Dalarna County: Cross-country skiing, nature and Swedish culture
Accommodation in Dalarna County
Winter landscapes and cross-country skiing
Dalarna County offers walkable forests, large lakes, mountains and flower meadows. In winter, this landscape is suitable for skiing and ice skating. Throughout Dalarna, there are well-prepared and well-marked cross-country ski trails, which are generally between 2.5 and 15 kilometres long. Idre Fjäll offers marked cross-country routes extending into the mountains; in Sälen, there are almost 250 kilometres of prepared cross-country ski trails.
Nature experiences on trails and by the water
Dalarna County has 540 kilometres of rivers and streams as well as several thousand lakes. Canoeing and kayaking are possible on the rivers and lakes; various guided tours and equipment rental options complement the offering. Fänforsen is the largest rapid in Dalarna, 900 metres long in total and with a vertical drop of 9 metres.
Fulufjället National Park includes Njupeskär, one of Sweden's highest waterfalls: 93 metres high, of which 70 metres is a free fall. From the top, there is a view of the gorge and the surrounding landscape. Romboleden is a pilgrimage route from Köping to Trondheim that passes through Dalarna and combines nature experiences with history and tranquillity. The Siljan Trail is one of twelve Signature Trails selected by the Swedish Tourist Association. Siljansleden has starting points in Leksand, Rättvik, Orsa and Mora, is clearly signposted and runs mainly along old summer-farm trails, beside lakes, across marshes and up into the mountains. Along the waterways on Siljansleden, there are opportunities for swimming and fishing.
Culture and history in Dalarna
Dalarna's cultural heritage includes summer farms, museums, handicrafts and historic environments. The Great Pit in Falun is the most distinctive feature of the mining landscape, illustrating copper production in this region since at least the 13th century. The Mining Area of the Great Copper Mountain in Falun is a UNESCO World Heritage Site; its cultural landscape illustrates copper production in the Dalarna region since at least the 9th century. Falun Mine offers guided tours of the mine. Carl Larsson-gården is characterised by art, interior design and Swedish cultural heritage.
The Zorn Collections include the Zorn Museum, Zorn House, an open-air museum, Zorns Gammelgård and the Gopsmor artists' studio in the wilderness. The Zorn Museum in Mora displays works by Anders Zorn, including portraits and watercolour scenes depicting rural life in Dalarna. Dalarnas Museum is a provincial museum that collects cultural heritage treasures from Dalarna and has an extensive collection of Dala horses. Dalarnas Museum offers private tours. Visitors to Nils Olsson Hemslöjd can watch artisans at work or paint their own Dala horse.
The activities of Nils Olsson Hemslöjd in the village of Nusnäs can be traced back to the 1920s; Nils Olsson Hemslöjd is one of the original providers of Dala horses. The Vasaloppet starting area in Sälen and the finish portal in Mora are among Sweden's best-known sports venues. Memorials, statues and obelisks are located at the Vasaloppet starting area and the finish portal. The Vasaloppet starting building in Sälen houses a small exhibition for visitors. In June, you can experience traditional Midsummer celebrations in Tällberg, Rättvik and Leksand.
Local products and Sámi experiences
The use of Matsäls Fäbod/Summer Farm can be traced back to the 1560s. Matsäls Fäbod/Summer Farm offers the farm's dairy products for purchase, while supplies last. Taste of Dalarna takes visitors to farm shops, restaurants, cafés, craft breweries and other food and beverage producers that focus on local produce and flavours. Sámi experiences and guided tours with tame reindeer are offered in Dalarna. One café serves Sámi coffee and simple Sámi meals, such as reindeer soup with homemade bread.
Cycling and travel information
Biking Dalarna comprises 17 cycling areas with marked cross-country and downhill trails. Biking Dalarna's trails are well marked in the terrain. Bjursås Berg & Sjö offers six well-marked cycling trails classified by difficulty. The cycling section of the Porphyry Trail from Evertsberg to Västäng is 12 kilometres long.
Trains operated by SJ run regularly to and from the main hubs in Dalarna County: Falun, Borlänge, Avesta and Mora. Scandinavian Mountains Airport in Sälen is the region's local airport.
Regional destinations: Borlänge, Malung-Sälen, Älvdalen
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