landmark
Liseberg
Gothenburg's beloved amusement park and Scandinavia's largest, known for thrilling rides and festive seasonal events.
2 km · about 5 min drive
EuropeSwedenVästra Götaland
Gothenburg
Västra Götaland, Sweden · Europe
About Gothenburg
Gothenburg is worth a stop: 10 minutes from Mölndal, 30km from Carlsten Fortress, Marstrand.
Gothenburg is in Västra Götaland, Sweden, with about 610,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Mölndal, about 6 km away.
Gothenburg ( GOTH-ən-burg; Swedish: Göteborg [jœtəˈbɔrj] ) is the second-largest city in Sweden, after the capital Stockholm, and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated by the Kattegat on the west coast of Sweden 400 km from the capital, it is the gubernatorial seat of Västra Götaland County, with aRead more
population of approximately 600,000 in the city proper and about 1.1 million inhabitants in the metropolitan area.
King Gustavus Adolphus founded Gothenburg by royal charter in 1621 as a heavily fortified, primarily Dutch, trading colony. In addition to the generous privileges given to his Dutch allies during the ongoing Thirty Years' War, e.g. tax relaxation, he also attracted significant numbers of his German and Scottish allies to populate his only town on the western coast; this trading status was furthered by the founding of the Swedish East India Company. At a key strategic location at the mouth of the Göta älv, where Scandinavia's largest drainage basin enters the sea, the Port of Gothenburg is now the largest port in the Nordic countries. The presence of the University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology has led Gothenburg to become home to many students. Volvo was founded in Gothenburg in 1927, with both Volvo Cars, and its original parent Volvo Group (today makers of trucks, buses and marine engines) still headquartered on the island of Hisingen in the city. Other key companies in the area are AstraZeneca, Ericsson, and SKF.
Gothenburg is served by Göteborg Landvetter Airport 25 km (16 mi) southeast of the city centre. The smaller Göteborg City Airport, 15 km (9.3 mi) from the city centre, was closed to regular airline traffic in 2015. The city hosts the Gothia Cup, the world's largest youth football tournament, and the Göteborg Basketball Festival, Europe's largest youth basketball tournament, alongside some of the largest annual events in Scandinavia. The Gothenburg Film Festival, held in January since 1979, is the leading Scandinavian film festival and attracts over 155,000 visitors each year. In summer, a wide variety of music festivals are held in the city, including the popular Way Out West Festival.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Gothenburg?
Within an hour or so of Gothenburg: Liseberg (2 km), Vinga Lighthouse (23 km), Carlsten Fortress, Marstrand (30 km).
Are there any good drives near Gothenburg?
The nearest famous roads are Smögen.
Where is Gothenburg?
Gothenburg is in Västra Götaland, Sweden, about 6 km from Mölndal.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 608,462
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Sweden
- Region
- Västra Götaland
- Timezone
- Europe/Stockholm
- Coordinates
- 57.7072, 11.9668
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Sweden
Dipped headlights required at all times. Watch for wildlife (moose/deer) on rural roads.
Full driving guide for SwedenTags
Worth the detour from Gothenburg
3 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
Vinga Lighthouse
The windswept island lighthouse off Gothenburg, longtime home of poet Evert Taube and a classic summer boat trip.
23 km · about 25 min drive
castle
Carlsten Fortress, Marstrand
A 17th-century stone fortress crowning a sailing island, reached by ferry from the scenic Bohuslän coast road.
30 km · about 35 min drive
When to drive here
May to September
Far northern latitude: short daylight hours outside summer make long drives harder.
Nearby Destinations
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