New flights from Dublin to Gothenburg with Scandinavian Airlines
April 11th 2015 marked the launch of new flights Dublin Gothenburg with Scandinavian Airlines for summer 2015.
The service is weekly each Saturday from April 11th to June 20th and from August 15th to September 26th. From June to August, the service is twice weekly, operating on Sundays and Wednesday s (each Sunday from 28th June to 9th August, and each Wednesday from 1st July to 5th August).
In short, once a week on a Saturday shoulder season and twice a week on Sundays and Wednesday during the peak summer season.
One way flights Dublin Gothenburg start from €78 one way including taxes and charges. To book a flight visit http://www.flysas.ie or contact your local travel agent.
10 travel tips if you book flights Dublin Gothenburg this summer
1 – Beers
The beer scene is Gothenburg is superb, and has been for years. The current IPA and microbrewery trend that is currently sweeping the world has been the norm in Gothenburg for 10 years plus. Many of Gothenburg’s indigenous breweries have been around for 30 years or more.
During my time in Gothenburg I didn’t drink one international brand beer and I didn’t drink the same local beer twice – no hard feat.
A few to definitely try are Ocean India Pale Ale, Ocean Ebbot Ale, Larger No. 1, Hip Hops IPA, Kaltenburg and Radanas India Pale Ale.
2 – Bars
Not surprisingly given the above, there is a great bar scene in Gothenburg. My favourite was 7:an Ölhall. On a sunny afternoon it’s the perfect place to watch the world go by. They’ve also got some lovely free bar snacks.
- The Post Bar – Host to Sweden’s best bartender. Excellent for cocktails and beers. Located in the Hotel Clarion.
- Dorsia – The most exclusive bar in the city. A great place for cocktails and champagne. Located at Trädgårdsgatan 6.
- 7:an Ölhall – The city’s oldest bar, it has been a bar for more than 110 years. Located at Kungstorget 7, next to the Avalon hotel.
3 – Sightseeing
For me, one of the best ways to explore a new city and get your bearings is to go for a run the first morning you are in town. The first morning is best as the second morning will likely be difficult, especially if you’ve enjoyed the local brews too much the night before.
As Gothenburg is a canal city, like Amsterdam (the Dutch helped build Gothenburg), a canal tour is a perfect way to relax and see the city.
Take the Paddan Canal Boat tour to discover the harbor and the city from the water side. The tour takes approximately 50 minutes and is free if you have a City Card.
4 – Where to stay
I stayed at the 4* Hotel Scandic Europa. The hotel has one of the most central locations in the city and was renovated in 2014. Scandic have seven hotels in Gothenburg.
5 – Where to eat
The list is endless. Food is important in daily life in Gothenburg. In reality it’s hard to find a bad Swedish restaurant. Here are a few places I would happily recommend.
- Barabicu – A trendy restaurant with a nice atmosphere.
- Kungsgatan – Good food, great location. Adress Kungsgatan 7. Tel: 0046 31 139290
- Restaurant HAK at the Hotel Scandic Europa – A cool atmosphere and live music at the weekends. It’s great to be able to eat at your hotel when you’ve been our on your feet sightseeing all day.
6 – Fika
Fika is a serious part of Swedish culture. In short, it is coffee and cake, with the caveat that it must be with friends. You can’t have Fika by yourself.
de Matteo serves some serious coffee, cakes, pasties, and sandwiches in multiple locations around Gothenburg. They were voted the best coffee in all of Sweden on more than one occasion.
7 – Islands
Like Stockholm, Gothenburg is part of an archipelago of islands. No Swedish experience is complete without a trip to one of the islands, which in Gothenburg is doable as a day trip. You can’t do them all so go for the best – Styrsö.
Styrsö is incredibly easy to get to. Take tram no 11 from central Gothenburg through Gothenburg’s leafy wealthy suburbs to the end of the line at Saltholmen (approx. 20 mins). Then simply take the ferry to Styrsö, a beautiful little island without cars, just 15 minutes from Saltholmen. The journey is included in your City Card.
If you want to stay overnight definitely book Styrsö Skäret. Ola and his wife will look after you brilliantly. Their restaurant alone is worth the trip. If you can, stay two nights and unwind. If you are game rent one of Ola’s bikes and cycle the island. It’s only 2X3 kilometers.
8 – City Card
Simplify your stay with a City Card. They are so easy to use and are great value. The Gothenburg card covers parking, public transport, parks, museums, bikes, ferries, the canal tour and more. Current prices (April 2015) are 355 SEK for 24 hours, 495 SEK for 48 hours and 645 SEK for 72 hours.
9 – Museums
Mix up your eating, beer drinks and sightseeing with a little bit of culture. All museums are open between 11am and 5pm, and are free with the City Card. Here are some museum recommendations:
- Gothenburg Museum of Art – The art collection is one of the finest in Northern Europe and stretches from the 15th century until today, with significant Nordic and international artwork.
- Museum of World Culture – This museum includes contemporary exhibitions seen from an international perspective, where controversial and conflict-filled topics are addressed. The ultra-modern building also houses a café and restaurant.
- Röhsska Museum of Fashion, Design and Decorative Arts – This museum is located on Vasagatan, close to Avenyn. There are temporary exhibitions of work by the best Scandinavian designers. There is also the permanent exhibition of history of design from 1851 to the present day and a popular café.
10 – Stockholm and Gothenburg
If you have the time Stockholm and Gothenburg makes for a great two city break. The cities are located three hours apart by train. The direct Dublin to Gothenburg flights are weekly so a good option would be to fly into Stockholm on a Thursday, spend one day and one night in Stockholm and then take the train down to Gothenburg for two nights and fly back direct to Dublin the Sunday.
To find out more about what to see and do in Gothenburg visit the Goteborg tourist board website. If you use Twitter or Instagram you’ll find them at https://twitter.com/goteborgcom and using the hashtag #gothenburg.
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Michael Collins is Founder and MD of TravelMedia.ie