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Goshen

Goshen is a city of 34,000 people (2019) in northern Indiana. The city is known as a major recreational vehicle and accessories manufacturing center, the home of Goshen College, a small Mennonite liberal arts college, and the Elkhart County 4-H Fair, one of the largest county fairs in the United States.

Understand
Goshen is the county seat of Elkhart County. It is the smaller of the two principal cities of the Elkhart-Goshen Metropolitan Statistical Area, which in turn is part of the South Bend-Elkhart-Mishawaka Combined Statistical Area. It is in the northern part of Indiana near the Michigan border, in a region known as Michiana.

Get in
Goshen is 10 miles southeast of Elkhart, 25 miles southeast of South Bend, 120 miles east of Chicago, and 150 miles north of Indianapolis.

By plane

 * South Bend Airport

The South Bend Airport (SBN) is about 35 miles northwest of the city center, in the very northern part of the State of Indiana and close to the border of Michigan. The airport has easy access to Interstate 80/90 and US 20/31. Serving as a multi-modal transportation complex for the region, SBN is the only non-hub airport in the United States featuring air, interstate rail, and interstate bus services at one multi-modal terminal location.

SBN's three air carriers (Allegiant, Continental, Delta. United/Continental) provide non-stop flights from 9 cities: Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Las Vegas, Phoenix-Mesa, Minneapolis, Orlando/Sanford, and Tampa Bay/St. Petersburg. SBN's multi-modal terminal serves over one million air, rail and bus passengers each year.

 * Goshen Municipal Airport on County Road 42 south of the city.
 * Elkhart Municipal Airport 2246 Airport Dr., Elkhart, IN., +1 574-264-5217.

By car

 * Interstates 80 and 90 (also known as the Indiana Toll Road) makes Goshen easily accessible by car from the west and east. It connects to Chicago, in the west and Toledo, to the east. Exits for Goshen on the Indiana Toll Road would be County Road 17 (Elkhart East), State Road 15 (Bristol), or State Road 13 (Middlebury).
 * U.S. 33 is an important highway, providing access primarily from places to the northwest and southeast. It connects to Fort Wayne, in the southeast and Elkhart, to the northwest.
 * County Road 17 is an important expressway, providing access primarily from places to the north, it connects to Elkhart and places in Michigan such as US 12.

By train

 * Amtrak Elkhart Station - The nearest Amtrak station is located at 131 Tyler Avenue, Elkhart. It is a 20- to 30-minute drive to the northwest of Goshen. The Interurban Trolley has a stop near the station, one block north on Harrison Street, but the Interurban Trolley doesn't run late night or early mornings, when most trains arrive. Be prepared to phone for a cab or have someone meet you because transportation from the station to the city is limited.  The station is part of Amtrak's Capitol Limited and Lakeshore Limited lines.
 * South Shore Line, . Operated by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transit District. Offers regular electric rail service to/from downtown Chicago from South Bend. Train trips take approx. 2 hours and 20 minutes and fares hover around $10 each way.

By car
Driving in and around Goshen by car is simple, with most streets being two way traffic. In the afternoon traffic becomes heavy on the main thoroughfares, such as US 33 and State Road 15, east-west traffic can be very heavy when trains are present.

By bus

 * Interurban Trolley, a local inter-city, connects Goshen to the nearby cities of Elkhart and Mishawaka. The Interurban Trolley connects to South Bend-Mishiwaka region's TRANSPO bus system, which, in turn, connects the riders to the South Shore Line and South Bend Regional Airport.

Do
Goshen is home to a fairly active downtown. Storefronts exist which sell food, cloths, and other unique niche items. Every First Friday of the month is home to Goshen First Fridays, a time where stores offer discounts, the city provides entertainment, and a large portion of Goshen and Elkhart County comes out to enjoy the festivities.

Buy
Concord Mall, on the northwest side of the city, is a legacy-type enclosed mall. It is on US 33, northwest of CR 17 overpass, and has many national chains nearby it.

Television

 * WNDU 16 NBC
 * WSBT 22 CBS
 * WCWW 25 CW
 * WSJV 28 FOX
 * WNIT 34 PBS
 * WBND 57 ABC
 * WMYS 69 My Network

Newspapers

 * Goshen News Goshen daily newspaper.
 * Elkhart Truth  Is another daily newspaper for the area.
 * The Paper Is a weekly free newspaper that is available on Tuesday.

title: Goshen


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Goshogawara

Goshogawara (五所川原) is a city in Aomori prefecture in Japan.

Tourist information sites

 * The city government has an official multilingual guide site.

 * The local tourist association has a Japanese-only guide site with integrated Google Translate.

By plane
The nearest airport is Aomori, which is about 40 minutes away by car. There are no direct buses to Goshogawara from the airport; those using public transport must take the buses to either Hirosaki or Aomori. Taxis to Goshogawara cost ¥7600.

By train
The JR Gonō Line provides rail access to Goshogawara. Most trains run from Hirosaki (50 min, ¥500), which is where to change if coming from Ōdate, Noshiro and Akita.

If coming from Aomori (or Shin-Aomori, the nearest Shinkansen station), take a local train towards Hirosaki and change at Kawabe, which is where Gonō Line trains actually leave the Ōu Main Line. With a reasonable connection, this should take 1hr 10mins and cost ¥970 (if you stick to local trains).

By long-distance bus
Goshogawara is served by two overnight bus services from Tokyo: Those using Willer Express should take the overnight bus between Disneyland, Shinjuku and Aomori and get off at Hirosaki station (which is the first stop in the morning).
 * The Nocturne runs from Yokohama Station East Exit and Hamamatsuchō Bus Terminal, taking 10hrs 45mins and costing up to ¥10,900 (cheaper outside peak periods; return tickets available). Operated by Kōnan Bus and Keikyū Bus.
 * The Panda runs from Shinjuku and Kajibashi (5 minutes walk from Tokyo Station Yaesu Exit, on Sotobori Dōri), taking 10hrs 30mins and costing up to ¥6500 (cheaper outside peak periods). Operated by Kōnan Bus.
 * If you're wondering why this bus is so cheap, it's because it does not have toilets on board; you will have to wait for one of the scheduled rest breaks along the Tōhoku Expressway.

If taking the bus from Sendai or Morioka, services to Hirosaki are more frequent than to Aomori.

By local bus
Kōnan Bus run buses from Aomori, which are direct and more frequent than the train; these take 1 hr 25 min from Aomori Station Stop 9 (1 hr 5 min from Shin-Aomori Station South Exit Stop 2), and cost ¥1090 (¥1040 from Shin-Aomori).

They also run buses from Hirosaki, but these are less frequent than the train.

Get around
To reach Kanagi (for the Shayōkan and the Shamisen Hall), take the Tsugaru Railway from Platform 3 of Goshogawara Station. The journey should take 25 minutes and cost ¥550. Alternatively, the less frequent Kōnan Bus Kodomari Line takes 25 minutes and costs ¥660.

Go next

 * Tsugaru
 * Nakadomari
 * Sotogahama
 * Imabetsu
 * Yomogita
 * Tsuruta
 * Itayanagi
 * Aomori
 * Fujisaki

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Goshogawara


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Goslar

Goslar is a medieval town in Lower Saxony and serves as a regional hub to the wider Harz area. It lies at the foot of the Harz Mountains (highest elevation 3,744 feet). Goslar is much older than Berlin and worth a visit. If you are interested in history, outdoor pursuits (especially hiking), tranquility and nature, then Goslar is the right spot for you. In 2019, it was home to 51,000 people.

Understand
Goslar was founded in 922 AD, although it is widely assumed that there had been a settlement since pre-Roman times. The town is famed for its magnificent gates and ramparts, the medieval Imperial Palace, Romanesque churches, its half timbered guild houses, the ancient Rammelsberg ore mine... and its witches, the last of which was burned at the stake in 1657 AD. In medieval times the city was a major producer of armouries and coins—the raw ores for their manufacture came from the Rammelsberg mine just outside the city's walls.

History
What, Ram + Goat = Goslar? Not quite...! According to legend, Ramm, a knight to Henry's son Otto the Great, tied his horse to a tree, halfway up the Rammelsberg, to continue hunting in the undergrowth. In anticipation of the return of its owner, the horse scraped with its hoof in the ground laying open a ledge of silver so rich that it took over a millennium to mine. Hence the mountain and mine were called the Rammelsberg, after Otto's knight Ramm. As the wife of knight Ramm was called Gosa, they named the town Goslar in her honor.

Emperors, Dukes, and Townsfolk Essentially Goslar was a Free Imperial City, which was under direct control of the Emperor and there were no regional feudal overlords, who were in charge of the city until the end of the Thirty's Year War. Thus the citizens were largely left to their own devices, since the emperors had mostly better things to do than to sit in their Imperial Palace at Goslar. There were several other imperial palaces throughout the Holy Roman Empire, where the emperors held court. The only problem for the city's craftsmen was that their Free Imperial City ended right behind the city's walls. Unfortunately for them, the mine they depended upon, for the delivery of the ores, was immediately outside these very city walls. So they had to lease the rights to the mine from even such regional feudal overlords, the Dukes of Brunswick, who would have fancied it, if the city was theirs. This inevitably let to regular skirmishes between the Dukes and their men on the one side, and the burghers on the other side, which were not resolved until the end of the Thirty's Year War in 1642 AD with the Goslar Accord.

Goethe's Goslar Gothic Ghosts. With the onset of the Reformation in 1517 AD Goslar has escaped the interest of the emperor, and its riches declined so that Goethe, Germany's national polymath, writes in 1777 during his visit to Goslar: "Imperial City, which rots 'inside' and 'with' its privileges!"

