Exploring Northern/Central Sweden from Örnsköldsvik

How much time do you have for this trip? And, more important, when is this trip. And what role does Örnsköldsvik play in the trip? I hope you're not planning to do it as day trips from Örnsköldsvik.

It would also be helpful if you told us a bit about your interests and what you want to see and do?

Hi, Badger. Thank you for your reply.

I'm interested in nature and history. I enjoy hiking but I also am interested in culture and history. Of course I also enjoy eating Swedish culturally rich food.

I'm currently in the Örnsköldsvik area and will be for a few weeks. I'm ready to explore in the last week of July or early August. There is a train station in Övik and I wonder if that can be the point I can travel from. If this train station is not a good starting point, I'm open to traveling by train from there perhaps to another railroad hub.

I am open to anywhere from several days up to a week to explore more towns in Sweden specifically north/northeast of Umeå.

I hope this clarifies some things. Thank you for encouraging me to say more as I understand that impacts suggestions you may have.

Thanks for the additional information! Just don't underestimate the size of northern Sweden. The places you mentioned in the first post cover a large are, roughly half of Sweden. Or about the size of Great Britain.

If you enjoy hiking, you have some great opportunities nearby. Höga kusten (The High Coast) offers many hiking options. Skuleskogen national park 25 km south of Ö-vik is worth a visit. https://www.sverigesnationalparker.se/en/choose-park---list/skuleskogen-national-park/ Rent a car for a day and go hiking there.

Another nice excursion nearby is the island Ulvön, a bit south. Ulvöhamn, the main settlement on the island, is a cute fishing village. Take the bus to Köpmanholmen, 15 km south of Ö-vik, from there it's a 1 hour boat trip to Ulvöhamn. There are a few places to stay on the island and a couple of restaurants, so it can be a nice weekend trip.

And if you enjoy culturally rich food, keep in mind that Ö-vik is in the surströmming-belt, so if you're brave enough to try surströmming, you have the chance.

Looking further afield, the obvious answer is Umeå. It's 45 minutes away and a great day trip, a lovely city in my opinion. A bit further south, consider Härnösand or Sundsvall.

If you want to go further away, Vemdalen is mostly famous for being a ski resort. So maybe not the best place to go to in August. Åre is also well known as a ski resort, but it's a proper town as well and a popular summer destination for hikers. Luleå is also worth a visit, it's a charming town in many ways. Could be a great stop on the way towards Kiruna. And if you want a long hike, Abisko west of Kiruna is the start (or end) of probably the most famous hiking trail in Sweden, the 450 km Kungsleden. There are also things to see and do in Östersund. An option could be to continue via Umeå and Luleå to Kiruna. Then take Inlandsbanan, https://res.inlandsbanan.se/en , south to Östersund. And after that continue south, or head back to Örnsköldsvik.

Here are some suggestions. As the north is a very different beast to the (very european) south you should always consider the distances involved , as towns and railway stations are few and far between.
Umeå and environs (alt. Sundsvall) is a good choice. Take trips inland, to the silent fir forests and to the Baltic coastal island of Holmön from there. There are some very scenic beaches by the sea in the north and now is the temperature to visit them. Östersund with environs seems a good choice for more forest and lakes. For richer servings of culture you would have to go south to Hälsingland or Dalarna, to the land of runes.

DINE
The bread and the pastries are the best and most varied in the world, and you should go to great lengths to sample all the varieties. Purchase kavring, rågkaka and tunnbröd at a good bakery (or even at a supermarket) and get to know a few of the hidden wonders of the northern cuisine. Have fika with cinnamon buns, cardamom buns, sticky chocolate cake, 3 varieties of sponge cake, and a minimum of 5 kinds of biscuit at a confectionery; Nya Konditoriet in Umeå, and on Alnön in Östersund, Pastries and bread are one of the few things that are a cultural constant, and the bread you choose would easily have been recognized by people, in one region or another, who lived 100 years ago.

Badger and Cherryplanter,

Thank you for your suggestions. They were very helpful in deciding what I wanted to see, do and eat.

In the end, I decided to travel to see Luleå, Kiruna, Jokkmokk and Umeå. I also decided to drive instead of using the trains for flexibility.

I'll check out the other suggested cities on my next visit!

Kind regards!

I am so glad. As replies to Sweden queries can at times be thin on the ground, when you next publish one, whatever you need, then instantly I will appear. Provided there is ample time and I've got it I'll do it naturally. Feel free to request a reply through a private message whenever convenient. It shall be done.