Where to stay · Gothenburg · Sweden
Where to stay in Gothenburg
8 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Erik031, Public domain
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Inom Vallgraven. The old city inside the 17th-century moat, with canals, shops and the main squares. Best alternatives — budget: Majorna; nightlife: Linnéstaden.
Key facts
- First visit
- Inom Vallgraven
- Families
- Inom Vallgraven
- Budget
- Majorna
- Nightlife
- Linnéstaden
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Inom Vallgraven | The old city inside the 17th-century moat, with canals, shops and the main squares |
| Families | Inom Vallgraven | The old city inside the 17th-century moat, with canals, shops and the main squares |
| Couples | Haga | Cobbled Haga Nygata, café terraces and restored 19th-century workers' houses |
| Budget | Majorna | Old harbour-workers' district of wooden houses, craft breweries and flea shops |
| Nightlife | Linnéstaden | Linnégatan's restaurants and bars between Haga and Slottsskogen |
| Food lovers | Haga | Cobbled Haga Nygata, café terraces and restored 19th-century workers' houses |
| Solo travellers | Linnéstaden | Linnégatan's restaurants and bars between Haga and Slottsskogen |
| Shopping | Inom Vallgraven | The old city inside the 17th-century moat, with canals, shops and the main squares |
| Quiet stays | Vasastan | Grand stone apartment blocks, the university and Röhsska design museum |
Gothenburg neighbourhoods in detail
$$$ · Best for first-timers, shopping and families
Inom Vallgraven
Inom Vallgraven is the historic core enclosed by the moat: Gustaf Adolfs torg, Stora Hamnkanalen, the East India House and the shopping streets around Kungsgatan and Fredsgatan. Central Station, Nordstan and the Paddan boat landing are all a few minutes' walk away, which makes it the most practical base for a short stay.
- Good
- Walkable to most sights; Steps from Central Station and the airport coach; Plenty of hotels in every class
- Watch out
- Shopping streets go quiet in the evening; Fewer independent restaurants than Linné or Haga
- Nearby
- Gothenburg City Museum, Stora Saluhallen, Trädgårdsföreningen, Paddan boats
$$$ · Best for couples, food lovers and culture
Haga
Haga grew up outside the moat as a working-class suburb, and its restored landshövdingehus (a stone ground floor topped by two wooden storeys) now hold cafés, vintage shops and craft stores along the pedestrian Haga Nygata. Stairs lead up from the district to the Skansen Kronan fortress, and the moat and Feskekôrka are a short walk away.
- Good
- Some of the city's most attractive streets; Excellent cafés and bakeries; Central but residential
- Watch out
- Few hotels inside Haga itself; Weekend crowds on Haga Nygata
- Nearby
- Haga Nygata, Skansen Kronan, Feskekôrka, Linnégatan
$$ · Best for food lovers, nightlife, solo travellers and couples
Linnéstaden
Linnéstaden, centred on the long, tree-lined Linnégatan, is where many locals eat out, with a dense run of restaurants, wine bars and pubs from Järntorget towards Slottsskogen. Trams run along it to the centre, and the park, the Natural History Museum and the Botanical Garden are within walking distance or a few stops.
- Good
- Wide choice of restaurants and bars; Close to Slottsskogen; Good tram links
- Watch out
- Mostly apartments rather than hotels; Busy bars around Järntorget late at night
- Nearby
- Linnégatan, Slottsskogen, Järntorget, Haga
$$$ · Best for quiet stays, culture and couples
Vasastan
Vasastan, between the moat and the Chalmers and university buildings, is a quiet district of late-19th-century stone apartment houses on streets such as Vasagatan, with its central tree-lined promenade. It is a calm, well-located base between Haga and Avenyn, with Röhsska Museum and small cafés on the doorstep.
- Good
- Quiet streets close to the centre; Elegant architecture; Walkable to Haga and Avenyn
- Watch out
- Limited hotel choice; Little nightlife of its own
- Nearby
- Röhsska Museum, Vasagatan, Haga, Avenyn
$$$ · Best for first-timers, nightlife, families and shopping
Lorensberg and Avenyn
Kungsportsavenyen, known as Avenyn, runs from the moat at Kungsportsplatsen up to Götaplatsen with its Poseidon statue, concert hall and city theatre. The street and its side streets hold many of the city's larger hotels, restaurants with summer terraces and nightclubs, and Liseberg and Universeum are a short walk east.
