In 60 seconds
Sloping down to the eastern shore of Sweden's fifth-largest lake opposite the island of Frösön and the distant Oviksfjällen peaks, Östersund is a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy and the cultural heart of Jämtland. Cross the bridge to Frösön to see Sweden's northernmost runestone and composer Wilhelm Peterson-Berger's mountain-facing villa, explore Jamtli's living history park and Nationalmuseum North, and taste Jämtland's farmstead goat cheeses, charcuterie and cloudberry desserts.
Best for
Known for
Skip if
You want pure alpine ski pistes right at your hotel door — carry on one hour west to Åre for full mountain resort terrain.
Your match
Choose a few travel interests and we will show how well Östersund & Frösön fits them. Choose interests
See
The things that would make the trip incomplete without them.
Award-winning regional museum, open-air historical village and northern branch of Sweden's Nationalmuseum
See the Viking-age Överhogdal tapestries — Europe's oldest preserved textiles — before exploring the historic farmsteads.
12th-century island parish church and Wilhelm Peterson-Berger's 1914 national-romantic home
Look across Lake Storsjön to the snow-streaked Oviksfjällen mountains from the churchyard bell tower.
11th-century runestone recording the Christianisation of Jämtland and bridge-building across the sound
Pause at the eastern bridgehead of Frösön to read Sweden's northernmost runestone in situ.
Eat
A short list, kept short on purpose. Each entry answers one question: when is this the right choice?
Where to eat the food this city is actually known for.
Celebrated Jämtland bistro championing small-scale regional farmers, fishers and cheesemakers
Book ahead for a tasting menu built around Jämtland char, reindeer and cellar-aged goat cheeses.
Working island farmstead dairy and summer restaurant in Lake Storsjön
Take the free cable ferry to Norderön for fried vitcaprin cheese and lakeside views.
Too few picks yet for their own heading, so they share this list.
Bustling brasserie overlooking Stortorget in central Östersund
A convivial evening spot for northern brasseries dishes and local craft beers.
Historic 1924 pastry shop famous as the birthplace of the modern smörgåstårta
Order either a slice of savory sandwich cake or classic Jämtland pastries with coffee.
Beyond the obvious
Less obvious, rarely queued for, and usually the part people remember.
Cleared winter skating, kick-sledding and walking tracks across frozen Lake Storsjön
Rent ice skates or a traditional spark (kick-sled) in February or March when the lake freezes solid.
Hilltop lookout above Frösön with 360-degree views of Storsjön and the Jämtland fells
Walk the forest trail up Östberget for a fika overlooking the inland sea.
Lakeside boardwalks, winter cold-bath saunas and summer piers
Join locals along the harbour promenade at sunset.
After dark
Craft beer bars pouring Jämtlands Bryggeri and northern microbrews
Sample a local Pale Ale or porter brewed in nearby Pilgrimstad.
Orientation
How the city is actually divided, and what each part is for.
Grid of wooden and stone merchant buildings descending to Badhusparken
Best for walkable dining, delis and lakefront sunsets.
Green residential and cultural island linked by pedestrian and road bridges
Stay on Frösön for quiet trails, golf on Norderön and panoramic views back towards town.
Stay
Areas rather than hotels — pick the right one and the rest follows.
Boutique city hotels within walking distance of Jamtli and the station
Convenient for rail travellers and food-focused weekends.
Spa hotel on Frösön with views towards the Oviksfjällen range
Great for combining lake views with outdoor trails.
Practical
Plan this trip — useful links
Context
Enough to make what you are looking at legible.
Austmaðr raises the Frösö Runestone, naming Jämtland and recording the building of the first bridge to Frösön.
King Gustav III founds Östersund on the mainland shore as Jämtland's commercial town.
UNESCO designates Östersund and the Jämtland region a Creative City of Gastronomy for its mathantverk (artisanal food craft) tradition.
Further out
Worth a day if you have one to spare.
Scandinavia's premier alpine ski and mountain-biking valley
Ride the Norrtåg regional train along the Indalsälven valley straight to Åre station.
Ferry-linked islands in Lake Storsjön with farm dairies and Verkis Castle
Cycle the quiet island roads between Tivars Gårdsmejeri and Norderö medieval church.
