Travel Guide Umeå

Umeå is the largest city in northern Sweden. It is also the most dynamic city in Sweden, thanks to its huge university. Devastated by a fire on the same day of the same year 1888 as Sundsvall, the city was rebuilt first in wood, to then give way to more modern buildings. The fear of fire led the inhabitants to build long firebreaks made of birch trees, which are omnipresent, hence the name "city of birches".It is a student and research city that is covered in snow for several months of the year, where night falls at 2pm in the middle of winter, but which becomes a very popular destination in summer. Its sandy beaches, the beautiful islands of Holmön and Norrbyskär, and the large recreational center that borders the city to the east make it very popular. It is therefore preferable to visit in May or June, when the nights are clear and the students are still present to animate the streets and squares.Sports have an important place here: the best beach volleyball players in the country come from here as well as many talented cross-country skiers. But it is the women's soccer team (Umeå IK) that is the city's greatest pride: the best player in the world, Brazilian Marta, has played here for several seasons and the club has won a host of national and European titles. Girls' soccer is a phenomenon here!Ferries run several times a day to Finland.Umeå is full of activities! You can find full information on the website that replaced the physical tourist office: www.visitumea.se. If you are just passing through, a visit and a fika break will suffice.