UNESCO World Heritage Status
This might be a reason why the Rammelsberg Mine and Town have been so uniquely preserved that they hold UNESCO World Heritage Status.

Goslar is the Harz region's festival town, culminating in the annual award of the "Imperial Ring" .

Get in
Goslar is 250 km west of Berlin. The nearest cities are Brunswick, Hanover, and Magdeburg.

By plane
If you own a plane, a helicopter or even a flying saucer then you might wish to land at the club airport Salzgitter-Drütte in the immediate vicinity (24 miles) of Goslar or the Brunswick-Wolfsburg Airport. Maybe try the disused military airfield at Goslar itself, but don't get yourselves into troubles over this.

However, as a lesser mortal you need to take a plane into either and make your way to Goslar by car or by train. Both airports are connected to the S-Bahn network of their respective cities from where you can take a train to Goslar. A further option is flying into Frankfurt Airport and taking the train from there
 * Hanover International Airport (65 miles)
 * Leipzig/Halle Airport (103 miles)

By train
Goslar can be accessed by regional trains from Hanover, Brunswick, Göttingen, Halle and Magdeburg. In Hanover, Halle and Göttingen there is access to Germany's ICE (Inter City Express) network. Connections from other cities might require a change along the way, often in Hildesheim, Salzgitter or Kreiensen.

By car
From Paris/London/Brussels/Cologne take the Autobahn A44/E331 to Kassel and take the A7/E45 in the direction Hamburg at the Kassel intersection. For further directions see below.

From Madrid/Rome/Vienna/Zurich/Munich/Frankfurt take the A7/E45 and leave it at either the intersection Seesen. Take the Bundesstraße B248 and then the Bundesstraße B82 to Goslar. If you wish to take the route via the Harz mountains, exit the A7/E45 at Northeim and take the Bundesstraße B241 via Osterode, Clausthal-Zellerfeld to Goslar.

Coming from Moscow/Warsaw/Prague/Berlin, take the A2/E39 to the intersection Braunschweig and head via the A395 in the direction of Bad Harzburg. At Vienenburg you leave the A395 and take the Bundesstraße B241 to Goslar.

Arriving from Amsterdam/Düsseldorf/Ruhr Basin take the A2/E39 to Hannover and at the Intersection Hannover leave the A2/E39 and take the A7/E45. For further directions, see below.

Coming from Copenhagen/Stockholm/Oslo/Hamburg/Bremen/Hanover you take the A7/E45 in the direction Frankfurt. You exit the autobahn at Derneburg-Salzgitter (63) and take the Bundesstraße B6 (mostly two-lane) to Goslar or you exit at Rhüden (66) and take the Bundesstraße B82 to Goslar.

Goslar is a popular destination for bikers who enjoy riding their bikes through the Harz mountains.

By bus
Bus services to and from Goslar are relatively frequent and efficient. The regional bus operator Brunswick Regional Transport RBB runs a website, which assists you with finding the relevant connection. In Goslar, their hub is in front of the central railway station. Here you also find a small travel centre, where staff can provide you with further advise. Essentially, the most frequent routes are between Goslar, Seesen, Harzburg-Spa, Salzgitter and Clausthal-Zellerfeld, with less frequent services to other destinations in the Upper Harz (lines 440, 450, 462, 831, 838, 841, 842, 850, 861, 879). The RegioBus lines are the express ones—the others are slow. The handy thing is that the RBB forms a partnership with other regional public transport operators, so that you only have to buy a single transferable ticket. Thus, there is no need to purchase a new one every time you change your train or bus.

 * Regionalbus Braunschweig GmbH - Office Goslar, Hildesheimer St. 53. T: +49 5321 34310, F: +49 5321 343160, E: rbb.goslar@rbb-bus.de.

Get around
The town's centre is relatively small and can easily be navigated by foot. If you, however choose otherwise, then:
 * The Goslar Tank Engine is the leisurely way to get around the town. It offers guided sight-seeing tours (in German only) through the town.
 * Bicycle - the environmentally most friendly way to get around Goslar is by bike. Either you bring your own, or you hire one at:
 * Zweirad-Linkhorst, Bäcker St. 17.
 * Fahrradverleih in der Touristinformation Hahnenklee, Kurhaus Way 7, Hahnenklee.
 * Sporttreffpunkt Hahnenklee, Rathaus St. 6–7, Hahnenklee.
 * Bus - The Goslar town council operates bus services within the municipal boundaries (lines 801, 802, 803, 804, 805, 806) which run between the town centre and the borough of Oker, as well as Jürgenohl and Hahnenklee.

Castles and buildings of interest

 * Kaiserworth – The main building of the Town Hall had not long been completed when the cloth merchants built their guildhall in its immediate proximity in 1494. For nearly 200 years the Hotel Kaiserworth has been at home here.

Buy
Goslar is not only the perfect location for meetings but also provides various shopping facilities to let a convention day wind down with a pleasant shopping spree. Short distances and a centrally located pedestrian zone invite sauntering and shopping. A wide range of small exclusive stores provide the opportunity to find something unique. Combine your convention stay with a one-of-a-kind shopping experience.

Budget

 *  Asia Bistro, Fischemäker St. 14, T: +49 5321 3949300. Chinese food at budget prices.
 * Aigner , Erkelenzdamm 110, T: +49 5321 6759, German dishes. Open M-Sa 11:00 - 23:00,
 * Bistro Tomate, Stapelner St. 8, T: +49 5321 683886. Currywurst (curried sausage), salads, beer.
 * Döner-King, Höhlenweg 2, in Goslar Oker, T: +49 5321 65003. 4.5 km to the east of the town's centre. Typical Turkish next door kebab shop.
 * La Piazza, Schlesische St. 50, T: +49 5321 1452, Italian dishes, weekdays lunch time is half price. Open Daily 12:00 - 23:00.
 * Lil-Café, Markt St. 15, T: +49 5321 42178. Chips, cappuccino, salads.
 * Petit , Reinhardtstraße 57, T: +49 5321 9016, French cuisine, weekdays lunch time is half price. Open M-Sa 11:00 - 23:00.
 * Pubblico , Frankfurter St. 105, T: +49 5321 26180, Italian dishes. Open daily from 12:00 - 24:00.
 * Shiva, Kant St. 96, T: +49 5321 765, Indian restaurant, family friendly, children's meal for €4.95. Daily 12:00 - 23:00.
 * Kasimir's Döner Ecke, Danziger St. 8. in Goslar Jürgenohl, 1 mile north of the town's centre. Nice and clean Turkish kebab shop.

Mid-range

 * Altdeutsche Stuben/Teutonic Lodge Goslar's most traditional restaurant in the Old Watchtower of Achtermann Hotel. Local and international cuisine. Rosentor St. 20. T: +49 5321 70000-V. Opening hours: 12:00-15:00 and 18:00 - late.
 * Restaurant Sahara, Markt St. 16, T: +49 5321 381955. Maghrebinian, Arab and Moroccan Dishes. Excellent barbecues. Try the delicious couscous.
 * Zum Lindenhof/Limetree Yard, Schützenallee 1, T: +49 5321 1777. Local and regional cuisine. Ideal venue for groups and parties. With 12 lane bowling alley and meeting rooms attached.
 * Zum Lindenhof/Limetree Yard, Schützenallee 1, T: +49 5321 1777. Local and regional cuisine. Ideal venue for groups and parties. With 12 lane bowling alley and meeting rooms attached.
 * Zum Lindenhof/Limetree Yard, Schützenallee 1, T: +49 5321 1777. Local and regional cuisine. Ideal venue for groups and parties. With 12 lane bowling alley and meeting rooms attached.

Drink
There is plenty of night-life in the town, equally divided between the traditional German Kneipe Pubs and theme bars. Some clubs take fun-photos of their visitors. So if you do not wish to be photographed, tell them.

Mid-range
There are more than 20 private pensions and room rentals as well as almost 100 holiday apartments catering to this price range in Goslar. It is best to contact the Tourist Information or see the official website for details.

Go next

 * Bad Gandersheim - a town in South Lower Saxony. It is a town is full of character and is made up of many half-timbered houses. (40 minutes from Goslar)
 * Bad Harzburg - a small spa town nestled in the foothills on the northern edge of the Harz. It is named after a former imperial castle, the Harzburg, which used to stand proud on the heights above the town, but is now a ruin with just a few walls and ramparts remaining. The town itself caters largely for residents taking the "cure" as well as tourists - especially ramblers and cyclists - visiting the Harz. As a result, the centre is a pedestrian zone with small shops and timber-framed houses, surrounded by sprawling suburbs - a mix of impressive timber-framed residences and functional modern buildings. Bad Harzburg is a great base for exploring the northern Harz. There is an 80-year old cable car to the Harzburg above the town called the Harzbergbahn. Once on the top, there is a network of easy walking trails and numerous sights within striking distance including the Lynx Enclosure near the Rabenklippe crags and several outstanding viewing points over the surrounding area. (Only 12 minutes from Goslar).
 * Wernigerode
 * Clausthal-Zellerfeld - in the Oberharz. It is the largest town of the Oberharz community with an altitude of 535m. It is great for winter activities as well as walking and mountain biking during the rest of the year. Clausthal has a well known University "Aula Academica". It has a picturesque low mountain range landscape with crystal clear waters in more than 60 ponds and flowering meadows. (20 minutes from Goslar).
 * Brunswick - (German: Braunschweig) is a city of around 250,000 people, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser. (40 minutes from Goslar).
 * Hildesheim - the historical centre of Hildesheim consisted of over 1900 half-timbered buildings and was often called "Nuremberg of the north" up to the Second World War. During the war, 90% of the centre was destroyed; only a few lanes in the southern centre remained unchanged. Today the centre consists mainly of postwar buildings, 1950 to 1970. However, many historical monuments have been reconstructed. In this process, some of the changes of the last few centuries were removed and the original form of the buildings restored. Two church buildings were declared UNESCO World Heritage sites in 1985. (50 minutes from Goslar).
 * Hanover - capital of Lower Saxony. Visit the Herrenhausen Gardens, the Old Town Hall or Hanover Zoo. Follow the "red line" tourist trail and visit many of the historic sights. (1½ hours from Goslar).
 *  Göttingen - a city in the southernmost part of the state of Lower Saxony, bordering Hesse and Thuringia. (1 hour from Goslar).

title: Goslar


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Gosnold

Gosnold is a town in Massachusetts off of Cape Cod encompassing the nine Elizabeth Islands, including Cuttyhunk Island, Naushon Island, Pasque Island, Nashawena Island and some adjacent smaller islands that stretch out from Woods Hole village of Falmouth. Gosnold has the smallest population of any Massachusetts town. Gosnold separates Vineyard Sound from Buzzards Bay. The southernmost island of Cuttyhunk has most of the island chain's population and is the only island that is not entirely private. Less than one hundred people live there year-round.

