Boden is a town of around 28 000 inhabitants located along the Lule River in Norrbotten County, 35 kilometres north-west of Luleå.

Rodbergsfortet - Northeast

Understand

At an enrollment office in southern Sweden, during mid-20th century –"Can you ski?" –"Yes, sir!" –"Good, then we will deploy you at Boden. Next! Can you ski?" –"No, sir!" –"Good, then you will learn skiing in Boden."

From the introduction of military service in 1901 until its abolishment in 2010, thousands of young Swedish men were forced to endure cold, dark winter months in the forests and mountains surrounding Boden as part of their mandatory military training. This earned the town a reputation as a harsh place, where no one of their right mind would travel by free will. Now those days are gone, and Boden has become a popular tourist destination, especially among Norwegians who like to spend their summer holiday at the town camping.

Get in

By plane

• SAS has several flights daily from Stockholm to Luleå Airport (40 km from Boden).
• Norwegian also flies from Stockholm to Luleå.

By train

• SJ has overnight trains from Gothenburg and Stockholm to Boden.

By car

From the E4 follow road 97 towards Boden.

See

Remnants of Boden's long history as a military stronghold. The birthplace of Nobel prize winning writer Eyvind Johnson in Björkelund.

• Defence Museum. 
• Red Mountain Fort, rodbergsfortet@rodbergsfortet.com. 

Do

Skiing, swimming, hiking, fishing

• Storklinten, ☏ +46 921 138 50. Alpine skiing 
• Nordpoolen. Aqua park 

Sleep

• 1 Treehotel, Edeforsvägen 2, Harads, ☏ +46 928-10403, booking@treehotel.se. Away from any major city this hotel offers uniquely designed cabins located among the treetops. The hotel offers plentiful of excursions, a restaurant focused on wild game, a large sauna and of course endless views of majestic forests and the Lule river. 
• Hotell Bodensia, Kungsgatan 47, ☏ +46- 921-17710, q.bodensia@choice.se. 
• Boden Camping.