Östersund: Cultural History, Trails and Winter

Östersund offers a variety of options for your stay: cultural history and art, trails in nature, and winter activities. Storsjön and the mountain landscape offer impressive views all year round.

Culture and City History

Jamtli is a museum complex with three museums in one location. Its exhibitions tell the story of Jämtland and Härjedalen from prehistoric times to the present day. Notable exhibits include the Överhogdal tapestries, which are around 1,000 years old. They are displayed at Jamtli and are considered Europe’s oldest complete pictorial tapestries.

At the Nationalmuseum Jamtli, you can see art and design from the Nationalmuseum’s extensive collections in Stockholm. Östersund’s former library also tells the story of the city as Ahlbergshallen: the upper floor houses an exhibition hall, while the ground floor is home to the Östersund City Museum. There is also a sculpture hall and two exhibition rooms for art exhibitions; the specific programme changes. Storgatan is considered one of Sweden’s best-preserved urban environments from the 1880s.

Trails, Water and Scenery

From Badhusparken, you can explore the S:t Olavsleden in Östersund; red trail markers lead across to Frösön. The pilgrimage route runs for around 580 kilometres from Selånger in the east to Trondheim in the west, and can also be explored in shorter stages. Norrtåg serves a large part of the route, with several stops, including Östersund. This makes it possible to combine shorter hiking stages with train journeys.

For a shorter nature trail, the Tysjöarna Nature Reserve lies just outside the centre. A signposted trail of about seven kilometres connects the two lakes there. Nearby, at Bynäset, a trail just under seven kilometres long winds through varied woodland along the shore of Storsjön; it is suitable for walking, running or cycling. The routes are similar in length but differ in their surroundings: the trail at Tysjöarna connects two lakes, while the one at Bynäset runs through woodland along the lakeshore. Trail conditions and access at Bynäset may vary.

A paddling route runs from Östersund along the shore of Frösön, through Vallsundet and into the bay between Frösön and Bynäset. Conditions on the water and places to launch may vary; check them before your trip.

Winter and More Experiences

From Vinterparken, Medvinden is a prepared ice-skating track across the frozen surface of Storsjön. The route is up to 15 kilometres long. Vinterparken also offers winter swimming in an ice hole, a warming sauna and a dip in a steaming hot tub.

Östersund Ski Stadium offers nearly 90 kilometres of cross-country ski trails; trail availability is seasonal. A heated waxing cabin is available to the public at Mediacentret. As operating details may change, it is worth checking the latest information before your visit.

Storsjöbadet has a leisure pool with a trampoline, a cave and a current channel. If you want to use these facilities, check the latest information before your visit, as individual features may change. For a culinary exploration, there is a self-guided tour of Östersund. It starts at the Tourist Center at Storgatan 27, where visitors can get tips and a map.

Discover more destinations: Solberg, Lit, Frösön, Tand, Brunflo, Orrviken, Marieby.

Back to the main travel overview: Östersund.