Göteborg

in Sweden

Göteborg - known internationally as Gothenburg - was the first place I ever visited in Sweden. It certainly made a good impression - in fact, one that was continued by many other places I visited in the country. There's water all around the city - be it the sea or the canals. The architecture is often graceful, and while there's plenty of industry too, somehow it manages to add to the city's charm rather than make it uglier.

Top Picks

• Take a boat tour. I found it a great way to get acquainted with the city while relaxing in the sun. The bridges can be crazily low, but thankfully the guide gave ample warning to watch the head!
• After a short tram journey from the center and some getting lost on a housing estate once I got off, I managed to find my way up a nice hill and get a good view of the city. The boy racers made it less tranquil than it could have been, but the views were more than worth it.
• The maritime museum is probably the best I've ever been to in terms of hands on. After scrambling around a battleship and just managing to get the guts to descend down a ladder I couldn't see the bottom of into a rather claustrophobic submarine, I had a whole new level of respect for the people who actually set sail in these things. Exploring them while docked was quite enough for me! Certainly made for an enjoyable morning for me; I'd imagine kids would love it at least as much.

Photos