The Bothnian coast - The Rough Guide to Sweden - page 272

Bishops Arms Storgatan 15 T 0920 27 40 30.
Attached to the Elite Stadshotellet , this pseudo-English
pub with its bookshelves of battered old novels is
undoubtedly the most popular place for a drink in town
and is always busy with hotel guests and locals alike.
Daily 4pm till late.
Bistro Bar Brygga Skeppsbrogatan T 0920 22 00 00.
Known colloquially as BBB , this floating pontoon and boat
comprise Luleå's most enjoyable outdoor restaurant,
offering lots of summer grill dishes such as burger and fries
(178kr) and Cajun beef with roast tomatoes (219kr) as well
as bouillebaisse (209kr). Mid-May to early Sept Mon-Sat
5pm-3am; closed when sister establishment Olivers
(see below) is open.
Cook's Krog Storgatan 17 T 0920 20 10 25. Intimate
and cosy, this is the best place in Luleå for steak and
reindeer cooked over a charcoal grill, for 192-319kr. The
five-course set Northern Swedish speciality menu at 695kr,
which includes reindeer and whitefish roe, is definitely
worth considering. Mon-Sat 6pm till late.
Corsica Nygatan 14 T 0920 158 40. A none-too-
authentic French bistro, though with some good-value
items on the menu: pasta dishes are just 99kr, salads go for
89kr, whilst a choice of steaks can be had for 199kr.

Arguably though, pasta with reindeer is the safest bet.
Mon-Fri 11am-11pm, Sat & Sun noon-11pm.
Olivers Storgatan 11 T 0920 22 72 72. At last, a decent
Mediterranean-style restaurant has made it to northern
Sweden: the butter-fried cod with chorizo and couscous
compote (235kr) is delicious, or, alternatively, there are a
couple of local dishes such as reindeer fillet (299kr) and
Arctic char (245kr). Mon-Thurs 11am-1.30pm, Fri
11am-1.30pm & 4pm-3am, Sat 6pm-3am; closed
when BBB (see above) is open.
Roasters Storgatan 43. Perfectly located on the main
drag, this is one of the best cafés in Luleå with magnificent
espressos, cappuccinos and lattes. Also has a good selection
of sandwiches, light snacks, quiches and salads. Very
popular outdoor seating area in summer. Mon-Sat
10am-midnight, Sun noon-8pm.
Ì Zan Smedjegatan 10 T 0920 104 41. A great
Persian restaurant with a Gladys Knight-style figure
painted across the rear wall ( zan is Persian for woman)
and a tasty menu featuring a selection of meze for 140kr,
marinated chicken with tzatziki for 180kr and an
aubergine platter with mince and rice for 105kr; mains are
105-280kr. Mon-Thurs 11am-8pm, Fri 11am-10pm,
Sat noon-10pm, Sun 2-7pm.

7

Gammelstad church town
One of the most significant places of historical interest north of Uppsala,
GAMMELSTAD ( W lulea.se/gammelstad), the original settlement of Luleå and 11km
northwest of the present city, is included on UNESCO's World Heritage List. When
Luleå moved to the coast, a handful of the more religious among the townsfolk stayed
behind to tend the church, and the attached church town , the largest in Sweden,
remained in use. It comprises over four hundred timber cottages , which can only be
occupied by people born in Gammelstad (even people from Luleå must marry a local
to gain the right to live here).

Visningsstugan
Show cottage • Framlänningsvägen close to the junction of Skolgränd • Early May to mid-June Sat & Sun noon-4pm; mid-June to mid-Aug
Mon-Fri 9am-3pm, Sat & Sun noon-4pm • Free
Although Gammelstad's cottages are privately owned and therefore not open to the
public, it is possible to enter one of them, no. 253/254, below the church, and known
as the “ visningsstugan ” or “show cottage”. Inside you'll see a narrow box bed which is
typical of the cramped sleeping conditions in the church town.

Nederluleå kyrka
Sockenvägen • Mid-June to mid-Aug daily 9am-6pm; mid-Aug to mid-June Mon-Fri 10am-2pm • Free
he Nederluleå kyrka here was completed at the end of the fifteenth century; originally
intended to be a cathedral, it's one of the largest churches in Norrland, and among the
most impressive in the whole of Sweden. On the outside are decorative brick and
plaster gables and there's an opening above the south door through which boiling oil
was poured over unwelcome visitors. The high altar, made in Antwerp, is adorned with
finely carved biblical scenes; the decorated choir stalls and ornate triptych are other