Sweden - Becky Ohlsen [162]
Hemköp supermarket (Nordstan shopping complex; 8am-9pm Mon-Fri, 10am-8pm Sat & Sun) Major supermarket in the thick of things.
Ekostore (13 60 23; Ekelundsgatan 4; 10am-7pm Mon-Fri, 10am-2pm Sat Jul & Aug, 10am-8pm Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm Sat Sep-Jun) An eco-chic grocery store selling organic and fair-trade products.
Systembolaget Kungsportsavenyn (18 65 24; Kungs-portsavenyn 18); Linné district (14 65 21; Linnégatan 28B) Systembolagets are scattered across Göteborg, selling beer, wine and spirits. These are two particularly handy outlets.
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DRINKING
Swedish licensing laws mean that bars must have a restaurant section, although in most cases, it’s vice versa. While Kungsportsavenyn brims with beer-downing tourists, try the following savvier options.
Lokal (13 32 00; Kyrkogatan 11; 4pm-1am Mon-Sat) Awarded Best Bar in Göteborg and run by the team from Publik, this effortlessly cool hang-out pulls everyone from artists and media types to the odd punk rocker. Drinks are inspired (think kiwi and ginger daiquiri), the pick-and-mix menu brims with fusion flavours, and music spans soul, jazz and electro. And staff donate 10% of their tips to a Cambodian orphanage.
Club Social (13 87 55; Magasinsgatan 3; 4pm-2am Tue-Sat) A black-and-white leather bar demands classic cocktails, and this glam-cool newbie delivers just that. Join in-the-know locals for smooth Bellinis, a tapas-fuelled catch-up session or the petite selection of foodie-minded mains, which change daily according to what’s good at the morning market.
Bliss (13 85 55; Magasinsgatan 3; 11.30am-2.30pm Mon-Fri, 6pm-1am or 2am Tue-Thu & Sat, 5pm-1am or 2am Fri) Bliss boasts one of the hippest interiors in Göteborg, with low designer seats and slick contemporary tones. It’s a long-standing nocturnal favourite: if you’re not up to a main meal (they’re usually delicious; lunch Skr80, dinner mains around Skr200), you can nibble on tapas-style snacks and groove to live DJs until late.
Ölhallen 7:an (13 60 79; Kungstorget 7) For low-fuss, old-school soul, don’t miss this little gem – a well-worn Swedish beer hall that hasn’t changed in about 100 years. There’s no food, wine or pretension, just beer, and plenty of choices.
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ENTERTAINMENT
Nightclubs
Clubs have varying minimum-age limits, ranging from 18 to 25, and many may charge admission depending on the night.
Nefertiti (711 15 33; www.nefertiti.se, in Swedish; Hvitfeldtsplatsen 6; admission Skr90-320) A Göteborg institution, this effortlessly cool venue is famous for its smooth live jazz, blues and world music, usually followed by kicking club nights spanning everything from techno, deep house and soul to hip hop and funk. Times vary, so check the website.
Storan (60 45 00; www.storan.nu, in Swedish; Kungsparken 1) Another local icon, this old opera house now pumps out everything from live indie tunes to weekly club nights. The frozen margaritas at the in-house resto-bar, Grill El Mundo, enjoy cult status. Check the website for upcoming gigs.
Pustervik (368 32 77; www.pustervik.gotherborg.se, in Swedish; Järntorgsgatan 12) Culture vultures and party people pack this hybrid venue, with its heaving downstairs bar and upstairs club and stage. Gigs range from independent theatre and live music (anything from emerging singer-songwriters to Neneh Cherry) to regular club nights spanning hip hop, soul and rock.
Röda Sten (12 08 16; www.rodasten.com; Röda Sten 1; Fri & Sat) Paging Berlin with its post-industrial look, this power station-turned-art gallery cranks up the party vibe with live bands on Friday nights and club nights on Saturdays. Expect indie pop the first Saturday of the month, followed by ’80s tunes (complete with retro-clad punters), reggae, and techno each subsequent Saturday.
Nivå (701 80 90; Kungsportsavenyn 9; admission free-Skr140; to 3am Wed, to 4.30am Fri & Sat) This styled-up bar-restaurant metamorphoses into a crowd-pleasing (and crowded) club as the week draws on, with several floors