It’s an evening in July, and the train on the Inland Railway is making its way into Jokkmokk. This is an area known for its stunning nature and rich Sami history. The Jokkmokk Winter Market is one of Swedish Lapland’s strongest brands, but you have 24 hours of non-winter to do something exciting. So: what to do in Jokkmokk, now that you’re here?
Evening: You check in to Hotell Akerlund just after eight in the evening and pocket your room key before cutting across the road to restaurant Krog Lokal. From the terrace part of the restaurant, you can see some well-known Jokkmokk landmarks: Wästfelt’s Photo and cinema Bio Norden. A bit further up the street, looking west, you see StoorStålka’s designer shop by the square. A future landmark.
Your starter is an elk tartar, followed by Arctic char and it’s a such a delight that your glass of Pinot Noir can be refilled. As you leave the restaurant for an early evening, you walk up towards StoorStålka; there’s a piece of art on the square that has caught your eye. Indeed: Anders Sunna, who just had an exhibition at La Biennale in Venice, made the installation.
Morning: You wake up early even though you could have slept in. But as Jokkmokk wakes up, you’ve crossed town to the south towards lake Dálvvadisjávrasj and found the artificially lit track just by Hotel Jokkmokk, another good accommodation option.
If none of the hotels suit, there’s also Arctic Camp Jokkmokk with a water park, and adventure accommodation at the Peace and Quiet Hotel, as well as the hostel STF Åsgård. Over breakfast at Akerlund you google what else the day might have to offer.
Morning: Perhaps a shopping spree? Making your own traditional tin drinking cup at Jokkmokks Tenn might be an idea? Or at least take a guided tour and watch how they create the cups, and then choose which symbols relating to Sami gods the cup should feature. Or visit Care of Gerd where they make northern skin care products that have become very popular, made in Jokkmokk. If you’re planning to make your own lunch, or to bring snacks on your onwards journey, you should visit the deli at Coop.
The company Jokkmokkskorv not only make a tasty version of the quintessential Swedish sausage Falukorv, they also make air-dried hams such as luomo, coppa and bresaola, dried in mountain air. The deli also sells cheeses from Mathantverket Vuollerim, and Gärda is a cheese made from mountain cows’ milk, matured for 18 months. Something quite special.
There’s also Nyckelbryggeriers Vildsoda, a lemonade from Älvsbyn to rinse all that goodness down. You also decide not to miss out on a visit to Sámi Duodji before lunch is on the menu.
About Jokkmokk
Jokkmokk is a natural meeting place for Sámi people from all over Sápmi. Since 1605 – for more than four hundred years – the colourful Jokkmokk market has been celebrated annually, starting on the first Thursday in February. This warm celebration features cultural activities and amazing culinary experiences right in the coldest midwinter weather. The market attracts tens of thousands of international visitors. You won’t be able to find these genuine food experiences anywhere else.
The town is a centre for Sámi culture, with unique knowledge about the natural resources of the region: game meat, featuring reindeer is its biggest star, berries, herbs and exclusive fish.
Jokkmokk is the natural meeting place for Sámi from all over Sápmi.
Since 1605, for over four hundred years, the colorful Jokkmokk market has been celebrated annually starting on the first Thursday in February.
The warm folk festival offers cultural activities and fantastic food experiences just when winter is at its coldest.
The market attracts tens of thousands of visitors from all over the world.
Afternoon: A lunch at Krog Lokal would definitely have been a good idea, but since you want to visit the Sami Mountain Garden and then Ájtte – one of only two national museums outside Stockholm – you choose to have lunch at the restaurant at Ájtte. The bright room used to be the entire museum space, but since then the museum has expanded to become what you can see today.
Ájtte has an exciting exhibition on Sami nomadic life and is a good introduction to World Heritage Laponia, but above all, Ájtte has an amazing exhibition on Sami handicraft. It’s a world-class permanent exhibition. You could spend days here, but must move on to see the Mountain Botanical Garden. The garden is also a perfect introduction to Laponia, to the national parks Badjelánnda, Muttos, Sarek and Stuor-Muorke.
