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Parks & Gardens

Trädgårdsföreningen

Historic city park with a rose garden and palm house

Historic city park from 1842 opposite Gothenburg Central Station, with a large rose garden and an 1878 glass palm house. Free entry to both.

The Palm House of the Garden Society behind flowering borders
Contents

A green oasis opposite Central Station

Trädgårdsföreningen is a historic city park dating from 1842, and its location couldn't be more central: opposite Gothenburg Central Station and right at the start of Kungsportsavenyn. It's one of the best-preserved 19th-century parks in Europe and one of the few large green spaces you can reach on foot within minutes of the city centre, handy if you've just stepped off a train or international ferry. It's run by the City of Gothenburg, and entry to the park is free.

Rose garden and palm house

The best-known feature is the rose garden, which blooms in summer with thousands of fragrant roses across dozens of varieties and has won the international Award of Garden Excellence. The Rose Festival falls on 4 June 2026 and marks the start of the main season.

The second highlight is the palm house (Palmhuset) from 1878, an elegant glass-and-cast- iron building modelled on London's Crystal Palace. The idea came from head gardener Georg Löwegren; the cast-iron kit was supplied by the Scottish firm Alexander Shanks & Son of Arbroath. Inside, palms and subtropical plants grow beneath the glass dome.

What to expect

Around the rose garden and palm house, well-kept paths, lawns and flower beds invite a relaxed stroll:

  • the rose garden at the heart of the park, at its best from June to July
  • the palm house with palms and subtropical planting under glass
  • broad lawns and tree-lined avenues, popular for a break in the green
  • Café & Bar Grindstugan at Gamla Allén 2 for refreshments in the park

45 to 90 minutes is enough for the garden, no more is needed to take in the rose garden, palm house and paths at a relaxed pace. That makes Trädgårdsföreningen an ideal stop between other sights rather than a destination for a whole day.

Visiting and opening hours

The park is open daily year-round: 1 October to 30 April 7:00-18:00, and 1 May to 30 September 7:00-20:00. The palm house opens 1 September to 31 May 10:00-16:00 and 1 June to 31 August 10:00-19:00. Both are free to enter, you only pay at the café.

Worth knowing for 2026: the palm house has been under restoration since 2023 and is now in its final stage, with completion planned for October 2026. The Mediterranean House (Medelhavshuset) and the Camellia House (Kameliahuset) remain closed until the end of November 2026. Check the current status on the City of Gothenburg's official site before you visit.

Visiting tips

  • The garden is loveliest from June to July during the rose bloom; it's quietest early in the morning, before the city centre fills up.
  • Planning around the rose bloom? The Rose Festival on 4 June 2026 marks the start of the main season.
  • Its location opposite Central Station makes the park a perfect stop on the way, before or after a walk along Kungsportsavenyn, or ahead of a day trip; see day trips from Gothenburg.
  • Looking for more botanical variety? Head to the larger Botanical Garden in the west of the city; for an overview, see our guide to Gothenburg's top attractions.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an entry fee for Trädgårdsföreningen?+
No. Entry to the park and to the palm house is free (0 SEK). It's run by the City of Gothenburg. You only pay if you eat or drink at the café or restaurant in the park.
What makes the garden special?+
The park, laid out in 1842, is one of the best-preserved 19th-century gardens in Europe. Highlights are the award-winning rose garden with thousands of fragrant roses and the 1878 glass palm house, modelled on London's Crystal Palace.
Is the palm house open?+
The palm house has been under restoration since 2023; 2026 marks the final stage, with completion planned for October. The Mediterranean House and the Camellia House remain closed until the end of November 2026. Check the current status before your visit.
When do the roses bloom?+
The roses are in full bloom over summer, with the main season starting in June. The Rose Festival falls on 4 June 2026. For the best blooms, visit in June or July, early morning is quietest.
Where is the garden located?+
Right in the city centre, opposite Gothenburg Central Station and at the start of Kungsportsavenyn. That makes it an easy green break between two stops without having to leave downtown.

Nearby

The neoclassical Gothenburg Cathedral with its distinctive tower shapes the city skyline.

Gothenburg Cathedral

The neoclassical cathedral from 1815 in Inom Vallgraven, a bright white-and-gold interior with an angel altar and columns. Free entry, a quiet stop in the centre.

Röhsska Museum

Sweden's only design museum, near the Avenyn, holds an open chair store with over 500 chairs, East Asian art and a hall for Nordic design.

Kronhuset, Gothenburg's oldest surviving secular building from the 17th century, with its distinctive red-brick facade and green copper roof.

Kronhuset

Kronhuset, once a military arsenal, is Gothenburg's oldest surviving building, with a courtyard, craft shops (Kronhusbodarna) and a café, free to visit.

A tram on Kungsportsavenyn

Kungsportsavenyn

Kungsportsavenyn, known to everyone as the Avenyn, is Gothenburg's central boulevard: about 1 km from the canal to Götaplatsen, lined with cafés, restaurants and bars.

Feskekôrka (the fish church) with its distinctive zigzag roof on the Rosenlundskanal, seen from the side.

Feskekôrka

Feskekôrka, Gothenburg's fish church, is a market hall shaped like a neo-Gothic church, fresh fish at the stalls and restaurants on the Rosenlundskanal.

The famous Poseidon fountain by Carl Milles in front of the Gothenburg Museum of Art on Götaplatsen, the central cultural square at the top of the Avenyn.

Götaplatsen

Götaplatsen at the head of the Avenyn holds the 7-metre Poseidon fountain statue by Carl Milles, framed by the art museum, concert hall and city library.