Luleå has a wide range of hiking trails, each with its unique character and showcasing distinctive parts of Luleå’s natural environment. Several of them are within walking distance of the city centre, others are easily reached by bus or bicycle. If you have access to a car, then the possibilities are endless. Hiking in Luleå is almost like strolling through the history of this unique city. For instance, you can begin by hiking across the large shingle fields on Bälingeberget — the first spot to rise from the sea, following land uplift after the recession of the inland ice sheet. At the time, Bälingeberget was just an islet in the middle of the sea and the waves shaped the rocks that now make hiking on the mountain a fascinating experience. Continue through the history of Luleå by visiting the place we now call Gammelstad Church Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and once the centre of Luleå, before the city was moved in the 17th century. Today, it is a popular tourist destination and there are also many rare birds in the area. Here, you can hike on what was once the seabed, now a beautiful forest with pleasant walking paths. When you have made your way to the modern city of Luleå, on the peninsula by the coast, you’ll find many other amazing areas to explore on foot. When people moved here in the 1600s, they also began exploring the surroundings. This helped create several excellent hiking trails near the city centre, such as one of the locals’ favourites, the trail around Hertsöträsk. You can pick up a copy of Luleå’s hiking guide at the Luleå tourist centre in Kulturens Hus.

High mountains and deep valleys frame Valldemossa, the village where the island's first two 'celebrity tourists', composer Frederic Chopin and author George Sand, lived in 1838. Once here, make sure to visit the village's main attraction: The Carthusian Monastery of Valldemossa. Originally built as a royal palace in 1309 and later converted into a monastery of the Carthusian order, the Carthusian Monastery of Valldemossa is an impressive complex that houses a palace, a church, an old pharmacy, an art collection of some of the greatest modern Spanish and local artists, and the cells where the monks lived for 400 years to find peace and rest. Each cell has its own exit to the garden terrace with blossoming magnolias and a wonderful view over the valley.

Luleå’s close proximity to water means that water sports have a natural place in their everyday lives. Training opportunities for elite canoers are good but options for leisure paddlers who wish to experience Luleå’s natural environment are even better. In Luleå, you can choose between canoeing on the open sea, along the rivers or on lakes. You are never far away from calm kayaking waters.