Svenstavik is a small locality in Jämtland with almost 1.000 inhabitants. It is located at the stream Svenstaån and close to the southern shores of lake Storsjön, the fifth largest lake in Sweden.
Svenstavik is also home to a research center dedicated to Storsjöodjuret, a lake monster who lives in the lake Storsjön and has similarities with Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster.
A Short History
Svenstavik is a part of Berg Parish and it is a fairly new locality. The parish itself dates back to the Middle Ages, but Svenstavik was established first in the 1910s. The name dates back to 1892. Back then the name only referred to the local post office. The locality itself didn’t take form until the construction of the railroad Inlandsbanan.
Originally three small villages or farmsteads could be found here, these were Bergsviken, Galhammar och Lillhallen. There was also the farmstead Svensta a few kilometers south, which eventually shared its name with the locality.
Things to Do and See in Svenstavik
The nature is always nearby and that includes activities such as hiking, fishing, and swimming during the summer and skiing and fishing during the winter.
Storsjöodjurscenter
This is a research center (or museum) dedicated to the monster in the lake Storsjön. The similarities with Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster, might be striking, but this is the folklore monster of Jämtland. The center offers several indoor activities for kids, such as creating their own monster and adding it to the theatre screen.
Hoverberget
Hoverberget is a mountain and nature reserve located just a short distance north of Svenstavik. It reaches 250 meters above the nearby lake Storsjön and offers a great view out over the landscape. The area is known to house several of the Nordic animals such as elk, badger, and fox. If you are extremely lucky you might also see a lynx.
Hoverbergsgrottan
Right next to Hoverberget you can find the cave Hoverbergsgrottan. This cave stretches for at least 170 meters into the mountain and parts of it are lit and open to the public for an entrance fee.
How to get to Svenstavik
- Flights: The closest airport is Åre Östersund Airport (OSD) located 68 km away. It connects the area with the Stockholm-Arlanda Airport (ARN) for connections around the globe.
- Car: Svenstavik is located along the E45 between Östersund and Sveg.
- Train: Inlandsbanan has a station in Svenstavik with regular traffic north towards Östersund and Gällivare and south towards Sveg and Kristinehamn.
- Bus: There are regional buses connecting Svenstavik with the surrounding area.
The driving distance from 5 major Swedish cities, according to Google Maps:
- Stockholm – 488 kilometers (5 h 34 min)
- Gothenburg – 721 kilometers (8 h 53 min)
- Malmö – 959 kilometers (11 h 12 min)
- Linköping – 683 kilometers (7 h 36 min)
- Kiruna – 870 kilometers (10 h 28 min)
Find out more about other destinations in Sweden by visiting our page Exploring Sweden
