Fodor's To Europe!

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Days 3-6
Previous stop: Stockholm Return to full itinerary »

Kiruna is a base to explore Sweden's Lapp region, where the Sami people live. From here you'll be able to hike, camp, and climb. Bring bug spray. Explore the villages and handiwork of the Sami, who have inhabited the region for centuries.

  • Natural Beauty
  • Art and Culture

Experiences

  • Climb to the top of Kebnekaise, a 7,000-foot mountain that's Sweden's tallest.
  • Nikkaluokta, a few miles west of downtown, is the nearest Sami village.
  • Try some Sami delicacies in Jukkasjärvi, 10 mi/16 km east of Kiruna. In winter this is also the home of the famed Icehotel.

Festivals

  • The Jokkmokk Wintermarket in nearby Jokkmokk is one of the most important festivals in northern Europe.

Side Trips

  • Sarek National Park is 193 miles/311 km southwest of Kiruna; it's Sweden's largest high-mountain area.
  • Jokkmokk, 140 mi/225 km south of Kiruna, is an important center of Sami culture and arts and crafts.

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