It’s well-known that Sweden is a cool country. The music, the cinema and even the furniture of Sweden is wrapped by a halo of vintage and retro minimalism. Do you delight yourself with Ingmar Bergman and can’t wait for the next movie of Roy Andersson? Are you crazy all over José Gonzalez and The Knife?
You wanted everything from Orrefors and ended up furnishing your house in Ikea?
You have been with no doubt infected by the Sweden-love syndrome. I’m afraid to tell you that once you start being in love with everything coming from Sweden you will never go back.
So, the only thing to do now is to visit the country and get swept up in passion for functional design and fika, the Swedish word for having coffee and cake with friends. Gothenburg is the perfect place to start this trendy trip as it is the emerging capital for independent and artisan food, sustainable fashion, hipster nightlife and music festivals. If you are planning a trip to Gothenburg, follow the advice below and pretend to be as cool as a local for a couple of days:
You wanted everything from Orrefors and ended up furnishing your house in Ikea?
You have been with no doubt infected by the Sweden-love syndrome. I’m afraid to tell you that once you start being in love with everything coming from Sweden you will never go back.
So, the only thing to do now is to visit the country and get swept up in passion for functional design and fika, the Swedish word for having coffee and cake with friends. Gothenburg is the perfect place to start this trendy trip as it is the emerging capital for independent and artisan food, sustainable fashion, hipster nightlife and music festivals. If you are planning a trip to Gothenburg, follow the advice below and pretend to be as cool as a local for a couple of days:
Fashion And Design
If you want to be like a Swede, the first thing is to look like one. Find the best of Swedish fashion design in Magasinsgatan, the trendy inner city neighborhood. Don’t forget that fashion in Gothenburg is more about functional design than excessive Haute couture. It´s easy to lose yourself in the indie outlet-lined streets, but if you are on a limited budget, you will love Miss Ragtime. This cool second-hand store offers Scandinavian brands at reduced prices. Kommersen Loppmarknad, Gothenburg’s biggest flea market, is also worth a visit. You just moved house and are looking to add minimalist Swedish design to your decorations? Lagerhaus (Östra Hamngatan 46-48) and DesignTorget (Vallgatan 14) both offers affordable homeware.
Food And Cafés
Once the shopping spree is over, take a break and fika like the locals. Haga is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Gothenburg and is full of independent cafés and bars. It has a vintage vibe to it with cobblestone lined streets and unconventional architecture. Don’t miss out on the giant cinnamon buns at Café Husaren and don’t worry if you cannot eat the whole bun in one sitting, not even the coolest Swedish do. Le Petit Café’s kitsch baroque style is also worth a visit, as well as their sticky chocolate cake.
Bars And Nightlife
If you have caught the indie fever or looking for some hipster friendly places for a good knees-up, you have come to the right place. The city offers everything from Jazz Clubs (Jazzhuset) that play indie pop, garage rock, synth and electronica all night long to a Mexican bar (Puta Madre) with the largest selection of tequila in the Nordics. Here is a guide to the best local places in town for a good night out.
If you are lucky enough, your trip could be at the same time as Andra Långdagen block party, a one-day street bash with dj sets and street food held in the Linné neighborhood, one of the coolest neighborhoods in town.
Music Festivals
If you don´t fancy camping on a field this year, Gothenburg organizes two major city festivals during the summer, no camping allowed. Way Out West is a unique festival set within Gothenburg’s Slottsskogen park right in the middle of trees, street lamps and winding paths. The line-up , normally healthily represented by both genders, presents the best of international music, but always with a strong Swedish presence. Can’t wait to know the line up for this year? Visit the Way Out West Official Website and start planning your next holiday.
More keen in electronic music? Gothenburg also hosts Sweden’s largest EDM music festival: Summerburst. The festival offers nights of music, visuals, fireworks and an atmosphere that will ensure a great weekend. Visit the Summerburst Official Website and feel a burst of summer.
Fashion And Design
If you want to be like a Swede, the first thing is to look like one. Find the best of Swedish fashion design in Magasinsgatan, the trendy inner city neighborhood. Don’t forget that fashion in Gothenburg is more about functional design than excessive Haute couture. It´s easy to lose yourself in the indie outlet-lined streets, but if you are on a limited budget, you will love Miss Ragtime. This cool second-hand store offers Scandinavian brands at reduced prices. Kommersen Loppmarknad, Gothenburg’s biggest flea market, is also worth a visit. You just moved house and are looking to add minimalist Swedish design to your decorations? Lagerhaus (Östra Hamngatan 46-48) and DesignTorget (Vallgatan 14) both offers affordable homeware.
Food And Cafés
Once the shopping spree is over, take a break and fika like the locals. Haga is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Gothenburg and is full of independent cafés and bars. It has a vintage vibe to it with cobblestone lined streets and unconventional architecture. Don’t miss out on the giant cinnamon buns at Café Husaren and don’t worry if you cannot eat the whole bun in one sitting, not even the coolest Swedish do. Le Petit Café’s kitsch baroque style is also worth a visit, as well as their sticky chocolate cake.
Bars And Nightlife
If you have caught the indie fever or looking for some hipster friendly places for a good knees-up, you have come to the right place. The city offers everything from Jazz Clubs (Jazzhuset) that play indie pop, garage rock, synth and electronica all night long to a Mexican bar (Puta Madre) with the largest selection of tequila in the Nordics. Here is a guide to the best local places in town for a good night out.
If you are lucky enough, your trip could be at the same time as Andra Långdagen block party, a one-day street bash with dj sets and street food held in the Linné neighborhood, one of the coolest neighborhoods in town.
Music Festivals
If you don´t fancy camping on a field this year, Gothenburg organizes two major city festivals during the summer, no camping allowed. Way Out West is a unique festival set within Gothenburg’s Slottsskogen park right in the middle of trees, street lamps and winding paths. The line-up , normally healthily represented by both genders, presents the best of international music, but always with a strong Swedish presence. Can’t wait to know the line up for this year? Visit the Way Out West Official Website and start planning your next holiday.
More keen in electronic music? Gothenburg also hosts Sweden’s largest EDM music festival: Summerburst. The festival offers nights of music, visuals, fireworks and an atmosphere that will ensure a great weekend. Visit the Summerburst Official Website and feel a burst of summer.