Five family attractions: a guide to Gothenburg

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by: bythesea
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Date: Sun, 30 May 2010 Time: 9:50 AM
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Sweden's second-largest city, located on the south-west coast enjoys a buoyant level of tourism, with visitors being offered a range of attractions to choose from. So, once you've booked your flights and shopped around for cheap travel insurance, which of Gothenburg's numerous delights should you go out of your way to visit? Read on for five family-friendly suggestions.

Liseberg

Open since 1923, Liseberg amusement park is the largest attraction of its kind in Scandinavia, attracting around three million visitors on an annual basis. Liseberg was named as one of the top ten amusement parks in the world by the USA's Forbes magazine back in 2005, while its trademark roller coaster, Balder, has twice been voted the ‘best wooden tracked roller coaster' in the world. The park has four roller coasters in all, along with two water rides and other thrill rides as well as more sedate offerings such as fishing boats and a house of mirrors.

Aeroseum

Housed inside a declassified Swedish Air Force bunker carved out of solid rock, the Aeroseum is about as unique an exhibition space as you're likely to experience anywhere in the world. Located around 30 metres below ground, the museum's interactive exhibits help to bring the history of flight to life for young and old alike. The Aeroseum is open daily during the summer months between 11am and 6pm - except for the 25th and 26th June.

Gothenburg Botanical Garden

Nature lovers will get a big kick out of the city's botanical garden, which is widely regarded as one of the best in Europe. The attraction dates back to 1923, when it was inaugurated in celebration of Gothenburg's 300th anniversary. Totalling 175 hectares, Gothenburg Botanical Garden boasts a nature reserve with an arboretum, a highly-regarded rock garden and huge greenhouses holding 4,000 plants and 1,500 orchids.

Southern Gothenburg Archipelago

One of the most popular tourist pulls, the Southern Gothunburg Archipelago is a group of picturesque islands unspoiled by motor vehicles. Visitors must reach the islands by ferry boat, with Älvsborg Castle perhaps the most popular of the area's attractions. Only ruins of the original castle, built in the 14th Century, remain - although its replacement, constructed in the 17th Century, is still well maintained.

Gothenburg Museum of Art

Another building constructed in 1923 to celebrate the city's 300th anniversary, the Gothenburg Museum of Art offers something for art lovers of all kinds. Most notable is its collection of Nordic art from the latter stages of the 19th Century, although older pieces are also on show along with more contemporary examples.

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If you're going to Sweden, make sure to look into some cheap travel insurance