Dalarna and Norway trip

West Coast to Dalarna and Norway trip

Visit Swedish region Dalarna on your way to Norway

About the article

Author: Eva Oscarsson, Director Tourism & Rental at Motor Home rental

Emails: eva.oscarsson@skanditrip.se

Phone: +46706438918

Related links: https://gonaturetrip.com/location/west-coast-dalarna-and-norway-trip/

Description: 5 days in Dalarna

7-day trip to Dalarna through the Swedish West Coast.

7 day trip to  Dalarna to meet up with my good friend Gunilla. She lives in small village Furudal,  on th shores of the lake Ore and in the municipality of Rättvik. Over the years I have been there a few times and every time it has been amazing. Dalarna is a regions in the central/central-south of Sweden,  around the big Lake Siljan.

It is a 7 hours drive more or less and I would stop on my way to meet up with other friends along the West Coast in Bohuslän and Dalsland.

Bohuslän

Bohuslän is know for its beautiful coastline, coastal destinations  and island.  My favorite islands are the Koster island a marine nature reserve off the coast of Strömstad. No cars allowed but you can rent a bike and explore the island for a day.

7 days is a short time for sure so it is worth while to not rush too much.  With a motorhome you can find a beautiful overnight parking in a Marina or a port.

Dalsland

Dalsland has stunning nature with lakes and nature reserves. I will just drive through this beauty of nature but I will make sure to stop when I see one of the characteristic rift valley lakes.

Here you are close to Noway and the Great Lake Vänern . It is the third largest lake in Europe, biggest in Sweden. There are 22,000 islands, islets and skerries in the lake. You can get to Lake Vättern from several Swedish counties such as Västergötland, Värmland and Dalsland

Dalarna, lake Vättern and Dalsland is  combination if you like to learn more about Scandinavian and Swedish geology.

This is how I would spend 5 days in Dalarna.

Things that I absolutely do not want to miss in Dalarna
  • Dalarna is an important outdoor sports destination.  If I go in the winter I would for sure bring my skies along. In the summer time I would go for my hiking boots.
  • Dalarna is one of the most traditional Swedish regions. It has a rich local culture  with all-year- around folk music festivals and celebrations.
I am lucky as my friend Gunilla is a certified Dala Guide. She arranges tours and know exactly where to take me. I love the explore and learn local life and history.
In addition to the local folk music scene, Dalarna is the home of two great Swedish 1800-century painters, Anders Zorn and Carl Larsson. Likewise, they also  have the Worlds Heritage sites.  Falu gruva is an 1 000-year old copper mine.
  • Towns and villages offer local museums, exhibitions and small town shopping. Look of the open air flee markets that emerge on farms, outside houses and on small market. Similarly you can find small historical wooden cottages, arts and crafts workshop. A true treat is to buy traditional Swedish bread from local bakeries or eat Swedish pastry in the many coffee shops.
  • Enjoy a historical industrial heritage tour in an old-growth forest in Furudal.
  • Fishing, hunting, life on the lakes and forestry is part of the everyday life. The forest in Dalarna is kind of magic and also an important source of income for the locals throughout the history.

Nature and outdoor in Dalarna, access to the wonders of nature

Nature is amazing and it is not that hard to  discover the wildlife of Dalarna.
  • One day I will for sure take my family there and spend time with a local fishing guide. Gunilla of course knew all the local fishermen that could take us to the deepest forest lakes.
  •  Hike and cycle in the vast forests or across the countryside.
  • Visit the ring of Siljan a Geopark 
  • Above all, enjoy the simple pleasures of life and pick berries or mushrooms. In the summer season ( at the end of the month of July) you can pick strawberries (small wild and bigger cultivated) , wild raspberries, blueberries. The delicious cloudberry is not easy to access as it grows in the wetlands. In addition, the mushroom season starts in August.

Close to Norway

While in Dalarna you are not that far away from Norway. A different kind of trip into Norway is trip along the river Dalälven.