- Good
- Walkable to Liseberg and Universeum; Lively in the evenings; Good mid-range and upper-range hotels
- Watch out
- Avenyn is noisy on weekend nights; Restaurants on the main strip can be pricey
- Nearby
- Götaplatsen, Liseberg, Universeum, Trädgårdsföreningen
$$$ · Best for families and first-timers
Johanneberg and Liseberg
Around Korsvägen, the area beside Liseberg holds the Svenska Mässan congress centre, several large hotels, Universeum and the Museum of World Culture. It suits families who want to walk to Liseberg and travellers attending events, and the Korsvägen tram interchange makes the rest of the city easy to reach.
- Good
- Steps from Liseberg and Universeum; Large family-friendly hotels; Major tram hub at Korsvägen
- Watch out
- Busy and pricier during congresses and big events; Less character than Haga or Linné
- Nearby
- Liseberg, Universeum, Museum of World Culture, Korsvägen
$$ · Best for budget, food lovers and solo travellers
Majorna
Majorna and neighbouring Kungsladugård, west of Linné along the river, are known for their landshövdingehus, second-hand shops, Stigbergstorget's cafés and a relaxed local scene. Trams run out towards Saltholmen for the archipelago ferries, and the riverside path passes the Klippan cultural reserve near the Älvsborg Bridge.
- Good
- Local atmosphere and good-value food; On the tram line to the archipelago; Near Slottsskogen
- Watch out
- Few hotels; mostly apartments; A tram ride from the main sights
- Nearby
- Stigbergstorget, Slottsskogen, Klippan, Masthugget Church
$$$ · Best for quiet stays and couples
Norra Älvstranden
On the Hisingen bank of the Göta älv, the old shipyard districts of Eriksberg and Lindholmen have been rebuilt with waterfront apartments, a science park, hotels and restaurants with views back across the river. The Älvsnabben ferry links them to the centre at Stenpiren as part of the public-transport network.
- Good
- River views and waterfront walks; Ferry commute into the centre; Quieter than the city centre
- Watch out
- Fewer restaurants in the evening; Reaching sights depends on the ferry or a longer tram ride
- Nearby
- Eriksberg, Lindholmen, Ramberget, Älvsnabben ferry
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Inom Vallgraven | $$$ | Gothenburg City Museum, Stora Saluhallen, Trädgårdsföreningen, Paddan boats |
| Haga | $$$ | Haga Nygata, Skansen Kronan, Feskekôrka, Linnégatan |
| Linnéstaden | $$ | Linnégatan, Slottsskogen, Järntorget, Haga |
| Vasastan | $$$ | Röhsska Museum, Vasagatan, Haga, Avenyn |
| Lorensberg and Avenyn | $$$ | Götaplatsen, Liseberg, Universeum, Trädgårdsföreningen |
| Johanneberg and Liseberg | $$$ | Liseberg, Universeum, Museum of World Culture, Korsvägen |
| Majorna | $$ | Stigbergstorget, Slottsskogen, Klippan, Masthugget Church |
| Norra Älvstranden | $$$ | Eriksberg, Lindholmen, Ramberget, Älvsnabben ferry |
Getting to your hotel
Göteborg Landvetter Airport is about 25 km east of the city. Flygbussarna airport coaches run to the Nils Ericson Terminal by Central Station in about 20–30 minutes, with stops along the way; taxis take a similar time depending on traffic.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Gothenburg for first-time visitors?
Inom Vallgraven. Inom Vallgraven is the historic core enclosed by the moat: Gustaf Adolfs torg, Stora Hamnkanalen, the East India House and the shopping streets around Kungsgatan and Fredsgatan.
+Where should families stay in Gothenburg?
Inom Vallgraven: Walkable to most sights.
+Which area of Gothenburg is best for a budget stay?
Majorna ($$): Old harbour-workers' district of wooden houses, craft breweries and flea shops.