Dalarna: Here you can experience Sweden like in a picture book
Dalarna is a region in the heart of Sweden , stretching approximately 220 kilometers northwest of Stockholm to the Norwegian border. It is nicknamed "Sweden in miniature" because it contains many things that travelers from all over the world consider "typically Swedish."
Dalarna is known for its red wooden houses painted in authentic "Falunröd," a color native to the region itself. It's also known for its Dala horses, those brightly painted wooden horses that are among the most famous Swedish souvenirs. It's known for its crispbread production, its blue lakes like Lake Siljan, its forests, and its wild nature. And, of course, for its Midsummer celebrations with traditional costumes, which, unlike in the rest of Sweden, can last well into July. We'll show you our ten top attractions in Dalarna.
The Falun Mine has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2021.
Source: Bernadette Olderdissen
Hardly any other city in Sweden is as synonymous with industrial heritage as Falun in southeastern Dalarna. It owes this to its Falu Gruva copper mine, which, at its peak in the 17th century, was the largest copper mine in the world. For centuries, the Swedish national budget was even largely financed by Falun's copper. Since 2021, the mine has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Today, you can experience this chapter of industrial culture on a guided tour. The tour descends 67 meters into the mountain, where the temperature remains at a mere six degrees Celsius year-round. The 400 steps lead past rocks, dripping water, and former mining chambers. Underground, it becomes clear how cramped and arduous the work must have been in the damp passages. Safety helmets and rain capes are available on site.
Also worth a visit is the Gruvmuseet (Mine Museum) next to the shaft, considered Sweden's first technology museum. It uses interactive stations to illustrate the history of the mine and the people who spent their lives there. No less exciting is a walk around Stora Stöten, a huge crater next to Falu Gruva. The mine was not created by years of mining, but by a massive collapse in 1687 – on Midsummer's Day, when, fortunately, all the workers had the day off.
What many people don't know: Without the copper mine, there would probably be no Swedish red! The pigments for the famous house paint come from the residues of ore mining.
Tällberg is one of the most beautiful traditional villages in Dalarna with a dream location on Lake Siljan.
Source: Bernadette Olderdissen
In the heart of Dalarna lies Lake Siljan, Sweden's seventh-largest lake, and on its shores lies the picturesque village of Tällberg, with a population of 200. It offers spectacular views over the lake, but not only that: all the houses and buildings are made of wood, mostly from massive tree trunks or wooden beams.
Since the beginning of the 20th century, Tällberg has developed from a simple farming village into one of Sweden's most famous and visited tourist destinations – thanks in part to hotels like the Dalecarlia Hotel & Spa, from whose hot tub visitors can look out over Lake Siljan.
One of Tällberg's must-sees is Holens Gammelgård, the former home and studio of the artist Gustaf Ankarcrona. This historic farm complex, with buildings dating from the 17th to 19th centuries, is situated high above Lake Siljan and offers a stunning panorama. There's also a cozy café, perfect for a fika (a traditional Swedish snack). Our tip for the perfect end to the day: the sunset on the lakeshore with its small sandy beach.
Dalarna is home to the famous Dala horses – you can still watch them being made today.
Source: Bernadette Olderdissen
Dalarna is home to the world-famous, artistically decorated wooden horses known as "Dala-Hästar." If you want to see how they are made, the small town of Nusnäs on Lake Siljan should be on your bucket list. The most famous factory there is Nils Olsson , which has been in business since 1928.
In the workshops, you can watch how a simple block of wood is transformed into an artfully carved and painted Dala horse with a great deal of handwork, from the first saw cut to the final brushstroke. Of course, the shop also sells Dala horses in various colors. And: In front of the entrance, there's a large Dala horse that children and adults alike climb on to have their photo taken!
The craft continues in the neighboring town of Färnäs, just a few kilometers from Mora, where the typically Swedish wooden horses are made in the traditional way. However, the world's supposedly largest wooden Dala horse can be found further south in Dalarna, in the town of Avesta. The giant red horse is 13 meters tall and 12.8 meters long, weighing 66.7 tons.
The Dalhalla open-air stage is an exclusive event venue with first-class acoustics.
