What to do in Lapland - what to see and experience? Here is a list of things to see and do in Lapland. Follow along!
Table of contents
Things to do in Lapland
Lapland (the land of the Lapps) makes up about a quarter of Sweden's area and has about 90 000 inhabitants, and seven national parks. In Lapland you will find Sweden's highest mountain Kebnekaise 2111 metres and Torneträsk which is Lapland's largest lake and second deepest at 168 metres. Ski in summer under the midnight sun!
Lappland is a landscape in the northern Norrland hinterland in the absolute north. Sweden. It borders Norway to the west, Finland to the northeast, Finland to the east. Norrbotten, in the south-east to Västerbotten and to the south to Ångermanland and Jämtland.
1. Daring rafting in the Windel River
Today we have done rafting in the river Vindelälven. The organisers are called Forsknäckarna and the trip started from Ekorrsele, between Umeå and Lycksele. The uppermost rapids were level 4 (levels 1-6, where 6 counts as harmless with danger to life). The highest waves were about 3 metres high. A real adrenaline rush!
2. Try the high-altitude course at the Vindälven river
"Forsknäckarna" is located in Ekorrsele, on the Vindelälven river between Lycksele and Umeå for the whole family. Keep your legs under control or
- Swinging in the lake
- Bathing hot tubs
- Axe throwing
- Shooting with a bow and arrow
- Kayaking
- Picking berries in the forest
- Fishing from a boat
3. Ride the Inland Railway through the Lapland landscape
Take the Inlandsbanan and see nature from the train for a sustainable holiday in Sweden. You can travel from Mora to Gällivare in two days one way. What an experience!
view.se - Train line from Stockholm to Narvik.
norrtag.se - Train line between Kiruna and Luleå, and Luleå and Haparanda.
inlandsbanan.se - It runs in summer and passes through Sorsele, Arvidsjaur, Jokkmokk and Gällivare.
4. Stay at the cool ice hotel in Jukkasjärvi.
The dream becomes a reality if you just book on. Many people want to spend at least one day in a lifetime living in the ice and snow created in 1989. The Ice Hotel is the world's largest hotel made of snow and ice and the ice is taken from the Torne River, and 1000 tonnes are needed to build the hotel with a church, bar and 100 beds.
5. Experience a Lapland town in Lapland
In the 17th century, the Church demanded that Christianity be introduced throughout the country and that people should visit a church a few times a year. Distances are long in Lapland, so towns were built around the few churches in the north of Sweden. The Lapp town is one of the fine cultural heritages with huts, sheds close to a church and where the Sami could stay and meet.
6. Learn about cool Sami culture
Follow reindeer herders into the forests to feed their reindeer and get a unique insight into their lives and the Sami culture. During the winter market 2021, daily tours run from 1 - 7 February with fixed departures. Pick-up and drop-off by car in the centre of Jokkmokk is included.
7. Have fun at Lycksele Zoo
Lycksele Zoo with Nordic fauna since 1959. Here you will find otters, red deer, wild boar, wild sheep, brown bears, reindeer, wolverines, lynx, musk oxen and much more.
8. Look in the town of Lovikka
In the village of Lovikka you will find the world's largest lovikka mitten, which is 3.5 metres long and stands in a large cabinet outside the school building. When you are there, you can visit Erika's house because she was the one who made the first lovikkavante. Erika's House is usually not open but if you contact the Pajala Tourist Office they will help you.
9. Elevated in Kiruna wooden church
Outside the centre of Kiruna you will find the beautiful wooden church built between 1909-1912. It is inspired by the fine Norwegian wooden churches and the bell tower stands outside. The altar and altarpiece were designed by Prince Eugene.
10. See the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Lapland
Struve's Meredian arc was used by the German-Russian astronomer Wilhelm von Struve in the early 19th century for triangulation to calculate the size of the Earth. The arc consists of 265 measuring points around the globe, seven of which are in Sweden. Four are part of the World Heritage Site, one of them on Mount Tynnyrilaki in Kiruna.
