Hotell & Konferens Wången

Östersund

Östersund is a city of just over 50,000 inhabitants located in central Sweden and usually also takes the honour of being Sweden's geographical centre.

The town is located on the shores of Lake Storsjön, or Lake Stors, and on the other side of Frösön. Östersund is the only city within Sweden's current borders that was founded in the 1700s. The town was founded by King Gustav III on 23 October 1786, after the lands of the Odensala peasants near Östersund were acquired for the purpose. The town was supposed to control trade in Jämtland.

If you go on an excursion to Östersund, you must visit Östersund City Hall, Arctura and the big church. There are also over 300 shops in the city, so take the opportunity to shop around before heading to a nice lunch café or maybe just a cup of coffee. In summer, the Storsjöyran festival is one of Sweden's oldest city festivals, with many artists performing.

Storsjön and Storsjöodyret

Lake Storsjön is a lake in central Jämtland with an area of 464 square kilometres and is Sweden's fifth largest lake.

Fishing is free throughout Storsjön and you can fish with a rod as long as it is not from a boat. The large lake and the landscape around the lake is often described as an oasis in the desert surrounded by high mountains to the west and large forested areas to the east. According to history, the mythical Storsjöo animal lives in the lake.

The Torsjö animal was first mentioned in writings from 1635 in the legend of the trolls Jata and Kata, and here the mysterious animal is associated with the Frösö rune stone.

There have been many claims of sightings of the phenomenon since the 19th century. It is mostly in the summer and in the southern and eastern areas of the lake that one can be lucky to spot the mysterious animal. But in 2008, four webcams and a heat-seeking camera were set up on the island of Nysvehälla, and in August of that year, something they claimed was the mysterious animal was caught on film.

The large sea creature is usually described as snakelike, over 10 metres long and up to a metre wide with two or three humps. The skin is described as shiny and greyish-black or greyish-green with black spots. It has short legs, with longer hind legs, its neck is long and it has a small dog-like head.

Many attempts have been made to explain the phenomenon, and one of the most common explanations is that it is an extremely large catfish, which can grow up to five metres long and weigh an impressive 300 kg. Another explanation is that the creature is a giant lizard that has survived since there were dinosaurs on Earth.

No one knows what is true, which makes Storsjön an even more exciting attraction.

Tännforsen waterfall

Tännforsen is a beautiful and impressive waterfall located in Åre municipality in Jämtland. It is the highest waterfall in Sweden and has a drop height of 37 metres, a vertical drop height of 26 metres and is 60 metres wide.

Tännforsen is also one of Jämtland's most visited tourist destinations and one of the few waterfalls that has not been exploited by the modern hunger for power. But it hasn't been without its struggles, and it was eventually saved by local residents who refused to allow a waterworks to be built at the waterfall.

Today, Tännforsen and the surrounding nature area are a nature reserve and part of the Natura 2000 area.

The waterfall is part of the Indals River and connects the lakes Tännsjön and Östra Noren. Most of the water flows through during autumn and the end of May. In winter, not so much water flows through but is instead covered by a beautiful ice cap.

Frösön

Frösön is a 41 square kilometre island in Storsjön or Lake Storsjön, connected to the mainland by three bridges, one of which connects the island to Östersund called Frösöya in the local dialect of Jamish.

Frösøen consists mostly of rocks, and the island's nature is relatively hilly. The highest point on the island is Östberget and it reaches an altitude of 469 metres above sea level, and 176 metres above Lake Storsjön.

The surrounding countryside consists of large forests and fields. As a result, there is a rich wildlife, including moose and deer, which also migrate across the ice in winter and stay on the island when the ice melts again in spring.

In the south-western part of the island lies the famous bird lake, Ändsjön, and the area is also a nature reserve.

Frösön is home to the old castle Mjälleborgen and the famous Frösö Stone, which is also the world's northernmost rune stone. Viking coins from the English Isle of Man have also been found on Öneberget.

Östersund Åre Airport is located on Frösön.

Skiing in Åre

Åre is a small village in western Jämtland with just under 1,500 permanent residents. But it is an extremely popular tourist destination with many ski slopes and hotels. The area is packed with tourists all year round, even in summer when there is no more snow. Then the slopes are used for mountain biking and hiking.

Åre's alpine ski area is the oldest in Sweden and has a total of 46 lifts and 89 ski runs. It also has the highest lift height in Sweden at an impressive 890 metres. The highest point is 1274 metres above sea level. The ski area is divided into two lift systems based on four different village areas. The total run length in Åre is 192 km. There are slopes for all skin levels with everything from beginners to experienced skiers.

Åre has hosted the Alpine World Championships three times and is also considered Sweden's national ski arena. The ski area is both operated and owned by Skistar, which also operates other well-known ski resorts in Sweden.

If you're looking for a winter holiday in Sweden, Åre is a great place to take the family.