Gothenburg

Gothenburg or Gothia Fortress from where it gets its name, is the second largest city in Sweden. It was founded by Royal Charter in 1621 by King Gustavus Adolphus. Gothenburg is a large port city with a population of around 1 1/2 million. Although there are two airports the Göteborg Landvetter Airport is the main international terminal.

Both fishing and international trade have ensured that Gothenburg flourished. The Swedish East India Company operated out of Sweden and the port of Gothenburg was a major embarkation destination for Swedes emigrating to the United States. The Feskekôrka, or Fiskhallen, is an indoor fishmarket in the city centre which looks like a Gothic Church although it has never been used for religious purposes.

The city of Gothenburg benefits from increasing numbers of tourists each year. Traditionally a manufacturing centre it is home to SKF, Volvo and Ericsson. Volvo Cars is the largest employer in Gothenburg. The city used to be known for its excellence in shipbuilding but this industry declined considerably during the 1970's, and has now for the most part, all but ceased.

Visitors to Gothenburg will be impressed with the cleanliness of the city, an organised urban area with excellent public transport systems, beautiful parks and some fine museums. There are also many exceptionally good cafes, bars and restaurants. Sweden has a reputation for being expensive but during 2015 with sterling values high it was possible to go on tours, eat and drink out, and book a hotel at prices on a par with those in the UK. 

Visitors from the United Kingdom will be amazed at the linguistic skills of the Swedes. People form all walks of life in Sweden speak exceptionally good English to a degree that is probably unrivalled anywhere else in the world with the exception of other Scandanavian countries and possibly Holland. Gothenburg really is a city that you should take the time out to visit. 

For more photos of Gothenburg click here