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{{pagebanner|Kiruna banner Northern lights over church.jpg}}
#REDIRECT [[Kiruna Municipality]]
'''[http://kiruna.se/ Kiruna]''' (Sami: ''Giron'') in [[Norrbotten County]] is [[Sweden]]'s northernmost city and home to 18,000 citizens. Kiruna used to be called "the world's largest city"; the Kiruna municipality, ''Kiruna kommun'', includes several small villages and settlements scattered around a large wilderness area, approximately the size of [[Slovenia]], stretching as far as 130 km north of the city.

==Settlements==
* '''Kiruna''', Sweden's northernmost city (''stad'')
* [[Abisko]], gateway to several national parks, at [[Kungsleden]]
* [[Jukkasjärvi]], famous for the Ice Hotel
* [[Svappavaara]]
* [[Karesuando]], Sweden's northernmost settlement, with border crossing to Finland
* [[Kuttainen]]
* [[Vittangi]]
* [[Övre Soppero]]

==Other destinations==
* [[Riksgränsen]], a ski resort
* [[Laponia]], the national parks Sarek, Stora Sjöfallet, Muddus and Padjelanta
* Treriksröset, the tripoint of the borders to Norway and Finland, described at [[Kilpisjärvi]].
* [[Kebnekaise and Nikkaluokta]]; Kebnekaise is Sweden's tallest mountain

==Understand==
[[Image:Kiruna.jpg|thumb|View over Kiruna]]
Kiruna houses the largest [[mining tourism|underground mine]] (iron ore) in the world, and is also known for the space research, the [[Sámi culture]], the long winters, the modern town planning, the beautiful church and town hall, the Ice Hotel and the easy access to the wilderness and adventures of northern Lapland, including Sweden's highest mountain, Kebnekaise.

At N67°49<nowiki>'48''</nowiki> latitude, Kiruna is located about 145 km north of the [[Arctic Circle]], making it possible to experience the [[midnight sun]] and polar night there; the sun shines 24 hours a day from roughly the last week of May until the middle of July. From the first week of December until the second week of January, the sun never rises above Kiruna's horizon.

Kiruna is a mining town, with much of the mine reaching under the current city center. To prevent a future scenario of the town collapsing down in the earth, new houses are built on the outskirts with safer ground – the town is "moving".

==Get in==

===By plane===
[http://www.sas.se SAS] has direct flights from [[Stockholm]] (Arlanda) and [[Umeå]]. Also Norwegian Air Shuttle has direct flights from Arlanda.

The small airport is located a few kilometers outside the city centre, and unfortunately the connections are kind of bad during off-season, when the [http://www.swedavia.se/en/kiruna/to-from/bus/ airport bus] is only going at weekdays and not very often. In the evening or on weekends a taxi (should be pre-ordered, otherwise very long waiting time) or pre-ordered coach is pretty much the only way to get anywhere (besides hitchhiking), but that can be very expensive. During high season there is usually no problems since an airport bus is available then. Another option is to walk 1.2 km from the airport (there is only one road) until you reach the E10 highway, and take [http://www.ltnbd.se/tidtabeller/31/0/ bus 501] from the stop located near the crossing. It runs many times during weekdays, a few times in the weekends. Hitchhiking is also easier from that spot than from the airport.

The municipality is large, and there can be other airports usable from the municipality borders. From Karesuando, the nearest airport is [[Kittilä]] airport, Finland. From Riksgränsen, the nearest airport is [[Harstad]] airport, Norway.

===By train===
[http://www.sj.se SJ] operates two daily night trains, from [[Gothenburg]] and [[Stockholm]], continuing north along the eastern parts of Sweden, passing cities like [[Uppsala]], [[Gävle]] and [[Boden]], where sometimes a change of trains is required to get to Kiruna (otherwise you'll end up in [[Luleå]]). The travel time from Stockholm is about 17 hours. Some trains continue to [[Narvik]].

