Luleå Travel Guide

Luleå

The City

To begin with, let it be clearly stated. If you visit Luleå you don’t need to leave the city for great experiences. Many tourists plan to use Luleå as a base for further expeditions into the surroundings, but are surprised to say – when their holiday is over – that they have barely ventured beyond the edge of the city. Central Luleå is small and concentrated in one long street. However, the city centre offers a wealth of good shops, galleries, restaurants and night clubs, as well as an exciting cultural scene. There are top quality theatres and museums here, but also a lively ”underground” culture which stimulates poets and rock groups such as the Bear Quartet, the most respected ”indie-band” in Sweden. Luleå was founded in 1621, however the city’s history is considerably older than that. The city was originally situated around the medieval church in Gammelstad, ten kilometres inland. Today the church village of Gammelstad is a world heritage site and a popular destination for excursions, even for residents of Luleå. There is a unique and exciting historic environment to be experienced here – just right for picnics on lovely summer days. The amount of shipping increased during the 17th century and a deeper harbour was required. The city was moved towards the sea, to its present location – Luleå new town. If you feel like shopping, an expedition along the pretty streets that cross Storgatan is to be recommended. Luleå is not just a living university town, it is also the regional capital of Norrbotten/Lappland. Large industrial concerns and shipping ports for Norrbotten’s ore and steel are located here. Moreover, there is Luleå’s archipelago, with its 700 islands like a string of pearls off the coast. The long, light summer nights create life and motion in the archipelago during all hours of the day and night, while the coldness of the winter produces an endless ice landscape, perfect to experience on foot, on skis or by snow scooter.