Swedish Lapland

Summer is approaching. People in the north are looking forward to life during three months of midnight light. The snow covering the barbecue has melted, and it is time to eat out(side) again.

• Culture,
• Nature,
• Taste,

Most good fishing stories involve a gigantic fish. This story is of course no exception, as our author heads out onto thin ice.

• Culture,
• Nature,

The story of Sápmi is a colourful one, and an Arctic lifestyle without Sámi knowledge is inconceivable. Manifestly, as bearers of the cultural heritage, Sámi artists of today have a firm footing in the protection of the indigenous people’s land. But from a world in which even subtle details as bootlaces carry a history, we have a great deal to learn.

• Culture,

The seasonality of Arctic cuisine has created a unique food culture. In line with other parts of the green transition – where technological innovations are improving the future – sustainable cultivation methods are emerging in the north. From superberries and game to free-range cattle, during blizzards as well as warm summer nights.

• Culture,
• Taste,

It’s not long until Ragnar Martinsson from Öland has worked as a chef in Riksgränsen for ten years. This fact still surprises him.

• Lifestyle,
• People,
• Taste,

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.

In addition to being Sweden's highest mountain, Giebmegáisi – or Kebnekaise as it came to be called in Swedish – is an interesting story about how mountains are named, and how easy mistakes are made. The mountain is also a clear sign of a changing Arctic, and for some it's a mountain to call home.

• Adventure,
• Culture,
• Nature,
• Places,

Tornedalen, the borderland between Sweden and Finland, is in many ways unique. The Torne River has never really been a border. Instead, it has tied the two countries together; never dividing, only uniting, to the benefit of sweethearts, smugglers, spies and sauna-bathing travellers. This summer take a road-trip through the promised land of the sauna.

• Culture,

It's all about turning. No jumps, no flips, no rails. Just the beautiful art of being able to turn on a snowboard. But apart from that Riksgränsen Banked Slalom is just a great May happening.

• Lifestyle,
• Places,

For those who are blind to the experiences close to home, it can be difficult to assign a value to a nearby place that has intrinsic beauty, quality and taste. We asked some of the world’s foremost creatives in food, design, art and architecture to explain their relationship with Sweden’s arctic destination, Swedish Lapland.

• Culture,
• Design,
• People,
• Taste,

At Treehotel in Harads, genius architect Bjarke Ingels has created a hotel room for the future based on BIG's classic manifesto "Yes is more". The room 'Biosphere' takes both architecture and hotel rooms to a whole new level with its 350 bird houses.

• People,
• Places,

In the village of Vitsaniemi, on the banks of the Torne River, you will find one of Swedish Lapland's most exciting hotel projects. They are also building an art gallery for the world here – a kind of Louisiana in the heart of the Torne Valley.

• Places,

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.

• Taste,

In the village Kalvträsk outside Skellefteå, wildlife photographer Conny Lundström has constructed a number of hides where photographers can experience a photo session with golden eagles up close. British photographer Dani Connor came here for that very reason: to capture golden eagles with her camera. But when she returned home, her memory cards were filled with pictures of squirrels.

• Nature,

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.

• Adventure,
• Taste,

The freedom to roam is an essential part of life in the Nordic countries. In the Arctic region, it is a large part of our culture and our well-being. To be able to access and live off the land is a privilege for campers and foragers, but it also comes with responsibility. This is the edible as well as the drinkable country.

• Taste,

Not only is the Bay of Bothnia Sweden’s sunniest summer getaway, it is also an exciting destination where the brackish sea water meets lively coastal towns.

• Places,

Meet Frida Lind-Oja, marketing manager and co-owner of the family business Camp Ripan in Kiruna. She is probably slightly different from many other marketing managers and hotel owners, since she in her free time gladly participates in the worlds longest ski race.

• Lifestyle,
• People,

Telling a great story has always been important. In fact, some claim that homo sapiens thrived as species due to their skills in gossiping. From jojk to Airijoki, from stories to songs, this place is known for a good vibe.

