Falun.
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Overview

Falun is the administrative centre of the Dalarna province in Sweden. It's the largest town in the area with about 40,000 inhabitants, slightly more than its close neighbour and friendly rival Borlänge.

Understand

Falun was built around the old copper mine, which was operational as early as the 11th century. The mine was an important resource during the years of the Swedish Empire and made Falun Sweden's second largest city around mid-17th century.

The mine was depleted by the beginning of the 1990s, and now it has become a tourist attraction and made it to the UNESCO World Heritage List. Stora Kopparberg (now Stora Enso), the mining company, is still active, although nowadays in the forest industry. It claims to be the world's oldest company, having supposedly existed more than a millennium.

The Dalarna province is by many considered to be the very essence of Sweden, with Dala Horses (see below) and traditional midsummer festivities. Falun has made some contributions to the Swedish heritage as well. Prime examples, and memories of the mining, are Falu Red Paint (Falu rödfärg) and the Falu Sausage (Falukorv). The red colour of the copper was used to make a brownish red paint that has become hugely popular in Sweden. The archetypal image of idyllic Sweden seems to somehow always include a Falu red wooden cottage with white corners. The Falu sausage, thick and ring-shaped, is one of few food products protected by the EU through a "certificate of special character" which states what ingredients must be in a Falu Sausage. The sausage was originally made by meat from the thousands of oxen whose hides were used to make ropes for the copper mine. Today, pork as well as beef is used in the sausages.

Get in

Falun is about 3 hours from Stockholm, and is reached most easily by road or train.

If you're in a hurry there is an airport at the neighbouring city of Borlänge, about 20 minutes from Falun, serving Gothenburg, Malmö, and Oslo in Norway.

The local/regional connections are served by Tåg i Bergslagen/Tågkompaniet and SJ. Many connections from Stockholm requires a change in nearby Borlänge. Railway tickets can be bought at the SJ website or Tågkompaniet (only in Swedish) All tickets are available on both sites.

Regional trains run hourly from Gävle to Sandviken, Storvik, Hofors, Falun (65 min) and Borlänge. Some continue to Kopparberg and Örebro.

The railway station is a 5-minute walk from the city centre.

There are very few bus connections from other cities.Swebus Express has 1-2 connections a day with Stockholm and Gothenburg. Buses stop at the railway station which is a five minute walk from the city center and the hotels there. Unless your bags are very heavy, save the taxi money and walk instead.

Get around

Falun is small enough to be explored on foot, however there is a local bus network handled by Dalatrafik. Infants travel for free.

Bicycle is good way of getting around except for during snowy winter. Bikes for rental are available at:

Taxis in Sweden are pricey. Exceptions are the railway station where there is a taxi stand, and weekend nights in the centre. Major taxi companies in Falun include:

Parking is free on many streets and when there's a fee it rarely exceeds 6 kr/hour. Count on getting fined if you ignore the fee.

See

Falun Copper Mountain. The mine and its surroundings were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in December 2001 – a must-see when in Falun. The mine was an important source of copper for an entire millennium until mining ended December 8, 1992. Part of it is still open for visitors with a guide. The interesting tour, with English translation available upon request, takes about an hour and visitors are taken 65 m underground. Tickets are bought in the souvenir shop, and helmets and raincoats are handed out before the tour. Do not wear your best shoes or trousers, since the red, copper-rich mud in the mine causes stains. Shoe protection is available in the souvenir shop for 5 kr.

Mining Museum. It has exhibitions about the history of the mine and of coins in Sweden (including the largest coins in the world), and scale models of mining inventions by medieval tech genius Christoffer Polhem. Also an exhibition on minerals. Much of the museum is child friendly. Accessible by wheel chair (ask for instructions). Texts in Swedish and English.

The Great Pit. This can be seen from the surface for free. It's the result of an enormous collapse in the mine in 1687, and with a depth of 95 m and a diameter of 400 m, it's an impressive sight. Miraculously nobody was killed in the collapse since it occurred on Midsummer's Day when the miners were free from work!

Dalarnas Museum. Has several exhibits about the province and its history. Its main attraction is the reconstructed 1910 library and study room of famous writer Selma Lagerlöf, portrayed on the Swedish 20-kronor bill.

