Season guide · Gothenburg · Sweden
Gothenburg in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Rolf Broberg ( Rolf B ), CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Short, dark days around freezing, softened by Christmas markets, Lucia, the film festival and low hotel prices outside the holidays. Expect highs up to 3°C (37°F) and lows around -3°C (27°F), with about 44 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- -3°C (27°F) to 3°C (37°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 44
- Sea
- 3°C (37°F) to 5°C (41°F)
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 2°C (36°F) | -3°C (27°F) | 16 | 7.2 h | 2/5 |
| February | 2°C (36°F) | -3°C (27°F) | 12 | 9.3 h | 2/5 |
| December | 3°C (37°F) | -1°C (30°F) | 16 | 6.6 h | 4/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 2°C (36°F) against a yearly 11°C (52°F), and 44 of the year's roughly 155 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 3/5 and hotel prices 3/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Göteborg Film Festival — one of Scandinavia's largest film festivals (usually late January to early February)
- February: Göteborg Film Festival continues (usually into early February)
- December: Christmas at Liseberg continues (usually until just before Christmas or later)
- December: Lucia celebrations with candlelit processions (13 December)
Good choices for winter
Museum · Inom Vallgraven
Maritiman
Wear flat shoes and leave bulky bags behind; the ladders inside the submarine and destroyer are narrow and steep.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- History
- Active
Market · Inom Vallgraven
Stora Saluhallen
The city's covered market hall on Kungstorget dates from 1889 and houses delis, butchers, cheese counters, bakeries and small lunch stalls under a cast-iron roof.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- Rainy day
- Shopping
Museum · Slottsskogen
Gothenburg Natural History Museum
Pair it with the free animal enclosures in Slottsskogen for an easy family day out on a showery afternoon.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Aquarium · Johanneberg and Liseberg
Universeum
Next to Liseberg, Universeum is a science centre with a multi-storey indoor rainforest where birds and monkeys move freely, an aquarium with sharks and rays, reptiles and hands-on science and technology halls.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Garden · Inom Vallgraven
Trädgårdsföreningen and the Palm House
Use it as a green short cut between Central Station and Avenyn, and come in July when the rosarium is in full bloom.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Couples
- Rainy day
Day trips in winter
- Alingsås (About 30–40 minutes by train) — A small town that promotes itself as Sweden's fika capital, with an old wooden centre full of cafés and bakeries, and a history as the birthplace of Swedish textile industry.
- Smögen (About 2 hours by car) — A fishing village on the Bohuslän coast known for Smögenbryggan, a long wooden quay lined with red boathouses, shrimp, and smooth granite rocks for swimming.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Gothenburg?
It is a trade-off: Short, dark days around freezing, softened by Christmas markets, Lucia, the film festival and low hotel prices outside the holidays. The best months overall are May–August.
+What is the weather like in Gothenburg in winter?
Highs of up to 3°C (37°F) and lows around -3°C (27°F), with about 44 rainy days over the season.