Two types of sleeping cars are available, ''liggvagn'' with six seats/beds in each compartment and the slightly more expensive ''sovvagn'' with 2–3 (softer) beds. Cheapskates might try out ''sittvagn'', but 17 hours in a seat is not a pleasant experience. An onboard restaurant serves dinner and breakfast, it also doubles as a bar during the evening. However prices are high. Bringing your own food is allowed, but consuming alcohol is not (although the enforcement is quite lax).

Due to the destruction of the town centre by spreading of mining areas, the train station in Kiruna moved in September 2013 and is no longer located in the city centre, but several kilometres away. Shuttle buses are available to and from the bus station, with times advertised at the bus station, on the train station, and [http://www.kiruna.se/PageFiles/1631/Ny_busstidtabell_jvst_.pdf on the municipal website]. The bus station, however, is located very close to the town centre.

===By bus===
Long distance buses serve towns and cities in Norrbotten County, such as [[Luleå]], [[Gällivare]], [[Jokkmokk]], [[Haparanda]], etc. [http://www.ltnbd.se]

===By car===
{{See also|Driving in Sweden|Winter driving}}
Kiruna is on the E10, which is considered to be one of Sweden's most scenic roads.

It is by all means possible to rent a car and drive to Kiruna, but keep in mind that it is very far away from all other major cities, the roads are quite narrow and a little bit too often not in a good shape.<!--Speed limits are often 100 km/h and can't be called low.--> Due to weather conditions and the frequency of wildlife such as hares, reindeer and moose on the road, the trip can be a bit more interesting than bargained for.

The hazards of driving a car in the north during the winter should not be underestimated. A breakdown in the middle of nowhere can be life-threatening due to the cold. The cellphone coverage can be quite sparse so warm blankets, extra clothes etc. for emergencies should always be stored in the car during winter. Use major roads where it is more easy to get help.

The road distances from Kiruna are: [[Gällivare]] (closest city) 115 km, [[Narvik]] 178 km, [[Luleå]] 344 km, [[Umeå]] 600 km, [[Stockholm]] 1240 km.

==Get around==
* {{listing
| name = Taxi Kiruna | url = http://www.taxikiruna.se | email = bokning.taxikiruna@telia.com
| address = | lat = | long = | directions =
| phone = +46 980-120 20 | tollfree = | fax =
| hours = | price =
| content =
}}
* {{listing
| name = Kiruna buses (Lanstrafiken Norbotten) | url = http://www.ltnbd.se | email =
| address = | lat = | long = | directions =
| phone = +46 20771-100 110 | tollfree = | fax =
| hours = | price =
| content =
}}

==See==
[[File:Church of Kiruna 2011.jpg|thumb|''Kiruna kyrka'' (Kiruna Church).]]
[[File:Skylark launch.jpg|thumb|At the Esrange rocket-facility]]
[[File:Main hall ICEHOTEL Sweden.jpg|thumb|Icehotel (Jukkasjärvi)]]

The [[Northern Lights]] are regularly visible in Kiruna during winter. A small walk into the nearest forest, so as to get rid of the city lights, notably improves the visibility.

===In Kiruna City===

* {{see
| name = Hjalmar Lundbohms&shy;gården | alt = | url = http://www.hjalmarsgard.se | email =
| address = Ingenjörsgatan 2 | lat = | long = | directions =
| phone = +46 980-701 10 | tollfree = | fax =
| hours = | price = 30 SEK
| content = Hjalmar Lundbohm was the first manager for the mining company LKAB that is the reason why the city of Kiruna was built in the first place. This museum located in his old office and home is dedicated to the early days of Kiruna and the startup of LKAB and the building of the rail road Kiruna-Narvik.
}}
* {{see
| name = Kiruna kyrka | alt = Kiruna Church | url = http://www.jukkasjarviforsamling.se | email =
| address = | lat = | long = | directions =
| phone = | tollfree = | fax =
| hours = Open daily 11:00–15:45| price = Free entry.
| content = Kiruna Kyrka is a is one of Sweden's largest wooden buildings and is famous for its special tent like structure. It was built 1907-1912 by architect Gustaf Wickman and was voted Sweden's best looking church and the foremost Swedish pre-1950 construction.
}}
* {{see
| name = Kiruna stadshus | alt = The City Hall | url = | email =
| address = | lat = | long = | directions =
| phone = | tollfree = | fax =
| hours = Open daily | price = Free entry
| content = Stadshuset is another landmark of Kiruna, it houses the local government and often hosts various exhibitions. It also has a small but quite well renowned art collection of famous Swedish old artists.
}}

