A passion of mine, besides art, is traveling. I started traveling as a child with the aim of perhaps appeasing my restless soul with a backpack and a camera around my neck. In recent weeks I have spent some time in Sweden at the home of some friends in the city of Goteborg.
Goteborg is the second-most populous city in Sweden after Stockholm, and it’s really nice to visit at Christmastime. It is surrounded by a truly fascinating atmosphere: the night falls, early in the afternoon but the city and all the windows are illuminated by splendid decorations.
I am always looking for new attractions, I could not miss a visit to the iconic park of Liseberg! In 2005 Forbes ranked Liseberg among the 10 best amusement parks in the world around.
The park includes some 40 attractions, arranged between enchanting and bewitching castles and rides. The peculiarity of the rides is their wooden structures, which are among the best in the world. I could describe it with one single adjective: magical! It’s so fantastic that it distracts you from how cold it is outside. The temperature is extremely cold, usually around zero and the scenes are completely covered with snow, which is a dream to see.
The park was opened in 1923. It is possible to visit it during all months of the year even during the Christmas period, just with fewer attractions. But despite the limitations, it is worth spending an afternoon there. There are different types of tickets, and hours of operation are from 3-9 PM.
I advise you to spend the whole afternoon there so you can also watch the different ice shows on the notes of Nutcracker, for example.
You will spend an afternoon of pure fun, surrounded by snow-covered avenues, numerous stands where you can buy typical Swedish Christmas products, play to win goodies and prizes, or even enjoy the amazing roller coaster!
When darkness really falls, the unmissable thing to do is to visit the home of Santa Claus himself. A stunning, wooden house with perfect decorations, it is something that enchants both young and old. You can even write a letter to Santa as you spend time with some of his elves.
You will see that the afternoon will fly in this fantastic atmosphere, and you can end the day with a nice ride on the Ferris wheel. Inside the park, there are a lot of restaurants, fast food options, toilets, and even breweries to warm up in from time to time.
Often for work, but also for pure pleasure, I try to travel along tourist routes that are not too crowded in order to discover places that have incredible experiences to offer, yet find themselves off the beaten path.
Although Stockholm is certainly more famous than Goteborg, I found in the Christmas season that this unique attraction has a lot to offer, even if only for a quick side trip. Don’t let it pass you by!
Happy Christmas, and we’ll see you next year!