You walk around the garden, amazed by the frugal beauty of the barren landscape that the staff have created and nurtured. You also look at polar researcher Axel Hamberg’s cabin that was brought here from Sarek. The house was originally built in sections and transported into the mountains, its walls insulated with cotton wool. Deary me that’s cold, you think, stood there wearing jeans.
Ájjte has an exciting exhibition about Sami nomadic life and is thus a good introduction to Laponia's world heritage.
But above all, Ájjte has a fantastic exhibition about Sami crafts.
A world-class permanent exhibition.
Packing up: The Inland Railway continues north to World Heritage Laponia. If you’d have stayed longer, visits to Kvikkjokk and Årrenjarka would have been on the list. Porjus and its hydroelectric power plant helped lay the foundation for Swedish welfare as the ore was extracted from the mine in Kiruna. Today this area is part of a Swedish green transition, and a debate about what it really means. In this sense, Jokkmokk will never be old or forgotten. You’ll be back.
Laponia is unique in so many ways. A place of universal worth both in terms of its culture and of its nature. Looking back at its history, this Sámi World Heritage holds a story for all eight seasons of the future.
Take the train! The call becomes all the more familiar. We choose train travel for many reasons; for the environment, of course, but also for the sake of the person within us. On the train we get the chance to sit for a while and do nothing more than admire the view falling away outside the window like a long row of beautiful new dominoes. As summer is here, it’s time for you to embark on your own journey in northern Sweden.
The Sámi word njálgge means tasty, as in a bit more of a party. In Jokkmokk, in the hands of food artist Eva Gunnare and reindeer herder Helena Länta, Njálgge is also a food adventure encompassing at least 20 dishes and eight seasons.
Fried Arctic char and boiled potatoes, in all their simplicity. It has been a long time since I ate so well and such uncomplicated food. Yet, the delicious taste is also associated with a very simple truth: Hunger is the best spice.
From saunas and ice baths, through forest therapy and locally grown menus, to award-winning SPA-hotels and blueberry-scented hand creams. You can take an exciting health journey through Swedish Lapland, keeping your feet firmly rooted on Arctic soil.
Sauna, or bastu in Swedish, is something as natural to people in the north as the midnight sun and the northern lights. It used to be something of a prerequisite for life in the Arctic, and now it is a rich part of the culture itself. Sauna is the essence of life up here.
Simply put, painter and craft artist Leila Nutti is a jack of all trades. But what she does is perhaps more aptly described by the Sámi word árbediehtu.
Our home, Swedish Lapland, has been formed by the Ice Age, the seasons and the reindeer. And we, too, have lived our lives in the shadow of the forces of nature.
Shimmery and magical. The dance of the northern lights is a spectacular sight that we frequently enjoy in Swedish Lapland. Viewing the Aurora Borealis is both a jaw-dropping and mystical experience. But when is the best time to see the northern lights in Swedish Lapland?
You might think that in the Arctic, we have darkness or daylight. In the winter, the sun never rises above the horizon, and in the summer, the sun never sets. But in fact, we have light all year round. Just different kinds of light. Some darker, some brighter, and some very colourful.
When I turn my headlight off everything turns black. First I can't see anything, not even my hand in front of my face. Soon my eyes get used to the darkness and above me, a starry sky slowly lights up, so clear it makes me shiver. This is how our ancestors experienced the starry sky: sparkling and clear. I start to feel a breath-taking sense of humility and reverence.
So, you are in Swedish Lapland, Sweden's Arctic destination, to experience the magical northern lights. Here are seven tips on how to get some good pictures of the beautiful light phenomenon to take back home.
Many think autumn is the most beautiful time of year in Swedish Lapland. It's as if Earth itself grants a generous firework display of colour before the winter sleep settles over the Arctic landscape. And it's easy to capture the show with a camera on standby. These are five simple tips for capturing autumn in a photo.