===Jukkasjärvi===
{{main|Jukkasjärvi}}

* {{see
| name = Jukkasjärvi kyrka | alt = Jukkasjärvi Church | url = http://www.jukkasjarviforsamling.se | email =
| address = | lat = | long = | directions =
| phone = | tollfree = | fax =
| hours = Open daily | price = Free entry
| content = One of [[Sweden]]'s oldest intact wooden buildings, it's oldest part dates back from 1607. The church and famous for its altar painting and exquisite handcrafted organ.
}}

* {{see
| name = ICEHOTEL | alt = Ishotellet | url = http://www.icehotel.com | email =
| address = | lat = | long = | directions =
| phone = | tollfree = | fax =
| hours = | price =
| content = During winters this is the world famous and original Icehotel. During the days 10–18 it functions as a museum and everyone can visit this very special place, and see the ice and snow sculptures first hand. After 18 it is only open for the guests that actually will spend a night in one of the many snow rooms. During most summers there is an ice exhibition in a large freeze house.
}}

===Elsewhere===
* Tynnyrilaki of Pingisvaara fells, part of the [[Struve Geodetic Arc]], about 30 km from [[Karesuando]] along road 99.

==Do==
There are many things to do around the Kiruna area if you like outdoor activities and wilderness adventures. Many companies offer the same or very similar packages, here a list of popular and common activities can be found, sorted by season. There is also some other activities available. You should be aware of that pollution of the wilderness (and the city) is not liked, it's even illegal in Sweden to do so. So be sure to not leave trash behind you in the fells etc. It also keeps the environment in its best condition.

This section is under construction, as all the other.

===All year===

* The nearby space-facility Esrange offers guided tours.
* Take a tour to the mine - Infomine
* Cinema
* Dancing
* Bowling
* Gym
* Swimming
* Wilderness Safaris
* Eat

===Winter===
*[[Northern Lights]] tours. Alternatively to the paid tours, a short walk into the forest away from the city is enough to observe auroras without light pollution.
*Snow mobile excursions
*Dog sled tour
*Cross country skiing
*Downhill skiing at [http://www.kiruna.se/kommun/Kultur-fritid/Utomhus/Luossabacken/ Luossabacken], the city's old abandoned mine. The slope is 30 minutes walking from the center, and local buses drop you 5 minutes away from it. Skiing is mostly free except for one of the lifts, and the ski equipment rent is 200 SEK per day.
*Ice-fishing

===Summer===
*Hiking
** [[Abisko]] on the Malmbanan railway is in Abisko National Park, and is the trailhead to the [[Kungsleden]] trail and a stop on the [[Nordkalottleden]] trail
** [[Kebnekaise and Nikkaluokta|Kebnekaise]] is the highest mountain in Sweden, 72 km west of Kiruna centre. It can be reached from Kebnekaise fjällstation, close to Nikkaluotka, some 65 km from Kiruna, and to the Kungsleden trail
*River rafting
*Kayaking
*Fishing
*Orienteering
*Golf
*Hunting
*Gold digging
*Waterpark

===Special events===
There are certain dates when special things happen in Kiruna:
*{{event| name=Kiruna Snow Festival (''Snöfestivalen'')| url=http://www.snofestivalen.com/english | etype=Cultural
| year=2015 | month=January | date=22
| endmonth= | enddate=25
| location=Kiruna | country=Sweden
| importance=4 | content= }}
*Arctic Light Film Festival (commonly: ''Filmfestivalen'')
*the winter market
*the Kiruna festival (''Kirunafestivalen'')
*the summer market in Jukkasjärvi
*the autumn market
*[http://www.fjallraven.com/fjallraven-classic FjällRäven Classic]: A 110 kilometre [[hiking]] tour in the first and second week of August

==Eat==
Don't miss any of the local specialities consisting of various forms of reindeer meat that can be found in almost any diner; there is everything from simple reindeer kebab, and sandwiches with reindeer meat to luxurious reindeer dishes at the fanciest restaurants. Also salmon, moose, other fish and animals "from the wild" can be seen as specialities.

