'''Umea''' [http://www.visitumea.com/] is a city of about 110,000 located near the mouth of the Ume River and is the capital of Vasterbotten County in Norrland in Northern Sweden. The city's nickname is the "Town of Birches".
Understand
Get in
By plane
'''SAS''' [http://www.scandinavian.net] has between five and six flights on weekdays to Stockholm-Arlanda. On Saturdays there are two flights and on Sundays there are three flights. The flight to Kiruna has been rerouted and goes through Lulea now.
'''Malmo Aviation''' [http://www.malmoaviation.se] has five flights on weekdays to Stockholm-Bromma, some of them continuing on to Goteborg. On Saturdays there is one flight and on Sundays there are four flights.
'''Norwegian''' [http://www.norwegian.se] has four flights on weekdays to Stockholm-Arlanda. On Saturdays there is one flight and on Sundays there are three flights.
'''Next Jet''' [http://www.nextjet.se] has two flights on weekdays to Ostersund and Lulea. There are no flights on weekends and during July.
The flight time from Stockholm to Umea is 55-65 minutes. Prices start from 450 SEK one way if tickets are bought in advance. In addition, youth under 26 and students holding an ISIC or national student card with SAS/SJ/SL stamp benefit from a fixed price of 500 SEK on most flights run by Malmo Aviation and SAS. A ticket with the low cost carrier Norwegian starts from 324 SEK. A ticket to Lulea and Ostersund costs from 500 SEK one way and the flights take 40 minutes.
'''Umea Airport''' [http://www.lfv.se/templates/LFV_AirportStartPage____21353.aspx] lies 4 kilometres east of the city center, on the edge of the city. Wifi is available at 80 SEK per hour. Transports to and from the airport include a special airport bus (40 SEK, goes to Vasaplan in the city center passing through the student suburb of Alidhem) and taxis with fixed prices of 120-130 SEK within the city.
By train
There is a daily direct night train service from Stockholm. It departs at 20:58 from Stockholm railway station and passes by Umea at 06:45 before continuing on to Lulea where it arrives at 11:45. The opposite way, the train leaves Lulea at 16:35, passing by Umea at 20:48 before arriving in Stockholm at 06:45 the following morning. The tickets from Stockholm to Umea range from 245 SEK for a non-rebookable seat ticket if booked well in advance to 750 SEK if purchased the same day. A berth in a couchette will set you back some 420 SEK if booked well in advance and well over 1000 SEK if booked at last minute. A ticket from Umea to Lulea costs around 320 SEK. Discount is applicable for youth under 26 years and students with a valid ISIC or national student card holding a SAS/SJ/SL symbol.
Umea railway station is at the city centre. Note that the train may not run to Umea on some Sundays, requiring you to take a bus from Vannas (approximately 35 km away).
For train bookings you can use the Boka tag website [http://www.bokatag.se/templates/Timetable.aspx?id=3901&epslanguage=EN]
By car
649km (403 miles) north on E4 from Stockholm. Note that driving in Norrland can be dangerous, especially in winter. Collisions with moose are a common cause of road accidents. During the latest years the road administration of Sweden (Vagverket) have invested much in upgrading road safety, which includes wild-life barriers/fences along major roads. This is by no means a guarantee, but it reduces the risk of moose-collisions. Other upgrades include 3-lane roads, where one direction is provided with two lanes to allow for safe passing of other vehicles while the other direction only has one. This changes from one direction to another along the road, so within a reasonable distance, the direction you travel in will have 2 lanes. It is recommended to have experience of driving in snow and poor visibility when driving in the winter, as even major roads get snow covered during days with lots of snow falling, just as strong winds in some parts cause snow to drift onto the road surface. All in all, though, the roads are kept free from snow or with a minimal surface layer of snow and ice, but note that roads away from the coast usually are snow covered during the entire winter, not being salted but rather just plowed for vehicle traffic.
By boat
RG Line [http://www.rgline.com] runs ferries between Vaasa, Finland across the Gulf of Bothnia and Holmsund at the mouth of the Ume river. A oneway trip takes 4,5 hours. The time table changes frequently. The prices are fix and range from 495 SEK for students up to 660 SEK for adults. From Holmsund, take bus 123 or 124 (38 SEK) to Umea. It is an easy 20 minute ride.