• Culture,
• People,

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.

• Lifestyle,

With lightly packed backpacks we head out for a hike to a cabin in the woods. To breath that fresh summer air, hang out with friends and create our own adventure spa by the lake.

• Lifestyle,

If you were to define skiing, it is ultimately about two planks and a passion. If you were to define skiers, however, they would probably be called the Palm family.

• Lifestyle,
• People,

Some of the best and most scenic fly fishing in Sweden is found at Miekak fishing camp in the Arjeplog mountains. To some of its guests, it is something of a craving.

• Lifestyle,
• Places,

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.

• Culture,

The mountain bike is said to have been invented in California in the 1970s. But the truth is that as long as there have been bikes, we have biked the paths, even in the mountains. But with today's modern mountain bikes, mountain biking has become a bit easier.

• Adventure,

To get to the atoll-like island Malören, fifteen nautical miles across the open sea from Kalix, it takes a boat trip of about an hour. Once you are there, the serenity that these nautical miles provide extends itself. The sea becomes a buffer zone of time and space. Because nothing can disturb you or reach you. You are at home, by the sea.

• Places,

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.

• Culture,
• Design,
• People,

She celebrates her 40th anniversary as an artist, Sámi narrator Britta Marakatt-Labba. This is also how long it has taken Swedes to discover her art. The breakthrough was international for this resistance artist who tells her story with the needle as a brush.

• Culture,
• Design,
• People,

Kalix Löjrom, Kalix vendace roe, became Sweden's first food product to receive a protected designation of origin ten years ago. We tag along on a vendace roe safari to learn how this delicacy becomes one of the best dining experiences Swedish restaurants have to offer. We also get the opportunity to make our own roe. But first: a visit to the pub.

• Taste,

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.

• Culture,
• Lifestyle,
• Nature,

In Junosuando, a village located on the Arctic Circle in Swedish Lapland, there's a statue of Leonhard Seppala. He's one of the world's most famous mushers. This is the story about Leonhard himself, his dog Togo, and what became known as the "Great Race of Mercy".

• People,

The Sámi culture is traditionally strong, and since the Sámi have lived and worked in northern Sweden for millennia, the culture is a big part of our Arctic lifestyle in Swedish Lapland.

• Culture,

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?

• Nature,

Abisko National Park, in Swedish Lapland, offers some of the best conditions in the world for northern lights watching. The unique climate of the area keep the skies almost clear, and the light pollution is next to nothing. And here, you also find the Aurora Sky Station.

• Nature,
• Places,

There is this one hotel room that looks like a bird's nest, and another resembles a UFO. Then there is the hotel where a ruin from an old train workshop runs straight through the kitchen, and the wine cellar is an old grease pit. There is also the hotel in the middle of town that cleans the air to the same extent an entire forest would. We travel between excellent accommodation options in Swedish Lapland.

• Design,
• Places,

Experiencing the northern lights is on many people's bucket list. Travellers from around the world head north to experience the celestial phenomenon, hoping to snap a picture of it. Been there, done that. But then some live with the northern lights as a lifestyle. Meet photographer Mia Stålnacke, the one who stops the northern lights.

• People,

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.

• Nature,

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.

• Nature,

As far away as you can get from industrial foods, you'll find Sámi food traditions. Nothing goes to waste. Everything has its own unique flavour. Meet Ingrid Pilto, a Sámi food creator.

• People,
• Taste,

Eating well is part of every journey. Well, it could be the whole reason for the trip. This is the food story.

• Taste,

A breath of fresh air never hurts. That has always been our roundabout way of trying to explain what it is that makes nature good for us human beings. But the results of more and more research in recent years have shown just how beneficial spending time in the great outdoors is for human health and wellbeing. Science confirms a piece of time-honoured folk wisdom. It’s time for a walk in the woods.

