Gothenburg Shopping and Districts

(Gothenburg, Vastergotland, Vastra Gotaland County, Sweden)

The main shopping districts in Gothenburg are central and compact, with one of the biggest selection of shops being based around the Nordstadstorget area, where the Nordstan mall resides. Many Swedish handicrafts make excellent souvenirs of Gothenburg, along with the more touristy T-shirts, caps, mugs and confectionary.

Look out for shops with distinctive tax-free shopping signs, which are hard to miss and bright blue and yellow in colour. These stores are spread all around central Gothenburg and tend to offer the best value goods, although perhaps not the best quality.


If you are from England and missing your home comforts, then a visit to the 'English Shop' on Plantagegatan will be in order, where you can purchase everything from books and games, to familiar breakfast cereals and English tea bags.

When to Shop and Opening Hours

The majority of shops in Gothenburg are open between 10:00 to 19:00 Monday to Friday, although some do open and close earlier.

On Saturdays, the opening hours are reduced to around 10:00 to 16:00, while on Sunday, far fewer shops open their doors, although the Nordstan is open from 12:00 to 17:00.

Where to Shop

Much of the best shopping in Gothenburg lies around the central street of Kungsgatan, next to the Avenyn (the Avenue), which literally translates as the 'Street of Kings'. This major shopping street is fully pedestrianised and stretches for around 3 km / 2 miles, and is particularly good for fashion. Many clothing stores are located along the Kungsgatan and around the Fredsgatan, although most are not cheap.

With well over 150 different shops and eateries all under one single roof, the shopping at the Nordstan mall is amongst the best that Gothenburg has to offer, being visited by well over 50,000 shoppers every single day. The Nordstan markets itself is Scandinavia's premier shopping centre and is conveniently just minutes from the Central Train Station and close to the Brunnsparken.

Gothenburg's districts of Haga and Linnéstaden also feature a reasonable selection of shops, while outside of the city itself, the nearby town of Kungsbacka is a good spot for shopping and features a number of traditional Swedish markets.