PRESS INFORMATION SwedishLapland Photo: Cody Duncan Photo: 1 What is Swedish Lapland? swedish lapland is an international destination of Sweden that borders two countries and this has for visitors from all over the world and one of only influenced the region greatly. seven places in the world where you can experience Internationally Lapland is a concept used to the Arctic. Swedish Lapland offers places to visit describe all of northern Scandinavia. It is an old name that you can’t find anywhere else in Sweden, Europe for Sápmi, the traditional land for the Sámi people or the world. shared between Sweden, Norway, Finland and Russia. This region is home to world sensations such as the The Sámi have lived here for thousands of years, Icehotel and Treehotel, but also genuine, authentic long before today’s countries even existed. When and small-scale tourism with focus on people and settlers, priests and traders started arriving in Sápmi a encounters. We invite guests from all over the world couple of hundred years ago they came across the Sámi. to share our everyday arctic life and our way of living Since they didn’t speak the same language they simply – close to nature, respecting it. ’made up’ completely new names for places and people When the northern lights season is over, a period – this is the origin of the name Lapland, among others. of never ending light and midnight sun begins. At the The Sámi themselves never changed the name of end of the summer the circle is completed, when the the area or the people. This is Sápmi, and has always darkness returns and the auroras can yet again be seen been. Within Swedish Lapland you’ll find experiences dancing in the skies. designed to provide you with more knowledge about The region features mountains, forests, marshes, Sápmi, and allow you to familiarise yourself with a large rivers, archipelagoes and sea. It’ s the only part truly unique region. The trademark Swedish Lapland swedish lapland consists of several destinations We created the place trademark Swedish Lapland to with a common place trademark. The place trademark clarify where we are, geographically speaking, to take creates a common platform where local destinations advantage of the existing knowledge about the concept and tourism entrepreneurs in the province Norr- Lapland and its positive associations, and to inform botten, Skellefteå and Sorsele cooperate. Using the about the arctic lifestyle characteristic to the region. name Swedish Lapland we distribute information This means that some local destinations are mem- about Sweden’s arctic destination, mainly focusing on bers of Swedish Lapland even if they don’t actually international visitors. belong to the Swedish region called Lapland. Getting here it’s easy to get to Swedish Lapland. From Stockholm you can catch a flight to one of our airports: Arvids- jaur, Gällivare, Kiruna, Luleå or Skellefteå. The road network is well developed, with the main roads – E4, E10 and E45 – being the natural arteries. The night train departs southern Sweden twice a day, and the Inlandsbanan operates through the interior of Swedish Lapland during summer. 2 6 8° ab 66 isk ° p o 6 ol 4° c r irk ey el kj n av ik Alatalo Markus Photo: , isl I 61 a PM ° nd Á an S ch or h ag swedis e, pland al la as ka map Swedish Lapland Sápmi Swedish Lapland represents the Swedish part of the Arctic region, shared with six other countries: USA (Alaska), Denmark (Greenland), Norway, Finland, Russia, Canada and Iceland. How far north is Swedish Lapland actually? For example: • Whistler in Canada has the same latitude as Frankfurt in Germany at 50° north. • Hokkaido in Japan has the same latitude as Rome in Italy at 43° north. 3 Our destinations arjeplog heart of lapland piteå Towards the mountain range and the The Torne Valley is the borderland where The coastal gem Piteå is often referred to Norwegian border, right on the Arctic three cultures meet: Swedish, Finnish and as ’the Riviera of the North’, featuring long Circle, there’s a mountain archipelago Sámi culture have moulded this region. Ex- sandy beaches. At Pite Havsbad you often with nearly 9,000 lakes. There are only perience Haparanda’s archipelago with the get Sweden’s warmest water temperature 0.2 inhabitants per square kilometre, gem Seskarö, the mighty Kukkula rapids, be in summer. Piteå in summer is a vibrant so there’s plenty of space for anglers, amazed by the original and robust Överkalix tourist city featuring charm and hospitality, hikers and those wishing to hunt elk, dialect and the act of physically stepping giving you a festival feeling but also that bird or some peace and quiet. Arjeplog over the Arctic Circle in Övertorneå as the fantastic sense of peace and quiet. It’s a is a world-renowned centre for car northern lights dance above your head. town full of contrasts: archipelago, sea, winter testing and you can tell this is Don’t forget the