20 brilliant things to do in Åre – from high-alpine skiing to lakeside saunas

What is it? A small spa area at Buustamons Fjällgård with a large sauna, hot tubs outdoors and a cold plunge filled with running mountain water.

Season: Year-round.

Why visit? Buustamon is only a few kilometres from Åre village, but feels much further away. The mountain lodge is surrounded by forest, and in winter the final stretch is by snowmobile or tracked vehicle. You can also get here on cross-country skis or ski down from the ski area. It feels luxurious without being too polished, with wood, fireplaces and mountain weather right outside.

Time Out-tips: Have lunch or dinner while you’re here. It’s the kind of place you’ll want to linger.

Buustamon is around five kilometres from Åre village. Book the spa in advance and check winter transport, times and what’s included at buustamonsfjallgard.se.

What is it? A café, artisan bakery, deli and shop all under one roof in Undersåker, packed with bread, pastries, local produce and food made by small-scale producers in Jämtland.

Season: Year-round

Why visit? Start with a pain au chocolat and a flat white, then browse the bread, charcuterie, crafts and produce. Pick up some milk from the farm across the river. The cows graze in Undersåker and the milk is delivered straight from farmer Rikard to the shop. The selection changes with the seasons, so there’s almost always something extra to take home that you hadn’t planned on buying.

Time Out-tips: Start with fika here, then stock up for your next outing. Come when the weather’s good if you can: the outdoor seating is lovely and it fills up quickly inside.

Byvägen 107, Undersåker. Find current opening hours and pre-order bread at favikenslanthandel.se.

What is it? See Åre’s snow-covered peaks from the saddle on a guided snowmobile tour. Trails through dense forest lead up to the wide-open expanses of the mountains.

Season: Winter

Why go? A snowmobile can take you in minutes to places that would otherwise require hours of skiing. The forest thins out, the mountains open up and suddenly the village feels very far away. When the trail turns or the terrain changes, you have to be completely focused on the ride.

Time Out-tips: Book Åreguiderna’s electric snowmobile tour if you want to hear more of the mountains and less of the engine.

Several other operators offer everything from short family trips to proper half-day expeditions, which often include food at a mountain-top restaurant or waffle hut. Drivers must have a valid driving licence. Shorter tours start from SEK 750. Overalls, helmets and snow boots are usually included.

What is it? A small barbecue spot by Lake Ottsjön, with views across the lake towards Ottfjället. Park at Sjöändan. Yes, that really is what it’s called on the map. Next to the car park, there’s a wind shelter and a fire pit.

Season: Year-round.

Why visit? This might just be the most accessible mountain view around. Park right next to the barbecue spot, settle in with Lake Ottsjön in front of you and Ottfjället beyond. Bring your own firewood, a camera and some elk sausage from Fävikens Lanthandel. In summer, you can go for a swim while the fire gets going. Catch the brief window before snow settles on the ice and you can go ice skating with Ottfjället behind you. Stay for sunset if you can. Stay even longer and you might be lucky enough to see the Northern Lights. It gets seriously dark in this part of the mountains, and even if the aurora doesn’t show, on a clear night you can see the entire Milky Way.

Time Out-tips: Have a backup plan. The car park is small and if it’s full, there isn’t much room to improvise. Never venture onto the ice without up-to-date knowledge of the conditions, the right equipment and company.

What is it? Tväråvalvet and Stendalen are two high-altitude mountain valleys above the treeline in Åre’s ski area. They’re at their best in late winter and early spring, when the sun is blazing but the snow is still in great condition.

Season: Late winter and early spring. The area normally opens in February, often around week six, but the exact date depends entirely on the weather and snow conditions.

