Gävle

Gävle is a port on the Baltic Sea in Gävleborg County, the southernmost part of Norrland. In 2020 the city had a population of 79,004.

See: 7
Do: 6
Eat: 11
Drink: 7
Buy: 1

32 places

Eat

AMO Safwan

Just a humble takeaway shack, but they offer the best falafel and shawarma in town.

Mon-Fri 11:00-19:30, Sat 12:00-19:30

Drink

Bilagan

No-frills karaoke bar: cheap bear and a bit rough but always with a tolerating atmosphere. Some of the karaoke singers can actually sing.

Wed-Sat 21:00-02:00, Sun-Tue 18:00-01:00

Bomhusbacken

A kiddy-slope for skiing and tobogganing, suitable for beginners, with a notional charge for the lift. No toilets.

Eat

Café Bogården

Tucked away in Villastan, the garden suburb near Boulogner park, this serves excellent coffee, pastries and classics such as egg and herring sandwiches.

Mon-Fri 08:00-15:00

Furuvik Park

Small theme park and arcade for toddlers as well as a zoo and Cold War-era coastal fort and museum.

mid-May - mid Aug daily 10:00-19:00Adult 250 kr, child 210 kr

Gävle Concert Hall

The resident symphony orchestra gives regular concerts, and there are visiting acts.

Gävletravet

A track for harness racing (trav) - jockeys sit in a two-wheel coach or "sulky", and the horse has a trotting gait, the gallop is not permitted.

Hemlingbybacken

This is the next step up for beginners, a two-lift ski slope. There are bowls, rails and jumps for snowboarders. Hours depend on snowfall.

See

This was the birthplace in 1879 of Joel Emmanuel Hägglund, better known as Joe Hill. In 1902 he emigrated to the USA, where he became a labor organizer, song-writer and activist for "Industrial Workers of the World", the "Wobblies". In 1914 a Salt Lake City grocer and his son were shot dead by two intruders; Joe Hill came to a local doctor that evening with a gunshot wound to his chest. He was eventually convicted of the murder, and executed by firing squad in Nov 1915. The prosecution case was shaky and his many supporters believed he was shot for being a "wobbly", but his refusal to explain his wound sealed his fate.

Sat 12:00-16:00Free

Eat

Konditori Lido Söder

Lido is a chain with several cafés around town - this is the original of 1954, with a cosy atmospheric interior. Has a large selection of pastries and serves brunch on Sundays.

Mon-Fri 07:00-18:00, Sat Sun 10:00-16:00

Drink

Lion Bar Gävle

By far the cheapest beer in town, with karaoke on Wednesdays and weekends. Offers a small but decent range of bar food.

Sun, Tue 15:00-23:00, Wed Thu 15:00-01:00, Fri Sat 15:00-02:00

Mackmyra Whiskyby

Whiskey Village

Mackmyra distillery introduced the first Swedish whiskey in 1999, a single malt. The original site at Valbo (in a former power station) has an annual capacity of 0.6 M bottles. The one you can visit is the second site 10 km east near E4, the seven-storey "gravity distillery" opened in 2011. (The water is pumped up just once, then its head of pressure drives everything else with no inefficient intermediate pumping.) They also make gin. There are no brief tours, those offered are four hour events with tastings and dinner included.

Fri, SatAdult 1200 kr

Eat

Matildas

This is likely the best restaurant in town, featuring seasonal Nordic cuisine.

Tue-Sat 17:00-22:00

Eat

Pigalle

As constant as the Northern Star, this serves trad Swedish midday fare. Some find it bland.

Mon-Fri 08:30-16:30

See

Regional Art & History Museum

Länsmuseet Gävleborg

The county museum and art gallery has a large and interesting collection; child-friendly. The building was financed in 1933 by a tobacco and shipping magnate.

Tue-Fri 11:00-18:00, Sat Sun 12:00-16:00Free

Eat

Salt Studio

Hugely popular restaurant that only serves lunch, serves high-end Nordic cuisine.

See

Swedish Prison Museum

Sveriges Fängelsemuseum

This occupies two buildings: you start in the main block, the two-storey former jail in the classic 19th century high-hall pattern. Then the Länscellfängelset on nearby Timmermansgatan depicts its 18th-century predecessor, a dark squalid lock-up of low-lifes, dirty straw and droll rats.

Wed-Sat 12:00-16:00Adult 80 kr, concession 40 kr, child 30 kr

See

Swedish Railway Museum

Järnvägsmuseet

The museum moved here from Stockholm in 1970 to have more display space, and it hosts a large collection of old locomotives and rail cars.

Buy

Valbo köpcentrum

The municipality's largest shopping mall, with around 60 stores.

Mon-Fri 10:00-20:00, Sat 10:00-18:00, Sun 11:00-18:00

Drink

Verovin

Small classy wine bar with an extensive selection, also serves food.

Wed-Thu 17:00-23:00, Fri Sat 17:00-00:00

See Not mapped

Castle Square

Slottstorget

The extension of Rådhustorget across the river. This is where the Gävle Goat (Gävlebocken) is erected each year four weeks before Christmas, a large straw goat. The tradition began in 1966, as did the tedious tradition of burning or otherwise destroying it, in spite of fire-proofing, security guards and camera surveillance. Only a third of goats have lasted until Christmas and several have perished within hours of assembly. Since 1986 there have been Goat Wars between rival structures, one built by a school and the other by local business; they've yet to hit on the solution of decoy goats.

Eat Not mapped

Church Street Saloon

Serves American-western food in kitsch C&W style, gets crowded.

Mon-Fri 17:00-23:00, Sat 13:00-23:00

See Not mapped

Forsbacka ironworks

Forsbacka bruk

There have been ironworks in Forsbacka since medieval times but the present structures are mostly late 19th redbrick. They occasionally have guided tours but you're generally free to stroll around. The foundry master's mansion is now an events venue.

See Not mapped

Gävle Castle

Gävle slott

The foundations are from the 16th century, but it has been rebuilt several times, last during the late 1740s when it was transformed into more of a fine mansion than castle. It now houses local government offices so you can only admire the exterior and courtyard.

Drink Not mapped