The 12 Best Viewpoints in Gothenburg, Sweden

If there’s one thing Gothenburg does have, it’s an abundance of incredible viewpoints that look out over the city and the harbour. If you are looking for somewhere to catch the sunrise or sunset, or simply get a better view of the city, you have come to the right place. With a fix of the water, detailed architecture, colourful rooftops and rich parklands, the views over Gothenburg never cease to amaze me. The best thing is, most of these amazing viewpoints are free! In this guide, I will take you through the 12 best viewpoints in Gothenburg, Sweden.

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Skansen Kronan

Skansen Kronan is one of the most iconic buildings in Gothenburg, an old fortress perched on top of a hill looking over Haga and Linnegatan. The building itself was built in the 1600s as part of the city’s main defence, alongside Skansen Lejonet on the other side of Gothenburg. From the grounds outside of Skansen Kronan there is an amazing view over Gothenburg, looking onto stacked orange roofs and iconic buildings such as Oscar Fredrik’s Kyrka.

Skansen Kronan is one of the most popular places in Gothenburg to watch the sunset as it is very central and easy to access! The best way to get to Skansen Kronan is to take the tram to either Haga Kyrkan or Järntorget and walk up one of the pathways. These start at Skanstorget, Linnéparken, and Lilla Risåsgatan.

Masthuggskyrkan

Masthuggskyrkan is my favourite viewpoint in Gothenburg. It’s the perfect place for watching the sun set over the archipelago, with views from Hisingsbron to Älvsborgsbron. Masthuggskyrkan is quite a sight in itself, perched on top of the mountain surrounded by grassy, rocky, mountains.

If you are coming to this Gothenburg viewpoint at sunset I recommend arriving around 30 minutes before. This way you usually get to see the best colours over the horizon. The best way to get to Masthuggskyrkan is to take the tram to Göteborg Stigbergstorget and walk up the mountain path.

Heaven 21 and Gothia Towers

Heaven 21 is the bar and restaurant at the top of Gothia Towers. It is quite a fancy restaurant but a great place to go for a drink and a beautiful city view. From the windows in Heaven 21, you get an amazing view over Korsvägen and Liseberg!

If you want something a little extra, you can book into Upper House Spa. Here they have an outdoor hanging pool that looks over Liseberg with clear glass floor. It’s one of the most instagrammable spots in Gothenburg and for good reason!

You can either visit Upper House for a day spa or stay the night in Gothia Towers beautiful hotel with a spa package. You can find more details here!

Keillers Park Viewpoint

Keillers Park is one of the best views on Hisingen, looking over Lindholmen towards the city center from the other direction. There are a few different view points you shouldn’t miss in this park. The first is Keillers Park Viewpoint West which is the biggest of the views over Gothenburg. You can drive up to this viewpoint or walk through the park. The second is Keillers Park Viewpoint. You can also drive to this Viewpoint. It is very similar to the first but a little higher up. The last is Lilla Toppen Ramberget which is not as high but gives views over the more industrial part of Hisingen towards Hisingsbrön and the Gothenburg Opera house.

I recommend walking to these viewpoints as the park itself is really nice. To get there, the best way is to take the bus to Vågmästaregatan and walk 10 minutes to the first viewpoint.

Views from Keillers Park Viewpoint, Gothenburg

Läppstiftet (The Lipstick)

Läppstiftet (The Lipstick), or Lilla Bommen by its actual name, is the iconic red and white building that looks out over the harbour by Hisingsbron. From the 22^nd floor, there is an amazing viewpoint which looks out over the river, the opera house, down Östra Hamngatan and out towards Haga. The viewpoint is called “Göteborgsutkiken” and is open from 11 – 16 on weekdays. Unfortunately, you do need to pay for entry to his viewpoint.

Carolus XI Rex Bastion

Carolus XI Rex Bastion is a little hidden gem in the middle of the city. Along with Carolus Gustavus Rex, Carolus XI Rex Bastion, and Bastion Christina Regina, these four viewpoints made up part of the old Gothenburg city wall. Now, from Carolus XI Rex Bastion looks out over Stenpiran, the canal, and down towards Järntorget. If you look to the right, you will see the colourful layered rooftops of Kungsgatan, and to the left is the busy intersection outside Folkets Hus and Hotel Draken.

Röda Sten

Röda Sten is an area just outside of central Gothenburg, down by the water underneath the Älvsborgsbron. This is a very iconic Gothenburg viewpoint, one of the best to capture the water, the bridge, the Eriksberg crane and Karlatonet. If you are looking for somewhere to watch the sunset, I would definitely recommend heading here. Although the sun sets over the water out in the archipelago, the bridge often reflects a beautiful shade of orange. If you want to see the sunset behind the bridge, you can walk back down Klippans Strandpromenad towards the Quality Hotel Waterfront.

Skansen Lejonet

Skansen Lejonet is another old fortress that once protected Gothenburg. It is located just behind the central station, and looks very similar to Skansen Kronan, however, the view from here is dramatically different. Wedged in-between the train tracks, you get a great view over the central station and the harbour, however, this viewpoint is a little harder to get to and I would say that its main attraction is the fortress itself rather than the view. For this reason, if you are only spending a few days in Gothenburg, I would choose to visit a few of the other Gothenburg viewpoints first.

Above at Scandic Göteborg Central

Above is the Scandic Göteborg Central’s rooftop bar which overlooks the harbour, Hisingsbron, and Ringön. The bar is open every day from 13 to midnight and is easily reached by taking the lift from Scandic Göteborg Central’s lobby. The bar is open for drinks and dinner, and the views from here are very unique!

Bragebacken Lookout

Bragebacken Lookout is a lookout tower nestled in the trees of Slottskogen. It is relatively close to Azaleadalen and Barnens Zoo yet is still very much of a hidden gem. To get to Bragebacken Lookout, follow the Bragestigen from Slottskogens Discgolfbana. On the left between the trees you should see a steep hill (Bragebacken). Follow this to the top and soon after you will see the lookout tower.