Festive fun, stunning natural light shows and the chance to explore some of Europe's last untouched wilderness combine to make Kiruna a fantastic holiday destination. Sweden's most northerly city, this is far from a backwater. In fact, the area is a scientific hub, with astronomic observatories and space centres regularly flinging rockets into space. And on ground level, there's plenty to see even if you mainly stick to the city itself. The ICEHOTEL at Jukkasjärvi is totally unique in the tourism world and a must-see if you're visiting in winter; the Kiruna Church is a breathtaking wooden construction and you can catch top quality ice hockey at the Matojärvi arena. The destination comes into its own in winter; being at the heart of Lappland, it's no surprise to find a fabulous Christmas market, while the Snow Festival couples the Northern Lights with down to earth entertainment like extreme sports and DJ sets. At any time of year, the area around the city is also full of adventure opportunities, whether you pilot snowmobiles, hike or take dog-sleds across the snowpack.
As you might have guessed from the city's northern location, Kiruna's attractions revolve around snow and latitude. This isn't a beach resort or a traditional city break destination, but there's certainly plenty to do:
Winter adventure operators in the city centre will be only too happy to show visitors how to explore the forests and valleys of Lappland. In winter, they can arrange dogsled and snowmobile tours, and Wilderness Camps are great bases to use for summer hiking experiences.
There aren't many better places in the world to witness one of the Earth's greatest spectacles. Every year, usually in mid to late January, the skies around the city become a dazzling colour show, and expert tour operators will transport you to the very best local spots to take it all in.
Kiruna has been around for 6,000 years, so there's no shortage of history. Find out about the history of the Sami people at the Sami Museum, or make an immersive descent into a working iron ore mine (which may be causing the city to slowly sink) -- a truly unique experience.
Miles north of Stockholm it may be, but Kiruna has an excellent calendar of events for tourists to enjoy, including:
The Snow Festival: Also known as Snofestivalen in Swedish, this event in January coincides with the peak of the Northern Lights season and features snow sculptures, markets and kids' playgrounds as well as plenty of all-night parties.
Kirunafestivalen: The city's premier cultural event, Kirunafestivalen takes place every June and July and attracts a roster of Scandinavian acts to open air venues across town.
The Winter Market: Every February, the city centre becomes a fantastic place to shop for souvenirs with everything from reindeer jerky, Sami knives and fur caps to carpets and woolly sweaters on display.
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