The greater Luleå has 73 000 inhabitants. It is the economic and political centre of northern Sweden and truly a place of contrast. You will be surprised by the international atmosphere while at the same time the closeness to unspoiled countryside opens up for unlimited possibilities. Luleå can offer you action-packed adventure but here you can also enjoy tranquillity, peace and quiet. In winter the town is clothed in white but in summer it´s embraced by sun and heat.

Because of the ongoing elevation of the land and changing coast line the city of Luleå has always been on the move. Luleå moved to its present location some 350 years ago and in those days the main industry was fishing and the harbour was the main gateway to the surrounding world. Today Luleå is a high-tech town and home to several world-leading companies. One example is its advanced steel industry, which has made the town a metallurgic centre. We have a University of Technology with world-class research development and we are on the front edge of IT and communications. Luleå is also the shopping centre of northern Sweden and many people come here to shop and enjoy themselves. Take the opportunity to visit shops offering local handicraft and also enjoy some delicious Swedish Lapland culinary experiences at our restaurants. We have never cut of our links to nature and the sea which is why we can offer visitors fantastic experiences with the help of prime resources, beautiful countryside and friendly people.

Explore the area
There are many activities and tours to choose from when visiting Luleå and Swedish Lapland. Below are some examples of activities in the area.

World Heritage Gammelstad Church Town - 1 to 3 Hours The Church Town of Gammelstad has been on the UNESCO´s World Heritage Sites since 1996. A beautiful medieval church with 408 church cottages, most of them from the 16th century. Gammelstad is an outstanding example of a Northern Scandinavian church town. All year round, there are guided tours of the World Heritage Site. The tours include viewing of Nederluleå Church, Gammelstad Church Town, and one of the church cottages. Right next to the church town, you will find Hägnan, a culture historical heritage centre with an outdoor museum and buildings from the 18th century up to 20th century. Here you can get a realistic picture of a typical old coastal village. For more information please visit www.tour-lapland.com

Sea kayak - Luleå archipelago - Day tour CreActive guides meets and welcomes you at port.First we make a security and paddle instruction before we paddle out from the Rörbäck Harbour . Stop and lunch at Lappö Island and a short hike in the primal forest. We paddle on to the Island where we make lunch. Back to Rörbäck Harbour in the afternoon. For more information, please visit www.creactive-adventure.se

Nature walk at Bälingebergets Nature reserve - 4 hours CreActive guides meets and welcomes you at port. Private coach transfer to Bälingeberget (Nature reserve with beautiful landscape and nice view over the Luleå Area) Guided walking tour up to the peak of the mountain, your guide will show and tell you about the subarctic natures flora, geology and fauna. At the peak coffee, tea and sandwich is served around the campfire. In afternoon private cioach transfer back to the harbor. For more information, please visit www.creactive-adventure.se

Easy Canoeing - 4 hours Guided paddle tour in calm waters along Råne River. Stop for coffe and sandwich. Good chances to see beaver and other wildlife. We will pass some easy rapids on the stretch of the river. For more information, please visit www.creactive-adventure.se

Cycling Guided Tour of Luleå and Gammelstad with a local tour guide. For more information please visit www.tour-lapland.com

Golf In Luleå and Boden - you will find two the world’s northernmost golf centres. You can play golf around the clock in the light of the midnight sun. Hire equipment available from the Proshop open 9am till 7pm. For more information please visit http://www.luleagolf.se

Helicopter - From 1 hour to day tours Experience the capital of Swedish Lapland: Luleå and its surroundings from the air. Go on an enticing journey with a helicopter and see the islands of the archipelago, the city centre, the University and the wilderness surrounding the city, from above. For more information, please visit www.westhelicopter.se

Experience Swedish Lapland: "Four Seasons" is a show composed of a combination of design, music and a beautiful slideshow. The show takes about 20 minutes and will give the spectators a unique experience from Swedish Lapland. Spectators are taken on a journey where creations that are all inspired by Mother Nature, are shown in different environments. For more information, please visit www.creation.nu

Tour boats Operate on schedule in the Luleå Archipelago and there is also thematic tours; nature – culture – art – food etc. For more information visit www.lulea.se

Luleå - on your own
It is easy to get around Luleå by foot, public transport or taxi. In the city centre everything is within walking distance and local busses regularly depart from Smedjegatan, in the middle of the city, to different locations. One way to get a guided tour of the city or the region is by taxi. On request, taxi companies can arrange guided tours and trips to places of your interest. Luleå and the towns of Swedish Lapland are safe to walk and travel on your own.
City walking and shopping Luleå is a wonderful summer city with sun day and night! Central Luleå offers a large selection of shops, cafés and restaurants. Take a beautiful and amazing walk, follow the seashore around the city.

