Västerbotten County Voyage Tips and guide

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

Map of Västerbotten County

• 63.82845420.2705661 Umeå is the county seat and the largest city.
• 63.90584819.7449312 Vännäs
• 63.93042519.2186753 Bjurholm
• 63.56929319.5013284 Nordmaling
• 64.19201420.8495135 Robertsfors
• 64.20051519.7191796 Vindeln
• 64.7506720.952797 Skellefteå is the county's second city, known for its ice hockey team and its mining industry.
• 64.95176121.2071458 Byske
• 64.91283319.4813099 Norsjö

• 65.95869916.20617510 Ammarnäs, a starting point for exploring the Vindelfjällen Nature Reserve
• 64.15983217.35703211 Åsele (Southern Sámi: Sjeltie), historically administrative centre, huge annual market.
• 64.59638918.67527812 Lycksele (Southern Sámi: Liksjovvene/Liksjoene, Ume Sámi: Lïkssjuo), the first and still largest inland town.
• 65.18719618.74211113 Malå (Ume Sámi: Máláge, South Sámi: Maalege)
• 64.26153716.4116214 Dorotea (South Sámi: Kraapohke)
• 64.62571616.65857515 Vilhelmina (South Sámi: Vualtjere)
• 65.09087217.10754916 Storuman (South Sámi: Luspie, Ume Sámi: Lusspie)
• 65.52768317.530317 Sorsele (Ume Sámi: Suarssá, South Sámi: Suarsa)

• 65.81407615.101511 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
• 65.71056115.2552032 Tärnaby , a ski resort which has fostered several ski champions

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.

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

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

Airports are

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

SJ has trains from Stockholm to Umeå.

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

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

• 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

• Blue Highway

• Länstrafiken i Västerbotten has local and regional buses.

• Smartphone apps: Uber

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.

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).

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.

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

See cold weather. Bears roam the region.