Discover Kiruna: Mining, Art, and Paths Between Old and New

Kiruna combines an impressive city history with mining, art, and a wide range of experiences in the surrounding landscape. The contrast between the new and old town centres is particularly fascinating: depending on the route, the distance between them is approximately 3 to 5 kilometres and takes about 30 to 60 minutes. If you are looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home in Kiruna, you can therefore first consider whether cultural discoveries, paths through the landscape, or sporting activities should be the focus of your trip.

City History and Sámi Design Language

Kiruna Church was inaugurated in 1912 and built in the shape of a Sámi kåta. It is currently temporarily closed to visitors and is expected to reopen sometime in the first half of 2027. Kiruna’s history, architecture, and urban relocation can also be explored as part of a guided tour or a self-guided QR tour. This provides an opportunity to learn about the city’s development not only through individual buildings, but also through its spatial transformation.

Art and Mining as Key Experiences

The Kin Museum of Contemporary Art is located in Kiruna’s new town centre, in Kristallen Town Hall. Through Konstverkstan at Kristallen Town Hall, the museum offers guided tours, workshops, and other activities. The Kin workshop welcomes children and adults and is open whenever the museum is open. For weekday travel, the Kin Museum can be reached by taking the Purple bus towards Hagelstigen and getting off at the Kiruna Stadshustorg stop.

Another key attraction is the LKAB Visitor Centre. It can be reached by bus from the Tourist Centre and is located at a level 540 metres underground. The visitor areas cover 20,000 square metres. Exhibits, films, and machinery illustrate ore extraction and iron production. The mining museum at the Visitor Centre also presents the hundred-year history of the mine. This allows you to experience Kiruna from both an artistic and an industrial perspective.

Hjalmar Lundbohmsgården serves as a museum and café on weekdays. For a culturally focused stay, this visit can be combined with the city’s history and the QR tour. Bookings for the Solar Egg sauna are managed by Kiruna Bryggeri.

Paths, Views, and Outdoor Activities

The Midnight Sun Trail leads through lush mountain birch forest up Kiruna’s city mountain to a viewpoint with a 360-degree panorama. For orientation, the route is marked with wooden signs bearing a sun symbol and the text “Midnattssolstigen”. This makes it easy to distinguish the trail from other city experiences when planning your day.

Luossavaara is used as a recreational area and is Kiruna’s own ski slope. Luossabacken has three lifts, four runs, and a park with jumps and rails. In summer, Luossavaara offers three downhill cycling trails. Depending on the season, these different options make the area a destination for winter sports or summer downhill runs.

The sculptures from the Kiruna Snow Festival are displayed in front of Kiruna Town Hall in the city centre and remain open to the public until they melt in spring. The time-limited nature of this experience should be taken into account when planning your trip.

The Right Base for Planning Your Trip

When looking for accommodation in Kiruna, it helps to weigh up your preferred activities for each day. Those interested in culture can compare the new and old town centres, the church, the Kin Museum, guided tours, and the city’s history. If mining is your main focus, plan a separate trip to the LKAB Visitor Centre. For nature and active days, you can choose from the Midnight Sun Trail, Luossavaara, and its winter or summer activities. A holiday apartment or holiday home can serve as a base for your personal travel rhythm, without requiring you to focus on just one aspect of Kiruna.

If you would like to compare Kiruna with other destinations, you can also discover Lannavaara, Karesuando, Abisko, Vittangi, Riksgränsen, and Björkliden.

To the main travel overview: Kiruna.