Gothenburg Sights and Landmarks Guide, Sweden

Gothenburg is the ideal tourist destination – there is something to engage all age-groups and all interest-groups. To truly enjoy Gothenburg sights belonging to different periods, you need to explore them at a leisurely pace; before you do so, get introduced to the several Gothenburg sights.

Gothenburg Sights – Natural Attractions

Gothenburg's most popular natural tourist attraction is certainly the ‘Southern Gothenburg Archipelago’. The archipelago consists of 100 small, scenic islands near Sweden’s west coast. Ferry-rides are available.

The Gothenburg area has lush green parks and gardens; of these, the Göteborg Botanical Garden is most famous. Spread over an area of 150 acres, the Göteborg Botanical Garden is the largest botanical garden in Northern Europe. Gothenburg's largest park, Slottsskogen, stands close to the botanical garden.

Gothenburg Sights – Historic Attractions And Museums

The Älvsborgs Fästning (or Elfsborg fortress) located within the archipelago attracts tourists in large numbers. Built in 1670, the fortress has been renovated and its sprawling lawns well-maintained. Guided tours of the fortress are available but you can also explore it on foot.

There are many museums in Gothenburg city. Some of these, like the Göteborgs Stadsmuseum and the Lödöse museum, give you insights into the area’s past; while the Lödöse museum is dedicated to the history of Lödöse town, the Göteborgs Stadsmuseum throws light on the history of Gothenburg (and that of Sweden) from the times of Vikings to the present days.

Konstmuseet, Gothenburg’s largest art museum, has a huge collection of paintings and sculptures…creations that date between the 15th and the 20th centuries. On display are art-works by great masters like Rubens, Hilding Linnqvist, Gerhard Henning and Aristide Maillol. Konsthallen, Gothenburg’s modern art museum and Hasselblad Center, a photography museum, are housed in different wings of the same building as Konstmuseet.

Other art museums in the Gothenburg area are the Nordiska Akvarellmuseet and the Röhsska museet. The exhibits in the former museum are chiefly water-color works by Nordic and international artists. The Röhsska museet is the Museum of Design and Applied Art and there you will get to see art and craft collections from the 17th century to the present times.

The exhibits in Gothenburg maritime museum (Göteborgs Maritima Centrum) are 15 different types of boats – right from fishing boats to war ships and submarines.

Among the other notable museums in Gothenburg are Medicinhistoriska museet (the museum of medical science), Naturhistoriska museet (the museum of natural science) and the Volvo museum (that gives you glimpses of the history of the Volvo Company).

Gothenburg Sights – Miscellaneous Attractions

Apart from the above, Gothenburg sights include an amusement park, Liseberg. Located in the central Gothenburg, Liseberg is the largest amusement park in Scandinavia. The park has some 35-odd rides and also arranges different shows and performances.

Gothenburg’s opera house, Operan, is not simply a massive structure, the venue also hosts different programs and shows, especially in summer-time.

Standing right next to the Göta älv river, Operan gives charming views of the river which you can enjoy while relishing the food prepared at the opera-restaurant. And if you intend to do some shopping, there is Nordstan (located in central Gothenburg), which incidentally is also Scandinavia's largest shopping center.