Laponia is one of Europe's major wildernesses (including four national parks and two nature reserves) with beautiful scenery: plains, forests, mountains and glaciers. Laponia also has a Sami cultural landscape and thousands of years of human history in Sarek National Park.
11. Hiking in the King's Trail
The King's Trail between Abisko and Hemavan is an exciting adventure and incredibly well known as one of the world's most famous and best hiking trails. The trail is over 400 kilometres long and has been visited by hikers from all over the world.
12. Be fascinated by Mount Kebnekajse
Experience a bit of Kebnekaise which is Sweden's highest mountain at 2096 metres high and is located in Kiruna. Kebnekaise is located in the Skanderna mountain range and the north peak is the highest. Mountain station with 200 beds for those who want to climb Kebnekaise or just climb a bit.
13. Admire Lapland's beautiful northern lights
When visiting Lapland in the winter months, you should watch the northern lights. Find a dark place to get the best experience.
14. Discover the historic three-tiered castle.
Trerik's crescent should be experienced once in a lifetime which is the border between Sweden, Norway and Finland located in lake Koltajaure.. The cairn is the world's most northerly trekking point and you can get there via a walk from Kilpisjärvi or a delightful boat trip on the Kilpisjärvi boat. M/S Malla & M/S Maria
15. camping in Lapland
Taking your tent, motorhome, caravan or car and discovering Norrland is a bigger adventure than the rest of Sweden. Here you have rapids, waterfalls very close by, and if you come in late summer you can pick exotic berries. If you do not have a vehicle to live in, or if you do not want to live in a tent, there are many who rent out huts. What an adventure!
16. Join a guided tour of the Kiruna mines!
Take a guided tour of the mines in Kiruna. The mine in Kiruna is the world's largest underground iron ore mine where it is mined from pits, one at 1250 and one at 1365 metres underground. Visit the LKAB Visitor Centre.
17. Visit LKAB's Malmberget mine in Gällivare, Sweden
Malmberget (Berget Illuvare) was discovered in 1690, but the big ore rush started in 1888. Experience the history of the shanty town as it is called about how life worked in the late 19th century. Book a guided tour with the tourist office in Gällivare to the ore mountain which may take you 1250 metres into the depths.
18. Get inspired by Boliden's Aitik copper mine in Gällivare, Sweden.
Boliden's Aitik copper mine is one of the largest in Europe, where copper, gold and silver are mined. Karin Niva event & Support organises guided tours with stops at the copper mine, the copper mine is located 15 km southeast of Gällivare.
19. visit Kiruna
Kiruna is both the northernmost and largest municipality in Sweden. Here you will find both midnight sun and polar night, 6000 lakes, skiing in midsummer at the national border.
20. explore Gällivare
Gällivare is one of six major towns in Lapland, and there is a lot to see and experience in nature with plenty of adventures in Swedish Lapland. Check out Great Lake Falls, Devil's Gorge, Dundret Nature Reserve or pick berries and mushrooms in late summer.
21. discover Arvidsjaur
The Inland Railway runs through Arvidsjaur and there are daily flights from Stockholm. See the frog spring, the troll rapids, the rattle museum, or try reindeer sledding.
22. holiday in Arjeplog
Arjeplog is beautifully situated between the large lakes Hornavan and Uddjaure in the Skellefteälven catchment area. Experience the Galtispouda viewpoint, snowmobile, play on the ice or go on a guided hunt.
23. viewing Jokkmokk
Jokkmokk offers wonderful nature experiences during all four seasons of the year and lots of wonderful attractions. Check out Sweden's oldest pine tree on Porjusberjet, learn more at Naturum Laponia, visit Jokkmokk's Jokkes Museum, or see beautiful waterfalls.
24. stay in Dorotea
Dorotea is the southernmost of the largest towns in Lapland and has 17 nature reserves. Enjoy the Kullerbacken open-air farm, the caravan museum, the Borgahällan rock wall or guided fishing.
