People here in the North are accustomed to change; we even move entire towns now and then. At the moment, this region is in the middle of the biggest industrial transition in living history. One could wonder what that does to the people and the place.
Håkan Stenlund
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.
Håkan Stenlund
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.
Håkan Stenlund
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.
Håkan Stenlund
A hotel skyscraper made of plywood that comes with a cultural centre, a spa and three cosy restaurants: one offering sake on the wine menu and another serving the perfect pölsa (a traditional northern Swedish dish often compared to haggis) for dinner. The Wood Hotel by Elite, in the middle of Skellefteå, leaves nothing to chance.
Håkan Stenlund
The Helamb family in Vuoggatjålme have served mountaineers and travellers for a hundred years. Even though there has been no road to Vuoggatjålme for most of that time, visitors from far and wide have made their way here. Mimmi Helamb was even given awards for that, as a secret agent.
Håkan Stenlund
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.
Håkan Stenlund
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.
Håkan Stenlund
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.
Håkan Stenlund
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.
Håkan Stenlund
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.
Håkan Stenlund
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.
Håkan Stenlund
In Sámi it's called Geargevággi, which translates to Stone Valley in English. But in real life, it might as well be a fairytale.
Håkan Stenlund
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.
Håkan Stenlund
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.
Emma Forsberg
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.
Håkan Stenlund
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.
Maria Broberg
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.
Maria Broberg
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.
Håkan Stenlund
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.
Emma Forsberg
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.
Emma Forsberg
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.
Håkan Stenlund
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.
Håkan Stenlund
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.
Håkan Stenlund
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.
Håkan Stenlund
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.
Håkan Stenlund
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.
Håkan Stenlund
