13 Best Sights in Goteborg (Gothenburg), Sweden

This square was built in 1923 in celebration of the city's 300th anniversary. In the center is the Swedish-American sculptor Carl Milles's breathtaking fountain statue of Poseidon choking a codfish. Behind the statue stands the Konstmuseet, flanked by the Konserthuset (Concert Hall) and the Stadsteatern (Municipal Theater), contemporary buildings in which the city celebrates its contributions to Swedish cultural life.

This stunning bathhouse was built at the end of the 19th century by the Swedish philanthropist Sven Renström. Originally used by local dock- and factory workers, it's now often filled with Göteborg's leisure-hungry elite. The pretty pool is art nouveau, with wall paintings, an arched ceiling, and lamps with a diving-lady motif. The Roman baths and the massage and spa area all exude relaxation, but the architecture alone is worth a visit, even if you don't intend to take the plunge.

The more than thirty attractions here—carousels, rides, rollercoasters, funhouses, and the like—pull in roughly three million visitors each year. The park is especially mobbed around the holidays, when it throws the largest Christmas market in Sweden, with five million twinkling lights on display along with an ice rink, Santa's World, and stalls selling crafts, mulled wine, gingersnaps, and other seasonal goods.

Beautiful open green spaces, manicured gardens, and tree-lined paths are the perfect place to escape for some peace and rest. Rose fanciers can head for the magnificent rose garden, where there are 5,000 roses of 2,500 varieties. Also worth a visit is the Palm House, whose late-19th-century design echoes that of London's Crystal Palace.

With 1,200 plant species, this is Sweden's largest botanical garden. Herb gardens, bamboo groves, a Japanese valley, forest plants, and tropical greenhouses are all on display. Once you've captured some inspiration, you can pick up all you need to create your own botanical garden from the on-site shop.

The cathedral, in neoclassic yellow brick, dates from 1802—two previous cathedrals on this spot were destroyed by fire. Though plain on the outside, the interior is impressive. Two glassed-in verandas originally used for the bishop's private conversations run the length of each side of the cathedral. The altar is impressively ornate and gilt.

Built in 1872, this fish market gets its nickname from the vast hall's Gothic-style architectural details. The beautiful arched and vaulted wooden ceiling covers rows and rows of stalls, each offering silvery, slippery goods to the shoppers who congregate here.

A statement in steel and glass, the opera house opened in 1994, immediately dominating this section of the waterfront with its bold lines and shape. Set against a backdrop of the old docks, it makes for a striking image. The productions here are world-class and well worth seeing if you get the chance.

The redbrick buildings that line this street were originally poorhouses donated by the Dickson family, the city's British industrialist forefather; "ROBERT DICKSON" can still be seen carved into the facades of many of them. Like most buildings in Haga, the buildings' ground floors were made of stone in order to prevent the spread of fire (the upper floors are wood). The Dickson family's impact on the architecture of the west of Sweden can also be seen in the impressive, fanciful mansion that belonged to Robert's grandson James, in Tjolöholm, to the south of Göteborg.

This impressive collection of the works of leading Scandinavian painters and sculptors captures some of the moody introspection of the artistic community in this part of the world. The museum's Hasselblad Center devotes itself to showing the progress in the art of photography. The Konstmuseet's holdings include works by Swedes such as Carl Milles, Johan Tobias Sergel, impressionist Anders Zorn, Victorian idealist Carl Larsson, and Prince Eugen. The 19th- and 20th-century French art collection is the best in Sweden, and there's also a small collection of old masters.

In the world's largest floating maritime museum you'll find modern naval vessels, including a destroyer, a submarine, a lightship, cargo vessels, and various tugboats, providing insight into Göteborg's historic role as a major port. Gangways lead between the ships, making it possible to explore all of them close-up. Highlights include climbing aboard the destroyer Småland and descending into the confined quarters of the submarine Nordkaparen.

This museum's fine collections include an eclectic mix of furniture, books and manuscripts, tapestries, silver, and East Asian arts and crafts. Artifacts date back as far as 1,000 years, but for many visitors it's the 20th-century gallery, with its collection of familiar household objects, that really strikes a chord.

Spend some time in this stunning area of parkland containing cafés, farm animals, a seal pond, Sweden's oldest children's zoo, and many birds—in summer that includes pink flamingos. Slottsskogen is one of the best parts of the city for relaxing.