Things to do in Östersund
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Jamtli
Don’t miss Jamtli, 1km north of the town centre. It combines an open-air museum park (à la Skansen in Stockholm) with a first-rate regional culture museum. In the outdoor section, guides wearing period costumes explain the traditions of the area. A perpetual stroller convention goes on at Hackåsgården, the large section of the park set aside for the tiniest tots. Indoors, the regional museum exhibits the Överhogdal Tapestry, a Christian Viking relic from around 1100 that features animals, people, ships and buildings (including churches). It’s one of the oldest of its kind in Europe and may even predate the famous Bayeux tapestry.
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Färgfabriken Norr
An offshoot of Färgfabriken in Stockholm, the Färgfabriken Norr is a huge art space across the E14 motorway from Jamtli (take bus 14 or 8). It’s a cavernous room with an ambitious curatorial scope; the initial exhibition included work by some 80 artists, including David Lynch and JG Thirlwell, representing pretty much all forms, from painting, sculpture and video to installations using broken glass, body hair and lightning.
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Lake Cruises
You can take lake cruises on the old S/S Thomée steamship, including themed tours, dinner tours and trips to the small castle-capped island of Verkön (Skr110/40). Book through the tourist office; the schedule’s complicated, but it’s posted on a sign by the boat at the harbour. A handful of rush tickets are usually available at the harbour before each trip.
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Frösön Island
Frösön Island is reached by road or footbridge from the middle of Östersund (the footbridge is from the pleasant Badhusparken - nearby you can rent bikes, inline skates and canoes). Just across the footbridge, outside Landstingshuset and near the Konsum supermarket, there's Sweden's northernmost rune stone, which commemorates the arrival of Christianity in 1050.
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Stone Age Rock Carvings
Glösa, 40km northwest of Östersund and by the Alsensjön lake, has some of Sweden’s finest Stone Age rock carvings. The carvings, on rock slabs beside a stream, feature large numbers of elk and date from 4000 BC. There’s also an excellent reconstruction of a Stone Age hut and replicas of skis, snowshoes, a sledge and an elk-skin boat.
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Brunkullans
A local favourite for its outdoor patio, Brunkullans also has a wonderfully atmospheric, candlelit 19th-century interior space. The menu features Swedish classics and upscale versions of basic bar food, like a decadent bacon-cheese burger or a quesadilla made with crème fraiche.
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News
You can’t miss this buzzing hang-out on a busy corner, with its deck full of fashionable diners. The menu was recently revamped and now includes a vast Lebanese lunch buffet from 11am to 2pm weekdays. The restaurant gradually shifts toward nightclub as the evening progresses.
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Törners Konditori
This cute cafe at the water’s edge serves coffee, cakes and ice cream in a summery park setting between the miniature golf course and a swimming hole. It’s only open in summer, but there’s another branch (tel 51 87 60; Storgatan 24) that’s open all year.
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Bistro Artist
At the Radisson hotel, this is a lovely restaurant offering predominantly Italian fare, including pasta dishes. The adjacent Café Artist is a more casual place, with light meals and the usual café fare.
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Icelandic Horse Riding
An increasingly fashionable activity is Icelandic horse riding. Prices (from Skr300) include helmets and a snack; book through the tourist office. The riding school is 5km south of Östersund.
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Lilla Siam
An affordable Thai restaurant in an atmospheric dining room, this new place has a good lunch buffet and a classy dinner menu full of Thai staples, including plenty of vegetarian dishes.
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Captain Cook
This is an Australian-themed pub with a good menu of bar food, ranging from light snacks to more hearty fare, and a selection of imported and local beer to wash it down.
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Ost & Vilt
As much a gift shop as a self-caterer’s delight, this tiny gourmet outlet sells handmade jams, cheeses, sausages and other special delicacies from Jämtland.
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Marité
Down by the harbour is this bar-restaurant that gets hopping on summer afternoons, with locals cramming onto the patio for live music and queuing up for cold beer.
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Paviljong Thai
This place serves good-sized portions of great Thai cuisine, with all the favourite noodle, curry and seafood dishes on the menu.
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Viewing Tower
On Frösön island at Östberget there is a viewing tower and a cafe, as well as slalom and nordic ski runs.
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Stadsmuseum
The Stadsmuseum, near the tourist office, contains items of local historical, cultural and topographical interest.
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Kebab City
Kebab City serves burger, kebab and falafel meals. It's one of many interchangeable kebab houses in town.
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Volos
With something for everyone's tastes - pizzas, pasta, nachos, salads, kebabs, Greek dishes and more.
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Frösöns Kyrka
The restored, late-12th-century Frösöns kyrka features a distinctive separate bell tower.
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Badhusparkens Uthyrnings Center
Badhusparkens Uthyrnings Center rents canoes and fishing gear, as well as bikes.
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Rådhus
The Rådhus is an impressive brick building with a cupola and tiled roof.
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