Mark Piggott

The surprising appeal of Sweden’s second largest city

  • From Spectator Life
Gothenburg (Alamy)

Sweden is often overlooked as a holiday destination by Brits due to lazy misconceptions about the Scandinavian weather and prices. Yet Swedish summers are arguably more predictable than our own, with average temperatures in the low 20s throughout June, July and August and the food, whether dining at a seaside café or grand hotel, is almost invariably of excellent quality, using local produce, and at prices similar to those back home.

Sweden’s second largest city Gothenburg has typically sat in the shadow of Stockholm as far as international tourists are concerned, but it has much to reward those who are prepared to venture off the beaten track.

As my flight descends toward Gothenburg-Landvetter, the landscape gains definition: forests of pine surround ultramarine lakes whose shores are lined with red and white houses.

With its industrial heritage and trams, Gothenburg is often compared to Manchester, but to me it more closely resembles Liverpool, another proud city with a developed dock and similar sized population, and Amsterdam, thanks to its waterways.

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