When the sun never sets, and the kids are on summer holiday. When holidays are waiting around the corner and meadows explode with wood cranesbill. That's when long lines of cars queue up to get out of the cities. It's time to go find tranquillity with friends and family in summer houses and holidays homes, away from the hustle and bustle. It's time to celebrate the most important holiday of the summer. It's midsummer.
Many towns, mountains, rivers in Swedish Lapland bear the names given to them by the Sámi people, usually describing their characteristics. When reading a map of Swedish Lapland, knowing the meaning of some Sámi words adds another, fascinating dimension to the landscape.
The midnight sun. The feeling of never having to face tomorrow, just keep having fun and enjoy the never-ending day, is absolutely wonderful. But. Those who depend on their beauty sleep will face certain challenges.
On a headland called Viedásnjárgga in Stora Sjöfallet National Park lies Naturum Laponia. It's a place that tells a story of mountains on the other side of the lake and how reindeer find their way here year after year. It tells part of the story why this place was awarded the title World Heritage.
Scouting out the 'Big Five' on the African savannah is the big dream of many. They include leopard, lion, elephant, rhino and African buffalo and is a group of large, majestic and fairly dangerous animals. Here in the Arctic part of Sweden, we don't have animals the size of an elephant or with the speed of a leopard, but we have a fair few animals that are pretty cool in their own way. Below we have listed five animals that are both unique and fascinating, definitely worth putting on a list of must-see animals.
If it's your first time visiting Swedish Lapland during the summer, you'll notice that it never gets dark. You have entered the world of the midnight sun, and if you're not used to it, it's an extraordinary experience. But beware, it might affect your sleep quality.
Is it really true that anyone can walk around the forests and beaches of Swedish Lapland? Pick berries and pitch a tent anywhere? Yup, that's exactly what it's like in the democratic forest.
That Swedes have their fika (coffee and a snack), and that they drink lots of coffee, are well-known facts. But what's the thing about having it outdoors? What's the deal with coffee boiled over an open fire?
A road trip is simply a way of discovering things you've never seen before. If you give yourself the chance, you might also come across flavours you've never experienced before.
When you visit Swedish Lapland, you will notice that our food culture is closely intertwined with our lifestyle. There is a strong tradition that testifies to how we have lived from what nature has generously provided us with for many millennia. Join us on a guided tour of our natural resources, taking the shortest possible route to the plate.
Small-scale, hosting and proximity to nature. Curiosity, knowledge and learning. During her visit to Geunja the Sámi Eco Lodge in the mountain landscape surrounding Ammarnäs, Maria lived in complete harmony with nature. Something happened there, and an inner journey commenced.
The King's Trail runs through Sweden's most beautiful mountain scenery and provides more than 400 kilometres' worth of hiking adventure for the first-time hiker as well as the truly experienced mountain veteran. It is one of the world's most famous hiking trails, and the stage between Abisko and Nikkaluokta is the most-travelled trail in all of Sweden.
When in Swedish Lapland, exploring the nature of the Arctic, chasing the northern lights or just soaking up the sun 24/7, make sure you don’t miss out on the food. Some of the food we eat might sound a bit strange, but we highly recommend you try and get a taste of Swedish Lapland.
The Sámi call it Badjelánnda – the higher land. It's Sweden’s largest national park, right next to the Norwegian border and a part of World Heritage Laponia. A favourite location for those who want to be on their own for a bit. It's the beginning of autumn when Håkan Stenlund sets his sights on Consul Persson's cabin. A lonesome trek back.
Hiking can be an amazing experience, but it can also turn into a real challenge. Spending time in the mountains means you have to be able to rely on yourself, your knowledge and your choices. We've put together some good advice below to make sure you have an amazing – and safe – mountain experience.
National parks are areas featuring a certain type of landscape, protected to preserve their natural condition. It's about creating opportunities to experience nature. Swedish Lapland has the most, the oldest and the largest national parks in Sweden.
