Yulia Saf 
Lulea is a city in the north of Sweden, very close to the Arctic Circle. Although far away, it is a destination worth visiting, and I am going to explain why!
Yes, I’ve been to Lulea! Yes, I had a great time.
You are probably thinking that all the fun there is reserved for the wintertime! No, it’s not! Let me tell you why you should visit Lulea in the summer:
The midnight sun, the never-ending day!
This one goes out to the workaholics and the romantics who will enjoy a 4-hour sunset. Also if you ever imagined what it would be like if there were no night, but never got to experience it, this is a great place to start!
I went to Lulea in the middle of July and to be honest, the “midnight sun” is more like a very long sunset that starts around 10:30 p.m. and lingers on until around 2 a.m. To make things better, just a few minutes after that, while there is still twilight, the sky will transition directly into a sunrise.
I could finally experience a never-ending day and all the possibilities that it brings with it. You could be amazingly productive if that’s what you are aiming for. I emphasize the “could be” here.
Also, if you are not a fan of curtains, you should learn how to use them this time. I woke up at 4 a.m. with a very shiny sun in my eyes. The same at 5. And again at 6. You get the picture. Use the curtains when you want to sleep!
However, even though the day doesn’t seem to end here, there are still opportunities to see the amazing Northern Lights just near Lulea.
There are many tours that are available, from hunting them by snowmobile to camping at the Lulea Archipelago and just enjoying the Aurora Borealis – whatever you choose it will be an amazing experience!
Outdoor Activities
The Swedes who live up north, and actually the Swedes in general, incorporate sports into their daily lives. I only wish more nations would do the same!
Everybody is out and about doing their sporty thing, the whole family. From kids who just started properly walking to grandmas and grandpas (who are usually in tremendous shape), everyone is sporty. It’s part of the culture and they look great and feel lively all the time.
In the summer you can bike, trek, swim, and sail while in the winter, skate, ride snowmobiles, ski, and bike again.
Wait, what?
Biking in Lulea has benefited from the latest, emm.. bike-related research and innovations. Those “fat bikes” were popularized here quite quickly. The fat bikes are basically all-terrain bikes with much thicker wheels that can easily pass over any obstacles. They are the monster trucks of bikes.
I took a tour around Lulea with Ouroboros Lulea and enjoyed it a lot. The guys are cool and friendly and their bikes are awesome!
The church town of Gammelstad
Wondering what else you can do in Lulea?
Just a short drive from Lulea, you can visit a UNESCO World Heritage site: the church town of Gammelstad (map). It’s a historic church town that has over 400 houses made of wood and a stone church that was built in the 15th century.
This church town was established as a sort of colonial outpost for more administrative reasons than religious ones. Back in the day, these territories were not attributed to any country, so the Swedes built Lulea to claim the region for themselves before another early Slavic kingdom could do the same.
Today’s town is a blast from the past. You can walk around the red-painted wooden cottages and you can visit the “village center”. There, you get a feel for Swedish life centuries ago. You can bake your own flatbread or churn butter. Butter was even used as a type of currency in this area if you can believe that.
There’s also a great opportunity for fine dining at the Kaptensgården Restaurant, a real treat with a top chef! It was surprising to find this kind of quality in food so far north, but the surprises just kept coming and after a 7-course, gourmet meal I was straight out impressed!
The owner might treat you to some game he hunted himself, based on availability.
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The food!
I just gave you a heads-up in the last paragraph and if you are giving me the “Are you seriously going to praise Swedish food?!” thought, please relax because I know what I am talking about!
You see, in the past few years, Sweden has been undergoing a food revolution. People are starting to get serious cravings for gourmet food, and because of that, the Swedish chefs took some lessons.
What came out was great: even in such a faraway place as Lulea, you can find top restaurants with really interesting menus and gourmet food. The places I visited and enjoyed the most were Friends Café in Lulea, and as I mentioned Kaptensgården in Gammelstad.
| 👨👩👦 Family-friendly score: | Medium |
| 🏛️ Must visit attraction: | Gammelstad Church Town |
| 🚲 Best outdoor activity: | Fat biking |
| ☀️ Best time to go: | June – September |
Bonus Fun fact:
Facebook built a very clean and neat data center here in Lulea. It uses the cool arctic air to keep a warehouse-sized server facility at manageable temperatures. Basically, if you like this post right now, it will go through Lulea, Sweden. I dare you to do it!
Unfortunately, you cannot visit the data center, it’s off-limits.
How do you get to Lulea?
The cool way is by train!
There are overnight trains from Stockholm to Lulea and they take around 13 hours. You can take a sleeper cabin (mine had 3 bunk beds) and enjoy the ride although there will be light almost all the time during the summertime!
Or, you could rent a car and take a drive. That can turn into a great adventure and you will be able to explore a lot more of the beautiful Scandinavian countryside. Here are some great deals for renting a car!
The easiest way to get to Lulea is by plane from Stockholm Arlanda Airport.
How do you get around?
Well, you could always bike around, or rent a car and explore the surroundings.
By the way, if you want to go even farther north into Swedish Lapland, I have been there, and here are the fantastic things you can do there, check them out in this article!
If you are visiting the capital of Sweden, I have made a cool itinerary for you. Also, don’t forget to check out Stockholm Archipelago!
Where can you stay in Lulea?
I stayed at the Clarion Hotel, and I recommend it. Here are some other great options:
- Comfort Hotel Arctic – located right next to Lulea Central Station, guests can relax in the 6th-floor sauna
- Quality Hotel Luleå – with amazing views of the water promenade, this hotel offers free sauna access and a private indoor heated parking
- Elite Stadshotellet Luleå – situated on Luleå’s main street, Storgatan, this hotel offers many amenities, such as a gym, group classes, and bike rentals
- Best Western Plus Savoy Lulea – this amazing hotel offers guests access to a spa, 2 hot tubs, a steam sauna, a traditional sauna, and an ice shower for ultimate relaxation
- Scandic Luleå – a centrally located hotel offering free sauna, pool and gym access
Conclusion
Whether you visit it in the summer or the winter, Lulea has plenty of opportunities to surprise you! Being so close to the Arctic Circle will give you a new perspective on daylight hours (or darkness, in the cold season), one that you will definitely enjoy!
And as usual, you can ask me any questions below, I will be happy to answer!
Yulia
Pin it for later:
I have a friend who lives there would wanted to know more about the place. Thank you so much!
I hope you pay them a visit one day and maybe use some of my tips too then! 🙂
Midnight sun? Sounds cool, Yulia! Lulea seems like a fascinating destination.
Do you get to see the northern lights there?
Not in summer. It doesn’t get dark enough.
Great blog may I say!
Will I be able to see the Northern lights in the middle of October?
depends on your luck, but you might be!