Get around
Since Umea has a lot of students, bikes are common and the city offers a wide variety of bike-friendly roads and bike-only bridges. It is often both easier and faster to get around by bike rather than by car or bus.
Bikes can be rented at '''Cykel & Mopedhandlaren''' (Kungsgatan 101, +46(0)90-140170) or '''Umea Camping''' [http://www.firstcamp.se/umea/english] If you plan on staying longer, buying a used bike is a good investment - with a bit of effort you can find a good used bike for as low as 400 SEK.
If you prefer to use public transport, the local bus system (run by Vasterbottens Lokaltrafik [http://www.tabussen.nu]) has Vasaplan as its hub in central Umea and costs 22 SEK per ride for adults, 17 SEK for youth below 26 and 11 SEK for children below 18 (including one hour of free transfer). Buses tend to be very infrequent in summertime and as a general rule it is advisable to check the timetable before getting to the bus stop during all seasons - waiting for 10 or 20 minutes in a bus stop at -20 C is a potential health risk. Night buses are available on Fridays and Saturdays for 40 SEK.
See
'''Gammlia''' [http://www.vasterbottensmuseum.se] is the city's open-air cultural showcase, centered around the '''Vasterbottens Museum'''. Exhibits focus on the region's history, with art exhibits and musical performances as well. Free entry, closed Mondays.
'''Umea Radhus''' (City Hall) lies in the middle of Umea. Behind it (on the north side) lies ''Radhustorget'' (City Hall Square), the heart of Umea's central shopping district. ''Radhusesplanaden'' leads you from the square to ''Jarnvagstorget'' (The Rail Square), next to which lies the train station as well as the long-haul bus station. Off to the side of Radhusesplanaden you will also pass ''Umea Stadsbibliotek'' (Umea City Library) and ''Vasaplan'' (the hub of local bus traffic). In front of the City Hall is ''Radhusparken'' and down by the waterfront is ''Tradgard i Norr'' (Garden in the North), which is a small flower park.
'''Bjorkloven''' [http://www.bjorkloven.com] is the local ice hockey team playing in the Allsvenskan (Second Division). The season ranges typically September - March. Tickets cost 100 - 170 SEK depending on visibility.
'''Umea Universitet''' [http://www.umu.se] is the local university.
'''Nydalasjon''' is a beautiful lake with public paths and barbeque spots all around it. Popular for bathing in the summer. The Nydala camping site [http://www.camping.se/templates/product____8.aspx?prodId=3128] is situated at the northern end of the lake and also has a pool that is open during the summer months.
'''Vanortsparken''' is a small park in central Umea, next to Umea Stadskyrka [http://www.umea.se/omkommunen/faktaomumea/stadsvandring/umeastadskyrka.4.bbd1b101a585d704800064235.html]. The park contains art related to each of Umea's sister cities around the world.
Do
Umea International Film Festival. ttp://www.filmfest.se/. Annual film festival, usually held in mid-September.
Umea Jazz Festival. ttp://www.umeajazzfestival.se/. Annual jazz festival, usually held in October.
Norrlandsoperan. orrlandsOperan. 4690154300. ttp://www.norrlandsoperan.se. The city has an opera house, and a famous opera company. Besides opera, the building hosts a large number of other events.
SF cinema. stra Radhusgatan 2 D. 90-137200. ttp://www.sf.se/?selCity=UM/. The main cinema in the city centre mostly showing hollywood blockbusters and swedish film.
Umea Open. mea Folkets Hus. 90-12 61 80. ttp://www.umeaopen.se. Annual popular music festival during three days in mid March attracting thousands of visitors. This is the biggest music event in Umea. Most of the artists and bands are of Swedish origin.
Megazone. stra Radhusgatan 8B. 90-130777. ttp://www.megazone.se/. Adventure centre on Radhustorget in central Umea. Here anyone can get his dose of action in the 600 m^2 large area for Laserdome, Phazerzone as well as 26 Fort Boyard style cells with various problem solving tasks. This wonderful place also holds an arcade game centre and a large pool and snooker hall. On top of this, there is a reasonably prized grill.
