By air
Kiruna (KRN), ~1.5 h to Abisko
Europe · Sweden
Swedish Lapland, Sweden
The aurora and an ice hotel
Getting there
Best time to visit
December to March for the aurora; June to July for the midnight sun
Don't miss
Abisko
The Icehotel
Kiruna
The Kungsleden trail
Things to do
Northern lights
Dog sledding
The Icehotel at Jukkasjärvi
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: q8 · CC BY-SA 2.0
What to pack
Serious winter gear
A quieter corner
The Aurora Sky Station in Abisko
Questions travellers ask
When is aurora season in Swedish Lapland?
December to March. For the midnight sun, come June to July instead.
How do I reach Abisko?
Fly into Kiruna (KRN); Abisko is about 1.5 h from there.
What should I do in Swedish Lapland?
Chase the northern lights, go dog sledding, and see Kiruna and the Icehotel at Jukkasjärvi. In Abisko, the Aurora Sky Station is a quieter find. Hike a stretch of the Kungsleden trail, too.
What should I bring to Swedish Lapland?
Serious winter gear. And try reindeer and cloudberries while you are there.
About Swedish Lapland
- Forest
- Mountains
Where it is
Swedish Lapland is Sweden's northernmost region, reaching north of the Arctic Circle to the borders of Norway and Finland, a land of taiga forest, rivers, lakes and mountains that includes Kiruna, Abisko and Jokkmokk.
History
For thousands of years this has been the land of the Sámi, who herded reindeer, hunted and fished across the north. From the Middle Ages Swedish kings sought to settle and Christianise the region, and iron ore mining led to the founding of Kiruna around 1900 and a railway to the ice-free Norwegian port of Narvik.
People
Swedish Lapland is part of Sápmi, the homeland of the Sámi, whose languages, reindeer herding, joik singing and duodji handicrafts are central to the region's culture. Swedish is spoken everywhere, and Finnish and Meänkieli are heard in the Torne valley.
Known for
- The northern lights
- The Icehotel at Jukkasjärvi
- Abisko National Park and its sky station
- The Kungsleden hiking trail
- Sámi culture and reindeer herding
Did you know?
The winter market in Jokkmokk, just north of the Arctic Circle, has been held every February since 1605 and is one of the most important gatherings of the Sámi year.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.