Things To Do in Jokkmokk

At a point 7km (4 1/3 miles) south of Jokkmokk, you'll cross the Arctic Circle, if you're traveling along Route 45. At a kiosk here, you'll even be given a souvenir certificate in case you need to prove to anybody that you're a genuine Arctic explorer.

Jokkmokk is the site of the Great Winter Market, a 400-year-old tradition held annually in February. It's the best place in all of Scandinavia to stock up on smoked reindeer meat if your supply is running low. Samis from all over the north, including Finland and Norway, come to this grand market held the first weekend of February from Thursday to Sunday. At this time, Samis display and sell the precious handicrafts they've been working on during the bitter winter months. Some 30,000 people flock to this market every year. If you're planning a visit, you'll need to make reservations a year in advance.

Salmon fishing is possible in the town's central lake. Locals jump in the river in summer to take a dip, but we suggest you watch from the sidelines unless you like to swim in freezing waters.

Karl IX decreed that the winter meeting place of the Jokkmokk Sami would be the site of a market and church. The first church, built in 1607, was known as the Lapp Church. A nearby hill, known as Storknabben, has a cafe from which, if the weather is clear, the midnight sun can be seen for about 20 days in midsummer.

It is only fitting that Jokkmokk is home to the national Swedish Mountain and Sami Museum Åjtte, Kyrkogatan (tel. 0971/170-70; www.ajtte.com), in the center of town. This museum (whose Sami name translates to "storage hut") is the largest of its kind; its exhibits integrate nature and the cultures of the Swedish mountain region. One part of the museum is the Alpine Garden (tel. 0971/101-00), which lies close to the museum on Lappstavägen. If you want to learn about the natural environment and the flora of the north of Sweden, this is the place to go. The mountain flora is easily accessible and beautifully arranged. There are also a restaurant and a gift shop. Museum admission is 50SEK ($10/£5) for adults, free for children under 18. The museum is open year-round: in summer Monday to Friday 11am to 5pm, and Saturday and Sunday noon to 5pm; off season it closes at 4pm.