Discover Arjeplog: Silver, Lakes and Landscapes

Arjeplog brings together cultural sites in the centre with viewpoints, lakes and trails throughout the municipality. The Silver Museum stands by the market square, next to National Road 95, the Silvervägen. From there, a variety of themes lead into the history of the town: Sámi silver and everyday life, a wooden church on a peninsula in Lake Hornavan, and traces of the past on Skeppsholmen. Outdoors, the focus is on views and getting active. You can tailor your stay to whether you’re more interested in exhibitions, landscapes or longer routes.

Silver, Sámi Life and Local History

The Silversalen exhibition at the Silver Museum comprises nearly 700 individual objects. It presents the largest collection of Sámi silver of its kind, with pieces dating from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. The Mujttalus exhibition explores Sámi life on feast days and in everyday life. It also features everyday objects that are or were used by Sámi people in Arjeplog. The two exhibitions offer different perspectives: Silversalen focuses on a collection and its long historical span, while Mujttalus focuses on aspects of life and everyday objects.

The present-day Sofia Magdalena Church was built as a wooden cruciform church in the 1760s. It stands on a peninsula in Lake Hornavan beside the market square. This gives Arjeplog two notable buildings with distinct histories: the 18th-century church and Doktorsgården, the home of Dr Einar Wallquist, founder of the Silver Museum.

On Skeppsholmen, a small island right next to the town, a bridge near the harbour connects it to the mainland. The island has Sámi buildings such as a njalla and a lavvu, as well as the remains of a reindeer enclosure. The Edible Country also takes place on Skeppsholmen: visitors gather ingredients in nature and prepare them outdoors over an open fire, following instructions. Cultural history and a hands-on experience are side by side here, though they tell different stories.

Among Lakes, Islands and Viewpoints

Öberget is in the centre of Arjeplog and reaches 553 metres above sea level. The viewpoint mountain is called Suolovárre in Lule Sámi and lies on a large island between Hornavan and Uddjaure. Sofia Magdalena Church, meanwhile, stands on a peninsula in Lake Hornavan: the island and the peninsula are two distinct geographical landmarks for finding your way around the town.

Just outside Arjeplog is Galtispuoda, an easily accessible mountain that rises to 800 metres. From there, the view stretches across almost the entire lake. If you’re weighing landscapes against local history as you plan your holiday, this offers a different focus from the market square: a viewpoint rather than an exhibition. The road to the summit is open for most of the year; winter conditions may affect access.

Trails and Routes for Different Days

The Hälsoslingan Öberget health trail is listed as a there-and-back route, is 2.5 kilometres long and is marked as Red difficulty. Vaukaleden, also called “Spångarna”, is an easily accessible two-kilometre trail with wooden boardwalks in Arjeplog municipality. The distances are similar, but the descriptions highlight different features: for Hälsoslingan, the there-and-back route and difficulty rating; for Vaukaleden, the boardwalks and accessibility.

Djuptjärn has floodlit cross-country ski trails with routes of 1, 2.5, 5 and 20 kilometres. The options range from the shortest to the longest distance listed. For planning your day, you can compare three specific options: the Öberget route, listed as a there-and-back trail; the shorter trail with wooden boardwalks; and the ski trails, which come in several lengths. These details can help you narrow down the distance you want without treating the options as equivalent.

Getting Here and Choosing a Holiday Apartment

Scheduled buses connect Arjeplog with Arvidsjaur, Luleå and Skellefteå; check the timetable before travelling. Arvidsjaur Airport is 100 kilometres from Arjeplog. The transfer by airport shuttle or rental car takes approximately one hour and 15 minutes. If you plan to drive to Galtispuoda, note that winter conditions may affect access to the summit, and check the conditions before setting off.

When choosing a holiday apartment, the kind of day you want can help guide your decision: would you like to focus on the Silver Museum and market square, the views from Galtispuoda, or the ski trails and walking paths? These destinations offer different ways to shape a stay in Arjeplog. First decide which ones you want to be at the heart of your trip; this will help you tailor your accommodation search to your interests.

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