aerial view of city buildings during daytime

Gothenburg

Sweden's west coast port city, with Dutch-style canals, a tram network and a southern archipelago reached by ferry.

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Gothenburg (Göteborg) is Sweden's second-largest city, on the west coast by the Kattegat, about 400 km from Stockholm. It lies on both sides of the Göta älv river mouth, with Hisingen on the north side. King Gustavus Adolphus granted the charter in 1621, and Dutch engineers drained the marshy site and laid out canals and straight streets. The port is the largest in the Nordic region, and Volvo was founded here in 1927.

Go for the wooden houses and cafés of Haga, where the Haga bulle cinnamon roll is served, the indoor fish market at Feskekörka, and the tram network that covers most of the city. Ferries from Saltholmen reach the southern archipelago, including Vinga and Styrsö. Liseberg, Scandinavia's largest amusement park by number of rides, is in the central city. Landvetter airport is about 20 km east of the centre, and Flygbussarna buses take 20 to 30 minutes. Summers run warm and long, from about 13 May to 4 October, so late spring to early autumn is the best time to visit.

Gothenburg in five

Ride a public ferry to the southern archipelagoFerries from Saltholmen reach the car-free southern islands on a normal Västtrafik ticket. The tram takes you to the pier.
Buy tickets in the Västtrafik appTrams, buses and ferries all use Västtrafik tickets, sold in the app or at machines, and shops and cafes expect a card rather than cash.
Take the airport busAirport buses run from Landvetter to the center in about 30 minutes. There is no rail link to the airport.
Expect EES registration at LandvetterFlying in from outside the Schengen area, non-EU visitors register in the Entry/Exit System at passport control, which replaced passport stamps in April 2026.EES explained

Things to do in Gothenburg

See all attractions in Gothenburg

Park · GothenburgTrädgårdsföreningen (The Garden Society)Check the park's website before you go, since parts of the grounds have closed for renovation, including the Palm House at times.

Museum · GothenburgUniverseumGo early in the day to see the animals while they are most active, and especially the sloths. In winter, some animals hibernate, so the animal areas can be quieter.

Museum · GothenburgGothenburg Museum of Natural History

Free trip plannerPlan a trip to GothenburgPut the places you like in Gothenburg on a map, give them days, and let one button order each day. Free, with no account.Plan a trip

Need to know

Airport: Landvetter (GOT), about 30 min by bus
Getting there: Trains from Stockholm in about 3 hours, from Oslo in about 4
Getting around: Trams and walking; ferries to the islands
Best base: Inom Vallgraven or near Centralstationen
Time needed: 2 days

Weather by month

Rainy days
Snowy days
Festival

Best
Good
Mixed
Poor

JanuaryRain14 rainy days2 snowy daysHigh3°Low-1°Dark, wet
FebruaryRain12 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh3°Low0°Cold
MarchPartly cloudy12 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh6°Low1°Cold, brighter
AprilPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh10°Low3°Spring
MayPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh16°Low8°Long days
JuneRain12 rainy daysHigh19°Low12°Midsummer
JulyRain16 rainy daysHigh20°Low14°Warmest, swims
AugustRain17 rainy daysHigh19°Low14°Island season
SeptemberRain13 rainy daysHigh17°Low12°Crisp
OctoberRain18 rainy daysHigh12°Low8°Autumn
NovemberRain14 rainy daysHigh7°Low4°Dark, wet
DecemberRain16 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh4°Low1°Christmas lights

Average daily high and low in Gothenburg, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.

Festivals: Jun West Pride · Aug Way Out West

Right now in Gothenburg

Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.

Feels like: 3°
Humidity: 82%
Wind: 13 km/h
Chance of rain: 83%

Gothenburg

09:47 PM

Monday, November 2

GMT+1

Today11°3°83%Monday: Drizzle. High 11°, Low 3°. Chance of rain 83%.
Tue9°1°0%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 9°, Low 1°. Chance of rain 0%.
Wed11°2°0%Wednesday: Fog. High 11°, Low 2°. Chance of rain 0%.
Thu11°3°0%Thursday: Fog. High 11°, Low 3°. Chance of rain 0%.
Fri8°3°2%Friday: Fog. High 8°, Low 3°. Chance of rain 2%.
Sat10°6°4%Saturday: Drizzle. High 10°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 4%.
Sun7°5°8%Sunday: Drizzle. High 7°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 8%.

Updated 06:57 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

Money

Mid-market rate1 USD = 9.823 SEK

Amount

Converted to

SEK · Swedish Krona

Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API

What's on in Gothenburg

Concerts, festivals and big events in and around the city

Events calendar

Coming up

Scandinavium · concertNickelback Everything Under the Sun Tour 2027Jul 11, 2027 · Rooms near the venue

Every year

JunWest PrideGothenburg
AugWay Out WestGothenburg

Day trips by train

Southern archipelagoabout 45 min by tram and ferryCar-free islands, swimming rocks and walking paths.
Marstrandabout 1 hour by bus and ferryAn island town with a fortress and sailing harbor.
Stockholmabout 3 hours by trainBetter as a stay of its own.Read the guide

Before you go to Gothenburg

Archipelago ferries and cruisesSaltholmen islands and boat toursCompare day trips

Sweden train ticketsStockholm, Oslo and Copenhagen linksRead the guide

eSIM for SwedenData for the Västtrafik app and mapsRead the guide

Travel insurance for SwedenCover for ferry-day weather changesRead the guide

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Rules for Gothenburg, checked

EU and EEA citizens do not need a visa for Sweden. Check entry rules with the Swedish Migration Agency before you book.Source
Sweden is part of the Schengen area, so non-EU visitors may stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
Dial 112 for police, fire or an ambulance anywhere in Sweden.
On weekdays, vehicles passing congestion tax charge points in central Gothenburg pay 9, 16 or 22 kronor between 06:00 and 18:29. The tax does not apply on weekends, the day before holidays or in July.
Alcohol above 3.5 percent ABV is sold only at Systembolaget, the state-run shops, not in supermarkets.

Plan around Gothenburg

All of Sweden

Cities, trains, entry rules and money

Read the guide Stockholm

The capital, about 3 hours by train

Read the guide Copenhagen

Danish capital by train via Malmö

Read the guide Malmö

Southern Sweden, by train along the coast

Read the guide Oslo

Norway's capital, about 4 hours by train

Read the guide Money and cards

Living with a card-only country

Read the guide Is a Eurail pass worth it?

Nordic rail without a pass

Read the guide

Gothenburg FAQ

Is Gothenburg worth visiting?

Yes, for a slower Swedish city break with seafood, canals and trams, and islands a short ferry ride away. Two days is enough for most visitors.

Can I use public transport tickets on Gothenburg's ferries?

Yes. Västtrafik tickets cover the ferries from Saltholmen to the southern archipelago as well as the trams and buses.

How do I get from Landvetter Airport to Gothenburg?

Airport buses run to the center and Centralstationen in about 30 minutes. There is no train to the airport.

Can you swim around Gothenburg?

Yes, in summer from rocks and small beaches on the southern archipelago islands. The sea stays cool, so June to August is the real swimming window.

Do I need a car in Gothenburg?

No. Trams, buses and ferries cover the city and the southern islands. A car helps mainly for the Bohuslän coast beyond Marstrand, where buses are sparse.