* {{eat
| name = Arctic Thai & Grill | url = http://arcticthai.se/ | email =
| address = Föraregatan 18 | lat = | long = | directions = Under the Hotel Arctic Eden
| phone = +46 980-681 58 | tollfree = | fax =
| hours = 10:00–21:00 | price =
| content = A restaurant that serves burgers and Thai food. If you are in Kiruna on a Sunday, this is one of the few places that is likely to be open.
}}
* {{eat
| name = La Guna | url = http://laguna-kiruna.se/ {{dead link|January 2017}} | email =
| address = Mangigatan 26 | lat = | long = | directions =
| phone = +46 980-130 00 | tollfree = | fax =
| hours = | price =
| content =
}}
* {{eat
| name = Landströms Kök & Bar | url = http://landstroms.wordpress.com/ | email =
| address = Föreningsgatan 11 | lat = | long = | directions =
| phone = +46 980-133 55 | tollfree = | fax =
| hours = | price =
| content =
}}
* {{eat
| name = The Bishops Arms | url = http://www.bishopsarms.com/Kiruna___Hotel_Bishops_Arms_Kiruna_/Presentation {{dead link|January 2017}} | email =
| address = Föreningsgatan 6 | lat = | long = | directions =
| phone = +46 980-155 00 | tollfree = | fax =
| hours = | price =
| content =
}}

==Sleep==
Kiruna offers many opportunities for a good nights sleep despite it's small size.

===Budget===
* {{sleep
| name = Camp Alta | alt = | url = http://www.campalta.net/ | email =
| address = | lat = | long = | directions =
| phone = | tollfree = | fax =
| hours = | price =
| checkin = | checkout =
| content = Self catering cottages, Sauna, Hot tub, Activities
}}

* {{sleep
| name = Camp Ripan | alt = | url = http://ripan.se/ | email =
| address = | lat = | long = | directions =
| phone = +46 980-630 00 | tollfree = | fax =
| hours = | price =
| checkin = | checkout =
| content = Cabins, Caravan parking, Restaurant, Activities
}}

* {{sleep
| name = Kiruna Vandrarhem | alt = | url = http://www.kirunahostel.com/?masterpage=true {{dead link|January 2017}} | email =
| address = Bergmästaregatan 7 | lat = | long = | directions =
| phone = +46 980-171 95 | tollfree = | fax =
| hours = | price =
| checkin = | checkout =
| content = A hotel located in central Kiruna
}}

* {{sleep
| name = Yellowhouse | alt = | url = http://www.yellowhouse.nu/ | email =
| address = | lat = | long = | directions =
| phone = +46 980-137 50 | tollfree = | fax =
| hours = | price = From 170 SEK/night
| checkin = | checkout =
| content =
}}

* {{sleep
| name = Tommys House | alt = | url = http://www.tommyshouse.se/ | email =
| address = | lat = | long = | directions =
| phone = | tollfree = | fax =
| hours = | price = From 225 SEK/night
| checkin = | checkout =
| content =
}}

===Mid-range===
* {{sleep
| name=68 degrees bed & breakfast | alt= | url=http://www.68degrees.se/ | email=
| address= | lat= | long= | directions=
| phone= | tollfree= | fax=
| checkin= | checkout= | price=from 950 SEK
| content=
}}

