Sweden
Gothenburg in May
🌷 SpringCool and some showers.
🎒 Pack: warm jacket for evenings
Why May scores 9.3What goes into the score
How it works- Weather comfort9.0
- ✓Cool (17°C highs / 8°C lows)
- ✓Comfortable humidity (dew point 8°C)
- ✓Mostly dry (~54 mm rain)
- Air quality10.0
- ✓Good (within WHO guideline) (PM2.5 ~5 µg/m³)
- Seasonal hazards10.0
- ·No notable seasonal hazards
- Safety baseline7.5
- ·Increased caution
| May | Jul | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 9.3 Excellent | 9.5 Excellent |
| Season | 🌷 Spring | ☀️ Summer |
| High / low | 17° / 8° | 23° / 15° |
| Rain | 54 mm | 81 mm |
| Humidity | dew pt 8° | dew pt 13° |
| PM2.5 | 5 µg/m³ | 4 µg/m³ |
Typical-month data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis) 2015–2024 (modelled, not a forecast). Temperatures: Gothenburg weather-station normals. Rainfall: Gothenburg weather-station normals (national met service).
Holidays & crowdsMay 2027
No long holidaysNo long public-holiday weekends this month. School holidays aren't counted, so check those if you want to avoid family crowds.
Other public holidays: May Day (1 May) · Ascension Day (6 May) · Pentecost (16 May)
National holidays only; regional holidays and school breaks aren't included. Source: holidays (open-source public-holiday calendar).
Explore GothenburgEvents, sights, food & souvenirs
Check event dates locallySweden's second city on the west coast, known for its canals, seafood, relaxed café culture and an easily reached island archipelago.
GöteborgsvarvetDate variesUsually May
One of the world's largest half-marathons.
Why go: Many central roads close during the race.
Where: City-wide course
Coming up later
MidsummerDate variesFriday between 19 and 25 June
Swedes dance around a maypole, eat herring and new potatoes and celebrate the long days.
Why go: Many shops close and locals head out of town.
Where: Parks and islands around the city
Gothia CupDate variesUsually mid-July
One of the world's largest youth football tournaments, with teams from many countries.
Why go: The city fills with teams and families, so book accommodation early.
Where: Pitches across the city
Way Out WestDate variesUsually August
A three-day music festival in the city's central park.
Why go: Hotels fill up quickly on festival weekend.
Where: Slottsskogen
Liseberg
A large central amusement park that also hosts a popular Christmas market.
💡 Opening is seasonal, so check dates before visiting.
Haga
An old district of wooden houses with cafés known for very large cinnamon buns.
Southern Archipelago
Car-free islands reached by public ferry from Saltholmen, with rocky swimming spots and walking trails.
Feskekôrka
A fish market hall built to look like a church.
Slottsskogen
A large park with free animal enclosures, lawns and the Natural History Museum.
Götaplatsen and the Gothenburg Museum of Art
The city's cultural square with the Poseidon statue and an art museum strong in Nordic art.
Räksmörgås
An open-faced shrimp sandwich piled with egg, mayonnaise and dill.
West coast seafood
Shrimp, mussels, oysters and lobster; lobster season traditionally opens in late September.
💡 Feskekôrka and harbour restaurants
Kanelbulle
Swedish cinnamon bun, eaten during fika coffee breaks.
💡 Cafés in Haga
Pickled herring
Herring in sweet or spiced marinades, a staple of Swedish festive tables.
Swedish design homeware
Glassware, textiles and kitchen items in Scandinavian design.
💡 Design shops in the centre
Swedish sweets and liquorice
Salty liquorice and pick-and-mix sweets.
Coffee and fika treats
Locally roasted coffee and packaged Swedish biscuits.