25. Strolling at the Great Lakes (Stuor Muorkke) National Park
Great Lake Falls (Stuor Muorkke) National Park since 1909 with mountain ridges, Sweden's most beautiful valley in the north, glaciers to the south between the municipalities of Gällivare and Jokkmokk. Stora sjöfallet has been part of the Laponia World Heritage Site since 1996.
26. Enjoying Abisko National Park
Abisko National Park with mountains and mountain meadows, rapids and Scandinavia's largest mountain lake Torneåträsk in the town of Abisko will be an adventure to visit. Stop at Abisko mountain station, skate on Torneträskisen, experience the troll lake or take the cable car up Mount Njuolja to Aurora sky station. Don't forget the Rallarmuseum, Sameviste and Border Defence Museum.
27. Discover Pieljekaise National Park
Pieljekaise National Park is an old birch forest located 10 km south of Jäkkvik in Lapland, one of the seven national parks in Lapland.. The highest mountain is 1138 metres high in the north and in the south there are rich fishing lakes. The King's Trail passes Pieljekaise and there is also an overnight cabin in the national park.
28. Photographing around Vadvetjåkka National Park
Vadvetjåkka National Park with bare mountain, water, marsh, glacier and mountain birch forest located outside Torneträsk in Talma sameby. at the Norwegian border. It contains some of Sweden's largest quartz/limestone caves, the deepest of which (Vojtaskallo) is 155 metres deep.
29. Get to Sarek National Park
Sarek National Park is Sweden's largest high mountain area, with mountains over 2000 metres high, where Sami people have lived and followed reindeer migrations since ancient times in Jokkmokk. Nature is like a fairy tale with over 100 glaciers, rivers, streams, alpine lakes and visitors from all over the world. Here you can see 'Braided Steams' which are braided streams through meltwater from glaciers.
30. Walking around Padjelanta National Park
Padjelanta National Park (Badjelánnda 'the higher land') is the largest national park in Sweden on the border with Norway. It is a high plateau and reindeer husbandry is practised here during the summers in several places. Rissájávrre is the place known as the 'inaccessibility pole' and is furthest away from civilisation.
31. Go to Muddus (Muttos) National Park.
Muddus (Muttos) National Park with ancient forest in Gällivare, and is Sweden's most forested national park. Here you will also find Sweden's fifth largest waterfall 'Muddusfallet' which is 42 metres high.
32. Visit the Autoklimpen Cultural Reserve
Cultural reserve The "Atoklimpen" is an oddly shaped mountain at 1006 metres high 30 km west of Tärnaby, where you can see the Sami reindeer herding environment since prehistoric times, and the mountain is sacred to the Sami.
33. Exploring the Gallejaur Town Cultural Centre
Gallejaur village in Arvidsjaur by the Gallejaur dam with several unpainted log houses from the 19th century and with a farm environment and agricultural landscape. Here you will find the 9 original farms where the Crown offered 15-40 year tax relief for anyone who wanted to move and cultivate land in the hinterland.
34. Kultura at the Fatomakke Church Town Cultural Reserve
Fatmomakke Kyrkstad is a sacred site for Sami people and settlers since the 18th century, located in Vilhelmina municipality. Fatomakke is a multicultural and spiritual place for the Sami people.
35. You can pick cloudberries in Lapland!
Cloudberry is the exotic bright yellow berry (ripe) found in Lapland in late summer. Cloudberry is found throughout Sweden but not as wild as in Norrland. Cloudberry thrives on moist and acidic soils found in bogs, marshes and woodlands. They are typical of subarctic and northern regions. Cloudberries usually ripen during the summer months, usually between June and August.
36. See the midnight sun
In summer, the sun doesn't set and there is daylight for two consecutive months in northern Lapland, known as the midnight sun. You don't know when to sleep or be awake.
37. Experience the polar nights
From about 12 December to 31 December it is only night, because the sun does not come out and this is called the polar nights. Half of Lapland is above the Arctic Circle, hence the polar nights.
