Norrbotten between World Heritage, wilderness and hiking trails

World Heritage and culture

The Norrbotten County includes the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Gammelstad Church Town in the municipality of Luleå. It is the best-preserved example of a northern Scandinavian church village: 404 wooden houses are grouped around a stone church dating from the early 15th century.

The Norrbotten County also includes the Laponia World Heritage Site in the municipalities of Gällivare and Jokkmokk. In Haparanda, Kiruna, Pajala and Övertorneå are World Heritage-listed measuring points of the Struve Geodetic Arc. This is a chain of survey triangulations that extends through ten countries over more than 2,820 kilometres and was carried out between 1816 and 1855.

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

Wilderness and national parks

The Laponia area is a wilderness of high mountains, primeval forests, extensive wetlands, lakes and well-preserved river systems. Every summer, the Sámi drive their reindeer herds through this landscape towards the mountains.

Abisko National Park combines birch forests, open heaths and meadows with rugged mountain terrain shaped by Arctic nature. The park also has one of the most species-rich floras in the Swedish mountains. Among other plants, Lapland rosebay, arctic starflower and several orchid species grow there.

The E10 road and the railway line run through Abisko National Park. Abisko Turist railway station is about 800 metres from the Abisko naturum visitor centre. Muddus/Muttos National Park includes, among other features, primeval forests, wetlands, deep gorges and the Muddus Waterfall.

At Storforsen, visitors can experience one of the North's largest rapids from close up. Information boards, hiking trails, picnic areas and a boardwalk lead to the rapids; large parts of the area are accessible to people with reduced mobility.

Trails and activities

The Norrbotten County Administrative Board describes the Kungsleden as the best-known hiking trail in Norrbotten County. It stretches from Abisko in the north to Hemavan in Västerbotten. Through Abisko National Park, the Kungsleden follows the Abiskojåkka River through Abisko Canyon.

Dundret has hiking trails through a mountain landscape all year round. In addition, the activities available at Dundret include cross-country ski trails, a snowmobile route, wind shelters and rest huts.

During the summer months, the Norrbotten County Administrative Board organises boat tours to Sandskär, the largest island in Haparanda Skärgård National Park. There are several long sandy beaches for swimming. A five-kilometre nature trail with an accompanying information sheet leads across Sandskär.

Regional classification

The subregions included in the regional classification of Norrbotten County are Piteå, Gällivare, Kurravaara, Narken, Älvsbyn, Övertorneå, Kalix, Arvidsjaur, Överkalix, Arjeplog, Haparanda, Pajala, Jokkmokk, Kiruna, Luleå, Boden and Roknäs.

Coast and food culture

Surströmming is a Norrbotten speciality with a tradition spanning a hundred years. It is deeply rooted in the regional food culture, particularly along the coast.