Östersund & the Bothnian Coast - Sweden - page 562

1 Travelling along Höga Kusten , northern Sweden's beautiful coastline, and
sampling surströmming.
2 Hitting Umeå's lively scene and visiting its superb museums and sculpture
park.
3 Staying in a spaceship, bird's nest or mirror cube at the incredible Tree-
hotel.
4 Skiing, biking, rafting and zorbing in Åre , Sweden's outdoor-adventure
central.
5 Driving the Bothnian Coast's scenic Kustvägen (Coastal Road).
6 Going in search of the Storsjöodjuret (Lake Monster) in Östersund .
7 Trying to burn down the goat in Gävle .
8 Visiting Sweden's largest church town near Luleå .
9 Hiking the pristine wilderness of Tänndalen .
JÄMTLAND
Östersund
063 / Pop 44,327
Sitting on the shore of the enormous Storsjön (Great Lake), Östersund is the largest town
in the area, particularly famous for the local answer to the Loch Ness Monster: Storsjöod-
juret. The best way to appreciate Östersund is to take the footbridge across to the adjacent
island of Frösön and gaze back at the city in profile, ideally around sunset. Seen in that
light, this fun-loving town is hard to resist. Dedicated sightseers will stay busy, but what
Östersund really encourages is relaxation: in summer, people flock to the terrace bars and
cafes at the water's edge or idly wander the pedestrianised shopping streets in the stroll-
friendly centre.