• Nature,

Autumn has only just claimed the land. Warm days in the sunshine, but cold at night when that same sun disappears behind the mountains. The landscape is coloured by the demands of the season. This is a story of a September hike around Šielmmáčohkka and upper Visttásvággi. A hike in a time of contrasts.

• Adventure,

Markus and Rolf were given the mission to bless the world with dark-roast, coarsely ground coffee. Surely, you’ve heard the story about the northern lemmings bringing coffee beans home from Africa, floating home with the Gulf Stream to roast the beans with their body heat, in the Swedish mountains? No? Well, here it is.

• Taste,

So you've gone to 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.

• Nature,

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.

• Nature,

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.

• Culture,

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.

• Culture,
• Nature,

Getting just the right amount of physical activity will do you good. This is common knowledge. It's also said that nature is a healer for both body and soul. Maybe more so than ever in late summer when the colours begin to change, from sharply green to fiery red and orange. The air becomes wonderfully crisp and fresh, filling your lungs and your mind with energy.

• Adventure,

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.

• Nature,

Johanna hasn't ridden a horse for 13 years, and Carl-Johan has never sat on a horse in his life. Follow them on a horseback tour through the Kiruna mountains.

• Adventure,

From the four national rivers to tiny water mirrors in the forest. From rafting boats to kayaks and canoes. It is impossible to miss all the water in Swedish Lapland. Big and small, flowing or still. Perfect for paddlers and the curious.

• Adventure,

In Sámi it's called Geargevággi, which translates to Stone Valley in English. But in real life, it might as well be a fairytale.

• Places,

What happens when a father and son decide to spend a couple of days in the Gulf of Bothnia archipelago? Well, first, you have to promise that there will be mobile phone coverage and then keep your fingers crossed that you’re right. Then you can safely assume there’ll be no trace of the kid during the entire trip.

• Lifestyle,

Blueberries are one of the most common plants in Sweden, loved by both humans and animals. Not only are the sweet little berries tasty, but they are also very good for you: magic and science in symbiosis. Thanks to the midnight sun, the berries here in the Arctic part of Sweden are also a little sweeter, a little more aromatic and a little more vitamin-rich.

• Nature,
• Taste,

Places still exist where there's no point asking for the password for the wifi. Places where you leave your mobile behind to spend some quality time with others – or perhaps with yourself. The Sámi eco-lodge Geunja and the camp in Tjuonajokk are two of Swedish Lapland's finest places.

• Places,

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.

• Culture,
• Places,

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.

• Nature,

Competitors from all around the world gather under the midnight sun to participate in the world's most northernmost triathlon with ironman distances; Laponia Triathlon 67N°.

• Adventure,

A tanked-up car, robust rod holders and a few intensely driven salmon fishers as the company is an excellent start if you're going to do some severe salmontrippin' in Swedish Lapland. This is the story of three high-pitched days in four wild salmon rivers.

• Lifestyle,

When you visit the islands of Swedish Lapland, you might stumble upon stones laid out in a formation. Maybe it's actually an old labyrinth that you’ve found? The phenomena are tens of thousands years old, and the pattern can be found in different places across Europe.

• Nature,

If a fish, or a catch, is to be a story, the fish has to be out of the ordinary, preferably bordering on dangerous. And if the story is to become a classic, the fish should be as big as a whale or the fisher should at least be a character like Captain Ahab.

• Lifestyle,

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.

• Nature,

Imagine a pair of shoes that just gets better with age. With feeling and respect for material and craftsmanship, Kero creates durable and trendy products that just look better with use.

• Design,
• People,

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.

• Nature,

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?

• Lifestyle,
• Taste,

If biking in Swedish Lapland were a song, which song would it be? Take Me Home, Country Roads, John Denver's 1971 hit, would definitely be in the running. Dusty gravel roads, blue mountains and that constant feeling of being right at home.

