Heart of Lapland is the Eastern part of Swedish Lapland and consists of the five municipalities Haparanda, Kalix, Pajala, Överkalix and Övertorneå. The destination is made up of several river valleys where Torne Valley and Kalix River valley are the prominent ones. This is where minority languages like meänkieli and the Sámi languages are spoken alongside Swedish, Finnish and local river valley dialects. Heart of Lapland is still a hidden gem, with local family owned businesses and small-scale entrepreneurs – all surrounded by woodlands, lakes, rivers and the Europe’s northernmost archipelago.
The contrasts are one of the things that makes Heart of Lapland special. Here you’ll get a high-end food experience in the middle of the forest. You can enjoy adrenaline-filled activities in nature and spend the night in a relaxing setting. Here you have the option for soft adventures combined with simple wilderness camps. Most importantly – this is where you get the authentic Arctic lifestyle. The hospitality from the locals is warm and straightforward. They won’t make a fuss, but they will always offer you some coffee.
This is the borderlands where east and west meet. A fusion of rich cultures like the Sámi and the Torne Valley cultures. The Sámi are the indigenous people in Sápmi, which is spread over northern parts of Norway, Finland, Sweden and the Kola Peninsula. The Sámi culture is filled with longstanding traditions, folklore and modern contrasts. The Torne Valley culture is something you have to experience first-hand – once you get here you’ll know.
You can experience up to eight seasons in the destination, all with their own charm and contrast. From northern lights and a magic winter wonderland to midnight sun and twice as much summer. From spring-winter’s snow and sunshine to the many berries and vibrant colors during fall.
Welcome to experience Heart of Lapland – beyond the obvious activities.
Destinations within Heart of Lapland
Destinations within
Heart of Lapland
The team
Meet the team at Heart of Lapland. You will find more information about us who work at the destination organisation and how to contact us.
Annual report 2024
During 2024, work has continued on business and product development in collaboration with local companies, while marketing efforts have also progressed. Culinary experiences and highlighting our mix of cultures and minorities have been a strong focus in both product development and in marketing and press outreach. We have also celebrated Heart of Lapland’s 30th anniversary.
One year in Heart of Lapland
– Get inspired
Do you want inspiration on how to spend your time in Heart of Lapland? What to do, where to sleep, what to eat and how to understand the local culture. We have made it easier for you and collected all of our best insider tips, so that you can have the time of your life in Heart of Lapland.
Projects
In our effort to develop and market the tourism industry in the eastern part of Swedish Lapland – with its main destinations Haparanda, Kalix, Pajala, Överkalix and Övertorneå, we utilise the opportunity of project funds to maximise and strengthen the scope of our work. Read more about our current projects below.
Arctic Flavours Meet Adventure
Arctic Flavours Meet Adventure is a collaborative project involving Heart of Lapland, tourism businesses, local food and beverage producers, the Municipality of Kalix, and the Municipality of Haparanda.
The project aims to make culinary experiences more accessible to independent travellers through joint packaging between tourism businesses and food and beverage producers, as well as by coordinating ready-made travel itineraries for visitors travelling on their own.
To enable smart and effective packaging, and to strengthen knowledge of one another’s offerings in order to better recommend experiences to visitors, local tourism businesses and producers will take part in an internal study tour within the destination.
Furthermore, officials from the partner municipalities will provide tourism businesses and food and beverage producers with information and training on regulations related to food handling and serving in connection with different types of activities, in order to facilitate the packaging of culinary experiences.
An exchange of experiences with a Swedish culinary destination and its businesses will also be carried out, with the aim of learning from a destination that has worked with both Protected Designation of Origin products and collaborative packaging.
During the project, a workshop on event and influencer marketing will be conducted, focusing on how to use digital tools to reach selected target groups interested in food and beverages, create curiosity about the destination, and convert interest into bookings for food and beverage experiences.
