Hello Sweden! Midsummer in Gothenburg

On the night of 24.06.22 we will arrive in Gothenburg by ferry, just in time for Swedish Midsummer!

We have chosen a parking lot just outside the city center of Gothenburg, right by Askimsbadet. The beach with Sweden's longest bathing pier filled up promptly at 8 o'clock and there was no more sleeping in the car... It was also going to be the hottest day of the week, so it's time for a refreshing cold shower and then a cozy breakfast in the shade. In the afternoon, we finally went into the city - expecting lively Midsummer celebrations. We were surprised when we found a nearly deserted Gothenburg. All shops were closed, only a few restaurants and cafes were open, and there were hardly any people on the streets. Well, then we have the city to ourselves. Gothenburg has beautiful districts like Haga and Vasastaden, an opera, several ports, a pretty university, and some viewpoints such as Skansen Kronan. We can imagine how much life there is in the city in the many restaurants and bars when there is no holiday. We found the crowds of people in the city park, where they were dancing or playing Swedish chess adorned with flower crowns. The rest of the people of Gothenburg had obviously gathered at our parking lot and the beach, and we notice the colorful diversity of people here. After keeping ourselves fueled with cereal bars and Swedish Fika (coffee break with cinnamon bun) throughout the day, it's now time for Swabian lentils with spaetzle, which we cooked in the park. Well-deserved after over 25,000 steps ;)

Since Midsummer was still being celebrated on 25.06.22 and there was nothing else going on, we spent the day in the archipelago off Gothenburg. There are many enchanting small islands, easily accessible by ferry and a ticket for public transportation. We chose Styrsö. We almost jumped off the ferry too late and then started on the small hiking trail of about 5km around a large part of the island. Sometimes we walk through green mixed forests, sometimes along small beaches, scramble over magnificent rocks or wade through the water to even more rocky mini-islands. And then we find our first wild Swedish blueberries! With a spring in our step, we continue to a village where a Midsummer festival is being held on the sports field. Everyone travels to the car-free Styrsö by mopeds, bicycles, or golf cars. Otherwise, we only encounter a few people and after a few turns, we are back at the ferry stop. Afterwards, we visit Haga again and today, the Café Husaren is actually open, where they have the largest Kanelbullars we have ever seen... We are in heaven!

Now we are preparing a little for our next stop: tomorrow we are going to Oslo!