This small town in central Sweden has a 13-meter wooden bear statue at its center, marking its status as the regional capital of Härjedalen County.
Sveg, a small town of 2,500 people in central Sweden's Jämtland County, lies along the Ljusnan river. In summer, when temperatures reach 36°C, you can watch blacksmiths work at the Viking Age museum or fish in the calm sections of the river. During winter, with temperatures dropping to -43°C, you can ski the marked trails in Sonfjället National Park or photograph the twin-towered stone church covered in snow.
Getting to Sveg
Take the Inlandsbanan train, fly directly from Stockholm, or drive along Riksväg 84 to reach Sveg. The town sits at a major intersection connecting several routes through central Sweden. If you're heading to Norway, Riksväg 84 connects to Fylkesvei 31, leading to Røros.
The Viking Age Museum
At this open-air museum, you'll find volunteers living in wooden houses built using 1000-year-old techniques. Join workshops to bake Viking-style bread, observe blacksmiths creating tools, or try traditional crafts yourself. Each building functions as a workshop where you can handle authentic tools and learn about daily Viking life from the volunteers.
Sonfjället National Park
Walk the 4-kilometer Björnrundan (Bear Trail) through areas frequented by brown bears, or hike to the summit for views across the Härjedalen valley. The park has marked trails ranging from 2 hours to full-day walks. In winter, you can ski on 15 kilometers of maintained tracks through the forest. The Ljusnan river has several slow-moving sections where you can fish during summer months.
Historical Buildings
The twin-towered Sveg Church, completed in 1847, is the fourth church built on this site since the 1000s. Its narrow sacristy and symmetrical stone towers make it a distinctive landmark in the town center. The Sveg Power Plant, built between 1972-1975 during Sweden's energy crisis, remains an active hydroelectric facility.
Literary Connections
Swedish crime author Henning Mankell grew up in Sveg while his father worked as a district judge. You can walk the same streets that appear in his novel "The Return of the Dancing Master" (Danslärarens återkomst), including many buildings that remain unchanged since Mankell's childhood.
