Welcome to Dalarna

When the winter holiday is around the corner there is a vast amount of time waiting to be filled with fun, cosy, exciting and educational activities! All around Dalarna there are plenty of activities for children and adults alike. We have selected some exciting destinations, each with a certain something to really set them apart. Welcome to the winter holidays in Dalarna! An obvious activity perfect for the winter holiday is slalom and downhill skiing. Around Dalarna you will find many family-friendly destinations that are ready with both snow-white slopes and packed activity programs to entertain and amuse the whole family after the last ride of the day. At Bjursås SkiCenter outside Falun you are welcome to unwind in the family relaxation-area or try out skating at the ice track. Stay at the comfortable Scandic Hotel in Falun. At Orsa Grönklitt the Blueberry Berra will see to it that all the kids can try out and learn skiing in a fun playful way. Also, you will find Orsa Predator Park just around the corner. At Leksand Strand Resort you can book a full winter holiday-package that offers accommodation in a cosy cabin, close to indoor pools with a water slide, Granberget ski slope and beautiful, wintry Leksand. The winter holiday In Sälen might be the biggest classic destination and Kläppen can not disappoint anyone. You will find many pistes with varying difficulty rating and full service both on and around the slopes that makes this a real paradise for skiing. Those who prefer not to ski can still experience the atmosphere and a tip is to take the gondola to the top of the mountain to have a “swedish fika” (coffee and cake). In the north of Dalarna you will also find family friendly Idre Fjäll. Here you will always be close to the slopes and other activities including dog sledding, snow moiling, bowling, indoor pools, mini-disco for the kids and much more. The Christmas holiday might be over, but Santa World in Gesunda outside Mora is still in full swing! The mischievous mice have taken the lead and will see to it that the whole day is full of antics and fun. Singing and music, theatre and shows – kids and adults alike may partake in the fun and play. Just around the corner from Santa World you’ll find the mountain Gesundaberget. Put on your skis and take the surface lift to the top of the mountain and munch on crispy waffles in the Top Cabin that offers stunning views over Siljan and the beautiful surroundings. Even if the winter holiday is supposed to offer sunny, snowy days the weather may not always cooperate. So it’s lucky that Dalarna have many indoor activities to offer! Falu Gruva has a comfortable temperature of 5 degrees Celsius all year round - and below ground the "weather" is always the same. Around Dalarna you will find a lot of nice, warm and fun-filled indoor pools. Aqua Nova is a waterpark in Borlänge for those who seek something extra and you’ll find it in the water slides, swirl pool and pirate ship. In Borlänge you will also find 2047 Science Center which is an arena for knowledge, science and technology where the whole family can investigate and experiment with all the senses. So when you ask the question “What shall we do today?” you can pick and choose from a multitude of activities – because the winter holiday in Dalarna will never be boring!

Fun in the big freeze As winter wraps its icy grip around the mountains, lakes and rivers of Dalarna it is not a time for staying indoors, lazing around a crackling log fire with a mug of hot chocolate - that comes afterwards. It’s time to get out and revel in the winter pursuits on offer; cross-country skiing, long-distance skating, snow-shoeing, ripping it up on a snowmobile, or letting the Huskies do the work by dog-sled. Dalarna is criss-crossed by quality cross-country ski tracks, particularly in the snow-clad forests around Säfsen, Grönklitt, Lugnet, Sälen and Idre, or along the Vasaloppsarenan route. Long-distance skating on thick lake ice is hugely popular in Dalarna and there is prepared skating trails at lake Run, lake Orsa and elsewhere around the county. Together you study animal tracks, prepare an open fire and cook sausages or whatever you fancy. Altogether much faster ways of negotiating snow and ice are by snowmobile or by dog-sled. Whether you do it in the mountains in the north of Dalarna, or in the south of the county, snowmobiles are a blast. Look out for snowmobile ‘safaris’ with guide, to get the most out of the experience. For dog-powered propulsion on snow and ice, nothing beats dog-sledding. Try out your own pack of Huskies in Sälen, Idre and Orsa. Read about Alpine Skiing Cross-country skiing Zipping along perfectly prepared tracks is what it’s all about. Dalarna is home to many top class cross-country skiing areas in fell and forest; choose the mountains above the tree line at Sälenfjällen; try out the trails where the Swedish national x-country ski team train at Lugnet, just outside the town of Falun. Or take the family to the Gyllenbergen wilderness recreation area near Borlänge and make stop offs along the route for eats, hot drinks and barbecues. There are information maps, windbreaks and rest cabins throughout the trail systems.  Read more about cross country tracks in Dalarna   Long-distance skating Skating Dalarna is a joint initiative between some of the best long-distance skating destinations in the county. All the destinations offer at least one ploughed trail on natural ice, a starting destination with parking, information and ice reports. The destinations include the legendary Lake Runn Falun/Borlänge for some archipelago skating and island stop-offs, as well as the Dala-Floda trail where you can skate until your heart is content, enjoy a wood-fired sauna and even go for a dip in the icy waters. Brrrrrr. What are you waiting for? Get your skates on and come to Dalarna for your next skating trip.Read more at www.skatingdalarna.se   Dog sledding There’s something unique about being in a sled behind a pack of excited dogs who want nothing more than to run. Swishing through the snow, it’s a perfect way of experiencing the stunning countryside and enjoying an exciting, high-speed activity at the same time. Sälen, Idre and Orsa, and other places too, all offer dog sledding.Read more about dog sledding   Snowshoeing A pair of light, modern snowshoes lets you negotiate "impassable" terrain. Immerse yourself in Dalarna’s winter wilds; glide across loose snow and go where your skis will not take you. In the area around Rättvik there are a number of marked snowshoe trails and you can hire a pair onsite. The Siljan Snowshoe Race, Sweden's biggest snowshoe competition and festival, is also held here at the end of January every year. Read more about snowshoeing   Snowmobile Love speed? Love snow and ice? Then a snowmobile is the perfect mode of winter transport for you. You can hire a snowmobile in many places in Dalarna and go out on your own, or why not join a guided tour, or ‘snowmobile safari’ as they are known up here for wildlife spotting and visiting local beauty spots. The Sälen mountain ski resorts, as well as Idre Fjäll, Stöten and Älvdalen are all very popular snowmobile areas. Read more about snowmobile tours and rental