Many boaters enjoy visiting the cozy harbor on day trips. Gosnold's entertainment is all provided by nature. Deer roam the island almost as if tame, but there are no movie theatres, nightclubs or tennis courts. Watch the sea. Enjoy quiet tranquility.

By boat

 * Arabella, Menemsha Harbor, Martha's Vineyard, Phone: +1 508-645-3511.
 * Alert II, Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 3, New Bedford, Phone: +1 508-992-1432.

By plane
Only a 10-minute ride from New Bedford

Get around
Follow the many deer paths. Cuttyhunk has a famous harbor for its many sailboats. Golf carts are the main mode of transportation.

See
Cuttyhunk is a fascinating island. This is not the place to go to enjoy night life. Take long relaxing walks to the beach, to the old ship wreck, or the historic war fort (used to fight the British). It is the charm of the houses, the Inn, and the quaint little stores, that keep bringing people back.

Do
Go on a fishing charter from Fisherman's Point. Kayak, sail, or swim. Walk to the historic fort.

Drink
Allen House, Phone: +1 508-996-9292.

Sleep

 * 12 rooms with shared baths, also one cottage and one upper story suite with a great view. This is the only lodging on the island.

Post office
Cuttyhunk, Pasque, Nashawena, & Penikese Islands - 13A Broadway, Cuttyhunk, MA 02713 - +1 508-994-7392

The other islands in Gosnold use the Woods Hole post office - 16 Water Street, Woods Hole, MA 02543 - +1 508-548-0604

Telephone
You may be dependent on landline telephones because of weak (if any) cellular phone reception. There are also some payphones on Cuttyhunk.

Internet
Cuttyhunk Island has an island-wide Wi-Fi network.

title: Gosnold


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Gosport

Gosport is a town in Hampshire, a short water ride away from Portsmouth. Although not a traditional destination, it does have some attractions if you are interested in maritime history.

Understand

 * Local council website

By road
Leave the M27 at Junction 11 and follow the A32. At rush hour, and sometimes at weekends, this is a busy road with long delays.

By ferry
The Gosport ferry across the harbour mouth is the most convenient way to get to Gosport from Portsmouth. An adult ticket costs £4.80 return, £3.00 for children or pensioners. A supplement is payable for bikes and e-scooters. Combination tickets are also available giving unlimited bus travel for a day in Hampshire. The website has details of ferry schedules and ticket pricing.

Sleep
Alternatively there is accommodation in neighbouring Portsmouth.

Go next
Portsmouth, with its naval dockyard, D-Day museum and other attractions, lies across the harbour. There is a shingle beach with views of the Isle of Wight near Gosport at Alverstoke, and another at Lee-on-Solent.

title: Gosport


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Gostivar

Gostivar (Macedonian: Гостивар) is a town in the Western North Macedonia. It is the second-largest city of the Polog region, beneath the Šar Mountain range. The Municipality of Gostivar has over 80,000 residents, of which under half live in the city of Gostivar.

Understand
Gostivar is in the Polog Valley in northwestern Macedonia, near Mavrovo National Park and the source of the Vardar River.

Gostivar is the seat of the fourth most populous municipality in Macedonia, with over 80,000 residents. The city has just over 35,000 residents, making it Polog's second-largest city after Tetovo. Gostivar is ethnically diverse with 47% of the population identifying as Albanian, one-third as Macedonian, 13% as Turkish, and the rest as Roma (Gypsy) or other.

By car
Gostivar lies on the main road Skopje-Gostivar-Kicevo highway. This road is smooth and nice but you have to pay a toll to drive on it.

By bus
Gostivar is well connected by bus to both to Skopje and Ohrid. Many of the Ohrid-Skopje buses travel this route.

By train
Macedonia Railways (MŽ) operate a daily service to and from Skopje (towards Kicevo). The Skopje-bound train leaves at 06.06, while the train from Skopje departs at 16.45. Unless you're an avid rail fan, the early start might not be worth it - though if you are, you might enjoy the aging rolling stock, witness the rare occasion of a single carriage being pulled by the locomotive.

Further afield
Vrutok is a village in which the source of Macedonia's most important river is found. It is on the slopes of Mount Bistra, and is home to several fish restaurants at the source of the Vardar. The village, southwest of Gostivar city, is home to over 1,100 residents.

Brodec is a mountain village in the west of Gostivar Municipality with the largest area of any village in Macedonia. While Brodec is nearly completely depopulated today, it has much traditional village architecture worth seeing, complemented by the mountainous scenery. It also features a monastery complex established in 2015 and a small waterfall.

Notable sites in other villages of the municipality include the below.

Vrapčište Municipality is north of Gostivar. It is primarily Albanian-populated with Turkish and ethnic Macedonian minorities.

Go next

 * Mavrovo National Park
 * Tetovo

title: Gostivar


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Gotō Islands

Gotō Islands (五島) are an archipelago in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan.

Municipalities and islands
The main municipalities are Goto City (五島市) and Shin-kamigoto Town (新上五島町). Some fringe islands belong to Sasebo City, Ojika Town and Saikai City.

The five main islands that give name to the archipelago are (from South to North):
 * Goto City
 * Fukue (福江島, Fukuejima). Biggest island both in extension and population.
 * Hisaka (久賀島, Hisakajima).
 * Naru (奈留島, Narushima).
 * Shin-kamigoto Town
 * Wakamatsu (若松島, Wakamatsujima).
 * Nakadori (中通島, Nakadorijima).

Understand
"Gotō" means "Five Islands".

When they started spreading Christianity in Japan, priests were particularly successful in Gotō. Even when a ban on religion entered in effect, many believers did not change their faith and continued worshipping secretly for two centuries. After the ban on Christianity was lifted on the 18th century, many churches were constructed. They constitute one of the main attractions of Gotō, along with its beautiful nature and fresh produce, especially fish.

Tourist information sites

 * Goto City has a multilingual guide site.

 * Shin-kamigoto Town has a Japanese-only guide site. Clicking on Language>English opens a 21-page guide book in English.

Talk
If you speak to older people, you may be able to hear a little of Gotō dialect. It has some interesting variations not found in Nagasaki dialect, like: -Min (水): water -Min (右): right -Min (耳): ear -Gesakka (げさっか): vulgar or lewd person -Baraka (ばらか): violent person, courage -Bittsunmijoka (びっつんみじょか): cute, beautiful

Get in
You can get to Gotō by slow ferry, fast jet foil and airplane.

Ferry/Jetfoil
Kyushu Shosen (Japanese) operates regular service between Nagasaki and Fukue, as well as some other islands. It takes 3 hr 10 min by ferry or 1 hr 25 min by jetfoil. The cost depends on the season and oil price fluctuations. For example, May 2024 fare was \4080 for ferry and \9030 for jetfoil.

The company also operates ships sailing to Kami-Gotō (north of the islands) from Sasebo.

Airplane
In only 30 minutes you can fly with Oriental Air Bridge (Japanese) from Nagasaki to Fukue Airport for ¥11300, one way, and ¥19500, round trip. Flight schedule varies greatly depending on the dates (1 to 3 daily flights either way).

Stay safe
While even Fukue area can get very dark at night due to no lighting, Gotō is as safe or more as the rest of Japan. Exercise basic caution and you´ll be fine.

Go next
Your only choice to continue your trip is to get back to the Japanese mainland, either Nagasaki, Omura, or Fukuoka, by boat or plane.

title: Gotō Islands


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Gotemba

Gotemba (御殿場), occasionally written Gotenba, is a city in Shizuoka, Japan. One of the starting points for the climb up Mount Fuji, Gotemba also offers premium outlet shopping.

Tourist information site
The local tourist association has a multilingual guide site.

By plane
There are direct buses to Gotemba Station from Haneda Airport operated by Odakyu Hakone Highway Bus and Keikyu Bus every 2 hours during the day (2 hr, ¥2060).

Service between Narita Airport and Gotemba is very limited. There are only two return services per day to the Gotemba stop on the Tomei Expressway (3 hr, ¥4100). It might be best to travel from Narita to Tokyo, then head to Gotemba from there by train or by bus.

By train
Gotemba Station is located on the JR Gotemba Line, which branches inland from the Tokaido Main Line at Numazu at the western end and Kōzu at the eastern end.

From Tokyo
Odakyu Railway offers a few daily limited express Romancecar services to Gotemba Station from their terminal in Shinjuku. These services are called the Fujisan (ふじさん) because of Gotemba's proximity to Mount Fuji. There are three round-trips on weekdays, and five round-trips on weekends and holidays. Trips take two hours and cost ¥2810. Seat reservations are compulsory. If you hold the Japan Rail Pass, you'll have to pay the Odakyu Railway basic and Romancecar fares (¥1470).

