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Destination guide – Gothenburg, Sweden

14 November 2022
by thebouncer

Sweden’s second city of Gothenburg is often overlooked in favour of the country’s capital of Stockholm.

In my view, this is a shame because Gothenburg is a very pleasant place to spend a relaxed city break.

I started my visit with a one-hour sightseeing cruise.

Gothenburg has a rich nautical history and a cruise along the Göta Älv river showcases the city’s past and present.

I followed that up with a visit to the Horticultural Society Gardens and a pleasant riverside stroll.

Gothenburg is a very easy city to navigate. I do not recommend renting a car, as parking is very expensive and the public transport is efficient and economical.

I chose simply to walk nearly everywhere, as the city is very compact and has some very scenic walking paths.

In conclusion, Gothenburg is a relaxing and picturesque option for a short city break, or to combine with a visit to Stockholm or Copenhagen.

Destination guide – Copenhagen, Denmark

The Danish capital of Copenhagen has always been my favourite of the Nordic capitals and once Denmark lifted all covid related restrictions, I decided it was time to explore this beautiful city again.

I found a city which is just as efficient, welcoming and down to earth as it has always been, as if the great covid panic had never happened.

I started by revisiting the iconic sights of the city, such as the Little Mermaid statue and the surrounding gardens.

Following on from this, I strolled around the vibrant Nyhavn district, with it’s vibrant and colourful bars and cafés.

This is the perfect place to stop for lunch, a couple of cold beers or just a sneaky lunchtime Irish coffee.

Copenhagen is a wonderfully verdant city, with many beautifully kept parks and gardens to stroll around and simply relax.

As the weather during my visit was perfect, with several days in the high 20s, I couldn’t resist a visit to the beaches around the Amager Strand Park, a very short metro ride from the city centre or airport.

GETTING AROUND

Like all major Nordic cities, Copenhagen is not designed for drivers. Considering the difficulty and expense of parking, I recommend ditching the car and using the economical and superbly efficient public transport network.

Single tickets are 24DKK (€3.20), while passes range from 80DKK (€11) for 24 hours to 300DKK (€40) for 5 days.

The Metro system is fast and convenient, with driverless trains running every few minutes.

One of the more pleasant ways to get around the city centre is to use the yellow water buses. These are included in the transport passes and offer a picturesque perspective on the city.

Copenhagen is a city I can highly recommend for a short city break, or even an extended visit. I was there for 15 days and found more than enough to occupy my time.

It is also a destination you can visit without worrying about any covid restrictions. Denmark had a brief wobble during the panpanic and introduced comparatively light entry requirements and domestic restrictions, but that is now a distant memory and every aspect of the experience is 2019 normal.

Destination guide – Oslo, Norway

The Norwegian capital of Oslo is entirely free of covid restrictions and is a great place to visit at this time of the year.

I recently spent five days there as part of a two month tour of Scandinavia.

Oslo has something for everyone, from nightlife and fun parks, to serene parks and gardens, fjord cruises and even beaches.

As I had dinner included at my hotel, I decided to skip the dedicated dinner cruises in favour of several relaxing trips on the several ferries which are included in the city’s public transport system.

Above all, Oslo is a fabulous city for walking and has many miles of waterside paths suitable for cycling, running or simply strolling and enjoying the surroundings.

I particularly enjoyed the area around the Munch Museum and the main harbour area.

The area around the Royal Palace is especially pleasant for enjoying some green spaces, more or less in the centre of the city.

I rounded of my visit with a stroll along the riverside in the Grüneløkker area, a little way north of central Oslo.

In terms of getting around, the city’s public transport system is very efficient, although the trams and buses are often very crowded. As parking a car is difficult and very expensive, I chose to walk almost everywhere. The distances are not overwhelming and Oslo is a very safe city at all hours of the day and night.

In conclusion, Oslo is a pleasant and relaxing city to explore and nicely rounded off my 12 day tour of Norway.

If you have any questions or experiences to share, please visit our Norway Forum.

