The Bothnian Coast

The lovely Bothnian Coastline runs 850km from Gävle in the south to Haparanda, on the border with Finland, in the north. It's truly the long and winding road, with the E4 highway doing the distance, marked with attractive cities and towns at manageable driving distances, at places where rivers from the mountains to the west come down to meet the Gulf of Bothnia. There are lively student cities at Gävle, Umeå and Luleå, plus timber towns such as Sundsvall and Skellefteå and gorgeous islands and coastlines at Höga Kusten and Kustvägen. Your visit will be all the more enjoyable with time up your sleeve and your own wheels.

Explore The Bothnian Coast

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout The Bothnian Coast.

  • Historic Site

    Gammelstad

    The Unesco World Heritage–listed Gammelstad, Sweden's largest church town, was the medieval centre of northern Sweden. The 1492-built stone Nederluleå…

  • Historic Site

    Bonnstan

    During the Protestant reformation in Sweden in the 16th century, church attendance was demanded of all parishioners, and later in 1861, a regulation…

  • Museum

    Västerbottens Museum

    The star of the Gammlia museum complex, the engrossing Västerbottens Museum traces the history of the province from prehistoric times to today…

  • Museum

    Stenstan Visitor Centre

    This incredibly high-tech multimedia museum shares space with the tourist office at the Stadhus on the central square of Storatorget. Besides showing…

  • Museum

    Hälsinglands Museum

    The Hälsinglands Museum covers local history, culture and art, including a recreated cottage interior with traditional painted furniture and costumes from…

  • Museum

    Guitars – The Museum

    If you're into the six-string, then this result of two brothers' lifelong hobby, a huge collection of vintage guitars, is for you. Want to see a 1959 Les…

  • Distillery

    Mackmyra Whisky

    Mackmyra Svensk Whisky, established in 1999 as the first Scandinavian malt-whisky distillery, offers tasting sessions that must be booked in advance via…

  • Animal Sanctuary

    Älgens Hus

    This moose park, 70km west of Umeå along Rte 92, near Bjurholm, is your chance to meet the (tame) King of the Forest face to face. In Swedish, these are…

  • Museum

    Museum of Tornio Valley

    This museum, only a 200m walk from Haparanda's Tourist Office and into Finland, showcases Tornio Valley culture and history on both sides of the Swedish…

  • Museum

    Kulturmagasinet

    Down near the harbour, Kulturmagasinet is a magnificent restoration of some old warehouses and now contains the town library and Sundsvall Museum, which…

  • Church

    Alnö Gamla Kyrka

    This magnificent church, a mixture of 12th- and 15th-century styles, sits 2km north of the bridge (at Vi) on Alnö island, just east of Sundsvall. The…

  • Museum

    Sveriges Järnvägsmuseet

    Inside Gävle’s former engine shed, this excellent museum traces the history of the railway in Sweden through seriously hands-on displays. Besides numerous…

  • Sculpture

    Umedalens Skulpturpark

    For more than two decades, eminent Swedish and international artists have exhibited their works in Umedalsparken, 5km west of the centre. Through those…

  • Cultural Centre

    Kukkolaforsen

    Located 15km north of Haparanda on Rte 99, Kukkolaforsen is a scenic spot where the Torneälv River is covered with the white crests of the Kukkolaforsen…

  • Bridge

    Lejonströmsbron

    This is the oldest wooden bridge in Sweden, completed in 1837, and until 2006, at 207m in length, it was also the longest. It was a toll bridge at first,…

  • Museum

    Murberget

    This thorough open-air museum features more than 80 wooden buildings from Ångermanland from the 18th century onwards. Among the traditional farmhouses,…

  • National Park

    Haparanda Archipelago National Park

    This gorgeous national park covers the Swedish side of the islands and is to the west of the Finnish Perämeri National Park. There are two relatively…

  • Museum

    Friluftsmuséet

    Part of the Gammlia museum complex, this open-air historic village presents ye olde church, a smokehouse, a windmill, a 17th-century gatehouse and…

  • Gallery

    Museum Anna Nordlander (MAN)

    This municipal contemporary art museum is dedicated to the life and work of Anna Norlander (1843–1879), a well-known painter born in Skellefteå. She was…

  • Island

    Luleå Archipelago

    This extensive offshore archipelago contains over 1700 large and small islands, most of them uninhabited and therefore perfect for skinny-dipping, berry…