Åre

Winter is long and snowy, and the ski season usually runs from December into spring. Late February to April is the best time for skiing, with more daylight and deep snow. Swedish school winter holidays and Easter are the busiest weeks, so book early. Summer is short and mild, with very long days in June and July, but rain is common. September brings autumn colours and fewer visitors, while late autumn is quiet and many places close between seasons.

The biggest annual event is the FIS Alpine World Cup. Åre has a long tradition of hosting World Cup races, often in March, and watching from the finish area is a classic Åre day out.

• Åre ski area covers the slopes of Åreskutan and links the villages of Åre, Duved and Åre Björnen by lifts. In summer the lifts carry bikes, and the slopes become Sweden's largest mountain bike park.
• Å33 - Bergbanan is a funicular from 1910 that climbs from the village square to Hotell Fjällgården. It is a listed building, and its upper station holds a small museum about how Åre grew from a farming village into a resort.
• Tännforsen is one of Sweden's largest waterfalls, about 60 m wide, around 20 km northwest of Åre. It is most powerful during the spring snowmelt, and in winter large parts of it freeze.
• Ristafallet is a wide waterfall on the Indalsälven river, about 20 km east of Åre off the E14. A small islet splits it in two, and you can get closer to the water here than at Tännforsen.
• Fröå gruva keeps the remains of a copper mine on the eastern side of Åreskutan. Mining here was important in the 18th and 19th centuries, and the old buildings make a quiet stop away from the slopes.
• Åre Chokladfabrik is a family-run chocolate factory just east of the village. You can watch the chocolates being made and taste them.

The best Åre moments are outdoors, and many depend on the season.

• Ride to the top of Åreskutan: The Kabinbanan cable car climbs from the village to about 1,274 m in around seven minutes. Walk the last part to the 1,420 m summit for a 360-degree view and Swedish waffles at Toppstugan, the café on the peak. In winter, a snowmobile tow covers the last stretch.
• Mountain biking in the bike park: In summer, the lifts carry riders and bikes up the mountain. Trails range from easy gravel paths to steep downhill tracks, and rental shops in the village supply bikes and gear.
• Hike the Jämtland Triangle: This 47 km loop links the mountain stations of Storulvån, Sylarna and Blåhammarens Fjällstation. Most people walk it in three days in summer and sleep in the stations.
• Dog sledding: In winter, several local operators offer husky rides through the snowy forest and along the valley.

Åre is a good base for nature trips along the valley and into the mountains.

• Ånnsjön and Handöl — about 30 km west by car. Ånnsjön is a large mountain lake known for birdwatching, and the Handölsforsen rapids are a short walk from the road.
• Storlien — about 50–60 km west, by train or car. This small mountain resort on the Norwegian border has open fell landscapes and easy hiking.
• Vålådalen — about 45 minutes south by car. The nature reserve has marked trails through forest and up to mountain lakes, good for a full hiking day.
• Ostersund — about 1 hour 15 minutes east by train. The only city in Jämtland sits on Lake Storsjön and has museums, shops and the open-air museum Jamtli.
• Trondheim — about 2.5–3 hours west by car, or by train via Storlien on the border. The Norwegian city has Nidaros Cathedral, the end point of the old pilgrim route that passes through Åre.

• By train: Åre station is in the middle of the village. Direct day trains from Stockholm take about 7–8 hours, and SJ runs a night train from Stockholm that arrives in the morning. Snälltåget runs seasonal night trains from Malmö via Stockholm. Book at SJ.
• By air: Åre Östersund Airport is about 100 km east, about 1–1.25 hours by road. In the ski season, pre-booked airport transfers run to Åre. Otherwise, take the bus into Östersund and continue by train. Trondheim Værnes Airport in Norway is about two hours west. See Åre Östersund Airport bus info.
• By car: The E14 road runs through Åre, linking Ostersund in the east with Trondheim in the west.

• On foot: The village centre around the square and the station is compact, but the resort is spread out along a hillside, so expect some steep walks.
• Lifts: The funicular, the cable car and the ski lifts are the fastest way up the mountain. They are part of the resort's lift pass system and some run in summer too.
• Regional buses and trains: Local trains stop at Duved, Åre and Undersåker. Regional buses are run by Länstrafiken Jämtland. On the bus you pay by bank card only, as cash is not accepted. Most tickets are also in the Länstrafiken Jämtland app.
• Taxi: Several local taxi companies operate in Åre. Book ahead at busy times, such as late evenings in the ski season.
• Cycling: Bike rental shops in the village rent mountain bikes and e-bikes. The roads are hilly, but cycling is a popular way to explore in summer.

• Is a car worth it?: Not for a ski week, since lifts, trains and buses cover the resort. A car helps in summer for waterfalls, mountain stations and nature reserves.
• Winter driving: Winter tyres are required by law from 1 December to 31 March whenever there is snow, ice or slush on the road. Watch for reindeer and moose on the roads, especially at dusk.
• Parking: Large car parks sit at the main lift areas in Åre, Duved and Åre Björnen. Many are paid in the ski season.
• Road closures: In late winter, the road from Handöl to the Storulvån mountain station is closed at night (22:00–08:00) from February to mid-April.

Jämtland food is built on mountain produce. Look for reindeer, Arctic char from mountain lakes, local cheeses from summer farms and desserts with cloudberries or lingonberries. Local craft beer and chocolate are also popular souvenirs.

Most restaurants, cafés and bars cluster around the village square and the streets near the station. In the ski season, the mountain restaurants on the slopes are a good lunch stop, and après-ski starts at the bottom of the lifts in the afternoon. Many places have shorter hours outside the ski and summer seasons, so check before you go.

Åre is very safe, and crime against visitors is rare. Still, lock bikes and skis when you leave them outside.

The main risks come from the mountains. Weather on Åreskutan can change quickly, with strong wind, fog and cold even in summer. Off-piste skiing carries avalanche risk, so check the local avalanche forecast and carry safety gear. On winter trails, follow the red cross markers and do not leave them in poor visibility. In summer, bring insect repellent for mosquitoes and midges.

For centuries, pilgrims walked through the Åre valley on their way to the grave of Saint Olaf in Trondheim. Åre old church, built around 1200, still stands near the village square. The Sami settled in the area in the 17th century for its good reindeer pastures, and reindeer herding continues in the mountains today.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, copper mining shaped the eastern side of the mountain, and Fröå gruva keeps the traces of that time. Tourism began when the railway arrived in 1882. Visitors came for fresh mountain air and climbed Åreskutan, and hotels soon followed. The funicular Å33 - Bergbanan opened in 1910, and the cable car followed in 1976. Since then, Åre has grown into Sweden's leading ski resort and has hosted the Alpine World Ski Championships three times.

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