Göteborg

Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest amongst the Nordic countries. Situated on the south-west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 502,833 with 622,287 in the urban area and total of 911,406 inhabitants in the metropolitan area.

Gothenburg has an oceanic climate according to Köppen climate classification. Despite its high northern latitude, temperatures are quite mild throughout the year and much warmer than places in similar latitude, or even somewhat further south, mainly because of the moderating influence of the warm Gulf Stream. During the summer, daylight extends 17 hours, but lasts only around 7 hours in late December.

The sea, trade and industrial history of the city is evident in the cultural life of Gothenburg. The greatest attraction in the city is the amusement park Liseberg (see Sites of interest). Another fact related to the industrial heritage of the city is that many of the cultural institutions, as well as hospitals and the university, were created thanks to donations from rich merchants and industrialists, for example the Röhsska Museum.

Gothenburg, with its location by the sea, is famous for the quality and variety of its seafood dishes. Various fish restaurants exist in the city, from low-class shacks to world-class eateries. The city also has a number of star chefs – over the past decade, seven of the Swedish Chef of the Year Awards have been won by Gothenburgers. A popular place to buy fish ingredients is the Feskekôrka ("Fish Church"); an indoor fish market which got its name from the building's resemblance to a Gothic church. Five Gothenburg restaurants have a star in the 2008 Michelin Guide: 28 +, Basement, Fond, Kock & Vin and Sjömagasinet.