Source: Bernadette Olderdissen
The Dalhalla amphitheater, or open-air stage, located north of Lake Siljan, is one of the most extraordinary of its kind in the world. Not only is the venue itself unique, but so is the acoustics. The creation of this unique natural setting is thanks to a meteorite that struck the site around 360 million years ago.
For a long time, the site was a disused quarry, hidden in the forest near Rättvik. Until Pentecost 1991, when former opera singer Margareta Dellerfors discovered the place. She was looking for a suitable setting for a summer festival – and found the abandoned pit to be the perfect open-air theater. Today, between 20 and 25 concerts take place in Dalhalla every summer, from June to September. The program includes a wide variety of musical styles, from opera to rock, from pop to classical.
To learn more about the place and its history, you can take a guided tour in the summer. You'll learn not only about the concerts but also about the geology surrounding the meteorite crater.
If you love traditional crafts, you should visit Nittsjö Keramik near Rättvik.
Source: Bernadette Olderdissen
Just a few kilometers from Rättvik lies a tip for anyone interested in traditional crafts: Nittsjö Keramik, where you can not only experience old craft traditions but also purchase products. Founded as a brickworks in 1843, the factory today produces unique ceramics, from artfully painted cup and plate sets to vases and candle holders and Christmas gnomes. Nittsjö Keramik is one of the oldest operating ceramics factories in Sweden.
The manufactory's shop is open year-round: daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in summer, and Thursday to Sunday from October to May. Those interested in glimpsing behind the scenes can book a guided tour – however, only for groups of ten or more people and by appointment. This tour allows you to experience the entire craft process – from the initial drying process through the triple firing to the lovingly applied glaze. The tour costs 100 kroner per person.
A small museum is expected to open in summer 2026, telling the story of the manufactory and displaying historical ceramic objects that are no longer available and are genuine collector's items.
Nowhere else in Sweden is there such a high density of crispbread bakeries as in Dalarna.
Source: Bernadette Olderdissen
Did you know that Dalarna has an exceptionally high concentration of crispbread bakeries? Dalarna likes to call itself the "crispbread center of Sweden," and you have the chance to visit at least one of these crispbread factories. Our recommendations:
Skedvi Bröd in Stora Skedvi: This small factory combines a crispbread bakery with a sales hall, a restaurant, and a summer café. The crispbread is usually baked Wednesday through Friday between 10:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., sometimes on Tuesdays as well. If you visit during these times, you can experience the craftsmanship up close. On other days, the factory mainly works on sorting and packaging.
During the summer weeks of July and August, the bakery is also open on selected days. A special highlight: In July (the website reveals the exact dates), you can bake your own crispbread on selected days under the guidance of the baker! Afterwards, you can receive five homemade loaves to take home for 95 kroner. Guided tours are available for groups.
Leksands Knäckebröd in Leksand: When you buy crispbread in Swedish supermarkets, it often comes from Leksand in Dalarna. This is where the family business is located, where crispbread has been made according to traditional recipes since 1817. Right next to the production facility, you'll find a factory shop and a café where you can sample a variety of crispbread varieties, from classic crispbread to crispbread pizza!
The Zorn Museum in Mora is one of Dalarna's most important museums dedicated to one of Sweden's top painters.
Source: Bernadette Olderdissen
In the small town of Mora on Lake Siljan, much revolves around one of the town's most famous sons: Anders Zorn, born in 1860 and died in 1920, is one of Sweden's most famous artists. He painted portraits for royalty, industrialists, and major artists of his time. The Zorn Museum in the center is worth a visit. It houses the world's largest collection of his works, from oil paintings and watercolors to etchings and sculptures.
Directly next door is Zorngården , the former home of Anders Zorn and his wife Emma, completed in 1910. To this day, everything has been preserved almost in its original condition, just as Emma left it after her death in 1942. The property is surprising in its combination of traditional wooden architecture and the modern comforts that the couple enjoyed from an early age: electricity, telephone, refrigerator, and even a water heater from the USA were part of the amenities.
Particularly worth seeing is the large ballroom with its nine-meter-high ceiling, fireplace, library, and enormous billiard table. In the garden is Zorn's old studio, housed in a traditional wooden building. Zorngården is only accessible as part of a 45-minute guided tour – once a day in English during the summer, and more frequently in Swedish.
