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Gothenburg
The history of Sweden’s second city Gothenburg (Göteborg) is closely tied to the sea. The basic pattern of the city owes much to the Dutch architects who designed it; the spacious streets are laid out at right angles and there is a network of canals. The Nordstaden Kronhuset area houses the oldest building of the city, built in 1643 and now the City Museum. Nearby is Kronhusbodarna, an arts and craft workshop centre dating from the 18th century. The Botanical Gardens (Botaniska Trädgården) contain a rock garden regarded as one of the most impressive in the world, with about 3000 species of Alpine plants. In the city centre is the beautiful Garden of Trädgårdsföreningen with its restored Palm House, built in the style of London’s destroyed Crystal Palace. The Liseberg Amusement Park is an ideal spot for children. There are also many museums, such as the Maritime Museum (Sjöfartsmuseet) which illustrates Sweden’s maritime history and the development of its shipbuilding industry. The ‘Gothenburg Discount Card’ offering free admission to many tourist attractions can be purchased from the Gothenburg tourist office (tel: (31) 612 500; fax: (31) 612 501; website: www.goteborg.com/en/).
Excursions: One of the best ways of sightseeing in Gothenburg is on one of the famous Paddan boats. Departure is from the terminal at Kungsportsplatsen for an hour-long tour under 20 bridges and out into the busy harbour. Another popular boat trip is to the 17th-century Nya Elfsborg Fortress built on an island at the harbour mouth. There are also sightseeing tours of varying duration by bus with an English-speaking guide. A cheap way of travelling around the city is to buy a 24-hour ticket on the tram network. Gothenburg and Stockholm are both starting points for the classic four-day trip through Sweden’s great lakes and the historic Göta Canal.
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