* {{sleep
| name = Järnvägshotellet | alt = | url = http://www.jarnvagshotellet.net/ | email =
| address = Bangårdsvägen 7 | lat = | long = | directions =
| phone = +46 980-844 44 | tollfree = | fax =
| hours = | price =Prices from 745 SEK/night
| checkin = | checkout =
| content =
}}

* {{sleep
| name = Hotell Samegården | alt = | url = http://www.hotellsamegarden.se/ | email =
| address = Brytaregatan 14 | lat = | long = | directions =
| phone = +46 980-170 29 | tollfree = | fax =
| hours = | price =
| checkin = | checkout =
| content = Hotel and Sami museum.
}}

* {{sleep
| name = Hotell Vinterpalatset | alt = | url = http://www.vinterpalatset.se/ | email = info@vinterpalatset.se
| address = | lat = | long = | directions =
| phone = +46 980-677 70 | tollfree = | fax =
| hours = | price =
| checkin = | checkout =
| content = Has sauna, restaurant, free WiFi.
}}

===Splurge===
* {{sleep
| name = ICEHOTEL | alt = Ishotellet | url = http://www.icehotel.com/ | email = info@icehotel.com
| address = Marknadsvägen 63 | lat = | long = | directions = In Jukkasjärvi, take bus #501 or drive on E10, then road 875
| phone = +46 980-66 800 | tollfree = | fax =
| hours = | price =Prices for ice rooms starts at 2150 SEK/night. 'Warm' rooms are cheaper, from 1450 SEK/night
| checkin = | checkout =
| content = Ever wanted to sleep in a hotel made of ice? Icehotel in Jukkasjärvi, 32km east from Kiruna, was first with the concept and is world famous. Ordinary rooms are also avalible year round.
}}

* {{sleep
| name = Hotel Arctic Eden | alt = | url = http://hotelarcticeden.se/ | email = info@hotelarcticeden.se
| address = Föraregatan 18 | lat = | long = | directions =
| phone = +46 980-611 86 | tollfree = | fax =
| hours = | price =
| checkin = | checkout =
| content = Offers sauna, massage, outdoor hot tub. Has restaurant and bar. WiFi included.
}}

* {{sleep
| name = Scandic Ferrum | alt = | url = http://www.scandichotels.se/Hotels/Sverige/Kiruna/Scandic-Ferrum/ | email = ferrum@scandichotels.com
| address = Lars Janssonsgatan 15 | lat = | long = | directions =
| phone = +46 980-39 86 00 | tollfree = | fax =
| hours = | price =
| checkin = | checkout =
| content = The largest hotel in town.
}}

==Buy==
* ICA Supermarket - at the corner of "Föreningsgatan" and "Seger Svanbergsgatan", open mon-fri till 7pm, sat-sun till 2pm
* Coop supermarket - at the corner of "Hjalmar Lundbohmsvägen" and "Trädgårdsgatan", open mon-sun till 10pm
* Several gas stations with long opening hours

==Drink==
Ok lets face it, the night-life in Kiruna is hardly award-winning in any way. This is a rather small city and does not offer great variety. The crowds going out are most often the same people from time to time, and the chances are quite high that most locals going out already know each other, if not as friends then at least by name and/or rumour. This is both a blessing and a curse, depending on circumstances. People tend to drink quite heavily and some are reluctant to talk to strangers, but some would love to, don't give up!
However this does not mean that going out in Kiruna is not fun. Sure after a few times it starts to feel a bit repetitive (which might not always be bad) but going out a night or two can often be quite fun, just don't expect too much, take it as it is, ignore things that bother you and enjoy the night!

The most popular place is currently the nightclub at hotel Ferrum mostly at room 208, which usually has an age restriction of 23.
Babylon (formerly known as Arran) is for the younger crowd and thus often a little bit noisier. From time to time they have 30++ nights also. The two central bars O'learys and Caffreys can offer less crowd and a good enough environment for a beer or two after a long day.
Friday and Saturday are the main days for going out, but Wednesdays ("little Saturday") can sometimes get lively as well.

