Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
home to
Lake Siljan
, one of Sweden's most beautiful lakes. North of here lies some of the
country's most enchanting scenery, home to bears, wolves and reindeer. To the east, the
shoreline of the
Bothnian coast
contains the north's biggest cities:
Sundsvall
,
Umeå
and
Luleå
are all enjoyable, lively places in which to break your journey north.
The far north, inside the
Arctic Circle
, is the home of the
Sámi
- Sweden's indigenous
people. Known as
Swedish Lapland
, it is also
the land of reindeer, elk and bears, of
swiftly flowing rivers and coniferous forest, all traversed by endless hiking routes.
Sweden's northernmost town,
Kiruna
makes an excellent base for exploring the region's
national parks
and the world-famous
Icehotel
in nearby Jukkasjärvi. Swedish Lapland is
also where you will experience the
midnight sun
: in high summer the sun never sets,
whilst in midwinter the opposite is true, though you may be lucky enough to see the sky
lit up by the multicoloured patterns of the
northern lights
, or aurora borealis.
NORTHERN LIGHTS
Also known by their Latin name,
aurora borealis
, the
northern lights
are visible all across
northern Sweden during the dark months of winter. These spectacular displays of
green-blue shimmering arcs and waves of light are caused by solar wind, or streams of
particles charged by the sun, hitting the atmosphere. The colours are the characteristic
hues of different elements when they hit the plasma shield that protects the Earth: blue is
nitrogen and yellow-green oxygen. Although the mechanisms which produce the aurora
are not completely understood, the displays are generally more impressive the closer you
get to the poles - low temperatures are also rumoured to produce some of the most
dramatic performances.
Gällivare
and
Kiruna
, both well inside the Arctic Circle, are
arguably the best places in Sweden to catch a glimpse of the aurora, particularly during the
coldest winter months from December to February. Although displays can range from just
a few minutes to several hours, the night sky must be clear of cloud to see the northern
lights from Earth.