• Adventure,

Running is in human nature. Long before urbanisation, jogging and rubber-soled shoes made tarmac commonplace, we kept to the trails. These days, trail running is enjoying a renaissance. Running for the experience and running for those who prefer personal challenges to personal bests.

• Adventure,

Once upon a time, Haparanda was where the East met West, a hangout for spies, robbers and war profiteers. If the walls of Stadshotellet – the city hotel – could speak, we would be more than excited to listen to what went on in what once was the middle of the world.

• Places,

As the renowned crew of fly-fishing filmmakers Hooké from Canada touched down at Luleå Airport, they didn’t really know what to expect of Swedish Lapland – but soon they got overwhelmed by the warm welcome of big Baltic salmons.

• Lifestyle,

Perhaps summer and swimming aren't what first springs to mind when you think of Swedish Lapland. But, in fact, there are plenty of cool beaches and places to go for a swim – thanks to the inland ice.

• Lifestyle,

There are five rivers in Skellefteå, three of which are classified as wild salmon rivers. Such a concentration of salmon waters cannot be found anywhere else in Sweden – and the crown jewel is Byske River, without a doubt. However, you need to earn your Byske salmon.

• Lifestyle,

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.

• Taste,

Mathias Dahlgren won the world chef championship, Bocuse d'Or, already back in 1997, and today, he's one of Sweden’s most famous chefs. His previous restaurant Matsalen, at Grand Hôtel in Stockholm, was named one of the 25 best restaurants in the world. These days Mathias and his chefs also do catering. And sometimes they come to Swedish Lapland.

• Taste,

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.

• Taste,

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.

• Culture,
• Nature,
• Places,

The barren and vast mountain landscape in the far north, called Sandåslandet – the land of the sand ridges – is as popular amongst devoted fly fishers as suitable for adventurers on fat bikes. I pack my fat bike with enough equipment to last for a week. And I’m off.

• Adventure,

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.

• Taste,

Photographer Mattias Fredriksson started as a cleaner at Hotel Riksgränsen. Then he picked up a camera. Today he's the most published skiing photographer in the world, still with a soft spot for the old mountain hotel in his heart.

• Lifestyle,

Even with people there, the calmness of the place stands out. Geunja Sámi Eco Lodge stands there, carefully tucked in between the shores of a crystal clear lake and the foot of a high mountain.

• Places,

On lake Uddjaur in Arjeplog, is where you'll find one of the coolest driving schools in the world: Lapland Ice Driving. How it came to be is a cold and actually quite a long story.

• Adventure,

Dog sledding through vast expanses of white is in many ways synonymous with a winter adventure in Swedish Lapland. Håkan Stenlund took a tour in the Vindelfjällen Nature Reserve. Following the footsteps of Jack London, in a way.

• Adventure,

Just outside Luleå, you'll find the church village Gammelstad. This used to be where Luleå city centre was located right up to the 17th century, with red log cabins in a kind of organised chaos around one of Sweden's most beautiful churches. It's a unique place and something to preserve for future generations.

• Culture,
• Places,

How to catch a Baltic salmon in Swedish Lapland? That’s the 100-dollar question for many salmon fly fishers. But there’s some good news. It’s getting easier. A lot easier. During the last years, salmon runs in the wild Swedish Baltic rivers have been heading in the right direction.

• Lifestyle,

In Sweden, we love our coffee, and so-called boiled coffee (coarse ground and brought to the boil in a pan) is in many ways the national drink of Swedish Lapland. Preferably served with all the trimmings: coffee cheese, coffee meat, dried reindeer meat and reindeer tongue.

• Culture,
• Taste,

The habitat and existence of the reindeer are under constant threat. Global warming is now a reality, just as the Ice Age was a reality, about ten thousand years ago. The reindeer adapted to the expansion and retreat of the ice cover. That is how evolution works; over millennia.

• Nature,

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.

• Adventure,

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.