==Go next==

In the mountainous areas to the west of Kiruna are several national parks e.g. [[Abisko]]. The railway to the port town of [[Narvik]] in [[Norway]] offers excellent views year-round.

<!--* '''[[Space]]''' &ndash; Virgin Galactic has plans to build a Spaceport here, offering sub-orbital flights.-->

{{routebox-1
| image1=Tabliczka E10.svg
| imagesize1=22
| directionl1=W
| majorl1=[[Narvik]]
| minorl1=[[Abisko]]
| directionr1=E
| majorr1=[[Luleå]]
| minorr1=[[Gällivare]]
}}

{{geo|67.8500|20.2167}}

{{IsPartOf|Norrbotten County}}
{{usablecity}}


[[WikiPedia:Kiruna]]
[[Dmoz:Regional/Europe/Sweden/Norrbotten_County/Localities/Kiruna/]]

[[Commons:Category:Kiruna]]

Revision as of 09:38, 8 August 2017

Kiruna (Sami: Giron) in Norrbotten County is Sweden's northernmost city and home to 18,000 citizens. Kiruna used to be called "the world's largest city"; the Kiruna municipality, Kiruna kommun, includes several small villages and settlements scattered around a large wilderness area, approximately the size of Slovenia, stretching as far as 130 km north of the city.

Settlements

Other destinations

Understand

View over Kiruna

Kiruna houses the largest underground mine (iron ore) in the world, and is also known for the space research, the Sámi culture, the long winters, the modern town planning, the beautiful church and town hall, the Ice Hotel and the easy access to the wilderness and adventures of northern Lapland, including Sweden's highest mountain, Kebnekaise.

At N67°49'48'' latitude, Kiruna is located about 145 km north of the Arctic Circle, making it possible to experience the midnight sun and polar night there; the sun shines 24 hours a day from roughly the last week of May until the middle of July. From the first week of December until the second week of January, the sun never rises above Kiruna's horizon.

Kiruna is a mining town, with much of the mine reaching under the current city center. To prevent a future scenario of the town collapsing down in the earth, new houses are built on the outskirts with safer ground – the town is "moving".

Get in

By plane

SAS has direct flights from Stockholm (Arlanda) and Umeå. Also Norwegian Air Shuttle has direct flights from Arlanda.

The small airport is located a few kilometers outside the city centre, and unfortunately the connections are kind of bad during off-season, when the airport bus is only going at weekdays and not very often. In the evening or on weekends a taxi (should be pre-ordered, otherwise very long waiting time) or pre-ordered coach is pretty much the only way to get anywhere (besides hitchhiking), but that can be very expensive. During high season there is usually no problems since an airport bus is available then. Another option is to walk 1.2 km from the airport (there is only one road) until you reach the E10 highway, and take bus 501 from the stop located near the crossing. It runs many times during weekdays, a few times in the weekends. Hitchhiking is also easier from that spot than from the airport.

The municipality is large, and there can be other airports usable from the municipality borders. From Karesuando, the nearest airport is Kittilä airport, Finland. From Riksgränsen, the nearest airport is Harstad airport, Norway.

By train

SJ operates two daily night trains, from Gothenburg and Stockholm, continuing north along the eastern parts of Sweden, passing cities like Uppsala, Gävle and Boden, where sometimes a change of trains is required to get to Kiruna (otherwise you'll end up in Luleå). The travel time from Stockholm is about 17 hours. Some trains continue to Narvik.

Two types of sleeping cars are available, liggvagn with six seats/beds in each compartment and the slightly more expensive sovvagn with 2–3 (softer) beds. Cheapskates might try out sittvagn, but 17 hours in a seat is not a pleasant experience. An onboard restaurant serves dinner and breakfast, it also doubles as a bar during the evening. However prices are high. Bringing your own food is allowed, but consuming alcohol is not (although the enforcement is quite lax).

Due to the destruction of the town centre by spreading of mining areas, the train station in Kiruna moved in September 2013 and is no longer located in the city centre, but several kilometres away. Shuttle buses are available to and from the bus station, with times advertised at the bus station, on the train station, and on the municipal website. The bus station, however, is located very close to the town centre.

