Norrbotten: World Heritage, Sámi Culture and Natural Landscapes

Norrbotten offers a wide variety of travel experiences: historic World Heritage sites, Sámi culture, national parks and seasonal experiences in nature. If you are looking for a hotel for your trip, first decide what you would like to focus on. Would you like to explore historic sites and cultural interpretations, or are mountain landscapes, rivers and hiking trails your priority? The places and topics here give you practical starting points for planning your trip.

World Heritage and history in Norrbotten

Gammelstad Church Town is the best-preserved example of a church village in northern Scandinavia. A group of 404 wooden houses surrounds a stone church dating from the early 15th century. As a UNESCO World Heritage site, Gammelstad is in Norrbotten County and the Municipality of Luleå. The site offers a vivid insight into this distinctive form of northern Scandinavian church village.

Another way to explore history is through the geodetic survey points of the Struve Geodetic Arc, which are listed as World Heritage. In the county, they are located in the municipalities of Haparanda, Kiruna, Pajala and Övertorneå. The arc is a chain of triangulation survey points extending through ten countries for more than 2,820 kilometres. The surveys were carried out between 1816 and 1855. In Norrbotten, a historic settlement and survey points from a cross-border history of geodetic measurement thus stand side by side.

Laponia: landscape and Sámi culture

The Laponia World Heritage site lies in the municipalities of Gällivare and Jokkmokk. Its landscape includes high mountains, old-growth forests, extensive wetlands, lakes and well-preserved river systems. Every summer, the Sámi drive their reindeer herds through this landscape towards the mountains. The seasonal movement of the herds is as much a part of Laponia as its varied landscapes.

At Naturum Laponia, you can learn more about the mountains, forests and wetlands of the World Heritage area, seasonal changes and the importance of reindeer in Sámi culture. Naturum is also the gateway to four national parks, two nature reserves and nine Sámi communities. The Laponia exhibition at the Ájtte Museum offers another cultural perspective, conveying the cultural and natural significance of the area to all humanity.

Abisko: mountain scenery, flora and hiking trail

In Abisko National Park, birch forests, open heathland and meadows meet rugged mountain terrain shaped by Arctic nature. The park is home to one of the richest floras in the Swedish mountains. Plants found here include the Lapland rosebay, Polarblära and several orchid species. Those interested in plants will find a different way to experience the landscape here than by focusing on its striking mountains and trails.

The E10 highway and railway run through the national park. From Abisko Turist railway station, it is about 800 metres to the Abisko naturum visitor centre. The Kungsleden, which the Norrbotten County Administrative Board describes as the county’s best-known hiking trail, runs from Abisko in the north to Hemavan in Västerbotten. Through the national park, it follows the Abiskojåkka River through Abisko Canyon.

Rapids, islands and other nature experiences

At Storforsen, visitors can get up close to one of the largest rapids in the Nordic countries. Visitor facilities include information boards, hiking trails, picnic areas and a boardwalk leading to the rapids. Large parts of the area are accessible to people with reduced mobility.

During the summer months, the Norrbotten County Administrative Board organises boat trips to Sandskär, the largest island in Haparanda Skärgård National Park. There are several long sandy beaches for swimming. A five-kilometre nature trail and an accompanying information leaflet round out a visit to the island. Check the dates of the summer boat trips when planning your visit.

Norrbotten offers a variety of landscapes beyond these two destinations. Muddus/Muttos National Park features old-growth forests, wetlands, deep gorges and the Muddus Waterfall. Dundret has ski trails, a snowmobile route, wind shelters and rest huts. Hiking trails are available there year-round in a mountain landscape. This combination of trails and facilities makes Dundret a different nature experience from the river and wetland landscapes.

A regional speciality

Surströmming, a Norrbotten speciality with a hundred-year tradition, is part of the region’s food culture. The dish is deeply rooted in regional food culture, especially along the coast. It adds a culinary aspect to the cultural and nature themes, and may also be something to include in your travel plans.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Piteå, Älvsbyn, Gällivare, Övertorneå, Kalix, Arvidsjaur, Överkalix, Arjeplog, Haparanda, Pajala, Jokkmokk, Kiruna, Boden, Roknäs, Luleå, Kurravaara, Narken.

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