GOTHENBURG
Gothenburg is situated along the Göta älv river, on the west coast of Sweden. The city has a population of just over half a million in the city and 1 million in the metropolitan area. Gothenburg is a major seaport and student city and has two prominent institutions, the University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology it is also the home of the Volvo car company.
A brief history of Gothenburg
Gothenburg has always been strategically important as the only Swedish gateway to the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, it is situated on the west coast on a very narrow strip of Swedish land between Danish Halland in the south and Norwegian Bohuslän in the north. Gothenburg was founded in 1621 by King Gustavus Adolphus and was initially established as a heavily fortified Dutch trading post. Many Scottish migrants, who came to Gothenburg, settled and influenced the city’s culture and industry. The Scotsman, William Chalmers, set up the technology university and other Scottish migrants contributed to the shipbuilding industry. Throughout the 18th century, the city was mainly dependent on the fishing and shipbuilding, until the harbour developed to become Sweden's main harbour for trade towards the west. Also, when Swedish emigration to the United States began, Gothenburg became Sweden's main point of departure for those searching for the American dream.
Things to do in Gothenburg
There is plenty to do in the city, you can walk around the Haga district of the city which is characterized by cobbled streets and wooden houses. You can have a coffee or a beer in the many candlelit cafes or, in the summer sit next to the canals and watch the day go by. TThere is an amusement park in Gothenburg called Liseberg, it has more than 30 rides, performance venues and a landscaped sculpture garden to explore. There is also the Universeum, which is a huge public science centre with a rainforest zone, there are hundreds of species of plant and insect for the whole family to explore. For some culture why not visit The Gothenburg Museum of Art and then go outside and explore the botanical gardens. For foodies there is the Feskekôrka, which is an indoor fish market, it took its name from the building's resemblance to a Neo-gothic church, it has been running since 1874.
Beaches around Gothenburg
Saltholmen has a marina full of beautiful yachts., from here you can also take smaller ferries to the Southern Goteborg Archipelago to visit the lovely little islands throughout the summer. There is also Askimsbadet, which is a great place to bring young children; there is a sandy beach with some grassy areas to play.