The northern lights are a natural phenomenon, occurring when particles from the sun hit the atmosphere. The more active the sun is, the higher the chances of seeing the aurora. The northern lights happen year-round but are only visible when the sky is dark and clear. Since the summers are too bright due to the midnight sun the northern lights can’t be seen. The northern lights season begins in early September and ends in the middle of April. Autumn is a great time to experience them, thanks to dark evenings with no snow on the ground that reflects light.

The polar night occurs in December when the sun doesn’t rise above the horizon for about a month, depending on where in Torne Valley you are. In Torne Valley, it is experienced as twilight, so it’s not pitch black all the time.

From the middle of May until late July, the days are never-ending. The sun never sets in June and is called the midnight sun when it pours its golden light over the landscape. Since the nights are so bright, it’s not unusual to sleep less. We recommend investing in blackout curtains.

Midsummer is a traditional Swedish holiday, and Midsummer’s Eve is always the third Friday in June. It occurs around the summer solstice and is a celebration of summer. Wear flowers in your hair and enjoy the bright night! There usually are public celebrations for families in different villages – or you can host your own, inviting your neighbours.

Mosquitoes in Sweden are not dangerous but annoying enough. They usually appear in the middle of June and buzz around until August. How much there are differs from year to year, depending on the weather. It also differs from each location. They usually like shadowy places, near calm waters. Protect yourself with mosquito spray that you can buy from the grocery stores. There are also sprays that you can buy for your dog, check with the pharmacy or local hunting shop.

Yes, the law in Sweden states that you must equip your car with winter tires between December 1 and March 31. However, in Torne Valley, you have winter roads as early as October and as late as April, so you should change tires when the weather gets colder. Make sure to have spiked tires – they are more efficient on icy roads. If you need help changing your tires, speak to the local gas stations or car repair shops.

Please always use caution when driving in winter conditions and stay alert, there is plenty of wildlife in the woodlands surrounding the roads, and only a few stretches are fenced.

Yes, the border is open and there are no customs to go through. Simply cross the bridge in Övertorneå, Pello, or Kolari, and you’re in a different country! Many here live their lives in both countries. Double the service!

Pajala Airport is situated 15 minutes from central Pajala. You can travel between Pajala and Luleå Airport in just 40 minutes with departures twice a day – one in the morning and one in the afternoon. The airport is currently under development to increase the capacity for international airlines, helping tourism grow in the area.

Luleå Airport is about a 1 h 40 min drive from Övertorneå and 2 h 45 min from Pajala. Luleå Airport has some direct international flights and also connects to Stockholm Arlanda (1h 20 min flight time between Stockholm and Luleå).

Public transportation is limited in our area. There are buses you can take from the villages to Pajala and Övertorneå, and from our municipalities to other neighboring towns. However, the buses are only departing 1 or 2 times per day. There are school buses for children who live in different villages. We recommend that you budget for a car to get around.

You can find a train station in Haparanda and in Kalix, both are about 1 hour from Övertorneå and 2h 20 min from Pajala. There are also trains across the border in Finland that you can travel with. Unfortunately, there is currently no train connection between the two countries.

We recommend that you follow the local bulletin boards on Facebook (Övertorneå Anslagstavla and/or Pajala Anslagstavla). You should also join the village’s respective Facebook groups. It is a good idea to follow the municipalities on social media, and there are local newspapers that each household gets every month, which contain both important information and ads for events.

Enjoy clean water straight from the tap. The tap water is fresh and clean, so fill up your bottle and stay hydrated. Torne River is clean and safe enough to swim in, but be careful of the water current. Remember that you always swim at your own risk.

Cloudberries are also called nature's gold. It is a local delicacy used in desserts, made to jam or sprinkled on your breakfast cereal. Cloudberries are hard to find and very valuable. They usually grow along mires, and the amount varies from year to year. That is why you never let anyone know where you have found a good cloudberry spot.

Thanks to the warm summers and never-ending daylight, you can grow a lot of vegetables in your garden. Torne Valley is known for its fertile soil and said to have its own growth zone due to the midnight sun.

Both Pajala and Övertorneå have local health centers where you find doctors, nurses, specialist nurses, assistant nurses, physiotherapists, and midwives, among others. Most treatments can be done locally and they are open for emergencies 24/7. If you require specialist doctors, surgery or are in labor, you are sent to either the hospital in Sunderbyn or Gällivare, depending on where you live. The distance is a little less than a 2-hour drive to both hospitals.

Yes, most people in Torne Valley speak English. Everyone speaks Swedish and some of us speak meänkieli, Finnish, and/or Sámi. There are also other nationalities here that moved to Torne Valley and a number of international workers in the tourism businesses, so it is not uncommon to hear more languages at the grocery store.