Sight guide · Gothenburg · Sweden
Visiting Slottsskogen
Gothenburg's largest central park covers about 137 hectares of woods, ponds and lawns, with free animal enclosures where you can see elk, deer, seals and penguins, and a children's zoo in summer.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: BIL, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Slottsskogen is a park in Linnéstaden, Gothenburg. Allow 2–3 hours; it is free. Booking ahead is not usually needed.
Key facts
- Type
- Park
- Area
- Linnéstaden
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Book ahead
- Not usually needed
- Good for
- free, kids, outdoors and nature
- Best months
- May–July
About Slottsskogen
Gothenburg's largest central park covers about 137 hectares of woods, ponds and lawns, with free animal enclosures where you can see elk, deer, seals and penguins, and a children's zoo in summer. It is also where the Way Out West music festival is held each August.
Tip: Time your visit for the seal and penguin feeding at the pond enclosure, and use the Linnéplatsen tram stop for the north entrance.
Plan your visit
- Time needed: 2–3 hours.
- Cost: Free — no ticket needed for the main area.
- Book ahead: not usually needed; buy on arrival.
- Where: Linnéstaden, linnégatan's restaurants and bars between Haga and Slottsskogen.
Best time to visit Slottsskogen
Slottsskogen is outdoors, so weather matters most. The driest, most comfortable months are:
- June: 19°C (66°F) highs, about 11 rainy days, busy crowds.
- July: 21°C (70°F) highs, about 12 rainy days, very busy crowds.
- May: 16°C (61°F) highs, about 10 rainy days, moderate crowds.
When to visit Gothenburg has the full month-by-month picture.
Fit it into your trip
Slottsskogen is not on our short itineraries, so plan it as an extra once you have seen Liseberg and Haga and Haga Nygata.
- No. 6 of the 20 sights in our Gothenburg things-to-do list.
- Listed in free things to do in Gothenburg.
- One of the picks in outdoors in Gothenburg.
- A family favourite in Gothenburg with kids.
Near Slottsskogen
Within walking distance of Slottsskogen (straight-line distances):
- Skansen Kronan — about 1.5 km away, 45 minutes, free
- Haga and Haga Nygata — about 1.7 km away, 1–2 hours, free
- Gothenburg Botanical Garden — about 1.1 km away, 1.5–2 hours, free
If you like Slottsskogen
- Southern archipelago islands — Saltholmen, Half a day to a full day
- Gothenburg Natural History Museum — Slottsskogen, 1–1.5 hours
- Universeum — Johanneberg and Liseberg, 3–4 hours
- Gothenburg Botanical Garden — Slottsskogen, 1.5–2 hours
Staying near Slottsskogen
Stay in Linnéstaden ($$) to walk here: linnégatan's restaurants and bars between Haga and Slottsskogen. All areas to stay in Gothenburg.
Questions travellers ask
+How long do you need at Slottsskogen?
Plan 2–3 hours. Skansen Kronan is about 1.5 km away in a straight line, so the two fit a half-day.
+Is Slottsskogen free?
Yes, it is free to visit.
+When is the best time to visit Slottsskogen?
May–July for the most comfortable weather. Time your visit for the seal and penguin feeding at the pond enclosure, and use the Linnéplatsen tram stop for the north entrance.
+Do I need to book Slottsskogen in advance?
Usually not: you can decide on the day.
+Is Slottsskogen good for kids?
Yes, it is one of our family picks in Gothenburg. Gothenburg is one of the easiest Nordic cities to visit with children: Liseberg, Universeum, the free animals in Slottsskogen and a floating ship museum are all reachable by tram, and the archipelago gives safe rocky swimming in summer.