Gothenburg is Sweden's second city and has a character quite different from Stockholm. Founded in 1621 and built by Dutch immigrants, it still has gabled houses and an Amsterdam-style canal around the old centre. The harbour -- Sweden's only one that does not freeze in winter -- remains central to the city's identity and atmosphere.
Walk around the Haga district for its charming small shops and cafes, then head to the Kungsportsavenyn (locals call it "the Avenyn") for museums, restaurants, and Gothenburg's famously lively nightlife. The city has an impressive range of museums: art at the Konstmuseet, design at the Rohsska, world cultures in a striking modern building, and of course the Volvo Museum for anyone who wants to understand what makes Sweden tick.
Liseberg, Scandinavia's largest amusement park, sits right in the centre of town and has been entertaining people since 1923. Beyond the city, the car-free West Coast Archipelago offers hundreds of islands with rocky beaches, swimming spots, and some of Sweden's best seafood. Take a ferry from Saltholmen and go island hopping -- it is one of the highlights of the Swedish west coast.
Gothenburg is also Sweden's best seafood city. The fish harbour, the Feskekorka (fish church) market, and the restaurants along the harbour all make the most of what the North Sea brings in daily.