The world’s longest cross-country ski race, 220 km, take place in Jokkmokk and has a history that traces back as far back as 1884. How did it all begin? And why?
Being outdoors is a natural part of the arctic lifestyle, and during winter – skiing is the way to go. Pro or beginner, Swedish Lapland offers it all. You just need to find your flavour among our resorts. Here is our top five for downhill skiing like a champ!
Snow is something more than frozen water to the Sámi people. It's a way of expressing the foundation of their existence – the migration of the reindeer. To a skier, snow is also more than snow. It's the way you experience life.
The road to Ritsem through World Heritage Laponia is probably one of the most beautiful roads in Sweden. It is also an easy way to get straight to a high-mountain environment with fantastic opportunities for ski touring. The mountain Nieras at Stora Sjöfallet is an amazing and easily accessible ski touring gem.
On the first weekend in February, every year since 1606, Jokkmokk's market is held. Apart from world-class Sámi art, culture and handicraft, visitors are usually greeted by proper, cold winter weather.
Are you curious about what kind of plants that grow in the harsh mountain climate? Ever wondered what that cute, white flower is called that you passed several times on your hike? Göran Wallin gives you a quick guide to the flora of the Swedish Lapland mountains.
She moved from Stockholm to Swedish Lapland in her twenties to work at a mountain station and had her first life-changing experience. Several years later she had the next one as she found her calling as an ambassador for the taste of Swedish Lapland. Meet Eva Gunnare – food creator and curious explorer of nature.
In Swedish Lapland, nature plays an intrinsic role in our life and work, and the people here are highly sensitive to the small details of the changing seasons. Therefore, it seems only natural that the Sámi people describe eight seasons instead of four.
Rosemary Rayfuse gave herself a ski expedition in Sarek National Park as a birthday gift for herself – and she would not regret it. This is her story from the Sarek Ski Expedition.
It is December and the landscape is covered in a white blanket; trees are heavy with snow and the roads are white. The dense mid-winter darkness creates a blue light during a few hours, and windows are lit up by advent stars and candlesticks. Christmas is here.
Swedish Lapland is Sweden’s Arctic destination, spanning from Skellefteå in the south to Kiruna in the north. The free-flowing rivers have been a connector for all the towns and villages within the de...
In Swedish Lapland, nature is always the focal point. The vast, untamed nature that is. Like the deep forests, the highest peaks and the most furiously flowing rivers. We have it all. Besides, it's no...
All our museums have their own character. From our main museum for Sámi culture via 13 different saunas to one of Sweden's largest art galleries. All of them an exciting journey...
The importance of ice in Swedish Lapland extends far beyond the hype of Icehotel. At the beginning of time, after the inland ice retracted, the ice on lakes and running water was already an important ...
Swedish Lapland is huge and of course, travelling by car is the easiest option. But not to worry, there are some lovely places you can get to using alternative means of transport. We have listed five ...
Swedish Lapland is Sweden’s Arctic destination. It’s also more than a quarter of Sweden. This gives us a fair few unique geographical spots, so of course, we can also offer some of the most interestin...
Take a little piece of Swedish Lapland home with you. Are you en route to Swedish Lapland, wondering what souvenirs to shop for? We've listed some helpful tips for you...
There are many mountains and hills to climb in Swedish Lapland. You can get to the top of Dundret by car, while Kebnekaise takes days of hard effort. What these peaks have in common is an amazing view...
People up north, both young and old, has a thing for long, sandy beaches, sunshine and compact living. At least for some weeks every summer. Wanna camp like a northerner? Here are eight, great campsit...
There are plenty of scenic routes, or simply beautiful roads, in Swedish Lapland. We have listed five of them that will make a journey from a to b something more than just transport. Perhaps the road ...
The season with midnight light in Swedish Lapland is around 100 days long. You play golf in the middle of the night, you take a swim when you feel like it and those who have never experienced the midn...
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