Inspiration for your own tailor-made trip

Exploring Dalarna
In The Heart of Sweden

Stockholm - Falun - Tallberg - Skinnskatteberg

Discover Dalarna

Starting from between £1,530 to £2,055 per person for 8 days depending on the time of year, type of accomodation and activities

Itinerary Highlights

  • A 100% made in Sweden trip that's all about the open air, lakes, walks in the forest and red clapboard houses
  • Your car for cruising around and your characterful accommodation for a cosy atmosphere
  • End the trip in Stockholm, as dynamic and trendy as it is peaceful and natural
  • Canoeing, beaver watching, Stockholm sailing: tailor-make your trip

Dalarna means 'the valleys' in Swedish, which is apt for this mountainous region filled with lush forests and glittering lakes. Red wooden cottages punctuate the winding roads, which connect valleys, fjalls (small Swedish mountains) and old-fashioned villages. Begin your journey in Falun, the birthplace of the classic red paint which adorns Swedish houses (made from copper ores found in the local soil), before reaching the heart of Dalarna (the centre of the country) in Tallberg. Stay on the banks of Lake Siljan, the largest and most famous lake in the area, renowned for its sparkling waters.

Take a detour via the region of Skinnskatteberg before reaching Stockholm, where you can spend some time discovering the city’s museums, concept stores, designer shops and small cafes. The capital is a welcoming city, with a lively but peaceful rhythm. Home to a harmonious combination of traditions and new trends, the city combines a more futuristic centre with ever-present natural features. Built on 14 islands, Stockholm can be discovered on foot or by ferry, allowing you to hop across the archipelago. An elk safari can be included in the itinerary, as well as a romantic dinner around a campfire. There are also plenty of opportunities to enjoy lake swimming, cycling and canoeing throughout your trip.
Small road in countryside - Sweden © Droits reservés
Small road in countryside - Sweden © Droits reservés
Stockholm - Scandinavia - Sweden © bigganvi38 / Fotolia.com
Stockholm - Scandinavia - Sweden © bigganvi38 / Fotolia.com
Sea - Sweden © Jonas Gunnarsson/gunnargren/Fotolia
Sea - Sweden © Jonas Gunnarsson/gunnargren/Fotolia
Stockholm - Sweden © SeanPavonePhoto/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Stockholm - Sweden © SeanPavonePhoto/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Stockholm - Sweden © Jusky16Fotolia
Stockholm - Sweden © Jusky16Fotolia
Grinda Island - Stockholm - Sweden © Dagmar Schwelle/LAIF-REA
Grinda Island - Stockholm - Sweden © Dagmar Schwelle/LAIF-REA
Lake - Sweden © Rolf_52/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Lake - Sweden © Rolf_52/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Vaxholm - Comté de Stockholm - Suède © Nikolay Tsuguliev/Getty Images
Vaxholm - Comté de Stockholm - Suède © Nikolay Tsuguliev/Getty Images
Ivar Los Park - Stockholm - Sweden © Droits reservés
Ivar Los Park - Stockholm - Sweden © Droits reservés
Stockholm - Scandinavia - Sweden © PeJo / Fotolia.com
Stockholm - Scandinavia - Sweden © PeJo / Fotolia.com

Itinerary

100% customisable for you

Pick up the hire car at the airport and drive northwest to Falun, in the heart of Dalarna (two hours and 45 minutes).

Once in Falun, head to its Dalarna Museum, which is known for its beautiful displays of the region’s culture and traditions. Your accommodation for the night will be near the Koppartberget copper mine. While the site is now strictly a UNESCO World Heritage site, the city itself has remained an important economic and traditional centre for Dalarna. In the afternoon, head to Korså for your first taste of Sweden’s iconic nature. Discover its sleepy lakes on canoe trips and follow it with a rustic dinner around a campfire on a small, secluded island.

If you’re after a further culture fix, head north of the city to Carl Larsson’s former home, Lilla Hyttnäs, in Sundborn, which is rather a work of art in itself.

Continue on the north-westerly route towards Tallberg (approximately two hours).

Stay for three nights in one of the oldest guest houses in the village. With a warm family atmosphere, and splendid views of Lake Siljan, it is also known for its traditional and refined homemade food.

Enjoy two full days of relaxation. Sit back and enjoy the lake, venture into Dalarna, stop by untouched time-forgotten villages and relax on the shores of Lake Siljan.

Hike or cycle round the lake, hire a boat and enjoy an afternoon fishing or having a drink (or two) in the hotel’s lounge. Explore Tallberg and discover the village of Leksand with its beautiful traditional houses and Mora with its church, museum and house of Zorn. Drive to Sollerön and visit its fascinating Viking graves, head to Nusnäs to its red horse workshop, Rattvik for its wonderful panorama from the Vidablick observation tower and not forgetting Scandinavia's longest wooden pier.