The alternate way to reach Gotemba by train - and the option that doesn't cost anything with a Japan Rail Pass - is to take a Tokaido Main Line service to Kōzu and change to the JR Gotemba Line. With this method it takes around 2 hr 15 min from Tokyo Station and costs ¥1940.

From Central/Western Japan
From cities to the west (Nagoya, Kyoto, etc.), take the Tokaido Shinkansen to Mishima. From there, take the Tokaido Line local train to Numazu, then the Gotemba Line to Gotemba.

By bus
Odakyu Hakone Highway Bus runs services from Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal (Busta Shinjuku) to Gotemba Station, with 1-2 buses every hour. The trip takes 1 hr 45 min and costs ¥1680. Odakyu and JR Bus also run less frequent services from Tokyo Station (1 hr 30 min, ¥1650). Buses also run to Gotemba Station from Haneda Airport (about 2 hr, ¥2060) and Yokohama Station (80 min, ¥1650) several times during the day.

A few Odakyu buses from Shinjuku run directly to the Gotemba Premium Outlets, with two trips to the outlets in the morning and three trips back to Shinjuku in the evening (1 hr 45 min, ¥1800). Otherwise, free shuttle buses connect the train station with the premium outlets.

Other highway buses may use the Tomei Gotemba Interchange stop on the Tomei Expressway. Taxis are available outside the interchange, but free shuttles operate during the day to Gotemba train station and to the Premium Outlets.

Get around
Free shuttle buses operate every 15 minutes during the day between Gotemba Station, Tomei Gotemba Interchange bus stop and the Premium Outlets. The buses run during the operating hours of the Premium Outlets.

If you want to climb Mount Fuji from the Gotemba side, there are buses from Gotemba Station to the Gotemba 5th Station. Buses take 40 min and cost ¥1110 one way or ¥1540 round-trip.

Otherwise, walking is a good way to experience Gotemba's quaintness, as well as find random views of Mount Fuji.

See

 * Gotemba Heiwa Koen (Peace Park) (御殿場平和公園) The Peace Park has a white stupa with golden Buddha statues as well as temple dogs donated from other Buddhist countries in Asia. Prayers can still be heard at the temple on the grounds. Also enjoy the walkway of Bodhisattva statues hidden in the woods. During the spring, the area is covered in cherry blossoms.

 * Kogen Brewery (高原ビール) - Kogen Brewery is a large complex housing various restaurants as well as a Brush Up Hotel and hot springs. During the winter months, there is a large illumination display as well as open stalls selling food. There is also a bakery and food store, gift shops, and a flower shop in addition to a local fruit and vegetable market. Shuttle buses run about once an hour with service to Gotemba Tomei Express and Gotemba station. Buses are also available to Iwanami, Susono and Mishima stations. The shuttle bus is free.

Mt. Fuji Taiko Festival A taiko (drum) festival held every August in Gotemba. Features local performers and various competitions.

Buy
Gotemba Premium Outlets - Gotemba Premium Outlets offers brand names with a good variety of shops (from Armani to Adidas). A free shuttle bus runs everyone 20 minutes from 09:00 to closing hours from both Gotemba station and the Gotemba Tomei Express. On busy days, it's faster to walk there (half an hour to 45 minutes from the station).

Eat
"Little America" exists on 246, with a McDonald's, Baskin Robbins, KFC, and Denny's all in a row. Local family restaurants include Jonathan's, Big Boy, Coco's, and Yoshino. Chain and local izakaya (food and drink bars) can be found around the station.

Drink
Gotenba is lacking in genuine bars but has a few chain izakayas.

Hibiki serves as a restaurant but very occasionally pulls out the stops for a good club event, with local and Tokyo DJs playing good electronic dance music and a crowd coming from neighboring towns.

Connect
The Gotemba city website has a list of other sight seeing spots within the area.

For those living within Gotemba or staying for a longer period, it might be worth it to contact the Gotemba International Association. GIA puts on various international and culture events in the city every year.

Go next
Buses to Nagoya, Kyoto, and Osaka stop regularly at Tomei Gotemba; you can buy a ticket as you board. There's a bus from Gotemba station to Tomei Gotemba leaving every half an hour.

 * Fujiyoshida Home to Fujikyu Highland Amusement Park - Package tickets with bus fare are available at the ticket office in Gotemba Station's bus depot. About 45 minutes from Gotemba station by bus.
 * Fuji Safari Park, about 16 km west of town, . This drive-through zoo has a range of exotic animals including lions, giraffes, and elephants.
 * Kawaguchi-ko (河口湖) - on the 'back' side of Mt. Fuji. Buses run directly to Kawaguchi-ko from the Gotemba station Fujikyu bus stop. Watch the sun rise over Mt. Fuji.
 * Hakone
 * Oyama
 * Susono
 * Numazu
 * Minamiashigara
 * Odawara

title: Gotemba


text:
Gothenburg

Gothenburg (Swedish: Göteborg) is Sweden's second largest city with 570,000 inhabitants, and about 1 million in the metropolitan area. The city lies on Sweden's west coast, at the outlet of the Göta river. Gothenburg is Sweden's largest industrial city with companies such as the Volvo Group and Volvo Cars, as well as Scandinavia's largest port. The city hosts numerous national and international sporting and music events such as Gothia Cup, Partille Cup and Way out West. Gothenburg also has the Sweden's largest amusement park, Liseberg.

Understand
Gothenburg is a fairly green city with parks and a large river bisecting the city. Built after being founded by royal decree in 1621 it was modeled after the Dutch city style, with plenty of canals. Gothenburg has many nicknames that allude to its canals such as "little London", "little Amsterdam", and "little Venice". Early on Gothenburg was famous for its port and trade and has prominently hosted the Swedish East-India Company. Due to its historically industrial character Gothenburg has had strong working class associations, being known for its friendly yet brusque "goa gubbar". This together with its large port has given rise to the moniker "Marseille of the North".

Today, with over 50,000 students in the city and two major universities it has a young side with plenty of bars and night-clubs. Gothenburg has a reputation for being a very friendly place, and more welcoming than Stockholm, the Swedish capital.

History
Gothenburg is at the mouth of the river Göta älv. Lödöse, some upstream from Gothenburg was one of the largest cities in Sweden during the Middle Ages, and is considered a precursor to Gothenburg. During the Middle Ages the mouth of Göta älv was controlled by Sweden, while Bohuslän immediately north of it was Norwegian and Halland to its immediate south was Danish. The area thus became a tripoint of the three kingdoms. In order to consolidate Swedish control of the area, Älvsborg's fortress was constructed near modern-day Gothenburg. Several failed attempts were also made to build a city in the area.

The modern city of Gothenburg was built in 1621 by the Swedish king Gustav II Adolf. During the 17th century Sweden conquered Bohuslän and Halland, thus making Gothenburg the center of an expanded western Sweden. During this era the older Danish Älvsborg fortress was demolished. It was replaced by a new castle, ingeniously called New Älvsborg fortress, on an island in the mouth of the river. Gothenburg eventually became a major gateway into Sweden, and one of the busiest ports in the Nordic countries. As the largest port in Sweden Gothenburg became the seat of the Swedish East India Company in the 18th century, and a hub for American emigration in the 19th century. During this era the city also became heavily industrialized, particularly as a center for the Swedish shipbuilding industry. Its large port, strong trade community and proximity to Marstrand meant the city had a large Jewish and international community, with the first Jewish association forming before that of Stockholm.

With rising competition from foreign ship yards in the 1900s, many of the dry docks closed down in the 1970s. Much of the inner harbor area has changed from industrial ship building to high technology and education, representative of the general change in the city. Today Gothenburg has international sporting events, concerts, and conventions. Being an industrial center, Gothenburg has been politically dominated by the left-wing Social Democrats for many years. In the 1960s with Sweden investing heavily in affordable housing with Miljonprogrammet large parts of the working class town was demolished. Much like parts of Södermalm in Stockholm, Masthugget was an entire district comprised nearly exclusively of small red-painted wooden houses, some of which had stone-laid ground floors, so called Landhövdingehus. Today such houses can only be found at Gathenhielmska kulturreservatet by Stigbergstorget in Majorna, as well as on some of the islands in the Gothenburg archipelago. Gothenburg is famous for its Landshövdingehus of which more upscale housing remains in Haga, Gårda and Majorna.

People
The working-class history is easily visible, for example in the harbor area, especially on the northern riverfront of Hisingen and north of the city center on the southern riverfront in Gullbergsvass. Before the 1970s there were few fashion houses or posher cafeterias, but that has changed.

The Gothenburg dialect is associated with cheerfulness and witty, if pun-laden humour, with many humorists classically from Gothenburg, often of the "goa gubbar" (lit. "good guys") stereotype, working class and somewhat fat. The connection to Britain has been said to be behind the high frequency of the male given name Glenn.

Like Marseille in France there is some animosity towards the capital, with those who move there sometimes being called "traitors".

Climate
Like most of southern and coastal Sweden, the city is best visited during springtime as well as in the summer. The climate is temperate with mild winters and warm, but not hot summers. Because it is located on the west coast by the sea the climate is milder and rainier in the winter than Stockholm, but comparable to Copenhagen. Snow is not a given in winter, for real Scandinavian winter, visit Dalarna or Norrland.

In other words, May to September tend to have the most comfortable weather. From Midsummer to the end of July, many inhabitants leave the city, and some venues close for summer, making the city more dominated by tourists.

