Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Swedish Destinations Not to Miss in 2017
Cabins at Sandön.
Northern gem for summer and winter Surrounded by water, Luleå is a fantastic destination close to the sea and nature with plenty of fun activities throughout the year. Moreover, it hosts a charming city centre and a growing international culinary scene. By Malin Norman | Photos: Visit Luleå
Located in Swedish Lapland, Luleå is fairly small with just 76,000 inhabitants, yet sees a strong entrepreneurial development and a growing tourism industry. The charming city centre has a handful of excellent hotels and luxurious spas, and as many as ten gourmet restaurants and four cafés listed in the White Guide, with a flurry of new and exciting options popping up, such as American street foodinspired Bastard Burgers, Spanish-style restaurant Tapas de Papá and Fabriken with its Danish delicacies. 84 | Issue 96 | January 2017
In addition to exploring its many gastronomic options, there is plenty on offer for tourists and locals alike at this northern destination. For a bit of history, one of Luleå’s famous sights is Gammelstads Kyrkstad (the Gammelstad Church Town), located about ten kilometres upstream of the Lule River. Classified as a UNESCO world heritage site, it is well worth visiting for the 15th century Nederluleå Church, surrounded by over 400 wooden cottages, painted red and white, typical for Sweden.
As well as the two ports embracing the city centre, Luleå has a well-preserved archipelago with 1,312 islands and is the perfect setting for all kinds of outdoor activities. The rugged and weatherbeaten islands have a unique flora and fauna with deer, moose, sea eagles, seals and all kinds of fish. Many visitors choose to rent one of the many small cottages to get a feel for the everyday life of the islanders.
Winter wonderland and midnight sun Luleå is quite the exotic destination with the stunning northern lights and the magic of the midnight sun. Regardless of the season, nature is never far away. “Luleå is surrounded by water, which is great both in summer and in winter,”