Nordic skating in Sweden

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Skating on natural ice in Sweden, also called Nordic skating, is an unique bucket list experience. The landscape is unspoiled and the sunlight reflects on the ice. You hear the howling wind, the scratching of your skates and your own heartbeat. The ice whispers. You feel the wind in your back and you glide further and further through the beautiful Swedish surroundings.


Nordic skating is a recreational form of skating which starts in November and lasts until March. In January, February and March the ice is thick enough in the frozen lakes, canals and even at open sea. Many Swedish municipalities love skating and make ice lanes of up to 10 km (6.2 miles) long. Touring is very popular in Sweden and every year more foreigners are making their way to Sweden to cross it of the bucket list.

Looking for the best ice, that's where it starts. We recommend finding a good guide. Guides have years of experience and know the places and the functioning of the ice. In winter the dynamic ice layer change continuously and the guides possess knowledge where you will find the perfect ice. The best locations to go ice skating are often known only on the day itself. The skating guides have contact among each other about this via telephone or internet.

In winter Sweden is amazing: red wooden houses between the snowy hills and dense pine forests. In between you will find an innumerable amount of lakes, large and small ones on which you can skate wonderfully.

Where go and where to stay

The most popular destination for ice skating is the famous Runn Lake with more than 62 square kilometers it is a real skating paradise. If you end up here we recommend to stay at the Olsbacka cottages.



In the country between Falun and Borlange, it's the perfect place to enjoy the Swedish outdoors. Lovely, very Swedish, cottage with all the amenities. Hospitality of the owners is amazing!

This article was last updated on March 15, 2021.