Tourist information

Gothenburg offers the Go City Pass, which allows entry into many tourist attractions, grand houses, and museums for 684 kr/adult or 464 kr/child (6–15 years old) (June 2024). Among attractions covered are Ringlinien vintage train, admission to Liseberg, Universeum, free travel with Paddan boat, boat trip to New Älvsborg Fortress, guided tour by bus, Museum of World Culture, Gothenburg Natural History Museum, Gothenburg City Museum, Gothenburg Art Museum, Röhsska Museum, Maritime Museum Aquarium, Medical History Museum, the Sports Museum, Maritiman, Gothenburgs utkiken, Guided tour of Gunnebo House, the Garden Society of Gothenburg, Greenhouses in the Botanical Garden, Röda Sten, Stinsen Sightseeing, Aeroseum, Volvo Museum, Mölndals Museum. This card is available on your mobile phone.

Gothenburgers are usually more than willing to help with directions.

By plane
The city's international airport, Landvetter, serves mainly flights from other European cities, the exception being a seasonal flight by SAS from New York-Newark. Otherwise, to fly in from other continents, you must connect at a larger airport offering intercontinental flights. Most carriers offer connecting intercontinental tickets.

There are two coffee shops, burger fast food service, and a newsagent land-side. Air-side you can find a few cafes, restaurants, bars, gift shops and duty-free shops. There is quite little shopping. Foreign exchange facilities are available on both sides of security. The airport provides free Wi-Fi, but charging stations and power sockets are not in abundance.

Most of the major car rental companies have facilities opposite the airport exit. There are two hotels: Scandic is located adjacent to the terminal building and Landvetter Airport Hotel is within walking distance beyond the car rental facilities.

There is a Flygbussarna bus service from Landvetter into the city. It runs every 15–20 minutes (during the pandemic it is adapted to the reduced flight schedules so check the website for the current timetable), costs 119 kr one way (238 kr return) if you pay online (otherwise it is 139 kr and 249 kr respectively). The journey takes approximately 20–35 minutes. It stops at several locations (first stop near Liseberg; final stop: the Nils Ericson Bus terminal which is next to the Central Train Station). The only method of payment for the ticket is by credit card. Free WiFi is available on the coach.

Taxis are expensive. To the city it takes about 25 minutes and costs between 520 kr and 560 kr. It is best to arrange fixed fare before getting in taxi.

Gothenburg City Airport (GSE) closed in 2014.

By train

SJ high speed trains run hourly and MTR trains every two hours from Stockholm Central station, taking just over 3 hours via Södertälje, Katrineholm and Skövde. Since May 2021, Flixtrain also runs three trains a day from Stockholm, taking 3 hr 30 min. These have very low "teaser" fares but a likely off-peak real fare is €17 single. Look on the Flix website as these trains may not be shown on others, for instance Deutsche Bahn.

Trains from Oslo take 4 hours. Trains run from Copenhagen city and airport hourly, taking 4 hours via Öresund bridge-tunnel, Malmö, Lund, Helsingborg and Halmstad. Regional trains also run from Jönköping via Falköping, and from Stockholm via Örebro. Travel from northern Swedish cities involves changing in Stockholm.

By bus
Coach lines to Gothenburg include Eurolines, Flixbus, GoByBus, Vy Bus4You and Swebus Express. The bus station is Nils Ericsson Terminalen on the north side of the central railway station. Västtrafik operates regional buses.

By boat
Stena Line operates ships to/from Denmark (Frederikshavn) and Germany (Kiel). The terminals are near the city centre. Tramway stops: Masthuggstorget (Frederikshavn), Chapmans Torg (Kiel).

DFDS is a cargo line with limited passenger capacity. They can take a small number of passengers (and their car) to Gothenburg from Belgium (Ghent).

There are also passenger boats cruising down the river, some all the way from Stockholm through Göta Kanal (by Rederi Göta Kanal)

By car
European roads E6, E20 and E45 pass through Gothenburg. If you come by car from Stockholm, you should take E4 to Jönköping, and then national road 40.

Approximate distances and travelling time:
 * to Malmö (E6/E20 south): 300 km, 3 hours
 * to Oslo (E6 north): 320 km, 4 hours
 * to Stockholm (40 east, E4): 500 km, 4 hours and 40 minutes
 * to Copenhagen (E6/E20 south): 317 km, 3 hours and 30 minutes

Parking in Gothenburg can be difficult and expensive, as free parking is rarely found. Prices per hour vary between 7 zones and can be as high as 30 kr per hour. Free parking for tourists is however included in the Gothenburg City Card, if you happen to own one.

Gothenburg has implemented a congestion charge (trängselskatt) for the central area. However, for Swedish rental cars the cost is commonly already included in the daily fee.

Get around
Public transportation within Gothenburg (and the west of Sweden) is operated by Västtrafik and consists of trams, buses and ferries. You can find more information about tickets and a journey planner on their homepage.

Public transport in Gothenburg can be fairly slow: For example, to cross one side of the city to the other (20 km) can take up to an hour. It can be a good idea to look up alternative routes, with some of the express buses being considerably faster, and it sometimes being possible to save many minutes by walking a few hundred meters to a tram-stop located on a different line. Inside the central area, transport is fairly rapid, as the tram tracks generally are separated from normal car lanes.

The local transport company (Västtrafik) has removed maps from just about all the tram stops; be prepared and have a map ready before you get there. The phone app or web site is very handy when wanting to find routes, but will not ask you to walk any distance in order to save time — for this Google maps is better.

Västtrafik's ticket system
You cannot buy tickets from the driver on any buses in Gothenburg area, but they are available onboard countryside buses or regional trains and in machines on trams in the Västtrafik system.

 * Tourist Ticket

Tourists and others planning to travel everyday are advised to buy a 1- or 3-day ticket. A blue card called the Västtrafik card is charged with ticket information. They are bought at Västtrafik's service centres or from Seven-Eleven or Pressbyrån or some other stores. They cost 115 kr (24 hours) or 230 kr (72 hours) inside Gothenburg's zone A which includes the archipelago (as of Aug 2023). A tourist card is available from the tourist office which is valid as a tram/bus ticket and for museum entrance fees, etc. Longer period tickets (30 or 365 days) can be loaded onto a västtrafik card.

 * Single ticket

If you only travel occasionally, you can either buy tickets at 7-Eleven, the Västtrafik "Tidpunkten" customer service centers, the Pressbyrån shops, from the blue ticket machines on the trams - which accepts coins or major credit cards, online via the Travel planner, or via a phone app if you have a Swedish credit card. During daytime the cost is 41 kr for an adult within the city zone (34 kr with app ticket).

 * Prepaid card (Pay-as-you-go)

If you will be travelling more often it might be a good idea to buy a prepaid västtrafik card that also gives a discount. This card can be charged with any amount at a time until the card contains a maximum of 1500 kr. In addition you must pay a 50 kr deposit which can be used in part to pay for your trip, but if any of the deposit money is used, another trip cannot be made until you recharge the card again. If you return the card to a Västtrafik service center the deposit will be refunded to you.

If you travel within one zone a fixed price is deducted from your card, which is 34 kr for an adult within the Gothenburg zone. If you travel across a zone border the journey will be more expensive. With the exception of the southern part of tram no. 2 or 4 (all stops from Krokslätts Torg to Mölndals Centrum) the entire tram system lies within the Gothenburg municipality.

The card is used by touching it to one of the card readers in the vehicle when you board. If you intend to travel in more than one zone you must press the + button on the card reader before touching in and also touch the card to the reader when exiting the vehicle (otherwise, you will be charged for a journey to the terminal destination of the bus/tram). For tourists it's recommended you always touch in and out with the + button as the system will then always deduct the correct amount and you will not have to bother about the zones.

The Västrafik card can be bought from Västtrafik's service centres or from most convenience stores.

You can change freely between buses, ferries and trams 90 minutes after you first used your ticket. If you traveled in more than one zone the 90 minutes time will count from the time you disembarked in the last zone. When travelling between zones, remember to always touch in and touch out on each separate vehicle - otherwise you will be charged for each as separate journeys.

It might seem easy to get on one of the buses or trams without a valid ticket, but if a biljettkontrollant (ticket controller) would find out, you will be charged with a fee of 1500 kr.
 * Smartphone app

Västtrafik has an app called "Västtrafik To Go", in which single tickets, 1- or 3-day tickets, and period tickets can be bought. It is also a fully functional travel planner that can suggest when walking or cycling is a good or better alternative. It is available for both iOS and Android devices.

By tram
Gothenburg has a famous network of trams, covering most of the city. With over 150 km the Gothenburg tram is the largest light rail network in Scandinavia.

The network consists of 12 tram lines, 1 to 11 and 13, and every line except no 8 passes through the main tram stop Brunnsparken ('Well Park'). It is located one tram stop or a 2-minute walk from the train station, Centralstationen. The trams runs approximately every 8–10 minutes during daylight and twice every hour at night, at weekends the trams run every 15–30 minutes. Notice that not all lines runs nighttime.

This and the Paddan boats (operating from Kungsportsplatsen) is the best way to see the city as they run above ground at a comfortable yet quick pace.
 * Gothenburg tram and Stombuss network maps are available online.

By bus
Trams are the most efficient way to travel within the city centre, but if you're planning to go further you might need to go by bus. Bus lines heading in the same direction often departs from the same part of the city. There is no real equivalent to the large central tram and bus stop Brunnsparken—most others are divided into several "smaller" hubs, which you often reach by tram.

By ferry
Two ferry services run across the river; Älvsnabben is the regular ferry service with traffic every 30 minutes, and Älvsnabbare that only run between Rosenlund and Lindholmspiren (free of charge) during work hours. Besides transport, this can be a good way to see the city from the river.

