Swedish cuisine: there’s more than just meatballs!

One of the best extra’s when traveling to Swedish Lapland is definitely the cuisine. Truly fresh and high-quality food which most of us haven’t even heard of, and often can’t even pronounce! Leaving Sweden is always with the feeling that your appetites have been completely satisfied.

Although Swedish meatballs are enjoyed in Ikeas all over the world, there is far more to this Scandinavian country’s cuisine than the ubiquitous meatball. 

Swedish food can’t be talked about without mentioning berries. There is no chance you won’t eat a dish decorated with lingonberries or a toast with cloudberry jam. Native only to Swedish Lapland, these tart berries were a key ingredient in an ancient Scandinavian medicinal tea and no breakfast is served without cloudberry jam.

Obviously, there is an amazing variety of fish, from the famous Arctic char and crayfish to Kalix Löjrom, known among the caviar enthusiasts as the ‘gold of the North’. It is frequently served at the Nobel prize banquets.

You should definitely try Elk and Reindeer as well. They are delicious in combination with local forest mushrooms.  Reindeer meat has been used in the native Sámi diet for centuries.

And of course, there is Smörgåsbord. This is a typical meal served buffet-style with a variety of hot and cold dishes. Bread, butter and cheese are standard items. It’s customary to start with cold fish dishes, which are generally various forms of herring, salmon and eel. Afterwards, people usually continue with other cold dishes, moving on to the hot ones. Dessert can also be served as Smörgåsbord! 

If you are looking for a spot in Swedish Lapland with exquisite local cuisine, try the small-scale Pinetree Lodge, the up-scale ICErestaurant in Jukkasjärvi, or the restaurant of the Abisko Mountain Station. 

Enjoy your meals in Swedish Lapland! For sure, that will not be a problem at all! 

Midsummer festivities in Sweden

Mid-June, school is out and Sweden’s nature and ambience burst into life. The sun literally never sets! This calls for celebration, friends and family gather for the most typical of all Swedish traditions: Midsummer.

Summer holidays

Sweden’s traditions are closely related to nature. At Midsummer, many begin their 5 weeks of holidays. Starting with the celebration of Midsummer Eve, which is always celebrated in the countryside. The day before June 21^st, everyone leaves town, everything closes, and the city streets are suddenly spookily deserted. The blooming countryside however is packed. Friends and family gather for a joyful weekend away.

Celebrate-good-times-come-on

Midsummer Eve returns every year on the Friday between 19 and 25 June. People usually start the day by picking flowers and making wreaths to place on the maypole, which is a key component in the celebrations.

The maypole is raised in an open spot and everyone delights in the traditional ring-dances. The teenagers however usually don’t participate and go dancing in the trendy bars and clubs.

The Midsummer menu

Dinner consists of pickled herring, boiled new potatoes with fresh dill, sourced cream and chives. This is often followed by a grilled dish of some kind, for example salmon or spare-ribs. For desserts, you should have the first strawberries of the season with cream.

For drinks, there is plenty of cold beer and schnapps, preferably spiced. Every time glasses are refilled, singing breaks out, the livelier the better. People like to go dancing in the evening, preferably in an outdoor location. Many wooden dance floors are constructed by the lakes, and the music echoes back on the opposite shore.

Mysterious times

Legend says that the night before Midsummer’s day is a magical time for love. During this night, many a relationship is put to the test under the influence of alcohol! Single girls and women are supposed to pick seven different kind of flowers and lay them under their pillows. At night, their future husbands will appear to them in a dream. Besides, Midsummer just like Whitsun is still a popular time for weddings and christenings. 

An Aurora Odyssey through Lapland

3 different northern light locations in one holiday, it's now possible! Not only is it plenty of fun, it also puts your Lapland experience on a higher level. 

3 unique spots on the globe, all located high above the Polar Circle at at least 66° north, each with their own atmosphere but they all have one characteristic in common: The Aurora Borealis. 

We followed the northern lights on this amazing journey through winter wonderland...

A holiday produced by Abisko Aurora, combining 3 unique spots in one trip. The perfect choice to discover the northern lights. 

Pinetree Lodge

Start at the Pinetree Lodge. A beautiful wood-constructed lodge in the middle of the Swedish pine forests. Charm, cozyness and comfort dominate here in this wilderness lodge with only 50 beds. Upon arrival, we experience the 'true high north' feeling listening to the crackling log fire and later on in the hot Swedish sauna. A perfect way to compensate for our first day in the cold outside temperatures. 

Dogsledding through pristine wilderness

The following day, we venture outside and therefore get dressed-up in down outdoor clothing, so we don't even notice the -15° anymore. This lodge is famous for its private husky kennel. Thankful for the artic clothing, we don't hesitate to jump on our huskysled and start mushing! After a lot of barking and jumping while waiting to depart, the dogs start running  and the beauty of the great untouched nordic wilderness surrounds us entirely. Of course we also go for a ride on the snowmobiles, as the frozen lakes and rivers are the perfect environment for a first-time snowmobile driver. 

After a delicious three-course dinner - reindeer steak with wild berries and mashed potatoes - we go out for a walk on the frozen lake right next to the lodge. With a clear view on the open night sky, we wait to see the northern lights dancing above our heads. 

After 3 nights in this wonderful lodge away from the world, it's time to go exploring furhter. The original ICEhotel of Jukkasjärvi is our next stop. We are curious to see in which kind of uniquely sculptured Art Suite we are going to spend the night. The Reindeer skins on the large bed of snow and ice comfort us that we won't be freezing cold tonight. They say sleeping in the cold is healty, so let's do it! But only after a good night cocktail in a glass of ice - naturally - at the ICEbar. Provided with a warm thermal sleeping bag, we're off to bed. It's funny to think that in a couple of months, by the end of spring, our room ánd the entire ICEhotel construction will be melted away, back to the Torne River from where the ice surrounding us comes from. The circle of life at the ICEhotel! 

A cup of hot berry juice served at your bedside makes waking up at -5° suddenly more comfortable. An extensive breakfast makes it even better, and ready we are for our train ride through the mountains to our last stop, Abisko. This is the best spot in the world for northern lights observations. We filled up our nights with the only the very best northern lights excursions, to maximize our chances of seeing the magical aurora's. 

Up the mountains we go by cable car, to the Aurora Sky Station. The view over the mountain ranges, the large Lake Törnetrask, and the famous rock formation is stunning. The northern lights decide to join us, and we are first-line spectators of one of Nature's most fascinating powers. 

Not only a visit to the Sky Station, but also a night out with northern lights photographer Chad Blakley is a must-do in Abisko! Using his professional SLR photo cameras, we are ready to make our own photos of the lights. The odds of seeing the aurora are about 90% in Abisko, thanks to its clear skies and excellent location. Thanks to Chad's tips and tricks, I get to go home with a great self-made photo of the aurora to impress all my friends and family with.

Abisko Aurora Skystation

The adventurous outdoor activities in the Pinetree Lodge, the glamour of the ICEhotel and the wonderful scenery of Abisko turned Lapland into an unforgettable destination, all lit up by the aurora…

Check out Abisko Aurora,  the world’s only tour operator combing these 3 magical spots.