Brannbollsyran. ampus Area. Last weekend every May, Umea changes it shape into a celebration of the upcoming summer break. Brannbollsyran is an unofficial world cup in the Swedish game of brannboll spread out all over the city. Anyone can join and over 1000 teams of 8-11 competitors so do. If you have plans to compete, '''IKSU Sportcentre''' [http://www.iksu.se/sv/tavlingochfriluftsliv/Brannboll/] is the place to register your team. The final games are held on the university campus on Sunday. This Thursday-Sunday event has grown into a festival with virtually every part of the city helding some kind of event. '''Nordic Rock''' [http://www.nordicrock.se/] arranges an annual Friday-Saturday hard rock music event at Hamnmagasinet in downtown during Brannbollsyran.
Learn
With 27,000 students, Umea is Sweden_fs fifth largest university city.
'''Umea University''' (UmU), [http://www.umu.se]. Faculties include Humanities, Medical, Teacher Education, Science and technology, Social Sciences, Fine Arts, Restaurant and Culinary Arts, Institute of Design, Business and Economics, Environment, Physical Education and Sports and Technology.
'''Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences''' (SLU), [http://www.slu.se/?id=171]. Forestry, Agriculture, Landscape planning and Garden science, plus the School of Environmental Studies.
Work
Work is quite hard to find in the city, even for locals. The biggest employers are the University, the Hospital and Volvo (which has a factory on the outskirts). Knowledge of Swedish as well as a work permit (not needed for Nordic or EU citizens) are essential in order to get a job at either.
Students (especially foreign/exchange students) will find it even harder to get a job, but have a chance at the pubs, student papers and at the Student Union. Additionally, a French or Spanish native speaker might just get a temporary job as a teaching assistant.
Buy
Most shops are located downtown (along Kungsgatan and Storgatan), in a fairly small area. Each neighborhood will have a small shopping center, with one or two supermarkets (ICA or Konsum/coop) and a few kiosks and fast food outlets. Two large shopping centers and hypermarkets are located at the outskirts - one, Strompilen (with a shopping gallery, an electronics hypermarket and an ICA hypermarket), at the end of Sofiehem and the other one (with a Willy's supermarket, and a Coop supermarket) in Ersboda.
Eat
Budget
Fantastisk Grill. mea University. a. 35 SEK. Cheap kebab and hamburger meals for the students at the university.
Radhusgrillen. adhustorget. a. 35 SEK. "Rull"-kebab and -pizza, a local specialty.
Mid-range
Droskan. torgatan 60, Ost pa stan. 90-135588. ttp://www.droskan.se. 5 SEK. Lunch restaurant with "husmanskost" (Swedish food).
Frasses. adhustorget 1. 90-121285. ttp://www.frasses.se. a. 50-70 SEK. Hamburger chain, try the garlic dip that only the Umea franchises have.
MAX. ungsgatan 63, Radhustorget. 90-120070. ttp://www.max.se. a. 50-70 SEK. 63o 49' 32.53. 20o 15' 52.20. Popular Swedish hamburger chain.
Mias Grill. arnvagstorget. 90-133050. a. 50-70 SEK. Hamburgers with generous portions of french fries.
Queens. kolgatan 65, Vasaplan. 90-129912. a. 50-90 SEK. Pan pizzas and hamburgers. Lunch buffet of pan pizza for a reasonable price.
Alvans Pizzeria. lvans vag 246,Tomtebo. 90-196965. 0-70 SEK. A small pizzeria with the best kebabpizza around.
Maxim. ungsgatan 47. 90-138283. 0-100 SEK. Relaxed bar and pizza/grill in the city center.
Gandhi. adhusesplanaden 17 B. 90-12 50 75. ttp://www.gandhi.se/. 00-150 SEK. Indian restaurant.
Great Eastern. agasinsgatan 17. 90?138838. ttp://www.greateastern.se. 0-150 SEK. Chinese restaurant.
Sea Street Sushi Bar. enmarkstorget 6. 90 - 13 52 10. ttp://www.seastreetsushibar.se/umea/main.html. Japanese sushi bar. 50-140 SEK.
Amphigas Thai. allmovagen 71. 90 - 13 71 08. ttp://www.amphigathai.se/. 0-125 SEK. Thai restaurant.
Splurge
Restaurang Viktor. asagatan 11. 90-711115. ttp://www.restaurangviktor.com/. ue-Sat 18:00-23:00. 00 SEK and up. Award winning restaurant. This is the best deal if you feel like you want to treat yourself with an inspiring dinner.
Rex Bar & Grill. adhuset. 90-706050. ttp://www.rexbar.com/. 00 SEK and up. Upscale restaurant.