38. Eat crowberries
There are crowberries and northern crowberries and the latter is from Norrland and is a little sweeter. The crowberry is tart and a bit special in its flavour, but in jam and juice it is very good. The crowberry is rich in fibre, and has more protective antioxidants than any other berry in Sweden.
39. Check out Unique animals
When you are in nature in the mountains, you have the chance to see animals that are more common in Norrland than in the rest of Sweden. Here you can see arctic foxes, wolverines, lemmings and lynx, but they are shy. Bird species such as blue jays, blue jays, grey partridges, narrow-billed snipes and double snipes.
40. Visit the Esrange space station
40 kilometres east of Kiruna is Europe's only civilian space base since 1972. It launches sounding rockets and balloons but no people. Esrange is the centre of European space research and offers guided tours.
41. Outdoor skiing in Tärnaby
Most of our medals and World Cup victories come from Tärnaby. 131 of the approximately 200 World Cup victories ever come from Tärnaby. With about 500 inhabitants and a large ski slope, you can feel like Ingmar Stenmark, Anja Person, Stig Strand, Jens Byggmark or Bengt Fjällberg. You just have to go!
42. Play golf in northern Sweden
Golf is very popular throughout Sweden and playing golf in a completely different climate is a wonderful challenge and a breath of fresh air. The perfect thing to do in Lapland.
Do you have any tips for things to do in Lapland?
Facts about Lapland
- Part of the country: Norrland
- County: Västerbotten County, Norrbotten County, Jämtland County
- Pin: Luleå Diocese
- City of residence: Rovaniemi
- Biggest lake: Torne swamp
- Largest island: Aittosaari
- Highest point: Kebnekaise - 2111 metres above sea level.
- Surface: 109 702 km 2
- Population: 1 686 471 (2019)
- Titular: Counties
- Element: Silver
- Insect: High-order court jester
- Landscape fish: char
- Landscape bird: Bluebeard
- Landscape moss: Bäcknicka
- Landscape stone: Apatite iron ore
- Landscape singing: Land of the ten rivers
- Landscape flower: Mountain lily
- Landscape animals: Arctic fox
- Landscape mushrooms: Brick-red birch mushroom
- Landscape apples: Rescue
- Constellation: Little Bear
- Star: Pole star
- Largest watercourse: Lule River
The coat of arms of Lapland
In a field of silver a standing red savage with a green birch leaf wreath on his head and around his lower parts, holding in his right hand a gold club resting on his shoulder.
Largest cities
Kiruna, Lycksele, Gällivare, Arvidsjaur and Jokkmokk.
Lapland regional law
Oven-roasted grouse breasts with blackcurrant sauce, celery puree and small jacket potatoes, Souvas Pirko, Reindeer leg stew with spicy cloudberries. More about Swedish food.
Top sights in Lapland
Abisko National Park, Sarek National Park, King's Trail, Kiruna Mines, Jukkasjärvi Ice Hotel, Treriksröset, Sami people and their culture.
Famous people from Lapland
- Downhill skier Anja Pärson
- Slalom skier Ingemar Stenmark and Stig Strand
- Pop artist Jakob Hellman from Vuollerim in Jokkmokk.
- Pioneer Kata Dalström
- Ice hockey player Börje Salming from Kiruna.
- Artist Roger Pontare from Bockträsk in southern Lapland.
- Swedish Sami singer Sofia Jannok from Gällivare, Sweden
Queen's Land
Large parts of Lapland are above the tree line. It is too cold for trees to develop root systems. Three towns in southern Lapland have female names: Vilhelmina, Dorotea and Fredrika. They were named after Gustav IV Adolf's wife, Queen Fredika of Baden, whose real name was Fredrika Dorotea Vilhelmina. This is why the southern part of Lapland is sometimes referred to as Queen's Land.
Doing in Norrland
Making in Svealand
Making in Götaland
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