Luxury holidays in Norrbotten County

When to go

The cold is fierce in winter, and arctic night-time allows only a few hours of daylight, but snowy tundra and iced-over rivers have more potential for play, and the Northern Lights are more likely to be sighted. Summers are far from scorching, but milder temperatures make exploring the outdoors more comfortable.

Getting there

• Planes

  Luleå Airport (www.swedavia.com/lulea) is an hour’s drive from Norrbotten County; frequent flights arrive here from Cyprus, Greece, Spain and the Canary Islands, Turkey, Norway and other major Swedish cities arrive. Guests flying in from other countries can hop on the 90-minute flight to Luleå from Stockholm Arlanda Airport, or head to the tiny domestic airport in Kiruna.

• Trains

  The SJ night train (www.sj.se) takes 12 hours to reach Boden Station, or 16 hours to Kiruna, from Stockholm – with breathtaking views of Swedish Lapland along the way. There are also direct trains from major cities Malmö or Gothenberg.

• Automobiles

  There are long distances between villages and municipalities, so hiring a car is recommended. In winter, roads are icier and prone to closures. There’s an Avis car-hire booth at Luleå Airport.