Why go?
With the arrival of long, warm Nordic summer days, now is the time to visit Sweden's handsome second city. The historic centre is surrounded by a moat and harbour, which, with its canals, gives the city a Venetian flavour. Then there are the pavement cafe-bars, the parks and the laid-back atmosphere.

The flight
Ryanair (0871 246 0000, www.ryanair.com) flies to Gothenburg from Stansted twice a day (once on Saturdays) from about £35 return including taxes and internet discount. There is also a service from Glasgow. A 20-minute coach ride into the city costs £4, a taxi £20.

Hotels

£92.50 Elite Plaza Hotel, Västra Hamngatan 3 (0046 31 720 4000, www.elite.se).
This luxurious boutique-style hotel, located in a palatial 19th-century building in the heart of Gothenburg, is the best in town. Everyone from Bruce Springsteen to Tina Turner has stayed here.

£83 Hotel Riverton, Stora Badhusgatan 26 (0046 31 750 1000, www.riverton.se).
A good, mid-priced hotel 10-15 minutes' walk from the centre. Sauna, whirlpool and a 12th-floor Skybar with a fantastic harbour view.

£63 Hotel Flora, Grönsakstorget 2 (0046 31 138616, www.hotelflora.se)
A clean, modern, pinefloored hotel in the centre of town. Rooms are even cheaper if you don't mind sharing a bathroom. Stylish ground-floor breakfast room/cafe.

Restaurants and nightlife

The restaurants
(Prices are for three courses, excluding drinks.)

£41 Fond Restaurant Bar & Cafe, Götaplatsen (0046 31 812580; www.fondrestaurang.com).
This restaurant boasts a cool ambience and superb New Swedish cuisine. For a starter, choose cold smoked salmon with aquavit spices served with dill pickle. Follow that with pike-perch with asparagus and mushrooms, and then blueberry sorbet with chocolate cheesecake.

£25 Hemma Hos, Haga Nygatan 12 (0046 31 134090).
A cosy, good-value restaurant in the heart of Haga old town. Try the white fish roe with red onion and lemon, followed by garlic-seasoned lamb served with feta cheese and potatoes and then a crèpe with ice cream and apple.

£6 Cafe Kronhuset, Postgatan 6-8 (0046 31 711 0832).
This charming little cafeteria lies in a quiet square in the oldest part of the old city. Sit in the sunshine and admire the 17th-century Kronhuset (Crown House) as you tuck into a traditional dish such as gravadlax (marinated salmon served with dill and lemon, and either potato or salad) for a lunchtime snack.

The big night out
The city's night life centres on the Avenyn, which is lined with restaurants and bars offering outdoor seating. Brasserie Lipp (Avenyn 8), a trendy bar with a restaurant, is good for an early evening drink. Then head for Nefertiti, Hvitfeldtsplatsen (www.nefertiti.se), an atmospheric jazz club in the heart of the city where you can catch leading Swedish jazz bands while having dinner or a drink. Concerts start at about 9.15pm. During the summer, the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra performs occasional outdoor concerts.

Sightseeing and shopping

The classic sight
There is no one must-see sight, more a must-do tour. Paddan (0046 31 609670, www.paddan.com) offers a 45-minute cruise around the moat, the Storahamn canal and harbour. It costs £6.50 and takes in attractions such as King's Park, the Opera House and the floating dock.

The alternative sight
Gothenburg's southern archipelago consists of hundreds of islands, some mere pinpricks, others home to fully-fledged villages. Take a No11 tram to Saltholmen, then a return ferry ticket to Vrångö (£3), the island farthest away, or one closer to home. For further info, visit www.styrsobolaget.com.

The walk
Start at King Gustav Adolf square (named after the king who founded Gothenburg) with its historic buildings. Cross the Storahamn canal and go down Korsgatan to the Domkyrkan (Dome Church). Then make for the Avenyn, and turn right along leafy Vasastan, with its handsome apartment blocks, which eventually leads to the old workers' district of Haga with its cobbled streets and "tenement-style" buildings. Walk along Haga Nygatan, admiring the shops, before heading up the hill to the fortress, Skansen Kronan.

The shops

£90 is the cost of an elk-patterned rug from Nordic Design Etc, Nordstan Shopping Centre (www.nordicdesignetc.se).

£22 buys a simple but stylish stainless-steel cutlery set from Duka (Korsgatan 12).

£7 is the price of a kilo of Herrgard cheese from Ostaffären in the Saluhallen (food market), Kungstorget.

The guidebook
The Rough Guide to Sweden (£13.99).

What's on when
The Midsummer Festival starts on June 25. The Gothenburg Party, with a host of free concerts and events, takes place from August 6 to 14. That is followed by a dance and theatre festival, August 20-29, and a jazz festival, August 20-22. For details of events - and the Gothenburg pass offering discounted travel within the city and entry to attractions - contact the main tourist office in Gothenburg (0046 31 612500) or the Swedish Tourist Board (00 800 3080 3080) or visit www.gothenburg.com.