes will make their appearance! 😉
Mandy recently posted…Walt Disney World 4 Parks in 2 Days: Tips for Surviving EPCOT’s Food & WIne Fest
Haha! I know my daughter would love to bump into a superhero
that’s a big teddy bear:) you know what, I didn’t enter any H&M store when I was in Stockholm:) I wanted to, though, but I had crammed so much into our day that I just didn’t have any time #citytripping
Tanja (the Red phone box travels) recently posted…That time I had Sacher cake in Vienna…..
I know, it’s huge! I don’t think you missed out on much by skipping H&M ?
Love the colourful fountains pic. It’s quite interesting that many museums were closed. I’ve found that most places are closed in Europe on a Sunday so now we’ve started changing our weekend trips so that we fly back on a Saturday night or Sunday morning instead. I do prefer to do some prep before city breaks as I like to know what the city has to offer rather than walking around randomly and not seeing everything that I want to see 🙂 #citytripping
That’s interesting Natalie. Seems strange for them to shut on a Sunday but then I do (vaguely) remember the days when shops shut in the UK on Sunday’s
I too love a mooch! That bun looks awesome too. Gothenburg looks like a great place to visit! #citytripping
Nicola recently posted…Life At The Airport With No Kids
It’s definitely good to have a mooch. I’m glad we spent some time in Gothenburg
I’m afraid that children don’t grow out of the fountain thing. This summer I turned my back to buy ice creams and was rewarded by the sight of my two boys and my mother all soaking wet and asking for new clothes!
#citytripping
Catherine’s Cultural Wednesdays recently posted…HOLLY BERRIES
Haha. Brilliant Catherine!!
The way I like to see a city depends on both my mood and what city I’m seeing. Sometimes I like just wandering around and seeing what I find. But if I have been wanting to go there for awhile, then I tend to pack in as much as possible. #citytripping
Allison recently posted…Annual Pumpkin Patch Visit at Didier Farms
It’s good to have a bit of both but there are definitely some places when there is so much to see you have to be ultra organised.
This is very interesting for me because we will probably be spending one day (and only one day) in Gothenburg in the not too distant future. I’ll try my best to ensure that it’s not a Monday! ;o) Thanks for the tips and the #CityTripping link-up!
Jonny (Daisy the bus) recently posted…“Congés annuels” – Visiting Nîmes when there’s no-one home
Ah, hopefully this will help. Check out my other post too. Enjoy!
Great post! One, wow! You’ve interviewed Ringo Starr? Two, I also recognize the knotted gun sculpture not from the places you mentioned (although I have also seen it at the UN in New York!), but from Lausanne, Switzerland. A version of the knotted gun sculpture is installed at Olympic Park in Lausanne. Finally, that’s one giant cinnamon roll 🙂
Deb Cheng recently posted…Las Vegas Food: Picasso
Oh, that’s interesting. There are a few of the dotted around. Couldn’t believe I stumbled upon the one inspired by Ringo Starr. Not seen the one in Lausanne.
It seems you managed to do a lot even without going to the museum. Very interesting to read about your showbiz past! #citytripping
Upeksha recently posted…Day in Jasper National Park – Miette Hot Springs, Medicine Lake and Maligne Lake
Haha – thank you – I did some fun things with that job.
Looks like you had a great time despite the closures! Love the windy selfie! #citytripping
Sam | Away She Went recently posted…Travel Tuesday: Pompeii
It was really fun, particularly the selfie!
That is such a fun selfie! It makes me smile as well – especially the look on your little one’s face… I do love to wander around a city, to soak up the sights but I know it’s frustrating when you have a short time to explore and the places you wanted to visit were shut. I’m not sure who gets the packing crown though: I tend to include something for most eventualities, my husband has been known to forget some fairly essential things! #citytripping
Cathy (MummyTravels) recently posted…City Tripping #50
Haha – so has mine. This holiday I think he has under packed. I always forget something – but never usually too essential.