Why visit? This might just be Åre’s best spot for spring skiing. While the sun softens the slopes further down, the snow stays cold up here, and Stendalen is often sheltered from the wind. At Jon Levi’s traditional Sámi hut at the bottom of the Stendalen piste, you can buy a Stendalingen, reindeer sausage in Swedish flatbread, and there are ready-dug snow pits all around for soaking up the sun. Do a few runs, grab a sausage, bask in the sunshine and repeat. A perfect day on the slopes doesn’t need to be any more complicated than that.

Time Out-tips: Pack something to sit on and some sun protection. Find a free snow pit near the hut, buy a reindeer sausage and settle in for a while.

The area is part of SkiStar’s ski system and requires a SkiPass. Always check the morning’s lift status and weather conditions before setting off.

What is it? Åre’s après-ski scene ranges from classic ski-boot partying to a quiet Irish coffee in front of the fire. Fjällgården is the big draw, but there are plenty of alternatives depending on your mood.

Season: Winter.

Which should you choose? For classic après-ski, Fjällgården, right on the slopes, is the obvious first choice. The hotel and Bergbanan funicular opened in 1910, and there’s a skiing history here that simply can’t be replicated. You can go straight from the piste to live bands and DJs. A big bonus

What is it? A large design hotel at the top of Förberget in Björnen, with views over Lake Åresjön and the mountains, a spa, restaurants, a bar, afternoon tea and an airy lobby centred around a huge fireplace.

Season: Year-round

Why visit? Copperhill is worth a trip even if you’re not staying the night. Come for the views, settle in by the fire with your laptop or a drink and stay for the spa, dinner or afternoon tea. The atmosphere is relaxed and the welcome warm. In winter, hotel guests can ski all the way to and from the hotel. Its location also makes Copperhill an unusually easy place to look out for the Northern Lights, without having to drive off into the darkness in search of your own viewpoint.

Time Out-tips: Arrive a little early and settle in by the fire in the lobby. Afternoon tea includes scones, macarons and copper-coloured dammsugare, a classic Swedish chocolate and marzipan pastry. The dammsugare are the best thing on the plate, and with a name like Viking Breakfast, the tea is hard to resist.

Åre Björnen 62. Spa visits, afternoon tea and other experiences should be booked in advance at copperhill.se. Afternoon tea at Copperhill costs SEK 495 for two people.

What is it? A three-day market that fills central Åre with more than 150 exhibitors, artisan food, handicrafts, music, culture, kids’ activities and sales.

Season: Autumn

Why visit? The Autumn Market is one of those weekends when Åre feels most like Åre. The village is packed even though ski season hasn’t started, and as you weave between the stalls you’ll bump into people you haven’t seen since the last market. Sooner or later, everyone ends up in Åre Park. Grab something to eat from the Food Court, settle down on the grass and regroup with whoever you’ve lost among the stalls. When the market closes, the fun continues at After Market. Don’t miss the sales from local outdoor brands either, though finding the best bargains can take a little detective work.

Time Out-tips: Start at Åre Torg when the market opens on Friday, then leave plenty of room for spontaneity. Try to eat before the lunchtime rush or after 13:30. On Sunday, a little farm comes to the Children’s Market, complete with Welsh Blacknose sheep.

The market takes place in central Åre over a weekend in September, this year from September 24-27. Find the latest programme at aresweden.com/arehostmarknad.

What is it? A guided walk through the old mining settlement of Fröå, where copper was mined from the eighteenth century onwards. The village houses, mine workings and remnants of its machinery are still here today.

Season: Guided historical tours run in summer, but the mining area itself, along with nearby Bergstugan, can be visited year-round.

Why go? Old mining technology might sound a little dry until someone shows you how it actually worked. A 9.5-metre-high waterwheel powered a 200-metre system of wooden rods, which in turn drove the pumps in the Drottninggruvan mine shaft. Once you see those long wooden rods moving, the whole mechanism suddenly makes sense. The guided tour also takes you down into Gustafsgruvan mine. It’s dark, cramped, exciting and a little scary.