Kristine Church. Built in 1655 and was one of the prerequisites for Falun to get city rights. The renaissance church has two organs, from 1906 and 1982.

Church of the Great Copper Mountain. The oldest building in Falun. It was most likely built during the 12th and 13th centuries. In the cemetery outside rests Fet-Mats Israelsson, a miner who was killed in a cave-in at the mine in 1677. He was discovered 42 years later, and since the conditions in the mine had preserved his body, his former fiancée immediately recognized him. Fet-Mats' corpse was put on display as an attraction for visitors – it wasn't until 1930 that he was finally laid to rest.

Do

Biograf Biostaden. Movies are normally in English with Swedish subtitles, except for children's films which are dubbed.

Lugnet sports area. offers many possibilities for sports, including in- and outdoor swimming pools, hiking and cross-country skiing. There is also a sports museum on the premises. The National Ski Stadium is in Lugnet. Its ski jumping hills can be seen from far away and have become a symbol of Falun. The hills area offers a café, a nice view of town, and a hint on just how insane you need to be to become a ski jumper. To get to the hills, keep going straight ahead after the Lugnet roundabout and follow the "Hopptorn" signs.

Lake Runn. Provides many places to swim. With its many islands it's also popular among boat owners. During winter you can instead rent skates and go tour skating, a popular winter activity.

Runns Sjöbod. Canoes and kayaks can be rented.

Another option is Främby Udde Camping, see the Sleep section. Annual events

The Runn Days. On and around lake Runn. Has a winter edition one weekend in mid-February, with tour skating, curling and other ice activities. The summer edition takes place on a weekend mid-August and features boat trips, music and general fun.

The Swedish Ski Games. World Cup competitions of cross-country skiing.

The Falu Party. Turning the centre of Falun into a large market with vendors, carousels and entertainment.

The Copper Meet (Kopparträffen). Big meeting for motorcycle enthusiasts, around 500 riders gather every year. Includes a motorbike cortège through town, down into the Great Pit at the mine (no, it's not a lemming suicide; there are roads down to the bottom). Held late July every year. Falu Cruising. A vintage car procession through town, bringing car enthusiasts and almost everybody else out to watch the cars and the people in them. Arranged late July every year. Starts at 18:00 and goes on until 00:00. Falu Autumn Market (Falu höstmarknad), again turning the central parts into a market. Held late August/early September. Sabaton Open Air Metal Music Festival in the Lugnet Area. Held Mid-August

Buy

Unlike the neighboring town of Borlänge, Falun doesn't have a dominating shopping mall outside the town centre. Thus the best shopping is downtown, mainly along the streets Slaggatan/Holmgatan and Åsgatan. If you're interested in local handicraft look for the Dalarnas Hemslöjd store by the main cobblestone square of Stora Torget, but be prepared for quite hefty pricetags. There's also handicraft and souvenirs available at the mine.

The most common souvenir from Falun and the Dalarna province is the Dala Horse (Dalahäst), a symbol of Sweden. This small wooden horse has been carved since the 17th century. It is usually orange or blue and decorated with kurbits painting, a symmetrical type of decoration. If you want a genuine one, expect to pay at least 100 kr for the smallest kind.

If the Dala Horse feels too mainstream and you want a symbol of the town of Falun rather than a symbol of Dalarna, look for a Falu Maiden (Falujungfru). This lady is far from the fame of the Dala Horse and is not as easy to find in the shops. Look for the dress and the hat.

A third option is to buy a Kåre Goat. According to legend, the copper mine in Falun was discovered when the goat Kåre one day showed up at home with reddish dirt on his horns. Kåre's owner followed the goat into the woods the next day and saw him rub his horns in the ground, and thus the copper was found. A large wooden Kåre Goat stands on the mining area, overlooking road 50 towards Borlänge.

Eat

Budget Self-catering is always the cheapest way to get a meal in Sweden and there's plenty of food stores in Falun where it's possible to stock up. If you're starving in the middle of the night, run to the Statoil gas station which is open 24 hr daily and offers hot dogs and groceries. Fast food is also available at the many pizzerias, at the Swedish fast food chain Sibylla, at McDonald's near Lugnet or at Gandhis Gatukök at the main square.

