48 hours in Gothenburg

Friday

Check in

What better way to kick off a weekend break than checking into a great hotel? Central Gothenburg has many good options to offer, and the exclusive Hotel Pigalle is a favorite. To step into the historic 18th century Palace building is to step inside a world of opulent luxury and extravagance, while the city buzz continues outside. Enjoy a cocktail or two in the roof bar (lavishly furnished, like the rest of the hotel) before heading out to explore the city.

Another more budget-friendly option is the colorful boutique hotel Flora.

Shopping

Just a stone’s throw from both Hotel Pigalle and Hotel Flora are some of Gothenburg’s best shopping areas. An excellent first stop is the popular home furnishing store Artilleriet, where time just flies by. With a select and eclectic range of homeware, furniture and products from around the world, this huge store is perfect whether you’re a design freak or just enjoy a unique shop experience.

Next door is Artilleriet’s sister store, The Kitchen, where you can browse among stylish handicraft-based kitchen ware. Ideal if you don’t have much spare luggage space, but still want to take home a souvenir. 

If fashion is more your shopping thing, Grandpa won’t disappoint, offering a carefully selected range of fashion and lifestyle, along with a great atmosphere and knowledgeable staff. Also stop in at the courtyard café da Matteo for a great cup of coffee before moving on.

Concept store Vallgatan 12 is also worth a visit if you’re into fashion. With an area of 1,000 square meters, you’ll find fashions here for men and women, as well as art and home furnishings. For an extra conscious choice, pop into second-hand store Humana just around the corner: well assorted, high quality, and something for every wardrobe.

Are you a hopeless perfume collector? Then visit the aromatic COW Parfymeri at your own risk. A unique range of beauty and fragrance products, with staff who really know their stuff.

Refreshments

After an intensive afternoon of retail, it’s a good idea to rest your feet a while. Champagnebaren is a wonderful, slightly hidden watering hole with a sparkling drinks menu and delicious snacks – the perfect place to recharge your batteries for the evening’s activities. 

Sun shining? If so, a lovely, creamy, homemade gelato at Gelaterian will cool you down and perk you up.

Dinner

To milk every drop out of the Inom Vallgraven neighborhood, and also manage the walk back to your hotel later, dinner at the French- and sea-inspired Bar Bulot is to be recommended. Enjoy delicious West Coast produce, prepared and served in playful, innovative ways.

Or if you’re looking for more of a blowout, head instead for Gothenburg’s best burgers at The Barn. And don’t miss their irresistible sweet potato fries!

Saturday

Discover the city’s art scene

After a good night’s sleep and an unrushed hotel breakfast, a new day awaits in this charming city, and of course no visit is complete without a stroll along Gothenburg’s famous Avenue. From this grand street you can get to the Röhsska Museum, boasting everything from art and design to fashion from across Europe, Japan and China. Follow The Avenue all the way to Götaplatsen at the top, and you’ll see the city’s iconic statue of Poseidon, as well as Göteborgs Konsthall art hall and Gothenburg Museum of Art.

Lunch

Just a couple of blocks from Götaplatsen is the trendy café Viktors Kaffe, serving light lunches and crumbly croissants, but especially excellent coffee. If the weather’s hot a coffee tonic is the trendy choice, a cooling coffee drink made from cold-brewed coffee, tonic water and ice.

Aperitivo

Saturday night in Gothenburg is best kicked off at one of the city’s atmospheric bars. A well-made cocktail at Familjen is a good choice if you fancy a nice quencher. If you’re looking for an exciting wine list and delicious cheeses, head to Björns Bar wine bar instead.

Dinner

Gothenburg’s most talked-about restaurant right now can be found at Vasa Kyrkogata 1. Bar La Lune, originally a little wine bar, has now grown into a full restaurant – without losing its homely buzz and spontaneous atmosphere. On the menu are frequently shifting and innovative snack dishes, mains and delightful desserts. If you want to spend the evening nearby, sister bar Angeli is right next door.

Another small, delightfully atmospheric restaurant is Bord 27. Despite the top-tier food and drink, this is a charming and unpretentious place, with dishes inspired by the whole world.

Sunday

Morning

A Sunday in Gothenburg is best spent strolling around the lovely old ‘county governor’s houses’ in the Haga neighborhood – beautiful wooden houses from 1870 and later. Breakfast at the little café Gerd, then treat yourself to a relaxing morning spa at Hagabadet. 

Lunch

Before finishing off your weekend break, it’s worth walking up to Benne Pastabar on Skanstorget for a filling lunch. Fresh homemade pasta at reasonable prices – the perfect end to a perfect weekend.

Addresses

Hotel Pigalle
Södra Hamngatan 2A, Gothenburg

Hotel Flora
Grönsakstorget 2, Gothenburg

Artilleriet
Magasinsgatan 12, Gothenburg

Artilleriet The Kitchen
Södra Larmgatan 2, Gothenburg

Grandpa
Vallgatan 3, Gothenburg

da Matteo
Vallgatan 5, Gothenburg

Vallgatan 12
Vallgatan 12, Gothenburg

Humana Second Hand
Kaserntorget 6, Gothenburg

COW Parfymeri
Södra Larmgatan 4, Gothenburg

Champagnebaren
Kyrkogatan 13, Gothenburg

Gelaterian Göteborg
Grönsakstorget 1, Gothenburg

Bar Bulot
Norra Hamngatan 8, Gothenburg

The Barn
Kyrkogatan 11, Gothenburg

Röhsska Museum
Vasagatan 39, Gothenburg

Göteborgs Konsthall art hall
Götaplatsen 7, Gothenburg

Gothenburg Museum of Art
Götaplatsen 6, Gothenburg

Viktors Kaffe
Geijersgatan 7, Gothenburg

Familjen
Arkivgatan 7, Gothenburg

Björns Bar
Viktoriagatan 12, Gothenburg

Bar La Lune
Vasa Kyrkogata 1, Gothenburg

Bord 27
Haga Kyrkogata 14, Gothenburg

Gerd
Linnégatan 7, Gothenburg

Hagabadet Haga
Haga Östergata 6, Gothenburg

Benne Pastabar
Skanstorget 3, Göteborg

Text by Agnes Regell