Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Tourist Office
TOURIST INFORMATION
(
0565-167 70;
www.sunneturism.se
;
Kolsnäsvägen 4;
9am-6pm Mon-Thu, to 8pm Fri, plus
10am-3pm Sat & Sun summer)
Located at the campsite reception building next to a water park, the tourist office has bro-
chures and internet access (Skr20 for 30 minutes).
Getting There & Around
Värmlandstrafik bus 202 runs to Torsby (Skr74, 45 minutes, one to three daily) and bus
200 goes to Karlstad (Skr107, 1¼ hours, one to five daily). Regional trains to Torsby and
Karlstad (one to three daily) are faster than the bus but cost the same.
Torsby & Around
0560 / Pop 12,000 (municipality)
Sleepy Torsby, deep in the forests of Värmland, is only 38km from Norway. The area's
history and sights are linked to emigrants from Finland, who settled in western parts of
Sweden in the mid-16th century and built their own distinctive farms and villages in the
forests. These homesteads, many of which have been well preserved, are the main attrac-
tion for visitors to the area; public transport isn't great, and the sites are far apart, so it's
easiest to explore if you have your own wheels.
Sights
Ritamäki Finngård
MUSEUM
(
073-849 61 66;
hembygdsforeningen@lekvattnet.nu
; Lekvattnet;
11am-6pm Jun-Aug;
310)
Known for its characteristic smokehouse, Ritamäki Finngård, 32km west of Torsby and
10km from Lekvattnet, is one of the best-preserved Finnish homesteads in the area. It was
probably built in the late 17th century and was inhabited until 1964, making it the last per-
manently inhabited Finnish homestead in Sweden. It's surrounded by a nature reserve. Fol-