Time Out-tips: Don’t miss a stop at Bergstugan! Settle down on the veranda with a cup of hot chocolate and tuck into proper Swedish home cooking made from scratch. Don’t miss their lovely freshly baked tunnbröd flatbread either, made right here on site. It’s a culinary highlight you won’t want to miss. Check opening hours in advance.

Fröå is around ten kilometres from Åre village. Guided tours can be booked at froagruva.se, where you’ll also find current opening hours.

What is it? Ridvadet is a natural sandbank across Lake Ottsjön where, in the right summer conditions, you can wade for more than 500 metres with shallow water all around you.

Season: Summer.

Why go? There’s something fascinating and slightly strange about simply walking straight out into a lake with your clothes on. Your brain tells you it should be time to start swimming, but the sandy bottom keeps going and the mountains make an incredible backdrop. The water usually stays around knee height. After a really warm summer, the shallow water is surprisingly pleasant. After a cold mountain summer, it’s a different experience. A pair of wool socks inside your shoes is much nicer than going barefoot in sandals.

Time Out-tips: Wear shoes that stay securely on your feet and can handle getting wet. Put on wool socks if it’s chilly, and turn back if the water level feels too high.

The crossing is part of the Norra Ridvadsrundan hiking trail, around 5.5 kilometres long, which starts and finishes at ICA Ottsjö Bua. Check local water levels before setting off.

What is it? A small wood-fired sauna trailer by the Indalsälven river with room for up to eight people. You light the fire yourself and have the sauna for three hours.

Season: Year-round.

Why go? The sauna trailer is simple and far less polished than a hotel spa. The Indalsälven flows past outside and you get views of Åreskutan from the sauna. In winter, the snow piles up right outside the window. Bring a small group and stay all evening. Charcuterie, cheese and wine make an excellent girl dinner in the sauna. Sometimes there’s a hole cut in the ice, sometimes it’s a regular dip in the river, but all swimming is at your own risk.

Time Out-tips: Don’t forget to bring your own firewood, matches, drinking water, towel, water shoes and a torch. There’s no electricity and you’ll need to clean up after yourself. If you want a cold-water dip, it’s worth asking Marie about the conditions when you book. Remember that the river keeps flowing even in winter.

The sauna trailer is in Undersåker and can be booked via [email protected]. It costs SEK 600 for two people, then SEK 100 for each additional person.

What is it? A music festival held during the final days of the ski season, with gigs both down in the village and up in the ski area.

Season: The final weekend of the ski season, often around the end of April and beginning of May, depending on snow conditions.

Why visit? During Åre Sessions, the whole village turns into one big house party, except with proper stages and much better artists. Find a spot on the slope outside Timmerstugan by the bottom station of the VM6 lift, with Lake Åresjön in view and live music coming from the outdoor stage. Then move between gigs on the slopes and down in the village. Someone slips off to one venue, someone else heads somewhere different, before everyone eventually comes together for the big finale at Holiday Club. The weekend is best with a big group and a plan loose enough to let a band you’ve never heard of become the biggest surprise of the trip.

Time Out-tips: Book a hotel in the village so you’re close to everything. Read the programme in advance, but leave room for spontaneity. A big part of the fun is simply stumbling across gigs as you pass by.

Dates, tickets, the festival programme and age restrictions are published at aresessions.se.

What is it? Two different ways to experience Åre’s local crafts. At Åre Glashytta in Duved, glass is blown by hand, while Åre Keramik specialises in wood-fired ceramics.

Season: Year-round

Why visit? At Åre Glashytta in Duved, you can stand close enough to watch as the glowing molten glass slowly becomes a drinking glass, bowl or kåsa, a traditional Scandinavian drinking cup. The glass kåsas are a personal favourite. At Åre Keramik, the large, hand-built wood-fired kiln stands outdoors. When it’s fired in winter, smoke billows from the kiln with snow all around, and it’s hard to imagine the heat inside. The flames and ash leave their marks on the surface, meaning the final result can never be completely controlled or replicated.

