One of the sweetest treats tucked away within Göteborg is its oldest neighborhood - Haga. Established in 1648 by Queen Christina - daughter of King Gustavus Adolphus who founded Göteborg in 1621 - as the city's first suburb, it was originally located outside of the city limits. Following waves of unsettling periods over the years, the area underwent a major renovation in the 1980s and is now a charming space blending seamlessly into the city and easily reachable within walking distance of the center.
Many of Haga's quaint shops, bakeries and cafés are lined along the cobblestoned main street of Haga Nygata. Intertwined with the boutiques, the picturesque wooden houses known as landshövdingehus provide a historical architectural backdrop. Made of brick layers on the street level, the buildings survived a planned demolition in the 20th century and were part of the preservation project during the redevelopment phase.
Integrated within and impressively overlooking the district stands the 17th century Skansen Kronan stone fortress topped with a striking wooden golden painted crown.
Well worth the climb up Skansberget hill and a series of stairs for the stunning, panoramic views of Haga and Göteborg, the structure was constructed to protect and defend the city in the event of a Danish attack.
As a favorite place of ours to visit each time we travel to Göteborg, Haga offers a tranquil setting sprinkled with a mix of stylish home and antique shops and an abundance of spots to choose from for fika. During our trip this past summer, we passed through Saluhallen - an enclosed market hall completed in 1889 as a premier locale for merchant traders - on our way to Haga.
Today, it is a popular venue filled with an incredible array of gourmet food specialties from cheeses, baked goods, teas and breads to fish, meats and deli sandwiches.
Crossing over the canal, we reached the edge of Haga Nygata and popped into Pralinboden on the corner to pick up a handful of scrumptious Belgian chocolates. From there, we stepped into beautifully curated home interior stores, an intoxicatingly scented soap boutique and an antique shop for vintage pieces to add to the collection of finds we had already accumulated for the shop at The Old Lucketts Store while in Sweden and Denmark.
Another stop that we never miss when in Haga is Café Husaren for its famous gigantic dinner plate sized cinnamon roll - the Haga Bullen - and huge assortment of Scandinavian pastries.
Later that evening with a renewed appetite, we made outdoor reservations at the seafood restaurant Sjömagasinet housed within a 1775 warehouse a little further west of Haga.
With spectacular sunsets on a clear day along the Göta Älven river and harbor entrance, it is a perfect ending to a sunny afternoon soaking up Göteborg.
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