Ferries to the southern archipelago run from Saltholmen, with three different lines: Vrångö line, Brännö Rödsten line and the less trafficated Förö line. The service runs once an hour or less.

Styrsöbolaget run the ferry services under licence of Västtrafik - you can still use the city public transport ticket. On their homepage can you find time tables and more information about the islands.

By taxi
There are several taxi companies, for example Taxi Göteborg (031-650000), Taxi Kurir (031-272727) and Minitaxi (031-140140). Initial fare from 35 kr, and then from 10 to 14 kr/km. Every taxi must have comparing prices well visible according to law, and it's often placed in the side window. No 1 is daytime, no 2 is rush hour and no 3 is for night time service, and then you see the initial fare, price per hour, price per kilometre and comparing prices for a typical journey.

Prices between companies vary. For the above-mentioned larger companies the visible comparing price is about 350-380 kr (and 400 kr at max). Dubious taxi operators take about double the price, so make sure to compare before you enter.

For longer travels, negotiate a fixed price. To the airport it should be around 500 kr from the city centre.

Illegal taxis, called "svarttaxi", are operating, particularly during Friday and Saturday nights. They are generally cheaper, but using them is not advised, particularly for women or drunk passengers, since muggings and rapes have occurred involving illegal taxis.

By bicycle
Gothenburg has a nice network of bicycle paths, reaching all parts of the city. You can buy network maps at the tourist information centres, and you can find an online version

You can bring your bike on the ferries, on some trains but not on trams or buses. The service is free on Älvsnabben but costs 10 kr on the ferries in the southern archipelago.

You can rent a bike from Cykelkungen or if you are staying at a hostel they can often provide it for you.

In the most central parts there are an automated loan bike system Styr & Ställ, registration of 90 kr for 30 days and while reserving an amount on your credit card they are free to use as long as you use for only 60 minutes and then replaced in another place. You can then take a bike again 2 minutes later. A real-time map showing how many bikes and free parking slots are available at each station can be downloaded from allbikesnow.

 * Bicycle planner

By foot
With a compact city centre most sights are easily reached by foot, and it's a nice way to get around.

Popular walks around the city include the nature reserve around the lake Delsjön, the park Slottsskogen, the botanical garden, on any of the islands in the southern archipelago, or in the neighborhood Haga.

Museums

Do

 * Southern Archipelago. For a low price one can visit the islands in the southern archipelago with regular passenger boats. These islands are car free and very picturesque. The boats go from the tram stop "Saltholmen". It is difficult to park there. Tram tickets are valid on the boat too.
 * Charter a Sailing Yacht sBoats.com or yachtbooker.com give you independent information on how to find a yacht charter in Gothenburg.
 * Southern Archipelago. For a low price one can visit the islands in the southern archipelago with regular passenger boats. These islands are car free and very picturesque. The boats go from the tram stop "Saltholmen". It is difficult to park there. Tram tickets are valid on the boat too.
 * Charter a Sailing Yacht sBoats.com or yachtbooker.com give you independent information on how to find a yacht charter in Gothenburg.
 * Southern Archipelago. For a low price one can visit the islands in the southern archipelago with regular passenger boats. These islands are car free and very picturesque. The boats go from the tram stop "Saltholmen". It is difficult to park there. Tram tickets are valid on the boat too.
 * Charter a Sailing Yacht sBoats.com or yachtbooker.com give you independent information on how to find a yacht charter in Gothenburg.
 * Charter a Sailing Yacht sBoats.com or yachtbooker.com give you independent information on how to find a yacht charter in Gothenburg.

Events

 * The Cortège. Every year students from Chalmers University organize the carnival parade on Walpurgis Night (30 April). The parade starts at Gibraltargatan next to the campus, proceeds via Läraregatan, Viktor Rydbergsgatan, Kungsportsavenyn, Vasagatan, Aschebergsgatan back to the campus and takes about 2 hours. During about a week before the parade, the students construct the different vehicles on campus next to Gibraltargatan. Free.
 * Every year in February, the town is invaded by cinema buffs for the annual Gothenburg Film Festival. The festival, which is growing every year, is now one of the major Scandinavian movie festivals.
 * Julstaden (the Christmas celebration), takes place in December. The city centre is filled with Christmas lights and various activities, such as the market at Haga Nygata. The event has become a popular tourist attraction.
 * Gothenburg Culture Festival (Kulturkalaset) takes place annually in August. City-festival featuring musical performances, a wide array of foreign food booths and lots and lots of beer. Massive public drunkenness and under-aged intoxication has made the city council consider to cancel the whole thing. If you stay off the absolute city-centre like the Avenue (Avenyn) you may find interesting parties and activities though.
 * Volvo Rendezvous for Owners & Members (VROM) — an annual meeting for Volvo enthusiasts.
 * Gothenburg's Pride festival is West Pride.
 * Göteborg Aero Show — Sweden's major annual air show, attracting tens of thousands spectators every year.
 * Way Out West — a yearly music festival held in Slottskogen, usually in August.
 * Göteborg International Biennial for Contemporary Art (GIBCA). It's held every second year usually in November, the next one will be in 2019.

Sport events

 * Once a year during July, football playing youths from more than 50 countries take part in Gothia Cup, the world's biggest football tournament with over 1,000 teams. The final rounds are held at the Ullevi stadium, one of the largest in the Nordic countries.
 * Football: the city has four professional soccer teams. In Allsvenskan, the top tier, are BK Häcken (playing at Bravida Arena) and IFK Göteborg (at Gamla Ullevi Stadium). In Superettan the second tier are Örgryte IS and GAIS (both also at Gamla Ullevi). Gamla Ullevi is also the home stadium of the Sweden women's national team.
 * At Scandinavium hockey stadium the local team Frölunda plays games every week during season.
 * On occasion you can see wrestling in different locations in Gothenburg.
 * On occasion you can see wrestling in different locations in Gothenburg.

Learn
While the Gothenburg University or Chalmers University of Technology generally require longer stays to partake in their courses, if you want to do a shorter course, for example a language course or pottery course there are a few options:
 * Medborgarskolan
 * Folkuniversitetet
 * Vuxenskolan
 * Sensus

Buy
Gothenburg hosts most of the types of shopping that is available internationally. Swedish design goods and local specialties can be found at some places. The main shopping districts and malls are:

Book-shops
While few shops cater to English readers, there are two with somewhat more than the average business bestsellers:

Eat
The main restaurant street in Gothenburg is Linnégatan running from Järntorget to Linnéplatsen. It has a high concentration of good restaurants of all kinds in the low to moderate price range.

Most restaurants offer lunch menus ranging 90-130 kr, mostly they are served between 11:30 and 14:00.

Mid-range

Drink
In the summertime there are outdoor serving along Avenyn and Linnégatan.

You can pick up the free Nöjesguiden and Djungeltrumman magazines in various stores to read more about Gothenburg's nightlife. They are only available in Swedish though.

Clubs
There are several different clubs in Gothenburg, with a wide array of music styles.

Cafés
Gothenburg has a vast array of cafés practically everywhere. In the district Haga (near Järntorget) you can find a lot of nice cafés. It is quite normal to get a free re-fill if you buy filter coffee (bryggkaffe in Swedish).

Budget
Many Youth Hostels only offer their lowest prices to members of STF or IYHF. The Tourist Bureau just off Avenyn organises an excellent private home B&B service.

Stay safe
Most crimes against tourists are crimes of opportunity, such as pick-pocketing, bicycle theft, auto theft and auto vandalism. Pickpockets converge in Gothenburg during the summer months so beware. As always, do not leave valuable items in your car or in a cloakroom, and watch your bag in crowded places. Most shops and all major taxi companies accept credit and debit cards, so there is no need to carry a lot of cash. Downtown Gothenburg is plagued by illegal taxis by night, and they are considered very unsafe, especially for women. Check the taxi rate, which should be on a yellow window sticker; the preferred price should be in the range of 300-350 kr. Generally speaking, crime rates in Gothenburg are quite low from an international perspective.

Connect
As of Sept 2021, Gothenburg has 4G from 3 Tre and Net4Mobility / Tele2, and 5G from TeliaSonera. Wifi is widely available in public places.

Cope

 * The Local, local English-language newspaper.
 * Mailboxes Etc., Cheap place in town to print PDF's - handy e.g. for boarding passes or bus tickets

Religious services
Protestant churches:
 * Smyrna international, Hagakyrkogata 2. Celebration 15.00 (in English). Iranian meeting Thursdays 17:30.

Roman Catholic churches:
 * Kristus Konungen, Parkgatan 14. Holy mass: Sa 11:30, 16:30 (Spanish), 18:00, 19:00 (Polish); Su 9:30, 11:00, 13:00 (Polish), 16:00 (Croatian), 19:00; M-F 08:00, 11:30, 18:00.

Church of the Anglican community:
 * St. Andrews church, Hvidfeltsplatsen 2

Mosques:
 * Nasir Moskén, Tolvskillingsgatan 1. Sweden's first mosque built in 1975. (ahmadiya)
 * Bellevuemoskén, Generalsgatan 2A.
 * Göteborgs Moské, Myntgatan 8. This newly built mosque, with its beautiful cross between Islamic architecture and modern design, is a must go to for architectural fans.

