Holiday apartment in Vännäs – Nature, Culture and Winter Experiences

Vännäs Läger illustrates a period of development in Swedish military history. The site is located on a wooded hill northwest of the centre of Vännäs and is also colloquially known as Lägret. Visitors can walk among the historic buildings on the grounds. Vännäs Resecentrum can be reached by bus or train; from there, a footpath of approximately 1.5 kilometres leads to Läger.

Culture

The station house in Vännäs is of considerable architectural and historical value. It is regarded as a good example of the Nordic-influenced architecture used by the Swedish State Railways in station-house construction in the 1880s and 1890s, and has been a listed state heritage building since 1986.

The Vännäs Motor Museum is housed in an old aircraft hangar at the former airfield in Vännäs, which is characterised by military cultural heritage from the 19th and 20th centuries. In period-typical settings, the museum presents the aviation and motoring history of the 20th century. On display are cars, motorcycles, mopeds, aeroplanes, boat engines, chainsaws, stationary engines and tractors. Directly outside the museum there is also a fully reconstructed Gulf petrol station from the 1960s.

Works of art by Jessica Arevärn can be seen in the pedestrian and cycle underpass in the centre of Vännäs. They are based on children’s own drawings from Vännäs depicting things, figures and places. Five specially written audio stories by Storyspot explore ghosts and mysterious myths with a historical background from Vännäs.

On the banks of the Vindelälven, Slöjdarnas Hus sells works made by local craftspeople from glass, ceramics, textiles, wool and wood, as well as knives, jewellery and art. The house includes a café serving coffee and pastries, ice cream and light meals. A bakery can be rented for baking your own bread; on some days, tunnbröd is also sold there.

Nature

The municipality of Vännäs has eleven nature reserves and four Natura 2000 sites. In the wider surroundings of Vännäs, Vännforsleden connects the Vännforsen Nature Reserve with the Långforsen recreational area and offers hikes along the Vindelälven. The trail passes through a hilly and varied river landscape with diverse animal and plant life, including beavers, foxes and moose.

In the wider surroundings of Vännäs, Gullhöjsleden is a 1-kilometre hiking trail. It leads from the southern shore of Gullsjön up Gullhöjsen to a viewpoint with a wind shelter. Also in the wider surroundings, a challenging hike of approximately 1.2 kilometres leads to the 15-metre-high lookout tower on Selsknösen. In clear weather, the view extends over more than five Swedish miles.

In the wider surroundings of Vännäs, year-round fishing is possible in the flowing waters of the Umeälven and Vindelälven, as well as in several lakes. Many fishing areas offer boats and overnight cabins for rent, as well as fishing piers and barbecue shelters; some facilities are adapted for accessibility.

Leisure

Vännäsbadet offers swimming and water-play facilities as well as trampolines. The complex includes pools measuring 50 and 25 metres in length, a paddling pool with water games, a water slide and opportunities for beach volleyball. Vännäsbadet also has a minigolf course.

The beach promenade runs for approximately 7 kilometres along the Umeälven, largely from Brånsbron in Vännäsby to Marahällabron in Vännäs. It can be used on foot or by bicycle.

The scenic Röda Viken disc golf course is located in the recreational area near Vännäsbadet and the campsite. It has a 9-hole course; a further 9 holes were planned at the time. The course can be used free of charge around the clock.

Middagsberget has two lifts and six runs, including a fun park. The facilities also include a sledding hill and a wind shelter with a barbecue area. Directly below Slöjdarnas Hus there is an ice hole for cold winter swimming.

In the wider surroundings of Vännäs, Eldare Gård offers bookable carriage rides through a village and along gravel roads through a beautiful agricultural landscape.

Other places

For further location pages for the regional selection, see Vännäs, Norsjö, Sorsele, Bjurholm, Åsele, Lycksele, Vindeln and Skellefteå.

For the higher-level travel overview: Västerbotten.