Arjeplog: Silver, Culture and a Landscape of Lakes

Arjeplog combines Sámi culture and local history with trails and viewpoints in a landscape shaped by lakes. If you’re looking for a hotel in Arjeplog, you can first consider whether you want to focus your trip on culture, cross-country skiing or viewpoints.

Silver Museum and Local History

The Silver Museum is in the centre of Arjeplog, by the market square and next to Highway 95, the Silvervägen. The Silversalen exhibition comprises nearly 700 individual objects and presents the largest collection of Sámi silver of its kind. The pieces date from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. Mujttalus focuses on Sámi life on feast days and in everyday life, showing objects used by Sámi people in Arjeplog, both in the past and today.

Sofia Magdalena Church is also located by the market square, on a peninsula in Lake Hornavan. The present church was built in the 1760s as a wooden cruciform church. Doktorsgården was the home of Dr Einar Wallquist, founder of the Silver Museum. Together, the museum and church offer specific points of interest if you want to include Sámi culture and the town’s architectural history in your travel plans.

Skeppsholmen: Island and Cultural Traces

Skeppsholmen is a small island right next to Arjeplog. A bridge near the harbour connects it to the mainland. The island has Sámi structures such as a njalla and a lavvu, as well as the remains of a reindeer enclosure. These named structures and traces give a visit to the island its own cultural focus.

The Edible Country also takes place on Skeppsholmen: visitors gather ingredients in nature and prepare them outdoors over an open fire, following instructions. This makes it possible to distinguish an interest in cultural history from a guided outdoor activity when planning the focus of your stay.

Viewpoints and Trails

Öberget, Suolovárre in Lule Sámi, is a viewpoint mountain in the middle of Arjeplog. It reaches 553 metres above sea level and lies on a large island between Lakes Hornavan and Uddjaure. Hälsoslingan Öberget is listed as a return trail, 2.5 kilometres long and marked as Red difficulty. This gives you both the stated trail length and difficulty rating for your planning.

Åsarna is also part of the lake landscape: the narrow spit of land extends into Lake Hornavan. Just outside the town is Galtispuoda, an 800-metre-high, easily accessible low mountain. From there, the view extends across almost the entire surface of a lake. The road to the summit is open for most of the year; winter conditions may affect access. If you’re planning to visit the viewpoint, check road access before setting off.

Vaukaleden, also known as “Spångarna,” runs through the municipality of Arjeplog. The trail is two kilometres long, easily accessible and fitted with wooden boardwalks. At Djuptjärn, there are illuminated cross-country ski trails with routes of 1, 2.5, 5 and 20 kilometres. The distances range from a short route to a considerably longer option, helping you choose a ski trail based on the length you want.

Getting to Arjeplog

Scheduled buses connect Arjeplog with Arvidsjaur, Luleå and Skellefteå. Check the timetables before you travel. Arvidsjaur Airport is 100 kilometres from Arjeplog; the transfer by airport shuttle or rental car takes approximately one hour and 15 minutes. When planning your trip, keep in mind the different travel options and the seasonally changing access road to Galtispuoda.

Discover more destinations: Mellanström, Vuoggatjalme, Jutis, Laisvall, Slagnäs, Jäckvik.

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