Go next

 * Near Gothenburg is the beautiful Gothenburg archipelago. Here you can enjoy nature, have great views over the islands, swim in the ocean, buy ice cream and maybe eat at the restaurants on Brännö, Styrsö or Vrångö. The ferry terminal in Saltholmen which connects to the islands is easily reachable by tram from Gothenburg city center. There's a resident population on most islands, so ferries run all year.
 * Älvsborgs fortress (Älvsborgs fästning) from the 17th century was built on an island to protect the city from being attacked from the sea. Tourist boats Stromma make the trip regularly during summer.
 * Vinga - the last outpost before the sea and the place where Evert Taube (a famous Swedish poet) grew up.
 * Gunnebo House and Gardens, in the neighbouring municipality of Mölndal, is a large 18th-century wooden mansion built in the neo-classical style with Rococo interiors set in a Baroque park. There is a restaurant, a gift shop, guided tours and annual markets in the autumn and at Christmas.
 * Tjolöholm Castle, in Kungsbacka municipality south of Gothenburg, is an anachronistic Tudor castle built in the years around 1900 for the Scottish-Swedish merchant and factory-owning family Dickson, one of Gothenburg's many generous donors (they founded Gothenburg's first public library and built decent homes for the families of their factory staff).
 * Suburban Gothenburg: Alingsås, Lerum, Härryda, Mölndal and Partille
 * Bohuslän region with its scenic coastline landscapes is easily reachable by Västtrafik buses and trains, the company also operating the public transport in Gothenburg.
 * Denmark: Frederikshavn on the northern tip of Denmark has daily ferry connections operated by Stenaline. Depending on the ferry, the ride takes between 2 and 3 hours. The ferry itself can also be attraction in its own right, as you get good views of the Gothenburg Archipelago, and you will see a lot of Scandinavians going crazy because of the duty-free alcohol sale on the boat. Copenhagen can also be easily reached by bus.

title: Gothenburg


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Gotland

Gotland is Sweden's largest island, in the middle of the Baltic Sea. Some 60,000 people live here all year. Together with some minor islands it forms the Gotland province, Gotland Municipality and Gotland County.

With a peculiar dialect, a glorious history and a scenery very different from mainland Sweden, the island has a spirit of independence.

Cities

 * — the only city, around 20,000 inhabitants, crowded during summers. Is on UNESCO's World Heritage list as an "outstanding example of a Northern European walled Hanseatic town which has in a unique way preserved its townscape and its extremely valuable buildings, which in form and function clearly reflect this significant human settlement".

Regions and minor islands

 * includes the towns Slite and Fårösund as well as limestone quarry lagoons and the Lummelunda cave.
 * includes the towns Roma, Ljugarn and Klintehamn, and mainly consists of farmlands and forests with many churches and medieval ruins.
 * includes the town Hemse and Burgsvik and has beautiful beaches with the most famous rauks.
 * — A smaller island just off the northern coast of the main island. Known for its high concentration of rauks and sand beaches.
 * — A national park island north of Gotland.
 * — Stora Karlsö is one of the world's oldest nature preserves, second only to Yellowstone National Park. The islands are definitely worth a day's visit. Situated outside of Klintehamn.

Understand

Gotland is said to be the homeland of the legendary Goths, who migrated through Central Europe sacked the Roman Empire during the 5th century AD. Medieval Gotland language has many similarities with the Gothic language, though there are no first-hand historical records that the Goths really came from Gotland. In its early history, Gotland was an independent kingdom and still today, the older generations do not regard themselves as Swedes - they are nothing but Gotlanders.

The island's early history is commemorated through picture stones (bildstenar).

Gotland was a central location of the Viking Age of the 8th to 11th centuries. While the true Vikings (pirates or mercenaries) were not from Gotland, many people on the island were sailing merchants; farmaðr. During the Hanseatic period in the Middle Ages, Visby and Gotland was an important stop on the trade routes on the Baltic Sea. The island lost its role after a Danish war in the 14th century. One of the best-known events of the island's history was Danish king Valdemar Atterdag's ransom for Visby, where he demanded large amounts of gold and silver to spare the city from being burnt down. The written records are unreliable, though.

As the Hanseatic League lost importance, the Danes took control over the island for 300 years, ending Gotland's golden age. The Dano-Swedish wars of the 16th and 17th centuries gave the Swedish Empire the dominant power of the Baltic Sea, and annexed Gotland. The island was a poor backwater until the late 19th century, as cement manufacturing, tourism and military presence gave the island a renaissance.

Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman recorded many films on Gotland and the surrounding smaller islands, especially Fårö.

The island holds many medieval memories; old farmlands and more than 90 churches, all with different architecture.

Talk
Some of the residents still speak Gutnish (Swedish: Gutamål), the autochthonous language on Gotland and Fårö. Most speak Swedish or Gotlandic (gotländska), Swedish dialects with different degrees of influence from Gutnish. Characteristic are the many diphthongs (e.g rauk). Everybody understands standard Swedish, and virtually everyone but the oldest speaks English.

By plane

There are flights all year to Visby from Stockholm, Gothenburg and Linköping. During summer, there's also flights from Oslo and Ängelholm. A flight from Stockholm takes about 25 minutes, from Gothenburg about 50 minutes.

By boat
Destination Gotland runs ferries from Nynäshamn and Oskarshamn to Visby all year. You can also bring your car. This is the cheapest way to get to the island (i.e. price for a passenger with bike oscillates around 500 kr). The ferry takes about three hours. The harbour is in the very centre of Visby. From spring 2024 they are also going to cruise Stockholm–Mariehamn–Visby.

Gotland is a natural destination for boating on the Baltic Sea. Safe natural harbours are few if any, but there is an adequate number of guest harbours spread along the coasts, the most busy in Visby centre.

Several international cruise lines call at Gotland.

Get around
Driving is a practical way to get around the main island; see Driving in Sweden. The ferries allow cars, and there are several car rentals in Visby.

There are also bus services from Visby to all parts of the island, but be sure to bring a timetable before you leave Visby, since many bus stops are served only a few times per day. See Kollektivtrafiken and Resrobot (a search engine for all public transport inside Sweden). There is Ridango Gotland mobile app to search timetables and buy tickets.

Gotland is Sweden's largest island, but still only about 120 km from north to south and 50 km across, and with relatively short distances between different sites of interest. Most roads are paved and the hills are few. Therefore, cycling is an alternative to driving, in particular at summer. Bikes can be brought from mainland on the ferry, or rented at arrival to the island (or later, if you go to a suitable location). Gotlandsleden is a marked (red square signs with white bicycle) bicycle route that takes you all around the island and includes Fårö. You can get free map (enough for cycling) from tourist information center in Visby Donners square. The map you can buy in a ferry (by Norstedts) is pretty useless to cycle Gotlandsleden, because it contains errors.

Medieval churches
There are over 90 medieval churches on the island. While old churches in mainland Sweden have typically been expanded or renovated several times having few original pieces, most of Gotland's churches haven't been modernised since the 15th century.

Rauks

Fantastic rock formations (Raukar) are found along the island's coast. These natural sculptures are made out of lime stone and created as surrounding "softer" minerals have been eroded by the sea. The most famous are probably the biggest, Jungfrun, near Lickershamn, Hunden ("the dog") at Gamle hamn, and Hoburgsgubben, said to resemble a human face, near Gotland's southern tip. The largest rauk field is the Bjärge one on Fårö.

Archaeological sites
Archaeological sites include a Viking age burial field at the Gamle hamn rauk field on Fårö, and the Stavgard 10th century village ruin where the master house was 60 metres long, with a modern replica of the village.

Wild horses
The Gotland pony (gotlandsruss) is a wild horse breed, living in the reserve of the Lojsta moor in Central Gotland. It is also a quite popular riding horse breed.

Itineraries

 * From Visby going south towards Klintehamn and Burgsvik. Nice coastal roads.
 * From Visby going north towards Fårösund.

Cycling
Gotland is a fine destination for cyclists and popular with groups or families traveling by bicycle and staying in hostels or campgrounds.

Bathing
There are beaches at many places around the coast, the most popular being Tofta. In addition there are Blå lagunen and Smöjen on Northern Gotland: old limestone quarries turned into pools.

Annual events

 * The politicians' week, (Almedalsveckan) takes place in the Almedalen park in Visby during early July. All political parties and organizations meet for debates and seminars, most of it open to the public. Big media coverage.
 * The Bergman Week is an event on Fårö in late June or early July celebrating the famous Swedish director Ingmar Bergman, who spent many summers on Gotland.
 * Stockholmsveckan is a week of wild parties in Visby during mid-July.
 * Medieval Week (Medeltidsveckan), a large feast during a whole week in the beginning of August every year. Visitors dress in medieval clothes while visiting the medieval market or the jousting tournament. The feast is concentrated to Visby, but arrangements are held on all of Gotland. 2023 will be the 40th anniversary. Visby is crowded during this week.

Eat
Some typical dishes from Gotland are:

 * Many types of lamb. A speciality is sheep's head (lambskalle), but it is quite difficult to find it in restaurants.
 * Dessert: Saffron pancake (Saffranspannkaka) with whipped cream and dewberry jam (locally called "salmbär").

If traveling by bike or car, buy ice cream, strawberries, and fish on the road (marked places) - you will please your day and support local people.

Visby and the resort towns have many restaurants. These tend to be crowded at summer.

Drink
Nightlife is concentrated to Visby, and most intense in summer.

 * Gotlandsdricke (or simply drikke or drikku''): local home-made alcoholic brew, resembling beer. Quite difficult to get in bars and restaurants – you have to know a Gotlander to get to taste it.
 * Local beer: Wisby pils or Wisby Klosteröl.

Sleep
There are some camping places, and you can sleep in countryside as well. A quite basic, but non-expensive camping is just north of Visby, near Nyhamn (arrow sign pointing to Kinnerstugan on the main road) - tent costs 60 kr, shower 10 kr.

Stay safe
Gotland is, like Sweden in general, a safe destination. Visby is crowded during summer, with elevated risk of pickpockets and drunk brawls.

The Baltic Sea can occasionally get stormy, and perilous for small boats.

As of the 2020s, Gotland has high military presence. Photographing military bases in detail might be prohibited, and it is advisable not to share pictures or other information concerning military activity.