• Adventure,
• Lifestyle,
• Nature,
• Places,

In 2008 photographer Chad Blakley moved to Abisko to work the summer season. He followed the love of his life: Linnea. They both quickly fell for the breath-taking landscape and the welcoming people in the village. So, Chad and Linnea decided to stay the winter as well. But it would be many more summers and winters in Abisko.

• People,

The ice age is always present along the coast of Swedish Lapland. From the constant land elevation to the barren, windswept frozen sea.

• Adventure,

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.

• Nature,

In the village of Jukkasjärvi, outside Kiruna, lies the original ICEHOTEL. Every year, since 1989, it has been reincarnated in a new rendition and there’s always more to come. From the beginning this was kind of a crazy idea in the winter, nowadays it’s as crazy all year round.

• Design,
• Places,

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?

• Adventure,

Two villages with the same name on either side of the mighty Torne River. Kukkolaforsen is something very special and in many ways, it proves that the Torne Valley is a world of its own, filled with tastes and experiences.

• Places,

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!

• Adventure,

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.

• Nature,

Ice Ultra is a trial of strength for the hardy. 230 kilometres on foot in February, through one of Europe's perhaps most mythical mountain landscapes.

• Adventure,

On the slope leading down to the lake, 37 cows are grazing. Some are drinking water on the shore. The grass is green and if you are standing out in the yard, the view of Lake Storkågeträsket is second to none. No, the rural romanticism cannot be ignored. Then again, this is where the life of one of Sweden’s most well-renowned cheeses begins.

• Lifestyle,
• People,
• Taste,

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.

• Adventure,

The sauna Solar Egg was created by Riksbyggen together with artist duo Bigert & Bergström and installed in Kiruna. Since then, the sauna has become a global success and taken on a tour around the world.

• Design,

The Canadian brand Hooké started out of the urge to tell a story about fly fishing. Today it’s become a growing movement along rivers of the world. And in Swedish Lapland, the team seems perfectly rooted – spreading the vibes of fly fishing.

• Lifestyle,

One thousand, two hundred and twenty-eight metres above sea level is where you find Sweden’s highest mountain station: Låktatjåkko. It takes you a couple of hours to walk there from Björkliden and halfway is probably where you’ll start craving the waffles.

• Places,

Trail running is becoming more and more popular, and it turns out that the mountains around Ammarnäs are ideally suited for the purpose.

• Adventure,

We were kindly allowed to read the guestbook from Logger's Lodge, filled with ecstatic reviews from world celebrities, ordinary people and people in love who have visited to forget about all the must-dos for a while and get utterly spoilt. We felt we had to go there ourselves to experience it.

• Places,

What started with a film featuring a small wooden hut in the forest has become a cool hotel. These days Treehotel in Harads is considered one of the world's foremost travel destinations. But Treehotel is more than just a design favourite among the treetops. It’s the childhood fantasy we’ve all dreamed of – just in a more luxurious package.

• Design,
• Places,

The helicopter takes us to the starting point, 18 kilometres out in the roadless land. The mountain terrain is magical. I cannot find a better word to describe it. Then there are sweat, pain, and doubts. Followed by laughter, pleasure, and euphoria. When it’s all over, all I can think about is: Why don’t all races take place in the mountains of Swedish Lapland?

• Adventure,

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.

• Culture,

February means time for the Scandinavian Winter Swimming Championship in Skellefteå. The championship is also part of the Winter Swimming World Cup as well as an appreciated festival for the entire city – all founded on a declaration of love for the cold and dark.

• Adventure,

When the rest of Sweden prepares for spring, Riksgränsen open for the winter season. Håkan Stenlund goes north to the playground of the fanatics.

• Adventure,

If it’s the first time, you have ever met a pack of enthusiastic huskies, no wonder you would be a bit reserved. However, there’s absolutely nothing to be afraid of. Join the British couple, Sabina and Pete, for their first encounter with some of Skellefteå’s furry residents.

