Discover the best luxury spa hotels in Norrbotten County, Sweden

Norrbotten County – in Swedish Lapland – sits in uppermost Norrland, edging into the frosty climes of the Arctic Circle. Its lakes are sparkling and swimmable (including Sweden’s deepest, Lake Hornavan), its mountains promise camera-baiting pinnacle views (including the country’s tallest, 2,107m-high Kebnekaise), and in the east, its rugged coastline spills out into pretty archipelagos. You’re more likely to see grazing reindeer, moose – or perhaps the odd bear – than a fellow human being, while trekking, biking, riding or snowshoe-walking through its seasonally chameleonic landscape, but a smattering of Sámi (native Lapp) villages preserve a traditional way of life, and you’ll infrequently unearth encampments and petite municipalities. In winter, visitors can see the natural fireworks of the Northern Lights, and go dog-sledding or ski in the snow; come summer, the midnight sun makes brings ‘white nights’, and creates a magical mood for late-night horse rides.