Visit "Kulturens Hus" the Arts & Congress Centre. The Centre offers a highly cultural experience and a great variety of events and houses the Tourist office, city library, hall of art, concert halls, café and restaurants.

Norrbottens Museum is regional museum for the biggest province in Sweden, covering almost one fourth of the land in Sweden. On the ground floor you find a café and a shop where you can buy books and souvenirs from the region. Free admission.

If you have a passion for steam locomotives don’t miss the railway museum, Norrbottens Järnvägsmuseum in Karlsvik.

At the campus of Luleå University of Technology, you will find Teknikens Hus a science centre and "a hands-on Museum" for all ages. In Teknikens Hus you find lots of exhibitions to experience and explore.

The church town of Gammelstad can be experienced on your own. It’s easy to spend several hours in the church town. Wander through the old village, visit the church, the open-air museum Hägnan, buy Norrbotten handicrafts in the small boutiques and enjoy a cup of coffee and a cinnamon swirl in authentic surroundings. In Gammelstad church town you also find some of Luleå’s finest restaurants. The water along the Norrbotten coast has brackish-water, a blend of both saltwater and freshwater, this phenomenon is world-unique.

There are over 700 islands in Luleå archipelago.

Nearby Attractions
Sightseeing tour through Sweden’s military history - 2 to 3 hours
Museum of Defence (Försvarsmuseum) The Museum of Defence is the most modern museum with interactive exhibitions in the northern part of Sweden. The museum displays Sweden into a broader perspective – a journey through Swedish defence history from the end of the 19th century until today, through war and peace.

Boden’s Fortress – Rödbergsfortet Boden Fortress is a modern fortress consisting of several major and minor forts and fortifications surrounding the city of Boden. Taken together there are five primary self supporting forts that are excavated out of the bedrock of several mountains surrounding Boden. After visiting the Museum of Defence we get an exciting tour through one of five forts, Rödbergsfortet. It is the only remaining authentically furnished fort in Boden’s fortress, and is one of Sweden’s best kept military secrets throughout times. For more information, please visit www.experienceboden.nu .

Sami visit at Gorgim- Day tour. We visit the Eriksson forest Sámi family at Flakaberg. Lars Eriksson will show you the reindeers and tell us about the Sámi life in the past and today. Lunch served in wooden tee-pee around the campfire at the beautiful Gorgim lake. Shorter hike in the surroundings together with Lars. An opportunity to experience the interesting forest Sámi culture. For more information, please visit www.creactive-adventure.se

Storforsen Waterfall, Artic Circle and Jokkmokk Sami museum - Day Tour
Tour through beautiful Scandinavian rural countryside dotted with small traditional Scandinavian farm cottages which slowly give way to dense spruce and pine forest on the short drive to Storforsen. Storforsen falls is Europe's largest waterfall and breathtakingly beautiful and at the head of the falls we will enjoy lunch and an easy guided nature walk. Next we journey across the Arctic Circle to the small village of Jokkmokk situated on the upper reaches of the Luleå river. The name is Sami (indigenous people of northern Europe) for the words “river” and “bend”; a hint to the significant historical and cultural influence of the Sami people in Jokkmokk. Here we will visit the world class Sami Ájtte museum which contains a fantastic interactive display of the traditional and modern life of the Sami people of this region. For more information please visit www.tour-lapland.com

White water rafting in Kalix River - 5 hours The best of paddle adventures on Kalix River, rafting class III-IV. Transfer from Luleå/Boden to Kamlunge Rapids. You are equipped with life vest, wet suit, helmet and wet shoes. After security and paddle instruction you go on a 3,5 hour tour along nice and dramatic rapid Kamlunge rapids. Stop by the riverbank for Lunch. Depending on water level in the river, different rafts are used, from inflatable canoes to 9-man rafts. Licensed and professional guides. For more information, please visit www.creactive-adventure.se