Destination guide – Bergen, Norway

After my sojourn in Tromsø, I headed down to Bergen on Norway’s west coast to take advantage of the continued warm Summer weather. Here is my brief Bergen destination guide.

Bergen, known as the Gateway to the Fjords, is an engaging port city renowned for its sublime scenery and tasty seafood.

I started with a trip up the Fløyen on the funicular railway, which ascends a total of 320m in around 6 minutes. Departures are more or less continual during busy times.

Of course nobody can go to Bergen without getting out on the water and seeing some of the Fjords, so I headed out on a 3-hour cruise on board a comfortable catamaran, which was expensive at 740NOK (£62/€72/$74), but well worth every penny.

If you want to see the true essence of this part of Norway, this is the way to do it. The cruise heads out towards Mostraumen, passing lush, verdant hills and charming fishing villages.

I rounded off the trip with a stroll around the city’s pleasant parks and gardens and a taste of some of the famous seafood at the famous fish market.

I am very glad I had the chance to visit this appealing city. It is truly one if the highlights of Norway and I would highly recommend spending a few days here. If you do come I hope this Bergen destination guide has been useful and don’t forget to post in the forums!

Destination guide – Tromsø, Norway

After four very enjoyable months in Stockholm, I decided to see a little more of Scandinavia and headed off to Tromsø, a little more than 200 miles North of the Arctic Circle.

Considering the distances involved, I decided to park my car at Oslo Airport and take an SAS flight to Tromsø, where I spent three nights.

Tromsø is a unique and truly breathtaking city, combining snow capped mountains, crystal clear fjords and the somewhat surreal phenomenon of the midnight sun.

My first experience of Tromsø was a stroll around the pretty harbour and across the bridge to the Arctic Cathedral.

The real highlight of the day was a ride up to the Storsteinen mountain ledge of the Fjellheisen cable car.

The cable car makes the 421m ascent in just four minutes and the breathtaking views are simply not to be missed.

The following day, I decided to take things a little easier and stroll along some if the beautiful fjordside paths out to Tromsø Folkeparken and the Southern Beach.

As it was amazingly 27°C on the day of my visit, the beach was too crowded for me to get any photographs, but suffice to say it is a unique experience, with views across the fjord to the snow capped mountains beyond.

The only regret I have about my visit to Tromsø was not managing to take the midnight RIB (rigid inflatable boat) cruise. These run for three hours from 10pm to 1am when the midnight sun shines on Tromsø. After two very full days and with an early start on the third day, my heart was willing but my body was not.

Destination guide – Stockholm, Sweden

Sweden has been the poster child of freedom throughout the covid panic, the only country in the developed world never to have had a lockdown or a mask mandate.

For this reason, I made Stockholm my temporary home for a total of 8 months out of the last two years.

Here is an introduction to the beautiful capital city of the country that kept its head while all around them were losing theirs.

SIGHTS

From a multitude of museums, many of which are very inexpensive or even free to visit, to picturesque parks and gardens, relaxing waterside walks and a lively nightlife, Stockholm truly has something for everyone.

GETTING AROUND

First of all, Stockholm is not a city for drivers. The high cost of fuel and the eye-watering parking prices (if you can even find a place to park) convinced even a dedicated petrol head like me to ditch my wheels.

Furthermore, the public transport system is one of the most efficient I have come across anywhere in the world. You will very rarely need to wait more than 5 or 10 minutes for a bus, tram or metro train. Fares are very reasonable at 39SEK (£3 or $4) for a single ticket. Passes are also available, ranging from 165SEK (£13 or $16) for 24 hours to 970 SEK (£78 or $95) for 30 days.

Personally, I feel that the best way to see Stockholm is from the water. Options include the Oceanbus amphibious vehicle and the many boat tours, both of which are fun choices. My recommendation, however, is the commuter ferries which criss-cross the city and are included in the excellent value public transport passes.

OCEANBUS

FERRIES

TOUR BOATS

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