outstanding food, always rivers, forests and an amazing countryside. the case all year round: an international locally produced, and the Caviar of Kalix, the In winter there are vast expanses of white atmosphere, great hospitality and good vendace roe with Protected Designation of and well-prepared skiing tracks, and huge service. Origin – a must for all gourmets. pack ice formations. You can actually go www.swedishlapland.com/arjeplog www.heartoflapland.com skiing all year round in the skiing tunnel at the Lindbäck Stadium. arvidsjaur jokkmokk www.swedishlapland.com/pitea Arvidsjaur is a paradise for those Jokkmokk is a natural meeting place for Sámi looking for the beauty and tranquility people from all over Sápmi. Since 1605 – for skellefteå of Lapland. Go fishing for arctic charr, more than four hundred years – the colourful Skellefteå is the most southern part of grayling, trout, whitefish, pike and perch Jokkmokk market has been celebrated annu- Swedish Lapland. Half of the inhabitants in small exclusive lakes or by rivers. Ar- ally, starting on the first Thursday in February. live in the countryside, next door to more vidsjaur international airport has direct This warm celebration features cultural than a thousand lakes, five rivers, a bunch flights from Stockholm all year round activities and amazing culinary experiences of nature reserves and many kilometres and from several European airports right in the coldest midwinter weather. The of open coastal landscape. The other half in winter. Snowmobiling, dog sledding market attracts tens of thousands of interna- live in a modern city where the seamless and driving on ice on world-class tracks tional visitors. You won’t be able to find these transition from city to countryside in many attract visitors from the whole world. genuine food experiences anywhere else. The ways defines the good life – with everything www.swedishlapland.com/arvidsjaur town is a centre for Sámi culture, with unique from cool bars to chilly winter baths. An knowledge about the natural resources of the international winter swimming competition boden region: game meat, featuring reindeer is its is held here. In Skellefteå there are three In Boden you’re near everything. Here biggest star, berries, herbs and exclusive fish. rivers classified as high-quality wild-salmon you find small-town charm as well www.swedishlapland.com/jokkmokk waters – a concentration you won’t find any- as recreational areas and camping where else in Sweden, and it tempts fishing grounds more or less in the middle kiruna enthusiasts from the entire world. of town. Boden – more precisely the Kiruna is special in many ways. Home to the www.swedishlapland.com/skelleftea village Harads – is also home to the largest underground iron ore mine in the world-famous Treehotel. A unique ac- world, that now forces the whole town to sorsele commodation experience featuring tree move. The mountains here offer trekking Sorsele is known because of its generous rooms with modern design in untouched along the King’s Trail under the midnight sun inhabitants and the immediate proximity to nature. Each room is a unique creation in summer and skiing in untouched nature in the Vindel River and the Vindel Mountains, by some of Scandinavia’s most renown winter. This is also where you find Icehotel – where the nature reserve is one of the larg- architects. Modern design combined the first hotel in the world built of ice and snow. est protected areas in Europe. Here you can with forest stillness creates an immedi- You can travel by horseback or snowmobile, be accompanied by experienced guides and ate feel of luxurious recreation. or go dog sledding through the expanses. go looking for wild animals, such as the elu- www.swedishlapland.com/boden You have to visit Abisko as well – one of the sive arctic fox or the mighty golden eagle. In best places in the world to see the northern Sorsele there is also an almost never-ending gällivare lights. A magical show against the night sky. amount of water. Counted per person, every Gällivare is where you come across www.swedishlapland.com/kiruna municipal inhabitant has a three-kilometre UNESCO World Heritage Site Laponia, plot by the water – each! You can see why which includes the national parks Sarek, luleå sustainable fishing is popular and well loved Padjelanta, Stora Sjöfallet and Muddus, Luleå is the largest city in Swedish Lapland. in Sorsele. and also parts of Sjaunja and Stubba Luleå has a lot to offer tourists and visitors www.swedishlapland.com/sorsele nature reserves. Just a few kilometres from the entire world. There is shopping, from the city centre is mount Dundret, entertainment and a number of White-Guide älvsbyn easily accessible and ideal for both restaurants, but also close proximity to Älvsbyn is sometimes called the gem of family experiences and extreme adven- archipelago, rivers and a vast forested area.