• Adventure,

There are numerous reasons to why you should experience Niehku Mountain Villa in Riksgränsen, a place which name translates to "dream" in Northern Sámi. Here we give you four of those reasons.

• Design,
• Places,

Autumn… It can be really boring… and dreary… and just… just wonderful! Autumn is so immediate; it makes its first appearance after a chilly night and then moves on at full speed. Its colours and clear air must be experienced in the same immediate way: right now!

• Adventure,
• Nature,

Kristoffer Turdell from Gällivare is a champion of Freeride World Tour, the World Championship of Extreme skiing. His scene may be all the mountains in the world, but there's still one particular run on his mind. Down Duolbagorni in Swedish Lapland.

• Lifestyle,

To go on a boat trip and take a swim while you’re at it is a pretty common activity around the world, in Swedish Lapland as well. But in Piteå, just a hundred kilometres south of the polar circle, the considerably less common twist is that the boat trip happens in minus 20 degrees Celsius with an icebreaker that weighs in at 400 metric tons.

• Adventure,

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.

• Nature,

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.

• People,
• Taste,

Anders and his friends climbed Kebnekaise, Sweden's highest mountain. This is a story about Kebnekaise in spring colours.

• Adventure,

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.

• Culture,
• Nature,

There is something special about biking: the freedom and the access to trails as well as beautiful views. And there is something very special about biking on a fat bike. Have you ever tried a fat bike? Perhaps you have, but not in Swedish Lapland. Let me tell you about darkness and light.

• Adventure,

Five kilometres beyond the end of the public road you’ll find the village Särkimukka in the Torne Valley. In the middle of the woods, on a frozen lake, this is home to four people and around two hundred dogs. People from all over the world come here to experience winter and an Arctic adventure. Most of them go home a friendship richer: a four-legged friendship.

• Adventure,
• Places,

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.

• Adventure,

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.

• Culture,

Imagine what it would be like for a few days to leave all the stress and all the noise behind you, breathing in the forest scent and meeting its four-legged or winged residents face to face and assuming the role of a real nature photographer.

• Lifestyle,

When extreme swimmer Christof Wandratsch became the first person to cross lake Boden and broke the world record across the English channel, he found himself looking for new challenges. He found winter swimming and the rest, as they say, is history.

• People,

...

• Lifestyle,

– Five thousand characters? About trout? How's that going to work? – Ok... I thought that someone with nothing but fly fishing on his mind would be able to do it. What about four thousand, then? – No, no, NO! I meant how do I describe my relationship with trout when so little space is available!

• Lifestyle,

The author and fly fisherman Gunnar Westrin feels most at home in the most barren of landscapes. This is how Sandåslandet north of Kiruna became one of his retreats in life.

• Lifestyle,

The Dutch filmmaker Marco Lubbers had a dream: To go speedskating under the northern lights. And he also wanted to make a film about it. For that, he travelled to Swedish Lapland.

• Adventure,

Sámi design comes in many shapes. From traditional leather hats to a blue dress at the Nobel Banquet. Some of Sweden's coolest designers have taken the Sámi expression further – to put some excitement into everyday life.

• Culture,
• Design,

Hike through dense forests, across vast fields, along old country roads and through the majestic river landscape. Experience local culture and take a break at one of the beautiful rest stops. The Solander trail allows you to experience the multifaceted natural and cultural landscape of the Swedish Lapland coast, up close.

• Adventure,

One of nature's most beautiful displays takes place during a couple of weeks every summer. A mayfly called Ephemera vulgata hatches, and every single fish in the lake go crazy when presented with such a feast. For us fly fishers this is simply the time when we cease to sleep.

• Lifestyle,

The most common way to experience King’s Trail (Kungsleden) is walking or skiing in a comfortable pace. But there are other ways – come along on an up-tempo journey through the scenic mountains of Swedish Lapland when Krissy, Luke and Fredrik takes on the challenge of spending a week running along this famous trail.

• Adventure,