Boras Mini Guide
Why do People go to Boras?
The city is very popular because of its culture and its textile industry. It only became a city in 1861 to enable a large group of visiting peddlers to operate legally in the city. It developed more rapidly after the introduction of railways to Sweden when the city found itself at the crossroads of two main lines. It has been unusually unlucky over the centuries with fires wiping out the city four times. The textile industry that has sustained the city over the years still thrives and many people come here to buy clothes. Today the city is home to a wide variety of industries and is the home of Sweden’s atomic clock and kilogram measure.
How do I get There?
There isn’t an airport near Boras so you’ll have to fly into
Gothenburg and catch the train or the bus from the airport to the city. The train is reputed to be much slower than the bus due to the poor condition of the track so be warned if taking this mode of transport. The bus you need is the number 100 and takes just under an hour.
What’s There to See in the City?
Boras is famed for its outdoor sculptures including a giant bronze of Pinocchio and a knotted revolver signifying peace. There are plenty of summer concerts in the city square, popular with young people. The city’s zoo is the second largest in the country and has an extensive breeding programme which replaces animals in the wild.
What is There for the Active to do?
The city has an indoor water park that is very popular with families with children. The Stadsparksbadet has slides, flumes and wave machines. You can also go and cheer on the local football heroes of IF Elfsborg, Swedish champions in 2006.
And for the Shopaholic?
Just outside the city is the Knalleland shopping centre with nearly a hundred shops and restaurants as well as entertainment. Promise the kids a trio to the zoo next door whilst you shop! Elsewhere, many outlets sell the famous Boras textiles.
What’s There to eat?
There are no particular local specialities although fish is popular in many restaurants, especially varieties such as trout, perch and pike. The ubiquitous meatball can also be found in plenty of restaurants and being in the colder parts of Sweden you’ll find many of the meals are hearty and warming.
The wealth of Boras grew from its industry with blacksmiths providing the tools for the farmers to produce the wool to make the renowned local textiles. Today the industry still thrives and the visitor can visit several shops in the city that sell exclusive designs made locally from locally produced cloth.
Whilst wandering around the shopping area you may happen upon one of the town’s more unusual sights, a large statue of Pinocchio. There’s no link with the city so it does strike the visitor as unusual but doesn’t stop the majority of tourists having a photo taken alongside it.