Västerbotten County

Västerbotten County, Västerbottens län, in Norrland in Sweden consists of the coastal province Västerbotten and southern Lappland.

Municipalities

Västerbotten

🌍 Umeå is the county seat and the largest city.
🌍 Vännäs
🌍 Bjurholm
🌍 Nordmaling
🌍 Robertsfors
🌍 Vindeln
🌍 Skellefteå is the county's second city, known for its ice hockey team and its mining industry.
🌍 Byske
🌍 Norsjö

Southern Lappland

🌍 Åsele (Southern Sámi: Sjeltie), historically administrative centre, huge annual market.
🌍 Lycksele (Southern Sámi: Liksjovvene/Liksjoene, Ume Sámi: Lïkssjuo), the first and still largest inland town.
🌍 Malå (Ume Sámi: Máláge, South Sámi: Maalege)
🌍 Dorotea (South Sámi: Kraapohke)
🌍 Vilhelmina (South Sámi: Vualtjere)
🌍 Storuman (South Sámi: Luspie, Ume Sámi: Lusspie)
🌍 Sorsele(Ume Sámi: Suarssá, South Sámi: Suarsa)

Other destinations

🌍 Hemavan, a secluded ski resort by the largest nature reserve in Sweden, with botanic garden of alpine plants; trailhead to the famous Kungsleden hiking trail
🌍 Tärnaby, a ski resort which has fostered several ski champions

Understand

While the coastal Västerbotten province has culturally been part of Sweden since the Middle Ages, Lappland is a traditional homeland of the Sami people. Many settlers from middle Sweden arrived during the early 20th century. Its population is decreasing, except for that of the bustling city of Umeå.

Talk

While Sámi language and bondska (archaic Swedish dialects) are spoken by some, everybody speaks Swedish.

Get in

Resrobot is a search engine for all public transport in Sweden.

By plane

Airports are

Umeå airport (UME^IATA)
Skellefteå airport (SFT^IATA)
Hemavan-Tärnaby airport (HMV^IATA)
Lycksele airport (LYC^IATA)
Vilhelmina airport (VHM^IATA)

By train

SJ has trains from Stockholm to Umeå.

By bus

Tapanis Buss has a route going from Stockholm to Tornio, Finland stopping at Umeå.
Ybuss operates a coach service between Stockholm and Umeå.

By boat

Wasa Line runs ferries between Umeå and Vaasa, Finland across the Gulf of Bothnia.

By car

From Stockholm or Malmö to Umeå/Skellefteå: road E4.
From Stockholm or Malmö to Vilhelmina/Storuman/Tärnaby: road E4 to Sundsvall, then road 331.
From Finland: road E4 from Tornio

Get around

Blue Highway

By bus

Länstrafiken i Västerbotten has local and regional buses.

By taxi

Smartphone apps: Uber

See

The county will be of interest primarily to nature lovers, and hikers will here find quite some wilderness. But the mines of Kiruna or the ice hotel are other points of interest.

Do

City-life is primarily found in Umeå. This sparsely populated region is great for outdoor life; especially hiking along Kungsleden, and winter sport (see winter in the Nordic countries).

Eat

See also: Nordic cuisine

Västerbottensost is a local cheese made in Burträsk near Skellefteå.

While Umeå has a lively community of vegans and vegetarians, fishing and hunting are pastimes in the countryside.

Drink

Nightlife can mainly be found in Umeå, and at the ski resorts.

Stay safe

See cold weather. Bears roam the region.

Go next

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