The Best Things to Do in Gothenburg in August
If you are visiting Gothenburg in August, you have chosen one of the finest months the city has to offer. The days are long, the uteserveringar are full, the archipelago is at its absolute best, and the city puts on two of its biggest annual events within the same month. August is also when Gothenburg residents themselves tend to come back from their summer cabins, which means the city regains its energy after the quieter weeks of July.
Before we get into it, a quick note: I am the owner of Plums Kayak Tours, based at Lilla Bommen in central Gothenburg. Everything in this guide is based on what I genuinely recommend to customers when we're out on the water together. I've lived in Gothenburg for around three years now, and August still manages to surprise me.
Tours and Activities
Explore the City by Kayak
In the seventeenth century, Gothenburg was built as a fortress city and a moat was dug around the old town to defend its residents from Danish and Norwegian invasion. That rivalry has long since been replaced by mutual appreciation and a healthy competition in football, but the moats themselves remain very much intact and are one of the most distinctive features of the city.
Since the 1930s, the famous Paddan boats have been navigating this canal network on a narrated loop through the city center. More recently, kayaking those same channels has grown into one of Gothenburg's most popular activities, with groups of all sizes making their way through the historic vallgravar on any given afternoon. Both are a wonderful way to see the city from the water; the Paddan suits those who prefer a more relaxed experience, while kayaking is for anyone who wants something a little more hands-on.
At Plums, our Guided City Kayak Tour takes small groups through the canals with guides on hand to share the history of the city and offer paddling tips along the way. No experience required whatsoever.
Downstream Säveån
If you want to see a side of Gothenburg that most visitors never find, the Säveån river is one of the city's best-kept secrets. Often described as Gothenburg's own stretch of the Amazon, the river winds through dense woodland just outside the city center, and paddling it downstream feels like a different world entirely.
Our Downstream Säveån experience starts at Partille station, a short train ride from central Gothenburg, where guides run through everything before setting off. From there the group paddles around 10 km downstream, finishing at Lilla Bommen in the heart of the city. The full trip takes around two and a half hours and is suitable for all abilities thanks to the gentle current. Groups are capped at 16 people. A popular choice for after-work groups and corporate team building.
Kayak and SUP Rental
Not everyone wants a guided experience, and that's absolutely fine. Our rental fleet at Lilla Bommen includes over twenty kayaks for all abilities, stand-up paddleboards, and tandem kayaks for families. We're right next to Lilla Bommens gästhamn, directly opposite the Gothenburg Opera, five minutes from Centralstationen.
Sunset Kayak Tour
August evenings in Gothenburg can be genuinely spectacular, and our guided sunset tour takes full advantage. Paddling through the canals as the city lights begin to reflect on the water is one of those experiences that photographs well and feels even better in person.
Hot Rod Riderz
If you are looking for one of the more unusual ways to see the city, Hot Rod Riderz is hard to beat. You and up to three others climb into custom-built mini hot rods — street-legal machines that sit about 10 cm off the ground — and follow a guide through Gothenburg's streets, out along the Göta river, and across to Lindholmen and Eriksberg. The route takes in a good cross-section of the city and the format means you're actually driving rather than being driven, which makes a real difference. Tours run from their base at Dagjämningsgatan 2, with a shuttle service available from the city center. Book via hotrodriderz.com.
Group Activities
Rent a Sauna from Saunaholics
Sweden takes its saunas seriously, and August is arguably the best month to do it — you're warm enough to enjoy a cold plunge afterwards without actually wanting to die. If you're visiting with a group and want something a little different, Saunaholics delivers a wood-fired sauna trailer directly to wherever you want it: by the water, in a garden, outside an office, wherever makes sense. It fits up to 8 people, heats up in around 30–45 minutes, and everything including delivery, setup and collection is included in the price. It works particularly well for stag and hen parties, birthdays, company away days, or just a group of friends making the most of a summer evening. Book via saunaholics.se.
August Events
Way Out West — 13–16 August
Way Out West is one of Sweden's most respected music festivals and it takes place right in the middle of Gothenburg, in the lush green surroundings of Slottsskogen park. The 2026 lineup includes Gorillaz, The Cure, Lorde, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, The xx, Moby and Lykke Li among others. Tickets sell out well in advance so if you're planning a trip around it, book early. The festival also has a strong sustainability focus and the Slottsskogen setting gives it a character that most large festivals struggle to match.
Göteborgskalaset — 27–30 August
Göteborgskalaset is the city's free annual summer celebration and it's a proper one. Live music, dance, circus, food, street performances — the whole thing centres around Götaplatsen at the top of Avenyn this year, which opens up significantly more space than in previous editions. The event typically draws close to 700,000 people over the four days, but because it's spread across the city's main public squares it never feels as overwhelming as that number suggests. A perfect way to close out the summer.
Nature and Getting Outside
The Archipelago
August is peak season for Gothenburg's skärgård and if you haven't spent time out among the islands, you are missing one of the city's best assets. The ferry from Saltholmen connects to Styrsö, Vrångö, Donsö and a handful of smaller islands, each with its own character. Vrångö in particular is worth the trip — it's as far south as the network goes and has a genuine end-of-the-road feeling to it. The ferries run on the Västtrafik app and are included on a standard Gothenburg travel card.
Swimming
August is reliably the warmest swimming month in Gothenburg. Askimsbadet on the southwest coast is the most popular sandy beach and easily reachable by bus. Delsjön, the large reservoir nature reserve just outside the city, has designated bathing spots and is a favourite with locals for an after-work swim. If you want something a little more dramatic, the harbour pools at Jubileumsparken in Frihamnen let you swim in the Göta älv itself, with the city skyline as a backdrop.
Cycling
Gothenburg has around 800 km of dedicated cycle paths, making it one of the most bikeable cities in Scandinavia — step into a bike lane without looking and you will find this out quickly. The city bike scheme Styr och Ställ covers most of the center and the app is available on both iOS and Android. For guided tours, Bikegothenburg.com is a well-reviewed local operator. For mountain biking, Delsjön has a 10 km all-weather gravel loop, Lackarebäck has more technical trail riding, and Änggårdsbergen has marked routes across blue, red and black grades. Everything is on the Trailforks app.
Food and Drink
Gothenburg has around 900 restaurants across the city, which can make choosing somewhere feel like a project in itself. The city's tourism site, gothenburg.com, is the most reliable overview. The Instagram account gb.food.se is worth following if you want to find less obvious options.
Avenyn remains the city's main eating and drinking street — good for groups, well set up for pre-concert dinners given its proximity to the Concert Hall and Scandinavium.
Andra Långgatan is where you go for a proper Gothenburg night out. Over 50 bars on a single stretch, more variety than it used to have, and genuinely fun on a warm August evening.
Inom Vallgraven — the historic island inside the canal network we kayak through — has the widest range of options in the city, from late-night kebabs (City Kabab on a long day is a personal recommendation) to Michelin-level dining.
Hisingen continues to develop into one of the most interesting areas in Gothenburg for a different kind of evening. The Vassan street food area is worth a Friday night visit. Ringön's brewery taprooms are worth finding if you like craft beer — follow made_in_ringon on Instagram for what's on.
I hope that gives you a good starting point. If you have questions about the city or want to book a tour or rental, you can find us at plums.se or come and say hello at Lilla Bommen. We'd love to get you out on the water.
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Plums Kayak Tours