By bus

Long distance buses serve towns and cities in Norrbotten County, such as Luleå, Gällivare, Jokkmokk, Haparanda, etc. [1]

By car

See also: Driving in Sweden, Winter driving

Kiruna is on the E10, which is considered to be one of Sweden's most scenic roads.

It is by all means possible to rent a car and drive to Kiruna, but keep in mind that it is very far away from all other major cities, the roads are quite narrow and a little bit too often not in a good shape. Due to weather conditions and the frequency of wildlife such as hares, reindeer and moose on the road, the trip can be a bit more interesting than bargained for.

The hazards of driving a car in the north during the winter should not be underestimated. A breakdown in the middle of nowhere can be life-threatening due to the cold. The cellphone coverage can be quite sparse so warm blankets, extra clothes etc. for emergencies should always be stored in the car during winter. Use major roads where it is more easy to get help.

The road distances from Kiruna are: Gällivare (closest city) 115 km, Narvik 178 km, Luleå 344 km, Umeå 600 km, Stockholm 1240 km.

Get around

See

Kiruna kyrka (Kiruna Church).
At the Esrange rocket-facility
Icehotel (Jukkasjärvi)

The Northern Lights are regularly visible in Kiruna during winter. A small walk into the nearest forest, so as to get rid of the city lights, notably improves the visibility.

In Kiruna City

  • Hjalmar Lundbohms­gården, Ingenjörsgatan 2, ☏ +46 980-701 10. Hjalmar Lundbohm was the first manager for the mining company LKAB that is the reason why the city of Kiruna was built in the first place. This museum located in his old office and home is dedicated to the early days of Kiruna and the startup of LKAB and the building of the rail road Kiruna-Narvik. 30 SEK. 
  • Kiruna kyrka (Kiruna Church). Open daily 11:00–15:45. Kiruna Kyrka is a is one of Sweden's largest wooden buildings and is famous for its special tent like structure. It was built 1907-1912 by architect Gustaf Wickman and was voted Sweden's best looking church and the foremost Swedish pre-1950 construction. Free entry.. 
  • Kiruna stadshus (The City Hall). Open daily. Stadshuset is another landmark of Kiruna, it houses the local government and often hosts various exhibitions. It also has a small but quite well renowned art collection of famous Swedish old artists. Free entry. 

Jukkasjärvi

Main article: Jukkasjärvi
  • Jukkasjärvi kyrka (Jukkasjärvi Church). Open daily. One of Sweden's oldest intact wooden buildings, it's oldest part dates back from 1607. The church and famous for its altar painting and exquisite handcrafted organ. Free entry. 
  • ICEHOTEL (Ishotellet). During winters this is the world famous and original Icehotel. During the days 10–18 it functions as a museum and everyone can visit this very special place, and see the ice and snow sculptures first hand. After 18 it is only open for the guests that actually will spend a night in one of the many snow rooms. During most summers there is an ice exhibition in a large freeze house. 

Elsewhere

Do

There are many things to do around the Kiruna area if you like outdoor activities and wilderness adventures. Many companies offer the same or very similar packages, here a list of popular and common activities can be found, sorted by season. There is also some other activities available. You should be aware of that pollution of the wilderness (and the city) is not liked, it's even illegal in Sweden to do so. So be sure to not leave trash behind you in the fells etc. It also keeps the environment in its best condition.

This section is under construction, as all the other.