Invito. enmarkstorget 6. 90-14 53 60. Upscale Italian restaurant. 165 SEK and up for main course.
Drink
Nightlife is quite low-key for such a student town. Clubs and pubs are located either on campus or in a cluster downtown. The campus clubs are either student-only (admittance based on student-card) or offer entry fees discounts, whereas downtown clubs and pubs usually have a higher age limit for admittance. All pubs and nightclubs close at 2 AM on weekends and usually at 1 AM on weekdays.
Admittance ranges between 25 and 100 SEK for a regular night (100 and up for concerts etc.).
On campus pubs:
Corona. ohan Bures Vag 8-10. 90-7869032. ttp://www.clubcorona.net/en/175/--------------------corona-natt-club-corona/. A two-story, two-dance floors club located on campus. Minimum age is 20 (18 for students). Usually the top choice of the students of Umea university as it can take over 1000 people when full. Corona is located on campus, in the back of the Universum building.
NH. ationernas hus. ohan Bures vag 8-10. 90-774099. ttp://www.nationernashus.com/. 0 SEK entry fee. Right next door to its rival Corona, this cosy little student pub is a breath of fresh air compared to its usually crowded neighbour. Admittance strictly for students possesing valid ISIC or national student card only. Club on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays and a tremendously popular late afternoon pub (EPP) on Fridays.
E-Puben. niversum. 90-7867679. ttp://www.hhus.se/epuben. 0 SEK entry fee. This recently renovated student pub is located straight on the campus. Driven by the Business and Economics students, this pub gets crowded on Fridays and Saturdays. You will need a valid ISIC or national student card to gain entrance.
Karhuset Origo. arrskogsgrand. 90-7869299. ttp://www.karhusetorigo.se/. 0 SEK entry fee. A student pub/club close to IKSU sport centre. Open Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Shows big sport events on two projector screens. Club on Fridays and Saturdays with the occasional concert with local bands every month or so.
Karhuset Villan. lintvagen 55 . 90-135135. ttp://www.karhusetvillan.com/. 0 Sek entry fee. Another student pub, belonging to the Medicine Students' Union, located next to the hospital.
Downtown:
X3M Club. astra Norrlandsgatan 8. 90-132380. ttp://www.x3m.se/. 00 SEK entry fee, 50 SEK if student. A very popular and large club located in the heart of dowtown. Mostly playing mainstream popular music on its largest dance floor but there is also a hard rock section and two karaoke clubs. Minimum age is 18 (except on Saturdays, when it is 21).
Rex Bar & Grill Umea. adhustorget. 90-706050. ttp://www.rexbar.com/. 00 SEK entry fee. An upscale nightclub and restaurant located in the City Hall building. Usually open only on Fridays, Saturdays. 3 bars, 2 dance floors, minimum age 21 on Fridays and 27 on Saturdays. A popular summer hang out due to its outdoor serving area.
O'Learys Bar and Restaurant. ungsgatan 50A. 90-145200. ttp://www.olearys.se/umea. 00 SEK entry fee, 50 SEK for students. The local franchise of a nation-wide sports bar dedicated to the NHL team Boston Bruins. A perfect spot if you want to enjoy a well done burger and watch your favourite football team on one of the 30 plus widescreen tv's. Minimum age limit is 19 to 21 years.
Scharinska Villan. torgatan 65. 70-3414365. ttp://www.scharinska.se. The best club in town when it comes to music events. Extremely popular among alternative music crowd. Houses in a huge heritage villa close to Dobelns park in downtown.
Pipes of Scotland. orrlandsgatan 17. 90-134100. ttp://www.pipesofscotland.se/umea. ree entrance. A laid back scottish style pub with a wide sortiment of draught and bottled stouts, porters and ales. A great place for a afterwork beer and some buffet style food. Popular on weekends by people who aren't into clubbing.
Teatercafeet. C. asaplan. 90-156321. ttp://www.umea.fh.se/default.asp?id=4354&PTID=&refid=1066. 0 SEK entry fee. This small bar and restaurant is located close by the public library in central Umea. It has a large outdoor sitting area during summer but the indoor part gets easily crowded, especially during weekends. TC represents a modern white decor bar and nightclub and is popular among house music fans.
Additionally, a number of events, such as Klubb Pingvin [http://www.klubbpingvin.se/] occur on a regular basis, with a traditional venue being the Plaza, Universum (on campus) or Norrlands Operan (the Opera House).
