Things to see and do Norrland

It all began when in 1922, a young doctor came to settle in the village and never left. We discover his life, his passion for nature and of course the omnipresent Sami culture. At the top of the stairs, you will find a classroom, a sewing room and a kitchen reconstructed with objects from the 1930's; all the history of the pioneers of the time. Downstairs is the silver collection that made the museum famous, as well as a movie theater.

The Jamtli Museum is an open-air museum with historic buildings, and an indoor museum with permanent and temporary exhibitions. "Jamtli" literally means "Jämtland hill" in the local dialect. The place is known for its bell tower, whose architecture is very typical of 18th century Sweden. Along a road, you will see it at the edge of a pavement. You will find an archaeological and handicraft collection, works of art and artefacts that will take you deep into the history of the region.

Dating from 1912, this very pretty church built on the model of a Lappish hut is worth seeing. As you get closer, you notice that it seems to be entirely covered with red wooden tiles. The bright gold-plated statues that adorn it create a striking contrast with the dark red colour of the rest of the building. Inside, the magnificent sculpture of St. George and the dragon, the altar and, just above, the frieze painted by Lotten Zeinwoldt are worthy of note.

Very well done museum about the Swedish mountains and the Sami. Indeed, Jokkmokk is the center of the Swedish Sami culture, it is normal that the museum presents the Swedish Lapland and of course the culture of the Sami people. Through eight rooms, you will discover all the aspects of the life of this people: craft industry, customs, traditions, folklore, history, way of life... Think of asking for the explanatory guide in French available free at the entrance, because the texts are in Swedish inside the museum. The name Ajtte means "the barn" in the Saami language.

Höga Kusten nature site is located on the left when you arrive at Docksta. In this elegant modern building surrounded by a typical Swedish wild landscape, you will find all the necessary information about the High Coast, its history, excursions, guide bookings, and access to the via ferrata that winds up the steep slopes of the Skuleberget mountain. The site also includes a café and restaurant as well as exhibitions on the local landscape and environment. The site is also popular for rock climbing!

Located south of the Gavleån River, a group of traditional wooden houses painted in bright colors and narrow cobblestone streets take you back to the Gävle of two centuries ago. The strange double mirrors you will see in front of the windows are spy-glass. A curious detail, the inhabitants used them (and probably still do) to see what was going on in the street without moving from their armchair! A superb corner to take pictures.

You will appreciate the atmosphere of this beautiful church, whose interior turns blue in winter, because of the snowy reflection through the windows. The somewhat naive representation of the aurora borealis behind the altar is truly magical. It is the work of the painter Ivar Hjertqvist. This church dates from 1902; it replaces an older one that was demolished. It was designed by the architect Gustaf Hermansson in an experimental neo-gothic style and has 3 naves. Its architecture is inspired by the church of Jokkmokk, erected 15 years earlier.

These red huts with white windows and sills are unique. They were built to allow parishioners who lived far away to come and attend church services and therefore to stay for a few days. Even today this tradition is respected and the owners cannot live here all year round! At number 253, located at Framlänningsvägen, the cottage Kyrkstuga is open during the summer months. Built around 1750, it reflects the constructions made by the bourgeoisie at that time.

In Abisko, you can see the Northern Lights 200 days a year. The Aurora Sky station is set up high up, away from the artificial lights; you can sit outside with a blanket waiting for them. In summer, the station is transformed into a midnight sun observatory (from mid-June to mid-July). There is also a restaurant for an unforgettable dinner. The guided tour, although instructive, is not essential. We will gladly take you up for the panoramic view of the Abisko Park, and for a snack with a view!

Established in 1909, when the first laws on nature conservation were passed, Abisko National Park, classified as Natura 2000, covers 77 km² of plains, lakes, mountains in the Scandinavian Alps... beautiful and varied landscapes that never fail to surprise in all seasons. Abisko Turiststation is also the northern entrance to the royal trail, Kungsleden Trail, which runs from Abisko to Hemavan. It is a privileged place for hunting the Northern Lights.

A beautiful gallery that exhibits and sells Saami crafts. The place is constantly developing new projects that highlight Saami artisans and their know-how. Recently, a project mixing Saami gastronomy and crafts was born, in order to pay tribute to the people who perpetuate ancestral traditions and who continue to develop their knowledge and their arts. Worth a look. There is also a restaurant and a store near the gallery, to do some shopping before leaving!

Following the road 363 to the north, we reach the river Vindel which we can follow up to the town of Åmsele. In several places, the river accelerates to form rapids that are sometimes impressive. A little after Åmsele, about a hundred kilometers from Umeå, a superb site has been created where the river splits into several arms. Ideal for a picnic in the middle of nature. Or for an afternoon of fishing. Trout are predominant!

The Västerbottens Museum, in the Gammlia district, presents the history of the region and the works of local artists (photos, paintings, modern art), as well as several temporary exhibitions often related to social or artistic life. One room is dedicated to skiing and its history. Around the main building, the open-air museum, open in summer, illustrates the traditional life of the region's inhabitants. The museum is open in the summer and shows the traditional life of the inhabitants of the region. The museum features figures dressed in traditional costume who show the techniques and environment of the last century.

A stop at this centre overlooking the river is a must. Open all year round, there is a small museum, information on all the prehistoric sites in this part of the country between Umeå and Östersund, and a very well made film (in English only). Children can dress up as hunters from those ancient times in the reconstructed stone village next door, try their hand at harpoon fishing and pretend they are cavemen!

This is a little known site, but it has the largest concentration of rock engravings in Northern Europe, made between 4000 and 1500 BC. The tribes and groups of hunters and fishermen who populated this valley have left thousands of frescoes, drawings and symbols on the rocks. Characters, elks, footprints, tapered boats... These works can be seen every day from June 15 to August 15, when the water level drops due to the action of dams.

This pavilion appears in a surreal way in the middle of the forests of fir trees. This construction commemorates the arrival in the region of Kung Chulalonkorn, in 1897. A real point of interest for the local population, with a sumptuous Thai garden. It is the only Thai pavilion in the world outside Thailand. It has already been visited by tens of thousands of people. It is probably also the only one to be covered with a beautiful snow coat during the winter.

A small guidebook is available at the tourist office to help you understand the French and Italian-inspired architecture of the buildings in the city center, which the Swedes call the "stone city". Most of the buildings were built after the great fire of 1888: there are no less than 573 buildings built between 1891 and 1895, some in the Art Nouveau style. From now on, this visit can be done with an audioguide. For those who are passionate about late ^19th century architecture.

The space called Kulturmagasinet is the cultural heart of the city of Sundsvall. You have to enter it at least to taste the strange atmosphere of this place with a very original architecture. Four buildings that were once used to store the city's food supplies have been joined together by glass walls, making the place a covered hall. Here you will find the large library and rooms that host hundreds of exhibitions every year, including a permanent exhibition on the city and its history. Free admission.

In the ^18th and ^19th centuries, the prisoners in Gävle prison had a painful experience of isolation. At that time, the inmates were confined to their cells 24 hours a day, with only twenty minutes of escape time in the open air gaols. Since 2004, a museum has been bringing prison life to life. The museum's exhibition leads into the cells where mannequins, objects found on inmates over the years and interactivity bring these places back to life.

The museum exhibits one of the finest collections of locomotives and wagons illustrating the entire history of the Swedish railroads. The collection includes more than 300 vehicles from the early ^19th century, including the famous Prince Augustus locomotive, which is still the oldest locomotive in service. But what will delight the children (and no doubt some others) is the possibility to climb into the driver's cab of a steam locomotive!