Lappland & the Far North - Sweden - page 624

www.vilhelmina.se ; Tingsgatan 1; 8am-7pm) . Risfjells Sameslöjd ( 0940-152 05;
www.sameslojd.se ; Storgatan 8; 10am-5.30pm Mon-Fri, to 4pm Sat & Sun) (opposite Vil-
helmina's museum) is a good place to pick up leatherwork, woodwork or a knife by
husband-and-wife craftsman team Sven-Åke and Doris Risfjell. They're happy to explain
the difference between North and South Sami duodji (handicrafts) - they're South Sami -
and show you the vintage duodji in their small museum.
You can stay the night at the appealing Lilla hotel ( 0940-150 59;
www.lillahotellet.vilhelmina.com ; Granvägen 1; s/d Skr675/880) , with its brightly papered walls,
flowers everywhere and cracking basement spa.
Martin Bergmans Fisk ( 0940-250 90; E45 & Vildmarksvägen; mains Skr110-159;
9am-5.30pm Mon-Fri, 10am-5pm Sat) , just north of town, is famous for its salmon, smoked
three ways, while Wilhelmina ( 0940-554 20; www.hotellwilhelmina.se ; Volgsjövägen 16; mains
Skr90-285; 10.30am-9pm Mon-Fri, to 8pm Sat, to 7pm Sun) serves upmarket northern Swedish
specialities as well as pasta dishes.
Bus 45 passes through daily on the Gällivare-Jokkmokk-Arvidsjaur-Sorsele-Östersund
route.
CHASING THE NORTHERN LIGHTS
The otherworldly lights of the aurora borealis, named after the Roman goddess of dawn
and the Greek term for the north wind, have captivated the imagination of the people of
the north and travellers alike for centuries. The celestial spectacle of the streaks in the
sky - from yellowish-green to violet, white and red - are caused by the collision of
energy-charged solar particles with atoms in the Earth's magnetic field, and are visible in
the north of Sweden between October and March.
Don't expect to see the northern lights every day; it all depends on weather conditions,
and if it's cloudy the lights aren't visible. One of Lappland's best spots for aurora borealis
viewing is Abisko's Aurora Sky Station , away from the town's light pollution and vastly
aided by Abisko's dry climate.
Nutti Sami Siida , the Icehotel , and most tour agencies in Kiruna, Abisko and elsewhere
in Lappland organise northern-lights tours, often combined with other outdoor activities,
while Lights Over Lapland teaches you how to capture this otherworldly shining for pos-
terity.