Go next

 * Fårö is a small island just north of Gotland, known by its Swedish feeling. Free ferries go there and back frequently from Fårösund.
 * Nynäshamn located some south of Stockholm, it is one of the ports connected by ferry with Visby.
 * Oskarshamn in Småland, the second port connected with Visby by ferries.
 * Stockholm (Bromma Airport) is only 25 minutes away by plane.
 * The Archipelago Sea in south-west Finland is two days away with a sailing yacht (150 nautical miles), over the Baltic Sea.
 * Estonia; Sõru in Emmaste on Hiiumaa is 110 nautical miles away (Hiiumaa is Dagö in Swedish, because of the one-day voyage from Gotland).

title: Gotland


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Gotsu

Gotsu (江津市) is a city in Shimane prefecture.

Tourist information site
The local tourist association has a Japanese-only guide site.

Get in
Gotsu an express stop along the Sanin Railway that runs up and down the coast of Shimane. You can catch a train from Matsue City (accessible by bus or train from Osaka and Tokyo), or Yamaguchi City along the bullet train line. From Yamaguchi you can switch train to the Super Express Yakumo.

Another option is to take the bus from Hiroshima Station or Osaka Station to Hamada City. From there, you can take the local train up to Gotsu (taking roughly 30 minutes).

Finally, you can drive along the Chugoku and Hamada Expressway--the most direct route from Hiroshima City, taking roughly 2 hours.

Get around
There are no bikes for rent, so car and foot are the primary options.

Rent a car in Hamada City or Hiroshima, or hire a taxi. Taxis are often lined up outside Gotsu Station. Inquire to the driver for their card, so that you may use their services again.

Go next

 * Hamada
 * Masuda
 * Oda
 * Kawamoto
 * Onan
 * Misato
 * Izumo
 * Matsue
 * Tsuwano

title: Gotsu


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Gouda

Gouda is a city in the province South-Holland in The Netherlands. It is a typical Dutch city with many old buildings, canals and pretty sights, and is a popular destination for a day trip. It is also a good base for exploring the rest of the Netherlands, thanks to its great rail- and highway connections. The city is famous for its cheese, its 15th-century town hall and the amazing glass windows in St. Janskerk, but there is a lot more to see and do.

Understand
Gouda has a population of about 71,000. As well as its cheese, Gouda is also famous for its stroopwafels (syrup waffles), candles and its clay pipes. Most of the city is below sea level. The lowest point of the Netherlands can be found a few kilometres outside the city and is marked by a monument.

Gouda is pronounced GHOW-da, with the 'g' pronounced similarly to the 'ch' in 'loch' but voiced in the throat instead of mouth, not with a hard 'g' like how native English speakers pronounce the name of the cheese. The "ou" sound should rhyme with cow or the German haus. Saying the name correctly will win you points with the locals!

History
Gouda is named after the river Gouwe and the Van der Goude family, who built a castle on the Gouwe River in the 11th century. At that time, the area was swampland. Over the next two hundred years peat was collected and the land was developed. In 1225, a canal was built connecting the Gouwe River with the Oude Rijn (part of the Rhine delta). This was used to help ship goods to France and further afield. This provided a safer route than traveling by sea. This resulted in a surge of economic activity around Gouda and the town gained importance. In 1272, it was declared a city by count Floris V. Most of the canals were built around this time.

Over the years, there have been fires (1361, 1438), occupations (1572) and plagues (1574, 1625, 1636, 1673). In 1577, the castle was destroyed. Despite these disasters, Gouda is still a beautiful place to visit.

In 1667 a tax was introduced on the locally produced cheese. This raised a lot of money for the town. In 1668, the Waag (cheese weighing house) was built, to weigh the cheese and collect this tax.

By train
There are two train stations in Gouda:

For the timetable check NS (in English).

Trains have been running between Gouda and Utrecht since 1855; in 1944 the old train station was damaged by Allied bombing.

There are five ways to travel to Gouda by train.
 * Utrecht CS - takes less than 20 minutes. Take a train in the direction of Rotterdam or The Hague. Six trains an hour.
 * The Hague and Rotterdam - takes less than 20 minutes. Take a train towards Utrecht. Gouda is right in the middle of these train lines. Eight trains an hour.
 * Amsterdam - takes 40–60 minutes, depending on where in Amsterdam you are. There is one slow direct train ('Sprinter') per hour. It is also possible to take the intercity train to Utrecht and transfer there, which takes about the same time.
 * Leiden - take the train to Alphen aan den Rijn and from there you can take a train to Gouda. Before and after working hours, there are direct trains running from Leiden to Gouda.

When you arrive at the train station, take the exit called "Centrumzijde" or just "Centrum". There should be a sign pointing you to the city centre. If you can't find it, just go the way most people go and you will be in the city centre very soon.

If you want to take a taxi, there will most likely be drivers waiting for customers. They will pick up you up on the street outside the station. If there aren't any taxis around, you can call them.

By bus
Buses stop at the train station. Most of them are operated by Arriva, some of them by Connexxion.

There are buses connecting Gouda with Rotterdam, Utrecht, Zoetermeer, Leiden, Waddinxveen, Bodegraven, Schoonhoven, Reeuwijk-Brug and some more towns.

Buses are slower and more expensive than trains. If you have the option, choose the train.

By car
Gouda is on the A12 and A20.
 * The Hague - about 20 min. Take the A12 towards Utrecht
 * Rotterdam - about 15 min. Take the A20 towards Utrecht.
 * Amsterdam, Schiphol Airport or Leiden - Take the A4 towards Leiden, then the N11 (via Alphen aan den Rijn). Or (slightly longer, but without leaving the motorway), take the A4 to The Hague and then the A12 to Gouda.

Parking is cheapest in one of the large parking lots just outside the city center (about €1.40-1.80 per hour, max €8-10 per day). They are called Klein Amerika, Schouwburgplein and Vossenburchkade and are well indicated. There are two public garages in the city center, called Bolwerk and Nieuwe Markt. These are located closer to the interesting part of the city, but are also a bit more expensive (about €12 a day). It is not advised to park on the streets because that's really expensive.

By plane
The nearest airports are in Amsterdam (Schiphol Airport) and Rotterdam (Rotterdam The Hague Airport).

By boat
There are no ferry or waterbus services to Gouda, but when you own a boat, there are facilities to stay in Gouda. More information can be found at Welkom in Gouda.

Get around
The city centre of Gouda, like many other historic Dutch cities, is surrounded by a circular canal. The city only started to expand beyond this circle in the late 19th century, so most historic sights can be found within it. It is also the main shopping district of the city.

By foot
The centre of Gouda is easy to walk around. Most of the streets are pedestrianized. The main shopping street, Kleiweg, is pedestrianized and bike free. At the centre of Gouda and the end of Kleiweg is the central square of the city, called Markt. The Stadhuis and De Waag are here, and this is where the weekly cheese market takes place.

By bike
If you want to travel outside the centre of Gouda, biking is a good option. At the tourist office, staff can tell you the most interesting routes to cycle, both within the city as well as the immediate surroundings (Groene Hart). Most of the streets in the centre are bike friendly, the main exception being Kleiweg. You can walk along this street with your bike, just don't cycle. As you would expect in a Dutch city, there are lots of bicycle parking opportunities. Make sure you lock it. Bike theft is very common in the Netherlands.

Bikes can be rented from:

See
Gouda is a typical and beautiful Dutch town. It's a great place to walk, checking out the old buildings and canals.

Buy
Most shops are open M-Sa 09:00-17:00, and until later on Thursday evenings. On Sundays, many stores are closed, except stores that sell fresh products. Most restaurants and bars are open on Sundays.

The busiest shopping street is Kleiweg. Here you can find the regular brands you can find in many Dutch cities, such as Hema, V&D, H&M, The Sting, Blokker, et cetera. In streets such as Tiendeweg, Zeugstraat and Lange Groenendaal, you can find small independent shops with more unique products.

Besides the usual shops in Gouda, you will also find many independent shops. Without the intention to be complete, some of them are listed below:

Eat
There are lots of small cafes and bars at the north side of the Markt.

Coffee

Asian cuisine

Dutch/European cuisine

Italian

Tapas

Mexican

Fast food

Sleep
Gouda is a very popular day trip destination. Accommodation options used to be limited, but this has been changing.

Stay safe
Gouda is, in general, a safe city, even at night time. There used to be a lot of car crime, but CCTV cameras have reduced this to normal levels. Just don't leave your valuables in the car.

Go next
Due to its central location, Gouda makes for a good base to explore the region and easily connects to other sights in the Netherlands.
 * Oudewater - this village is 15 km from Gouda, and the route in between makes for a scenic bike ride. Oudewater is famous for its witch weighing house, where they issue certificates proving people aren't witches. It became famous during the 16th century because people accused of witchcraft were offered an honest chance of proving their innocence. In many cities and countries such trials were usually rigged, resulting in the burning or drowning of hundreds of innocent people. No witches ever were found in Oudewater...
 * Rotterdam - the second largest city in the Netherlands, and the second largest port in the world is only 15 min from Gouda. Check out its 20th-century architecture and great shopping.
 * The Hague - home of the Dutch government and the residence of the Dutch Queen, this city is full of history at less than half an hour from Gouda.
 * Utrecht - the city has some great historic architecture and is a transport hub for the Netherlands.
 * Delft - a historic city known for its Delftware pottery, Delft is about 40 min away (by train or car) from Gouda.
 * Leiden - with the second-largest city centre (after Amsterdam) and a lively student population, Leiden is an interesting city to visit.

Cycle route in the Gouda area (in English):
 * Gouda Cycle Route.

title: Gouda