Mora is not only the town of Anders Zorn, but also the finish line of the world-famous Vasaloppet (held annually on the first Sunday in March), the oldest cross-country ski race in the world. At the Vasaloppet Museum, not far from the Zorn Museum, you can learn more about this historic race and King Gustav I Vasa's ski escape from the Danes. Today's race dates back to this race.
Since 1922, the 90-kilometer course, which begins in Sälen, has finished in Mora—traditionally under the distinctive archway next to the Vasaloppet Museum. The archway was permanently erected in 1986 and has become a symbol of the emotional finishes.
The Toppstuga in Orsa Grönklitt is located on the highest hill in the area and offers delicious food with a dream view.
Source: Bernadette Olderdissen
Just a few kilometers from the small town of Orsa (our tip: an overnight stay at the Hotel Kungshaga with a stunning view of Lake Orsa) lies Orsa Grönklitt , a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts. Whether hiking, biking, canoeing, or cross-country skiing and dog sledding in winter – you can be active there year-round. Orsa Grönklitt is especially famous for its cross-country skiing, with 130 kilometers of groomed trails. What's special about Orsa Grönklitt is that the season often starts as early as October, because in Orsa Grönklitt, they don't wait for snowfall; they preserve snow from the previous year!
In summer, one of the most popular hiking trails is the "4 Toppar" route, which leads over four hills and offers fantastic views of the surrounding lakes. Those who prefer to be out on the water can rent canoes or paddleboats at Lake Östra Rädsjön. A hiking trail also surrounds the lake, with swimming and barbecue areas.
Afterwards, we recommend a break at the Toppstuga, a modern restaurant built in 2012 at the highest point of Orsa Grönklitt. It offers one of the most beautiful panoramic views of the forests, the surrounding lakes, and the rolling landscape of Dalarna. The Toppstuga is open from the end of October to Easter and again from Midsummer to the beginning of September.
A hike on the Siljansleden takes you past stunning water landscapes.
Source: Bernadette Olderdissen
One of Dalarna's most famous hiking trails is the Siljansleden Trail . This 340-kilometer circular trail leads around Lake Siljan and Lake Orsa, past forests, swimming spots, old farms, and the typical red wooden houses so characteristic of Dalarna.
The route is divided into 21 stages, each between ten The route is 25 kilometers long, so you can easily choose day hikes. For multi-day tours, overnight stays in tents, at campsites, or in simple cabins along the route are possible. The route is well-marked with orange markers. The best starting points with good connections are Leksand, Orsa, Rättvik, or Mora.
A particularly beautiful section runs between Leksand and Gesundaberget. There, you'll hike along old "fäbod" trails, historic paths to summer pastures, some of which date back to the Middle Ages. The Lundbjörken and Mångberg "fäbod" farms are located directly along the trail and often host events and insights into old traditions during the summer months. Nature reveals its wild side along this route, with dense coniferous forests, moors, small lakes, and ever-expanding views.
The last stage leads over the Ekorrberget to Gesunda, where you can complete the hike with a detour to the island of Sollerön. A travel reporter discovered a local insider tip: the summer café Silwagården. The café is lovingly set in a courtyard, with a pond, tables and chairs around it, and a small shop full of historical and modern treasures.
In Dalarna, Midsummer is celebrated in a particularly traditional way and in traditional costumes.
Source: Bernadette Olderdissen
If you're planning your trip to Sweden around June 21st, there's no better region than Dalarna to experience a traditional Midsummer celebration. Especially around Lake Siljan, the celebrations are known for their authenticity and splendor. Entire villages gather in meadows to collectively erect the decorated Midsummer pole. Many people in Dalarna wear traditional costumes for this occasion, decorate their hair with colorful flower wreaths, and dance in a circle to the sounds of violins, flutes, and folk songs.
The festivities reach their peak in Leksand: In the large depression known as Gropen, around 25,000 people celebrate the longest day of the year together every year. This naturally includes the classic Midsummer buffet: freshly boiled new potatoes, various types of pickled herring, crispbread, cheese—and, as a sweet finale, the indispensable strawberry cake. A shot or two, accompanied by Swedish drinking songs, is also a must.
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