Gothenburg

About

Designed and built by Dutch allies, Gothenburg was originally a heavily fortified trader’s tax haven for the Netherlands. Today, Sweden’s second largest city, and Scandinavia’s largest port, is home to major industrial players such as Volvo, several high-profile universities, and Sweden’s hippest culture.Trams, wide canals, and neoclassical architecture can be enjoyed on Gothenburg’s chilled out streets. Attractions are many in this vibrant city. Röda Sten Konsthall displays contemporary and edgy art pieces in a wide variety of mediums. The Haga district, the first built by the Dutch, contains a host of cobbled streets lined with cafes and small shops. The three-story timber houses in this area are particularly charming. For the thrill-seekers Liseberg amusement park contains Europe's highest freefall tower (116m), but close by is Sweden’s best museum for kids, Universeum. A humid rainforest is home to tropical birds and marmosets, and next door a hands-on science exhibition will thrill the children.