Slottsskogen Park

Gothenburg’s famous Slottsskogen Park contains 137 acres of woodland, open spaces, jogging trails and penguins right in the heart of the city. That’s right, penguins. At 2:30pm every day, you can even see the birds being fed at the lake they share with a group of clapping seals.
Throughout Slottsskogen Park there are open paddocks where you can see Swedish animals like elk, deer, and Gotland ponies. This is a park that doubles as a zoo -- the oldest one in Sweden. There’s also a children’s petting zoo, open in summer, where kids can get to know the park piglets, rabbits, and kid goats. It’s also fun to see the Swedish heritage area with small cottages from different regions.
Once used as deer hunting grounds, Slottsskogen has been a protected park since 1874. Wander the forest trail in late summer, past native beech, maple, and oak trees, and look out for wild strawberries and blueberries -- the perfect trail mix -- right at your feet. Or just relax at one of the park’s three cafés.
Slottsskogen is also home to the Way Out West festival every August, when major acts like Röyksopp and Robyn come to town. You may also see the Göteborg Symphony Orchestra playing a free outdoor concert. Sweden’s Midsummer celebration is another popular time to visit Slottsskogen, when families and friends come to picnic under the midnight sun.

Practical Info

Slottsskogen Park is always open and its zoo is free. The petting zoo is open May-Aug. To get to the park from Kungsportsavenyn, take tram 1, 5, or 7 and hop off at the Botaniska Tradgarden stop.