Time Out-tips: Book a workshop visit directly with Åre Keramik. Petter will show you the kiln and talk you through his work, and on some days you can also watch him at work. Look out for the wood-firing dates, which are announced separately.

Åre Glashytta is at Stinsvägen 12 in Duved, while Åre Keramik is in the village of Såå. Current opening hours and visiting dates can be found at areglashytta.se and keramikverkstan.nu/are-keramik.

What is it? The waterfront promenade below Åre village, with permanent barbecue spots, seating and views across Lake Åresjön and the mountains.

Season: Year-round

Why visit? Årestrand gives you a taste of the outdoors without a car, complicated planning or hiking boots. There are well-maintained barbecue spots and bins along the waterfront, and it works just as well for a family dinner as for beers around the fire with friends. Best of all is how close you are to the rest of the village. Once the sausages are finished, it’s only a couple of minutes’ walk to the nearest bar. How many places in Sweden let you start the evening around a fire and finish it at the pub, with both options feeling equally natural?

Time Out-tips: Use the designated barbecue spots, bring your own firewood and pack an extra layer for the evening. Start here, then head into the village afterwards.

The waterfront promenade runs below Holiday Club towards the marina. The barbecue spots are public and cannot be booked.

What is it? Sweden’s largest waterfall, a short walk from the car park west of Åre. A loop of around one kilometre takes you to viewpoints above, beside and below the falls.

Season: The waterfall is accessible year-round, while the café is open during summer and early autumn.

Why visit? Tännforsen features in almost every guide to Åre, and it’s easy to see why. There are signs along the trail about local plants and history, but before long, the roar of the water takes over. The falls are at their most powerful during the spring melt, but they’re impressive whatever the season. The route back is short but steep, zigzagging uphill towards Tännforsens Turiststation. Finish with Sweden’s best gluten-free waffle, topped with blueberry jam and cream.

Time Out-tips: Wear shoes that can handle wet and slippery ground. Spray from the falls makes the boardwalks and rocks extremely slippery.

Tännforsen is around a 20-minute drive west of Åre. It’s about 200 metres from the car park to the waterfall. Check the café’s opening hours at tannforsen.se.

What is it? A small restaurant and wine bar by Åre station, with dishes available in smaller portions and an outdoor terrace that catches the evening sun.

Season: Year-round

Why visit? At Vinbaren, one glass in the sunshine can easily turn into an entire evening without that ever being the plan. The terrace gets perfect evening sun, but the location isn’t the only reason you’ll end up staying. The sommeliers know their stuff, and the kitchen serves small plates that make it easy to order one more, then another. Ask the staff to match a glass to your food or work your way through the wine list yourself. Order the duck liver terrine if it’s on the menu. As the sun goes down, you’ll be just as happy with what’s in your glass as what’s on your plate.

Time Out-tips: Come hungry enough for several smaller dishes and forget about trying to pick the ‘right’ wine. Let the staff choose for you.

Stationsvägen 11, Åre. The menu and opening hours change with the seasons and are published at vinbaren-are.com and on Instagram. Expect to pay around SEK 200 for a glass of champagne.

What is it? A summer series of outdoor concerts at Holiday Club, right by Lake Åresjön and within walking distance of the rest of the village.

Season: Summer

Why go? The sun sets behind Mullfjället with Lake Åresjön stretching out in front of the stage. On still evenings, you can see rowing boats out on the water as the last rays of sunlight linger on the surface. Start with a drink on the Holiday Club terrace, then find a spot in front of the stage. Moonica Mac is one of the artists who has played here, and her music suits the setting unusually well. It’s almost hard to keep your eyes on the stage when the evening light colours the water.

Time Out-tips: Check this year’s line-up early and plan your evening around the concert. Bring a warm jumper. Even after a scorching day, the temperature drops quickly down by the water.

The concerts take place outdoors at Holiday Club. Dates, line-ups and tickets are announced ahead of each summer.