Sala

Sala, a town in Sweden’s Västmanland County, invites you to explore its centuries-old mining past and nearby forests. Go underground at Sala Silver Mine, where workers dug for silver from the 1500s until 1908, or soak in mineral springs at Sätra Brunn spa. See paintings by Ivan Aguéli, who grew up here in 1869, at the museum bearing his name. Walk along Drottninggatan street to browse shops, then head to Hälleskogsbrännan forest to see birch trees growing back after a 2014 fire. Trains from Stockholm reach Sala in 90 minutes, letting you switch between history lessons and forest paths within hours.

Sala Silver Mine Underground Tours

Descend 155 meters into Sala Silver Mine through tunnels where workers once dug silver, lead, and zinc. Guides explain how 16th-century miners used candles and pickaxes, with original tools displayed in above-ground workshops. Spend the night in a hotel room carved into the rock, accessible only by elevator and lit by lanterns. Try walking the High Wire Track if you’re comfortable with heights – it stretches 300 meters across a canyon above the mine entrance. Book tours ahead between May and September when temperatures underground stay steady at 2°C.

Sätra Brunn Spa Treatments

Drive 14 kilometers southeast to Sätra Brunn, where people have bathed in iron-rich spring water since 1702. Soak in warm pools, book a hot stone massage, or sit in wood-fired saunas with views of oak trees. Walk past 18th-century bathhouses on marked trails through the property’s maple and pine groves. Buy a day pass to use the gym, indoor pool, and steam room. Time your visit for Thursday evenings in summer when local bands play jazz near the main spring.

Aguéli Museum Exhibits

Study 45 paintings by Ivan Aguéli at Vasagatan 3, including landscapes from Egypt and Sweden made with quick brushstrokes. Read letters he wrote about Islamic mysticism while living in Cairo, displayed beside sketchbooks filled with mosque drawings. Sit on benches in Aguéli Park behind the museum, where birch trees shade a small pond with ducks. Check the website before visiting – from March to October, the museum rotates displays of ceramics by Västmanland artists. Allow 50 minutes to see all rooms.

Fishing and Hiking Near Sala

Catch pike or perch in Svartådalen’s lakes using rods rented from Fiskeportalen shop on Köpmangatan street. Bring binoculars to spot hawks circling above Hälleskogsbrännan’s young pine forests, regrowing after a wildfire destroyed older trees. Follow orange trail markers through both areas – paths stay open in winter for snowshoe hikes. Information boards explain how the 2014 fire created habitats for beetles and woodpeckers. Buy a fishing permit at the tourist office on Stora Torget square.

Train and Bus Connections to Sala

Take SJ Regional trains from Stockholm Central Station – they depart hourly and stop at Uppsala before reaching Sala. Buy tickets online to save 15% compared to station prices. Rent bicycles at Cykelhuset near the train station to pedal 2 kilometers to Sala Silver Mine via a marked bike lane. Call Taxi Sala at least two hours ahead for rides to Sätra Brunn or remote trailheads. Buses to Fagersta and Västerås leave from Platform 3 daily except Sundays.

Restaurants and Seasonal Festivals

Eat smoked char with dill potatoes at Måns Ols Utvärdshus, a wooden inn by Långforsen reservoir built in 1890. Try their saffron pancakes with cloudberries during July’s Midnight Sun menu. Browse handmade wool sweaters and elk leather bags at Sala Sommarmarknad, held every third weekend in August. Join guided ghost tours through the mine tunnels in October, or hear choirs sing carols in the Victoria Hall cavern during December. Download event schedules from the town’s official tourism page.

Weather Advice and Entry Fees

Pack waterproof jackets in spring when April rains turn forest trails muddy. Wear thermal layers under winter coats – February temperatures often drop below -10°C, though indoor attractions stay heated. Visit the Silver Mine in May to avoid school groups and take photos without crowds. Pay 150 SEK for mine tours, 80 SEK for Aguéli Museum tickets, and 240 SEK for Sätra Brunn day passes. Most shops accept cards, but keep 100 SEK in coins for parking meters at hiking areas.