Introduction |  |
With barely half a million inhabitants, Gothenburg is doing remarkably well at masquerading as a metropolis. It has no less than 25 theatres, 18 museums, four Michelin-starred restaurants and a steady stream of tourists thanks to Ryanair. The number one tourist attraction, Liseberg amusement park, draws over three million visitors each year. The city even beat Barcelona in the contest to host the 19th European Athletics Championships (www.goteborg2006.com). Add to that a reputation as the gastronomic capital of Sweden and ‘stuck-up Stockholm’, as Gothenburgers refer to the actual capital, has reason to be worried.
No longer Stockholm’s provincial little sister, Gothenburg has a magnificently modern opera house (Christina Nilssons Gata, 108000, www.opera.se, closed Sun) to prove it. With its striking auditorium and unusual ship shape, it was designed to honour the city’s maritime heritage. Another key tourist stop is the Maritime Museum (Karl Johansgatan 1-3, 612901, www.sjofartsmuseum.goteborg.se), which tells the story of a city that is immensely proud of its seafaring past. The Museum of World Culture (Södra Vägen 54, 632730, www.worldculture.se, closed Mon), designed by London architects Cécile Brisac and Edgar Gonzales, opened in 2004. It has already won the country’s most prestigious architectural award and received global praise for its fresh take on world cultures.
Liseberg amusement park (Örgrytevägen 5, 400100, www.liseberg.com, closed 24 Dec- 21 Apr, Oct-late Nov) has theatre and music attractions, plus a selection of rides taking in everything from rollercoasters to child-friendly boats on the lake.
• Tourist information: Kungsportsplatsen 2 (612500, www.goteborg.com).
|
|
