I always seem to get good advice for trips from STW, so here’s another “please help me” thread…

Looking at flying into Skellefteå on Boxing Day for around a week. I can also fly into Trondheim, Norway if it gives easier access to North West.

Never been to Northern Sweden, so no idea where to start.

Primary purpose is to find somewhere nice to relax and enjoy being in somewhere a little bit different.

Ideally, would like to avoid a hotel (would prefer cabin, b&b etc), preferably not too much of a drive from Skellefteå and would like to be somewhere that there’s loads of winter fun stuff on offer.

First person to help me find (affordable) stuff like this wins a prize 🙂

Well, much as I love Northern Sweden (just booked a trip to Abisko for next September) it will be very dark and very cold. But you knew that…

That’s the attraction…. 🙂

What’s it like driving in Northern Sweden? Kiruna is about 450km away, could make a road trip out of it?

I’ve done that kind of holiday in Finnish Lapland. Stayed in a cabin in a place called Luosto, and did stuff like cross-country skiing. Had a great time but it wasn’t cheap, and judging by my trips to Sweden, I don’t think that kind of holiday in Sweden would be cheap either.

Ice hotel in Kiruna is definitely worth a visit – although Kiruna itself is nothing exciting.

I’ve only ever been on work trips so can’t really comment on pleasure activities up there, but it is beautiful in winter. Very easy to get out to the middle of nowhere in utter pitch black and get the best chance of seeing the Northern Lights – I’ve seen them twice and they were utterly incredible. Still images just don’t do it justice.

I’ve always fancied going back as more of a holiday so if you find anything good then please post back on here!

Quite keen to make my way up to Abisko.

Managed to get in contact with a local guide who said he could organise a 3 or 4 day snowmobile trip in the area, staying in traditional accommodation/homestays and generally getting involved with what the locals get up to. Seems to be coming in at around £300-400 a day for 2 people, including guide, snowmobiles accommodation and food….which seems pretty reasonable all things considered.

i’ve been to finnish lapland, but not Swedish. If the roads are like those in Finland, expect them to be decent but single laned.

Snowmobiles are ace. That 300-400gbp trip seems like decent value. For fun, id recommend getting a sport model (single seat, shorter). The tourer style snowmobiles are fun, too, but not as nippy.