Umeå is a university town. As such, it has a good number of decent bars and restaurants for its size. Overall it is a small town of about 120,000 people. Most shops can be found within a few blocks of each other, but there are several large shopping malls in that space, no doubt because of the heavy snow that falls for half of the year, making indoor shopping a preference.

Unlike some cities, Umeå has several older Scandinavian buildings in its city centre with plenty of space around them. It gives the city a quainter feel than it perhaps deserves and gives it more character. That's not to say it is not modernising, the new civic centre on the river and the university buildings are all modern impressive architecture. Umeå’s found a good balance here.

Sights & Culture

Umeå City Church

Towards the South-East end of the city centre is the City Church. The spire was visible from much of the city. Whilst nothing compared to the Churches of Stockholm, or even Gothenburg, it is still a strong visual symbol, facing a small park.

Norrlandsoperan

Near to the central station, there is the Opera house, a major auditorium for larger events, and the Black Box, a small, intimate venue for other opportunities. It was hosting Jubileumskonsert, as part of Saami week, an orchestra and some Saami musicians putting on a Joik.

I know little and less about describing music, but none the less I will try. The sound of the Joik thunders through you. It is the sounds of deep woods and dark tall stone. It is music made when in a cold valley with high fire. The women's voices are sharp and clear as glass, and they soar up to a moonless night. The sounds are traditional and modern, blended in the orchestra. The singers make words that are the sounds like the wind, the wolf, a guttering fire.

One thing you can see is there is such joy in their singing. There are smiles and the movement of happiness from the performers in a way that you rarely see.

Tráhppie

The Sami cultural centre is open all year round as a cafe, art centre and cultural touchpoint. A Yurt is outside to see and use, though it is rarely sat in winter, and inside, you can get food, drinks and crafts.

Helena Elisabeth Kyrka

Out by the Västerbotten Museum is the small, wooden Helena Elisabeth Church, over two hundred years old, and only with heating for the last fifty, it is a pleasant sight on the way to the museum.

Sami Yurt

In the centre of town, in the city square, was the Sami Yurt, featuring music, food, drinks and information sessions throughout the week. Like much of the Sami week, this was focused on giving the Sami a voice and a venue rather than spectacle and tourism. The venue was open and licensed surprisingly late, still serving beers at 1 am when many other bars had already closed.

Museums & Galleries

Västerbotten Museum

To the north of the city centre, next to the Saami cultural centre, and easily reachable by bus is the Västerbotten Museum, giving information on a range of subjects. Divided up into approximately seven halls, the Museum covers famous local photographers, military history, ancient rock carvings and even a museum of skis, holding the oldest pair of skis in the world.

Kvinnohistoriskt museum

The small women's history museum is set in the library in the new civic building, shared with a hotel. Consisting of only two rooms, one of which was being refurbished, the Kvinnohistoriskt museum tells European women's story through examples. It offers a wall for visiting women to weave into a narrative of words they feel define them.

Bildmuseet

The jewel in the crown of Umeå’s museums, the newly built Bildmuseet, is part of the famous museum. Set over six floors with high profile exhibitions, the museum is well worth a visit. The top two floors were an exhibit created in partnership with CERN about space.

Further down, an African mosaic and a sound driven experience with a mechanical ‘heart’ in the centre and projections all around exploring the passage of time. The first floor was a creative space, where people could paint their own mural inspired by the professional one above.

The basement is the cafe and event space, and during my visit was home to the Saami quiz and lecture and spoken word poetry.

Expansive, well-curated and original, the Bildmuseet is worth visiting.

Guitars the Museum

This was closed for refurbishment during my visit but is generally referenced as a key attraction to visit in Umeå and well worth attending.

Parks & Gardens

Residensparken

A small park with private buildings near to the university.

Skulpturparken

About twenty minutes by public transport outside of the city is the Skulptureparken. Many sculptures scattered around the grounds of an office park. The snow-covered ground can hide many of them, so it is better viewed during the spring and summer months.

On top of a chimney stack, a lone horse watches everything.

Restaurants & Bars

Rex Umeå

Set in the city hall, Rex has a relaxed, upmarket vibe. Sunday brunch was excellent. Three courses, with smoothie and juice, shot included. It was a huge pile of food, but good value, with great service.

Zillers Brasserie & Bar

Out of the city centre, Zillers is set in one of the old gaol buildings and run by an energetic Austrian. Service is high-speed, and the food is wonderful. Heavy Germanic dishes. The decor is rustic, alpine, and a nice change of pace from Swedish minimalism.

Rådhuskällaren

Underneath Rex is the cellar bar. With a wide range of beers on tap, it is a big space, with lots of alcoves. A favourite of the more mature students, its a good place for a strong beer.

Köksbaren

Opposite the central station, along the crescent with other restaurants and shops, is Köksbaren. Upmarket and pricey, they have a long communal table, as well as private ones. I had the reindeer carpaccio followed by a 60-day dry-aged steak. The meal was fantastic; the decor is pale woods and vaguely nautical.

Shoppping

Name

Sports & Activities

Samiska Veckan

One of the reasons I chose to come to Umeå during the winter is that they run Saami Week every year in early March. I had expected something showy, touristy and perhaps artificial. What I found is exactly what I should have known. In my first year in Sweden, I went along to part of the weeklong Pride Festival in Gothenburg and was surprised. The pageantry was minimal; instead, it was made up of workshops, stalls and information.

Saami week was the same, whilst there was a yurt in the centre of town, which had music and information, most of the events were run by the museum, the cultural centre and the Opera. Sweden takes the important things seriously, which means giving people a legitimate chance to experience them and learn. Fun is part of it, but so is respect. England has an embarrassed acknowledgement of our folk traditions, often regarded as silly; there is little chance we’d host an upmarket event at the Opera House for Morris Dancing.

This is not a tourist occasion to show off the Saami; it is a chance for people interested and for the Saami to share their culture, art, and lifestyles.

Umeå