Leaving the shores of Lake Siljan, we head south through lush forest landscapes dotted with lakes. These lakes are often bordered by charming villages. On the way you will find Borlange, a small student town and the only real urban centre on the route to Skinnskatteberg (a little over two hours). As night falls, head to the Bergslagen Forest to spot elks and perhaps even lynxes and owls. Enjoy a picnic by the fire, where the guide will explain the techniques for recognising the prints and calls of elk. Your overnight stay will be a just outside Skinnskatteberg, in an old property with neat gardens and comfortable rooms. The spa and the quality of the cuisine deserve a special mention.

Today you’ll leave Skinnskatteberg to reach the capital; around a two-hour drive that passes through Vasteras – one of the oldest cities in the country.

Spend two nights on the island of Sodermalm in an old-cinema-turned-hotel in the peaceful square of Mariatorget, created by none other than ABBA’s Benny Andersson.

Discover Stockholm like a local with a private guide. Start in the old town Gamla Stan. A charming medieval city founded in the 13th century, it is home to beautiful cobblestone alleyways, buildings in pastel and ochre tones and pretty squares. Then head to the Sodermalm peninsula, a verdant corner of Stockholm that has become one of the city's trendiest neighbourhoods with designer shops, alternative galleries and nocturnal attitude. To wrap up this discovery tour, visit the Vasa Museum, which is home to a beautifully preserved 17th-century warship.

If you have spare time on your hands, catch the changing of the guard at the Royal Palace, rummage through the legendary record store Pet Sounds Records and shop to your hearts content at the Ostermalms Saluhall. Dance in a chic bar in Stureplan, go sailing to Fjaderholmarna, stroll through the colourful little streets of the old town and discover the fjord by boat...

Transfer to the airport on board the Arlanda Express (which takes around 20 minutes) to catch your international flight home.

Suggestions

Everything in this itinerary is entirely customisable, down to the smallest details. Here are some more suggestions of what could be included

Korsan - Canoeing & dinner around a campfire

An immersion in nature by canoe on a Swedish lake. Before you go, the guide provides instructions and basic paddling principles. After a bit of practice, reach the heart of the lake surrounded by a forest known to be home to bears, elks and wolves. Stop on an isolated island in the middle of the lake where you can discover the different bays and tree species - birch, pine, spruce and others. Then enjoy an introduction to the art of starting a fire in the middle of the forest. Then you can enjoy a local dinner around a campfire while enjoying the panoramic view and the sound of the surrounding wildlife. Then embark on the canoes again to explore the lake at sunset.

Optional - With a private guide, equipment hire and picnic dinner included.

Cruise along the Stockholm Arhicpelago

The Stockholm Archipelago is a collection of around 30,000 islands, islets, and reefs, which extends up to 50 miles east of the city into the Baltic. There are large uninhabited islands known for their summer social scene, but also simple rocky or grassy reefs visited sometimes by a lone seal, sometimes by a kayaker. The air is clean and the beautiful nature is dotted with typical red clapboard houses...

Optional - With a private guide.

Why visit Sweden with Original Travel

Each of our trips is entirely tailor-made with originality, quality and cultural immersion in mind. Our team of destination specialists will craft itineraries based on your tastes, using their first-hand knowledge and the help of our in-country team of Concierges and guides. All trips are accompanied by a wide range of additional services, including a 24-hour helpline, the Original Travel app, fast-track airport services and much more.

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A few of the benefits of travelling with us to Sweden

  • Our local Concierges
  • The Original Travel app
  • Airport lounge access
  • Destination Dossier
  • 24-hour helpline
  • Expert guides
  • 100% carbon absorption

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A rough idea of the price

Depending on the time of year, type of accommodation and activities

The estimated cost for this trip starts from £1,530 to £2,055 per person. The final cost of the trip depends on the way we tailor it especially for you. The final cost varies according to several factors, which include the level of service, length of trip and advance booking time. The exact price will be provided on your personalised quote. The average starting price for this trip is £1,875 per person.
Included in this suggestion

  • International flights to Stockholm with a scheduled airline
  • Airline taxes and fuel surcharge
  • Car hire for six days
  • Our app, loaded with your itinerary, hotel details and recommended places to visit
  • Overnight stay in Falun at the Clarion Collection Hotel Bergmastaren in a double room with breakfast included
  • Three-night stay in Tallberg at Tallbergsgarden Hotell in a double room with half board included
  • Overnight stay in Skinnskatteberg in Farna Herrgard & Spa in a double room (room only)
  • Two-night stay in Stockholm at Hotel Rival in a double room with breakfast included
  • Half day elk safari, with a private guide and picnic lunch included
  • Half day off the beaten path tour of Stockholm with a private guide
  • Tickets for the Arlanda Express train from Stockholm city centre to the airport

100% tailor-made holidays

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