The best family-friendly hikes and walks in Skarjevare

A life-size, wooden carving of a moose family greets visitors to Arvidsjaur in front of the town hall in the village center. The moose are a popular subject for photographs.

The municipality of Arvidsjaur is administered from this building. It covers approximately 6,200 square kilometers, roughly seven times the area of Berlin. However, only about 6,000 people live in Arvidsjaur, 4,500 of them within the town limits. Arvidsjaur is a Swedish spelling of the Sami word árviesjávrrie, which roughly translates to "The lake that gives abundantly" and refers to the fishing in the nearby lake. Founded as a church village, Arvidsjaur was a center of Christian missions in Lapland from the 16th century onward. For several centuries, Swedish, Norwegian, and Finnish clergy attempted to replace the shamanistic beliefs of the Sami people in the region with Christianity.

Designed by Ole Helweg, the hotel opened in 1957. Despite a turbulent start with skyrocketing costs and the threat of bankruptcy, the Laponia was expanded as early as 1975. Today, it houses modern rooms, conference facilities, a pool and relaxation area, as well as five exclusive lounges and a restaurant. The Laponia cabin by the road is a particular highlight in the summer.

This souvenir shop offers not only the usual tourist trinkets but also some very beautiful pieces of Sami handicrafts, such as carvings made from reindeer antler. All in all, it's a souvenir shop with a wide selection, fair prices, and friendly, helpful staff who provide very personalized service.

Arvidsjaur lies on the Inlandsbanan, a Swedish railway line that originally ran between Kristinehamn in the south and Gällivare in the north, covering a total distance of 1,288 kilometers. Construction of the railway was approved by the Riksdag (Swedish Parliament) in 1907 and began shortly thereafter. Arvidsjaur was connected in 1928, and the station opened in December of that year. The extension north to Gällivare took another nine years. Arvidsjaur is also one of the termini of the Jörn–Arvidsjaur railway line, which also opened in 1928. The station building has a residential wing on the upper floor, while the ground floor houses the waiting room and the stationmaster's offices. An approximately two-meter-high timetable board, displaying passenger train departures, is mounted on the outside of the station. Currently, only three journey times are listed here: the southbound railcar of Inlandsbanan AB to Storuman (and onward to Östersund), the northbound railcar to Jokkmokk (and onward to Gällivare), and the steam train of Arvidsjaurs Järnvägsförening to Slagnäs (only in summer).

The Lapland Lodge hotel uniquely blends tradition and modernity. In this lovingly restored old manor house dating back to 1850, guests can experience the magic of Swedish Lapland. Anita and Jürgen Latki came from Germany about twenty years ago with the dream of owning their own bed and breakfast. They bought the manor house and gradually transformed it with great dedication into the Lapland Lodge, which can accommodate up to 27 guests. From here, guests can embark on a variety of activities in both summer and winter. Jürgen Latki says, "It's important to us that every guest experiences unforgettable moments."

The Medborgarhuset in Arvidsjaur serves as the central meeting point for the community, offering a diverse range of activities and events for locals and visitors alike. The building regularly hosts cultural gatherings, exhibitions, concerts, and educational programs, making it an important part of local life. Its central location on Storgatan makes it an ideal starting point for anyone interested in local culture. The municipal library is also located here. The building's architecture reflects the style of the town.

Around the turn of the 20th century, the rapidly growing community of Arvidsjaur (its population had increased fivefold from 810 to 4,030 in the previous hundred years) desired a new church modeled after the new church in Jokkmokk designed by Ernst Jacobsson. Gustaf Hermansson was commissioned to design it. The wooden church, built in the Neo-Gothic style, was consecrated in 1903. The nearly square church, with its wide nave and two narrower side aisles, now offered space for approximately 750 people. The building underwent extensive renovations in 1949 and 1950. During these renovations, the pointed-arch chancel window was closed and replaced with an altarpiece by Ivar Hjertkvist. It quotes the biblical verse, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened" (Matthew 11:28).