Spectacular Storforsen - Day tour Visit the spectacular Storforsen! Close to the arctic circle 100 km från Luleå you´ll find the greatest of the free-flowing rapids in Europe. Storforsen is the most impressive sight in the region. The area around Storforsen is a nature reserve and well provided with footpaths and walkways that allow the visitors to look at the rapids safely from the edge of the river. Away from the main river it is possible to walk amongst smaller streams, natural pools and rapids. Guided tours in the Nature reserve of Storforsen and lunch are included in the price. For more information please visit www.alvsbyturism.se

Canoeing in beaver land – nature watching - Day tour
Guided paddle tour in calm waters among wild beavers in their real habitat. Stop for coffee and sandwich. Good chances to see beaver and other wildlife such as birds, moose and maybe reindeer. For more information, please visit www.creactive-adventure.se

Visit the Arctic Circle and meet the Sámi people - Day tour The safari takes you to through the enormous forest landscape along the Råneå River, Sweden’s longest forest river. Here you get the opportunity to see deep forests, waterfalls traces of animals, and it is also likely that you spot a moose or even a bear. When we reach the Arctic circle we make a camp fire and enjoy a ”wilderness” lunch. During lunch we will meet the Sámi people from the Sámi village nearby. They will share their culture, songs and stories with us. There is also a possibility of visiting the Ajtte Sami museum in Jokkmokk.

Sámi Camp, try Sámi life for a day - Day tour Mingle around with the Sámi families in their camp of cots and listen to their stories of what life is like in a Sámi village. Meet with the reindeers, try the traditional Sámi meal clear soup and dried reindeer meat, have coffee cooked over open fire, listen to Sámi “joik” and look at Sámi handicrafts. This is a hands-on experience that gives you a deeper understanding of Sámi life and culture. www.nordguide.se

Vuollerim 6000 Years - archaeological museum - Day tour Vuollerim 6000 years takes you back to the time when Lapland was first colonized – the Stone Age. The exhibition “A Vision of the Past” offers unique insight into the lives of the people that inhabited this region 6000 years ago and is constantly updated with new findings from the ongoing excavations of the settlement at adjacent Älvnäset. The skilled staff offers guided tours of the exhibition and excavation site as well as instruction into the arts of bow hunting and fire starting. For more information please visit www.vuollerim6000.se

Luleå - Gammelstad - Arctic Circle - Storforsen - Day tour. Your personal guide meets you at the pier in Luleå and takes you on a guided tour to some of Swedish Lapland’s most interesting sites. The tour starts with a visit at the World Heritage site, Gammelstad’s Church Town in Luleå. Here you get a guided tour of the World Heritage site and its surroundings. The tour continues to the Arctic Circle where we stop for sightseeing and a light snack. In Jokkmokk we visit the Sami centre and museum: Ajtte, and get an insight into the Sami culture and history before we have lunch. Our last stop will be at Storforsen waterfall where we take a walk in the area and look at the falls and the beautiful nature scenery surrounding the falls. We drive back to Luleå in the afternoon. The tour takes about 8 hours with approximately 360 kilometres of driving. www.taxikurir.se/inenglish

Coastal village Mörön - 4 hours Visit the beautiful coastal village Mörön, 30 km south east of Luleå city. The tour goes by bus to the village and its seal-hunting museum. Once there, you get a guided tour of the museum and find out the seal hunting history of the region. You also get to visit local artist and craftspeople in their studio and shop, and listen to folk music from Swedish Lapland.

Ale culture and industry area - 5 hours This bus trip goes to the quaint village Ale, 30 kilometres west of Luleå city. We visit the old mill in Ale and experience bygone times as we enjoy home baked waffles. The trip then continues to Selets Bruk that reminisces about the old iron works era in the region. In 1878 Selets bruk was Swedish Lapland´s largest industry- and workplace. Today it is a dazzling and very popular nature reserve with a history dated back to the 16th century. Many of the region’s owls have their sanctuary there, and you will find a plentiful amount of vegetation.

Further information:
Please contact Luleå Tourist Information Office: www.visitlulea.se
Getting There:

A great way to enjoy the Gulf of Bothnia is to sail around it by cruise ship. Ask your local travel provider for cruise lines featuring this interesting and under visited part of the Baltic coast.

Luleå Airport is located about 5 kilometres south-southeast of the town. It can be reached via Stockholm's Arlanda Airport.