Sleep
Camping
First Camp Umea. ydalasjon 2, 90654, Umea. 90702600. ttp://www.firstcamp.se/umea. Cottages and camping. Close to university, only fifteen minutes by bike to city centre. Wireless internet connection available. Popular among students and workers all year around, families during the summer. Outdoor pool area closeby.
Budget
Umea Vandrarhem. astra Esplanaden 10. 90771650. ttp://www.umeavandrarhem.com/eng/index.html. 55 SEK and up. Youth hostel in the downtown area. Dorm bunks, singles and doubles available. Discount with IYHF or STF card. Linen towels and breakfast excluded.
YMCA hostel. arnvagsallen 20. 90-185700. ttp://www.kfum.nu/09_VH_hostel_english.php?id=000. 60 SEK and up.. Hostel popular among school groups. Dorm bunks, singles and doubles with/without shower available. Extra charge for linen, breakfast and internet usage.
Hotell Gamla Fangelset (Old Prison Hotel). torgatan 62. 90-10 03 80. ttp://www.hotellgf.se. 80 SEK single. An old prison converted to a hostel. 10 minute walk to city center, 20 minute walk to campus.
Mid-range
Best Western Hotel Botnia. orra Obbolavagen 125. 90135490. ttp://www.hotelbotnia.com/. 90 SEK and up. Located near the airport some 3km from the city center, but provides free car transportation to and from locations within the city; also bicycles. Originally the "Flyghotellet" or "Aviation Hotel", its decor is entirely aircraft-related.
Hotell Pilen. ilgatan 5. 90-141460. ttp://www.hotellpilen.se/eng/index.asp. 50 SEK and up. Hotell Pilen is located just a stone's throw from the Umea River, in the central, but quiet part of town known as "Ost pa Stan". The hotel is one of the oldest in Umea, dating back to early 20th century.
Splurge
Hotel Aveny. adhusesplanaden 14. 90-134100. ttp://www.profilhotels.se/en/hotels/sweden/umeaa/hotel-aveny/info.aspx. 90 SEK and up. A business hotel located in the heart of down town. The rates include breakfest, gym and wifi.
Scandic Plaza Umea. torgatan 40. 90-2056300. ttp://www.scandichotels.com/en/Hotels/Countries/Sweden/Umea/Hotels/Scandic-Plaza-Umea/?redirected=true. 20 SEK and up. Four star hotel located in the highest building in Umea. Right in the middle of downtown.
Contact
The centrally-located library ('''Umea Stadsbibliotek''') has internet PCs for public use (10 minute limit).
'''Spixel''', Kungsgatan 48, Umea, 090-778777 is an internet cafe and gaming zone in the downtown area. It is located on the top floor of Hemmakvall movie letting store.
Stay safe
Umea is a very safe city. There is no reason to be worried walking around the city at night.
Get out
'''Arboretum Norr''' - Approximately 10 km upstream the Ume river from the city center, Umea universitet, Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet and Umea kommun has laid out an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arboretum arboretum] with trees from places all over the world found on the same latitude. The best way to get there is by bike, following the Ume river. The scenery can be stunningly beautiful, especially in the fall.
'''Norrbyskar''' [http://www.norrbyskar.se/] - Norrbyskar is an island group with a fascinating history, located in the archipelago of Vasterbotten some 40 kilometers south of Umea. This is a popular hang out place for families and kids, especially in the summer months. There is a museum (40 SEK), a hotel, a kiosk, a church and a YMCA camp. A ferry with many trips each day during the summer will take you to the island from Norrbyn.
'''Rafting in Vindel river''' [http://www.forsranning.com/english/frameset.asp] - The town of Vindeln located some 55 km northwest of Umea is a perfect day excursion spot. Rafting trips in the Vindel river is a very rewarding experience during nice summer days. A half day rafting trip with tea/coffee and a nice sandwich will set you back some 450 SEK and there are longer excursion up to 2 days as well. It is also possible to rent a hot tub and just chill out with a beer.
'''Skiing in Vindel fjall, Buberget''' [http://www.itadventure.se/buberget/index.html] - If you happen to be in Umea during winter, the nearest skiing resort is also in Vindeln. It has got one ski-lift and 5 slopes to ride down. Well worth a day excursion if you want to get out of the city. 120 SEK for a day. There are regular ski-buses departing from Umea to Buberget in winter.