Gothenburg - the bustling city

A small city or a large town? Gothenburg is somewhere between the two: big enough to offer the buzz of the city and plenty of activities, but small enough to feel intimate, with natural meeting places for all the students who study here.

Gothenburg has more students than any other city in Sweden. But it's more than just a student city. With more than half a million inhabitants, this is also Sweden's second largest city. The city is defined by its harbour and its proximity to the sea, but there is also a wide range of culture, sports and major events. Advanced research and development is carried out here by both academia and research institutes, and business is flourishing with commerce, industry and innovation.

Gothenburg offers unique opportunities. You can choose to lead a typical student life, with fantastic study facilities, cosy cafés, student parties and communal student accommodation. But you can also take part in the various events and the diverse cultural scene that Gothenburg has to offer.

From leisure to shopping

Sun and swimming. Fitness. Shopping. Nightlife. In Gothenburg, most things are within walking distance. Cycling is almost a way of life. Students and locals are keen cyclists, and if you don't have your own bike the city has a system of strategically located bikes that can be hired for a small charge.

It's easy to reach the coast by tram or by bike. Spacious hiking areas, jogging tracks and unspoilt scenery await just outside the city. If you enjoy running, there are both parks and running tracks nearby, and there are many fitness centres – some run by private chains, others by the student unions.

You can shop 'til you drop in Gothenburg, with everything from large shopping centres to small boutiques on the city's backstreets. Nordstan, in the city centre, is the largest shopping centre in the Nordic region.

Stop for a coffee

Gothenburg is also famous for its cafés. The student areas in particular are packed with cafés to suit every taste. You'll find plenty of restaurants here, too. Swedes often eat lunch out, and hundreds of restaurants therefore offer daily lunch specials at reasonable prices in the city centre.

Go clubbing

Gothenburg is well-known for its nightlife. In the centre, glittering nightclubs and restaurants are concentrated around the main street called Avenyn. Here you can dance the night away. Members of the cultural establishment and the alternative scene can be found a kilometre or so to the west, at the restaurants and pubs in the Linné area and around Järntorget, Haga and Masthugget.

Easy to get around

Whether you live in the thick of things or further out in the suburbs makes no difference. The city has a modern transport network consisting of trams, buses and ferries. Generally speaking, you are never more than half an hour away from where it's all happening.