Sweden Guide
Central and northern Sweden
Åre
The alpine village of ÅRE is Sweden's most prestigious ski resort, with 44 lifts and snow guaranteed between December and May. During the snowbound season, rooms are like gold dust and prices sky-high: if you do come to ski, book accommodation well in advance through the tourist office or, better still, come on a package tour.
In summer, the village is a haven for ramblers, sandwiched as it is between Åresjön lake and a range of craggy hills overshadowed by the mighty 1420-metre-high Åreskutan mountain. A network of walking tracks criss-crosses the hills or, for a more energetic scramble, take the Kabinbanan, Sweden's only cable-car (100kr return), up to a viewing platform, from where it's a thirty-minute clamber to the summit. The view is stunning – on a clear day you can see over to the border with Norway and a good way back to Östersund. Bear in mind, though, that even the shortest walk back to Åre takes two hours and requires some stamina.
The tourist office (May to mid-June & late Sept to early Dec Mon– Fri 9am–5pm, Sat & Sun 10am–3pm; mid June to early Sept & early Dec to April daily 9am–6pm; 
0647/177 20, 
www.visitare.se ) is 100m up the steps opposite the train station at St Olavsväg 35. Ask for the excellent Hiking in Årefjällen booklet.
When it comes to hotels, the cheapest option is the new Åre Ski Lodge hostel along the main road ( 0647/510 29, www.areskilodge.se ), which has comfortable private rooms (Price: Kr500-700) and some dorm beds (from 180kr); there's also the Brattlandsgården youth hostel ( 0647/301 38, www.brattlandsgarden.com ; doubles Price: under Kr500, dorm beds from 130kr), 8km south of town along the main road. The nearest campsite is at Såå ( 0647/321 22; late June to mid-August only), 7km east of Åre along the road to Östersund. Åre's eating possibilities aren't up to much, but there are several cheap places around the square: try the cheerful Café Bubblan, which does reasonable lunches of pies and sandwiches, or the more substantial dishes and pizzas served at nearby Werséns. At the cable-car terminus, Bykrogen does decent main meals from 100kr.