Skellefteå between Coast, Culture and Nature

The municipality of Skellefteå has a 531-kilometre-long coastline. On the Gulf of Bothnia, the coastal area is characterised by high cliffs, deep bays, small natural beaches and harbours. The landscape thus combines different impressions of open sea, sheltered bays and maritime infrastructure.

Other places in the region include Lövånger, Kusmark, Byske, Skellefteå, Jörn, Bygdsiljum, Burträsk, Bureå, Kåge, Österjörn and Boliden.

Nature

Bjuröklubb is a 919-hectare nature reserve and Natura 2000 site in the municipality of Skellefteå. At the Bjuröklubb lighthouse site, seasonal bird migration can be observed; particularly in April, large numbers of birds of prey, cranes, swans, geese and small birds pass by there on their way north.

The Bjuröklubb hiking trail is a 6.2-kilometre circular route, although it is also possible to walk only half the distance. Hälsans stig, on the other hand, runs for seven kilometres along the river through the centre of Skellefteå, from Älvsbackabron in the east to Lejonströmsbron in the west. The different trail lengths make the routes easy to compare, without them describing the same hiking experience.

The Mineralleden begins at the illuminated Vitberget cross-country ski trail in the centre of Skellefteå and leads through varied landscapes to Skellefteå AdventurePark and Varuträsk Vildmarksgruva. The Vitbergsområdet features nature trails, running and cross-country ski trails, an outdoor gym, an obstacle course, a ski slope, a sledding hill, cycle paths and other nature experiences.

The nature trail on Vitberget is five kilometres long and leads through hilly terrain with a few short, steeper sections. Information boards explain the landscape, culture and geology there. Near Kalvträsk, eight hiking trails begin at Kalvträsk Vildmarkscamp and lead through beautiful, hilly woodland. The cultural-historical hiking trail in Örviken leads to historic sites from the period of the sawmill from 1896 to 1904 and the sulphite factory from 1906 to 1947.

Culture and History

Bonnstan comprises 116 church town houses with a total of 392 chambers. The site is one of the few surviving church towns in Sweden and, as early as the 17th century, served people from the surrounding villages as a meeting place and overnight accommodation. Every year, it hosts a church fair weekend, a market and a traditional Midsummer celebration.

The Skellefteå Museum is a regional cultural history museum located at Nordanå. Nordanå has a history spanning more than 700 years. Stackgrönnans Båtmuseum displays working boats from the era when boats served as working tools and the most important means of transport.

Handens hus hosts activities for children, craft meetings and activity days centred on crafts and handicrafts. Sara Kulturhus in Skellefteå is one of the tallest wooden buildings in the world. Guided tours are offered in Swedish and English, last around 45 minutes and end in the exhibition hall, where visitors can continue exploring independently.

Experiences

Exploratoriet is a science centre in Skellefteå with 800 square metres of exhibition space across three floors. Families and the general public can explore technology and natural sciences there in a playful and interactive way. Interactive stations and exhibitions allow visitors to test experiments, solve challenges and explore how various phenomena work.

Wasteland is an art and adventure park in Ursviken, at the point where the Skellefteälven flows into the sea. A former industrial site there has been transformed into a new destination for art, movement and sauna culture. The Crystal Sauna is Wasteland’s main attraction, as well as a sauna and art installation by the duo Bigert & Bergström.

Varuträsk Vildmarksgruva offers a self-guided underground tour with safety equipment available for loan. Afterwards, visitors can search for minerals and rare stones above ground in the Mineral Park. Skellefteå Adventurepark offers a high ropes course, paintball and visits to Vildmarksgruvan in natural surroundings; the courses have different levels of difficulty and are suitable for children and adults.

Winter and Mobility

Every winter, more than 120 kilometres of cross-country ski trails in total are groomed in the municipality of Skellefteå. Standard bicycles can be rented at Cykel och Fiskecenter to explore Skellefteå. Buses connect the districts of Skellefteå with nearby villages and towns in the surrounding area.

Lövånger Saluhall is a market hall and shop near the E4 between Umeå and Skellefteå. Visitors can buy locally produced food and small-scale handicraft products there.

For the overarching travel overview: Västerbotten.