All year

  • The nearby space-facility Esrange offers guided tours.
  • Take a tour to the mine - Infomine
  • Cinema
  • Dancing
  • Bowling
  • Gym
  • Swimming
  • Wilderness Safaris
  • Eat

Winter

  • Northern Lights tours. Alternatively to the paid tours, a short walk into the forest away from the city is enough to observe auroras without light pollution.
  • Snow mobile excursions
  • Dog sled tour
  • Cross country skiing
  • Downhill skiing at Luossabacken, the city's old abandoned mine. The slope is 30 minutes walking from the center, and local buses drop you 5 minutes away from it. Skiing is mostly free except for one of the lifts, and the ski equipment rent is 200 SEK per day.
  • Ice-fishing

Summer

  • Hiking
    • Abisko on the Malmbanan railway is in Abisko National Park, and is the trailhead to the Kungsleden trail and a stop on the Nordkalottleden trail
    • Kebnekaise is the highest mountain in Sweden, 72 km west of Kiruna centre. It can be reached from Kebnekaise fjällstation, close to Nikkaluotka, some 65 km from Kiruna, and to the Kungsleden trail
  • River rafting
  • Kayaking
  • Fishing
  • Orienteering
  • Golf
  • Hunting
  • Gold digging
  • Waterpark

Special events

There are certain dates when special things happen in Kiruna:

  • Kiruna Snow Festival (Snöfestivalen): 22–25 January 2015.  (date needs updating)
  • Arctic Light Film Festival (commonly: Filmfestivalen)
  • the winter market
  • the Kiruna festival (Kirunafestivalen)
  • the summer market in Jukkasjärvi
  • the autumn market
  • FjällRäven Classic: A 110 kilometre hiking tour in the first and second week of August

Eat

Don't miss any of the local specialities consisting of various forms of reindeer meat that can be found in almost any diner; there is everything from simple reindeer kebab, and sandwiches with reindeer meat to luxurious reindeer dishes at the fanciest restaurants. Also salmon, moose, other fish and animals "from the wild" can be seen as specialities.

Sleep

Kiruna offers many opportunities for a good nights sleep despite it's small size.

Budget

  • Camp Alta. Self catering cottages, Sauna, Hot tub, Activities 

Mid-range

Splurge

  • ICEHOTEL (Ishotellet), Marknadsvägen 63 (In Jukkasjärvi, take bus #501 or drive on E10, then road 875), ☏ +46 980-66 800, . Ever wanted to sleep in a hotel made of ice? Icehotel in Jukkasjärvi, 32km east from Kiruna, was first with the concept and is world famous. Ordinary rooms are also avalible year round. Prices for ice rooms starts at 2150 SEK/night. 'Warm' rooms are cheaper, from 1450 SEK/night. 

Buy

  • ICA Supermarket - at the corner of "Föreningsgatan" and "Seger Svanbergsgatan", open mon-fri till 7pm, sat-sun till 2pm
  • Coop supermarket - at the corner of "Hjalmar Lundbohmsvägen" and "Trädgårdsgatan", open mon-sun till 10pm
  • Several gas stations with long opening hours

Drink

Ok lets face it, the night-life in Kiruna is hardly award-winning in any way. This is a rather small city and does not offer great variety. The crowds going out are most often the same people from time to time, and the chances are quite high that most locals going out already know each other, if not as friends then at least by name and/or rumour. This is both a blessing and a curse, depending on circumstances. People tend to drink quite heavily and some are reluctant to talk to strangers, but some would love to, don't give up! However this does not mean that going out in Kiruna is not fun. Sure after a few times it starts to feel a bit repetitive (which might not always be bad) but going out a night or two can often be quite fun, just don't expect too much, take it as it is, ignore things that bother you and enjoy the night!

The most popular place is currently the nightclub at hotel Ferrum mostly at room 208, which usually has an age restriction of 23. Babylon (formerly known as Arran) is for the younger crowd and thus often a little bit noisier. From time to time they have 30++ nights also. The two central bars O'learys and Caffreys can offer less crowd and a good enough environment for a beer or two after a long day. Friday and Saturday are the main days for going out, but Wednesdays ("little Saturday") can sometimes get lively as well.

Go next

In the mountainous areas to the west of Kiruna are several national parks e.g. Abisko. The railway to the port town of Narvik in Norway offers excellent views year-round.


Routes through Kiruna
Narvik ← Abisko ←  W  E  → Gällivare → Luleå



This city travel guide to Kiruna is a usable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.
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