Lisebergsbyn - A city campsite in Gothenburg

We are approaching our third week of five and my how time is flying! Having caught the ferry over from Denmark, we're now in our fourth country: Sweden. I have only visited Sweden once before as a student and spent a week in a town in the north. I have weirdly fond attachment to the country, not because of my brief encounter with the country but since it was where my parents met. 

 

The ferry from Denmark arrived in Gothenburg mid afternoon and within quarter of an hour we were arriving at our next place of stay. City campsites can be cramped, ugly affairs but Lisebergsbyn felt a little like you were escaping the city. It is well-signposted and therefore easy to navigate to. 

 

There is a large reception area with a few members of staff ready to welcome visitors and deal with enquiries. Visitors to the site can book pitches for caravans and motorhomes, rent out a wide selection of chalets and stay for bed and breakfast - each has its own areas within the site. The caravan and motorhome pitches are hard-standing and have electric hook-up but no water. There is one central block that can be accessed using a card (the same one for entering the site via the barrier) - it has everything: toilets, showers, cooking facilities and washing facilities. Outside, there is a rabbit-warren playground (a little reminiscent of the Teletubbies) and a seating area for eating. The shop on site sells a small selection of snack foods, milk and bread rolls but there is a supermarket not far from the site entrance. Breakfast is also served in the restaurant area and costs 85Kr per person.

 

The site borders a forest and there is a lake a short walk away (2km). After setting up, we wanted to explore what the area had to offer and wandered down the track not far from our pitch in the direction of the lake. The lake is accessible from the city and there is a car park for visitors. It is a beautiful spot; moderately steep grassy banks lead down to a large lake that is surrounded by rocky banks and woodland. It was quite breath taking and made even more magical by the sun rays reflecting off the water.

 

Oooh the water was a luring sight! A wooden jetty sat temptingly in the water. We saw a couple of people stripping off and taking a plunge off the end but they didn't seem to stay in for long! A group of wild swimmers turned up in wetsuits with floatation devices and set off for a late afternoon swim around the lake. So, yes you guessed it, it was our turn. Well, some of us! Amy took the plunge first...not literally; she edged her way into the cold water from the beach and before we knew it, was swimming around the jetty and to the rocky banks nearby. Tim was next; he wandered cautiously into the water and then dived in below the water. The two of them swam around enjoying the refreshing lake water while Ella and I sat watching in the warmth of clothes!

 

Lisebergsbyn campsite is an ideal site to base yourself when visiting Gothenburg. There is a tram stop (Welandergatan) about 200m away from site entrance; it is on the central line (number 5) and runs regularly. Tickets can be bought from reception. An adult travel card for one days costs approximately £8 and children travel for free. The first important stop is Liseberg, six stops away, which is popular with families. It is the largest theme park in Sweden and offers a wide range of exhilarating rides. You can hear the screams from the tram as you pass! It is only open during the afternoon and evening. Entrance to the park is free but you need to purchase coupons or tokens for the rides. There are various packages that can be bought. Next door to Liseberg is the Universeum, another popular attraction with families. It is a museum containing a rainforest and various themed areas on space, technology, health and the body and prehistoric animals.

 

We headed straight into the centre and spent our day wandering around the well-known sights of the city. It's surprising how much of the city you can see in a day. Amy and Ella were our tour guides, each selecting a place of interest to focus on and research. As well as the Kronhuset (oldest non-residential building in Gothenburg) and the Ullevi stadium, we also stopped by the Viking ship and Opera house. At this point we were near the water and hopped onto a ferry to explore the city by water. The travel card includes any travel on public trams, buses and ferries - this means that you can cover a large area of the city...including a trip out into Gothenburg's archipeligo. It's actually a cheaper way to explore the islands than by a boat trip. It was getting late in the afternoon so we weren't able to get off the ferry and explore the island, which if we'd had more time (a full day even) we would probably have travelled out to one of the islands, e.g. Vargo, the nature reserve or Styrso Tangen to take in the dramatic landscape and walk around. We had a taste though and it was enough to satisfy our curiosity. 

 

Another place I would like to have visited, had time allowed, was Skaens Parken. This is a park south-west of the central area of Gothenburg. The park contains Skans Kronan, a fortress with a superb view over the city.

 

Before leaving the city centre we stopped for a drink and snack in one of the many cafes. We sat ourselves down on some inviting, exotic sofas and chairs in a Condeco, recommended to us by a friend who had lived in Gothenburg for a year. The girls both stood drooling over the selection of delicious treats before decided on one each; Ella opted for a warm raspberry and blueberry crumble pie with vanilla sauce while Amy chose a cinnamon roll. We dutifully ordered what had been recommended to us, the local delicacy: a bran muffin with raspberry jam and cream cheese. I suppose it's a bit like having a scone with jam and cream. It was scrummy - a delicious end to a day of sight-seeing in Gothenburg.

 

@meekroadventure