Christmas holidays in Gothenburg 2026 – three weeks with children in the city and in the forest

The Christmas holidays in Gothenburg are three weeks long and begin in a Christmas city full of lights. The Christmas market at Liseberg stays open until the days between Christmas and New Year, Universeum is open for almost the whole break, and a few tram stops away there are forests, lakes and sledging hills. What you cannot plan is the weather: snow at Christmas is far from certain in Gothenburg, and rain and temperatures above zero are just as common. That is why this guide has both a snow plan and a rain plan.

The whole Christmas calendar – Advent, Lucia and Saint Knut's Day – is in Christmas with kids 2026. This page is about the holidays in Gothenburg: when they start, what is open when, and what you can do without spending a fortune.

When are the 2026 Christmas holidays?

In Gothenburg's municipal schools the last day of school is Friday 18 December 2026, and the spring term starts on Monday 11 January 2027. That gives three full weeks of Christmas, the days in between and New Year. Independent schools set their own dates, so check with the school if your children go to one.

Christmas Eve is a Thursday, and Epiphany a Wednesday. Saint Knut's Day, when the Christmas tree is taken out, comes after the holidays – Wednesday 13 January.

Christmas at Liseberg between Christmas and New Year

Christmas at Liseberg is the obvious day out of the holidays for many Gothenburg families. The important thing to know is when the park is actually open:

• Before 21 December the park is open Wednesday to Sunday.
• From 21 December it is open every day – except Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, when it is closed.
• 30 December is the last day of Christmas at Liseberg.

The days between Christmas and New Year are popular, so go early in the day when it is quietest and the children have the most energy. The rides run even in the cold, and there are Christmas market areas with different themes. Dress the children warmly – it gets cold when it gets dark, and that happens already at half past three. You can see what the park looks like in autumn in Halloween at Liseberg, and other Christmas markets in Gothenburg and the rest of the country are in Christmas markets in Sweden.

Universeum and Wisdome – when it rains

If it rains, Universeum is the safest bet in the city. The science centre is open during the holidays, even on Christmas Eve with shorter hours, and has a rainforest, aquariums and experiments for all ages. Plan for a whole day. Everything about a visit with children is in Universeum with children 2026.

In the same building is Wisdome, a dome cinema where the film is shown across the whole ceiling. It works well when the legs need a rest and the eyes still want to see something new.

Free: Slottsskogen and the sledging hills

Slottsskogen is free and in the middle of the city. Here you will find the seal pond with harbour seals, enclosures with elks and fallow deer, and the penguins. The park is at its most beautiful on a frosty winter morning. More about the park in Slottsskogen with kids.

When the snow comes, there are two classic sledging hills:

• Bragebacken in Slottsskogen – close by, just steep enough and full of children as soon as it has snowed.
• Brudarebacken at Delsjön – longer rides with forest all around.

There are also smaller slopes by playgrounds around the city. Bring your own sledge.

Skating and skiing when winter arrives

The City of Gothenburg has ice rinks where the public can skate, and Ruddalen's ice hall has public skating times during the school holidays. There is a fee, but skates can be hired on site. Check the times on the municipality's website before you go.

Cross-country skiing needs snow – and it does not come every year. When it does, tracks are made in places such as Slottsskogen, Trädgårdsföreningen and the exercise trail at Sisjön, which is lit. If you want to be sure of snow, there is an artificial snow loop in Landvetter, a little outside the city, and the indoor ski slope Skidome in Prioritet Serneke Arena, which is open all year round. The nearest outdoor downhill slope is Alebacken in Alafors, with a children's slope. More skiing tips near the city are in winter break in Gothenburg, which work just as well during the Christmas holidays.

A fire at Delsjön

The Delsjön area is Gothenburg's living room when it comes to forests and lakes, and there are barbecue areas along the walking paths. A day in the Christmas holidays can look like this: a walk around the lake, a fire at a barbecue area, Christmas sausage on skewers and a thermos of glögg. With a little preparation at home it becomes a Christmas dinner outdoors – the whole menu is in Christmas dinner outdoors.

Tips: Darkness comes early in December. Go out in the morning, bring head torches and plan to be back at the car or the tram before it gets dark.

Day trips just outside the city

If you want to leave the city for a day, there are castle settings and nature within an hour. Tjolöholm in Kungsbacka has a Christmas market during Advent, and the castle park is lovely after Christmas too. More ideas for the whole year are in Gothenburg with Kids.

A plan for three weeks

• First week (19–23 December): Liseberg one morning, the Christmas shopping out of the way, and a day in Slottsskogen with the seal pond.
• Christmas weekend (24–27 December): quiet days at home, and a walk on the morning of Christmas Day when the city is empty.
• Between Christmas and New Year (28–30 December): the last chance for Christmas at Liseberg, Universeum on a rainy day, and a fire at Delsjön.
• New Year and Epiphany (31 December–6 January): sledging or skating if winter arrives, otherwise a long forest walk with a packed lunch.
• Last week (7–10 January): crafts at home – snow lantern if it snows – and quiet days before school starts.

More ideas for Christmas are in the Christmas guide, and for anyone who wants to compare with the capital: Christmas holidays in Stockholm.