Close to the train station, you can find a 7-Eleven gas station, that also offers some food and MAX Burgers.

Mid-range For fairly cheap restaurant food, catch "Dagens rätt" ("Dish of the day"), available weekdays at lunchtime in most restaurants. A daily overview in Swedish of what dishes are served in the different restaurants is found here. Most of the listed restaurants here are also open in the evening with à la carte prices around 100 kr for a meal.

Restaurang China Thai. Asian restaurant with a popular lunch buffet.

Geschwornergården. The place to go if you suddenly get hungry while visiting the area around the mine. It shares management with the Banken restaurants. Make sure you get a seat outside if the sun is shining.

Golden Palace. Chinese restaurant, specializing in real Chinese food and Hong Kong cuisine.

Restaurang Hammars. Italian kitchen. Worth a visit just to see the cozy interior of the building which was built in 1776. They serve lunch with vegetarian alternatives and à la carte Italian food.

The Kings Arms. Downtown pub/restaurant with good food.

Kopparhatten. In the Dalarnas Museum, serving local and international cuisine.

Rådhuskällaren. Offers Dish of the Day in the town hall cellars. Summertime it moves outside and is one of the nicest places to eat lunch if the weather is good.

Tzatziki. Greek restaurant, specializing in coal-grilled food.

Åhlens Café & Restaurang. Convenient for shoppers since it's on the top floor of the Åhléns department store. Dish of the Day available.

O'Learys. Sports Bar, American food, Irish Pub inspired style

Banken Två rum & kök. The most expensive restaurant in town. Make sure to book your dinner table in advance and be prepared to pay at least a couple hundred kronor per dish. It is run in close cooperation with neighbouring Banken Bar & Brasserie (see below), but it has its own entrance from Stadshusgränd.

Tairyo. A surprisingly high-end restaurant, serving sushi and teppanyaki. Open for lunch and dinner.

Drink

Wednesday, Friday and Saturday is the best time for a night out. The bars below also serve as restaurants and offer Dish of the Day during weekday lunch hours.

Systembolaget. Not a bar but the only alcohol store in town, due to the Swedish government monopoly on alcohol. If you want to do it the Swedish way and save some money by having a pre-party before going to the bar, this is where to shop.

Banken Bar & Brasserie. If you prefer sipping on a beer in a somewhat more quiet area, Banken is a good choice.

Club Etage. Downtown restaurant and night club. Look for the sky tracker lights in the sky and you'll find it.

Sleep

Camping Falun, like all of Sweden, has the Right to access rule which allows anyone to camp for one night almost anywhere in the woods.

Sjösidan Falun. Lakeside campsite with swimming, boat trips, miniature golf and canoe/kayak rental.

Nordic Camping Lugnet. For those who prefer their camping a bit more organized. It offers tent sites, camp sites with electricity and even well-equipped cabins.

Cabins. For those who prefer the countryside and plan to stay at least a few days. During high season (late June, July and early August) minimum time of rental is one week, from Sunday to Sunday. Only consider this option if you have access to a car.

Lindsbergs kursgård. Ecological hostel and course centre in the Bergsgården World Heritage area 8 kilometres north of the city centre. Nearest bus stop ~1km from the hostel. Free wireless internet in rooms, lobby and library.

STF Falun/Vassbo Vandrarhem. Falun's own Vandrarhem Youth Hostel closed in April 2021. The nearest alternative is in the forest at Vassbo, about 10km southwest of Falun, in the direction of Borlänge. There is an irregular bus service to the place itself with Dalatrafik bus 244, or more frequent buses 20 minutes walk away at Ornäs.

Clarion Collection Hotel Bergmästaren. Centrally located in the same area as Hotel Falun and First Hotel Grand. Prices include dinner.

Hotel Falun. Some have their own shower, the others have showers in the corridor. Some rooms have cooking equipment.

First Hotel Grand. Downtown four-star hotel with direct access to the night club Harrys.

Scandic Hotel Lugnet. Near the Lugnet sports area about 10 minutes walk from the city centre. The building itself has an interesting design with windows made to resemble a ski jump ramp.