Gothenburg is a rather civilised, stylish port situated at the mouth of the Gota River on Sweden’s south-west coast, with most of the points of interest conveniently located within the compact heart of the city. It’s worth visiting at any time of year but it’s even more special with the arrival of autumn, when it comes alive with festivals and Halloween celebrations.

The main tourist centre is located at Kungsportsplatsen and is open to visitors from Monday to Friday 9.30am-5pm, Saturday 10am-2pm, and closed Sunday. The opening hours change after 1 May.

Gothenberg has the largest tram network in Scandinavia and buses cut through the streets at precise intervals. Consequently, there is very little traffic in the city centre. With such a good public transport system, it’s well worth buying a Goteborg card (335 krona for 48 hours, October-April; 525 krona May-September) which will give you unlimited use on all public transport, including the ferries, plus free entry to museums, art galleries and the Liseburg amusement park. Cards can be purchased online (gothenburg.com) or at Gothenburg Tourist Offices. Single transport tickets cost 25 krona (£3) and are valid for any number of interchanges within 90 minutes.

Places to go

Catch the ferry at Stenpiren Terminal and head west down the Gota alv river. You’ll pass the brutish Goteborgs Energi plant and the elegant south bank, lined with beautiful and historic architecture. Disembark at the Alvsborg bridge, where you’ll find the Roda Sten Konsthall art gallery, noted for its bold, contemporary work. To dispel any culture overload, you can enjoy a coffee and pastry on its harbour-front terrace.

Walk the short distance up Mariaplan to Majorna, a working class district which is undergoing a fashionable rise in popularity. Along Mariagatan, you’ll find vintage treasures at Fabriken, alfresco beers at Olstugen Tullen and, for possibly the best tapas in the city, call in at Tapasbaren.

Street Food

If you take Tram 9 back to Central Station, you can head for the herd of food trucks that converge in the small square off Magasinsgaten. Strommingsluckan offers hearty local food, such as local fried herring with mashed potatoes and lingonberries.

For delicate pizza, freshly baked sourdough and coffee, the adjacent Da Matteo, a favourite with the local cognoscenti, is hard to beat; while Gabriel, housed in the charming Feskekorka (Fish Church) market hall, at Rosenlundsvagen, is the go-to place for catch of the day.

Window shopping

On and around Magasinsgaten, you’ll find plenty of independent retailers amongst the hip bars and off-beat restaurants. Highlights include the surprisingly-named Acne, a pricey but extremely stylish Swedish fashion label and another local brand, Nudie Jeans, which even has a “repair station” around the corner in Vallgaten, where you can have alterations done, or pick up some recycled denim. At Vallgaten 12 you’ll find the unsurprisingly-named “Vallgaten 12”, a trendy store housing furniture, food and art all under one stylish roof.

An aperitif

The opulent Puta Madre at Magasinsgatan 3 is a brilliant hybrid of tequila bar dressed in brothel style, brought to life by a ragtime soundtrack and dapper-looking waiting staff. Seduced by its amber glow, you might fall for a mescal cocktail or perhaps even a mouth-stinging shot of Swedish vodka. Look around carefully and you’ll spot their secret door. It leads to Basque, a buzzing, tiled bar serving perfectly curated pintxos, quality wines and ice-cold cava.

Food

Now you’ll be hungry, so for local flavour – and larger portions –- head to the award-winning Familjen at Arkivgatan 7 for slow Swedish dining in an unpretentious setting.

Alternatively, Le Petit Café at Haga Nygata 2 in the fashionable district of Haga, is a multicultural gem, run by Iranians and styled in candle-lit, hygge (“hue-gee”) style. Choose from two main dishes (normally roast chicken or seasonal pasta), with a good salad bar, free bread and mountains of butter. On brighter days there are rickety iron tables lining the building outside, and Sunday opening hours are a generous 8am-8pm.

A walk in the park

Walk off the lunch with a visit to Slottsskogen park. It’s a green oasis in the Linne district, where locals converge to stroll and socialise around its well-kept lawns. They have a small zoo too, with a variety of animals and birds, elk and moose; plus ancient trees, forest paths and waterways to discover at every turn.

Time for a ride

Bicycles are commonplace in Gothenburg, where the relatively flat landscape makes it easy to traverse the city. The Styr & Stall cycle-share scheme is available at more than fifty sites and, with your Goteborg card, your bike comes free of charge! That is one exceptional card.

A short ride along the river will bring you to the Gota alv bridge. Cross the river to the harbour district of Frihamnen. If you’re in the mood for a sauna, the public one at Almanna Badet is one of the world’s most spectacular, rising from the bank of the river with its obtuse angles and corrugated steel exterior. It’s free but essential to book in advance, online.

Cultural afternoon

For superlative Nordic art, the Gothenburg Museum of Art on Gotaplatsen is world class. It’s open from 11am Tuesday-Sunday with various closing times between 5pm and 8pm. Alternatively, for design and decorative arts, head to the nearby Rohsska Museum at Vasagaten 39, where you’ll find everything from contemporary Scandinavian fashion to ancient Chinese ceramics.

The icing on the cake

No trip to Gothenburg is complete without a visit to the city’s impressive archipelago – a collection of traffic-free islands and fishing communities offering wild nature and postcard good looks. You can get the ferry from Saltholmen to Styrso for fishing, swimming and seal watching.

Title Image Credit: Maria Eklind (Image Cropped)