I had to look up where exactly Gothenburg was! (Always good to get a little geography lesson.) We love exploring smaller, less crowded, towns. It always feels like you can get a better sense of the country. The cinnamon bun looks amazing – my one regret from our Oslo visit was not eating enough pastries! haha. I wont make that mistake on our next visit to Scandinavia. Thanks for sharing. I always love the travel inspiration. #CityTripping
Elizabeth Newcamp recently posted…Photographs From the Edge // Book Review
Glad you got some inspiration. Gothenburg isn’t far from Oslo actually. I agree, it’s good to explore those smaller cities.
Ten trousers, but not one warm layer – men! Haha!
Sweden is very much on my travel bucket list; the country seems to offer such variety! It looks like you had a lovely time in Gothenburg – you got a lot done!
Jade @ Captured By Jade recently posted…Trip Details | Brighton
Ha, I know – useless. Sweden was great to visit, it has lots of plus points.
Hold the press – you interviewed Ringo Starr?!? How very cool. I had no idea you were a showbiz reporter. Love the selfie:).
Corey with fifi + hop recently posted…New York Hall of Science: Discovery, Exploration, Fun
Thanks Corey, yes, it has been a pretty cool job at times. I’ve met some interesting people/celebs along the way. Interviewing a Beatle has been one of the highlights
Haga district looks lovely and that teddy bear shop sure looks inviting, especially when with kids. Glad to hear about your lovely anniversary day in Göteborg! #CityTripping
Ahila recently posted…Special Six: Memories of Delhi
Thanks Ahila, it’s a great city to wander around.
Like all Scandinavian cities Gothenburg looks beautiful. I have been to Norway and Denmark, Sweden is on the list, some time at some point I shall get there!
Tooting Mama recently posted…How to celebrate Halloween in Paris
#citytripping
I hope you do!
I really like Gothenburg! Lately I’ve preferred it to Sthlm… #citytripping
beatravelling recently posted…Shopping with a Purpose
I know what you mean. Much less busy and a great vibe.
I’ve only had a few hours in Gothenburg, but I really enjoyed the snapshot of the city! What an incredible story about Ringo and that sculpture – VERY moving for us readers, so we can only think of how it felt for you! That selfie…OMG HAHAHAHA. Love #citytripping!
Christy Swagerty (whatupswags) recently posted…German Swag 101: Visiting Vilsbiburg
Thanks Christy! The interview with Ringo Starr was fascinating (and pretty surreal). Ha, I know the selfie gets me every time.
I have heard such positive things about Gothenburg and being as it is much closer to Copenhagen than Stockholm – we really must get up there to check it out! Cheers and thanks for linking with #FarawayFiles – I’m grateful! Erin
You really should! Highly recommend!
Love that fountain! And I think I would have to wrestle my kids off that bear. But I think my favourite part of this post is your husband’s packing style. OMG mine does similar things. It drives me nuts!! He always leaves the packing to the last minute and says “I dont need much room” and “what’s the big deal”. Meanwhile I have packed for 3 people… Glad I’m not alone! #FarawayFiles
Katy Clarke recently posted…Faraway Files #8
Exactly!! Hurrah! I’m so glad I’m not alone. Yes, it’s always ‘I’m not taking much’ then out come the endless trousers and shirts while I’ve tried to preserve space he is three in one suitcase!
I’m considering a visit this summer to visit friends, so this post was perfect! All those bouncy curls on the trampoline are adorable and the lights on the fountain were lovely! I’ll be sure to time my visit for a day other than a Monday! #farawayfiles
Hilary recently posted…Thanksgiving Traditions
Oh fantastic! So glad this will be helpful ! X
I haven’t been to Gothenburg, or Gotham for that matter although I hear there is a Gotham hotel in Manchester, does that count? What about if you wear a fancy dress batman outfit lol. Joking aside, this was such a heart-warming post, I loved the windy selfie but it was your story about Ringo that got to me (err, going back to that, you interviewed Ringo Starr?? Amazing!!!). It does sound as though you had a lovely time despite not being ably to visit anywhere considered touristy lol #FarawayFiles
Thanks Angie, interviewing Ringo Starr was definitely a highlight! What a life he has had! Glad you liked the post, we had a fab trip.