Welcome to Umeå!

General information

Swedens official travel and tourist information, Visit Sweden

Passport and Visa

Sweden is part of the EU/Schengen area. Please check whether you require a visa to enter the Schengen area. Invitation letters can be obtained from the Conference Organizers upon request.

Electricity

Sweden uses the Europlug (Type C & F) for electricity and the main voltage is 220V

Currency

The official currency is the Swedish krona (SEK)

Time

In June, Sweden is part of the Central European Summer Time Zone (CEST), which is 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+2) and 1 hour ahead of British Summer Time (BST+1).

Useful phone numbers

Emergency call: 112

Health advice: 1177

Sightseeing

Listed below are some suggestions on activities and sites sorted according to distance to the main conference area, Umeå university Campus.

• IKSU (750 m, north)

  Umeå is home to the largest sport and exercise facility in the Nordic region, IKSU, closely linked to the University campus.
  Adress: Sportgränd 7
  Website: www.iksu.se

• Ume River Valley (1 – 30 km)

  Historical and cultural sights and beautiful scenery along the beautiful river Umeriver Valley. Our rushing waters, verdant forests, astonishing views and masses of attractions offering history, art and culture can be enjoyed on foot. The whole hiking trail is around 30 km.

• Västerbottens Museum (1.6 km, north-west)

  The basic exhibitions in Västerbotten’s museum deal with the county’s ancient past, its cultural history, the life of settlers and reindeer husbandry. The photographer Sune Jonsson’s fantastic pictures of the agricultural landscape of Norrland are also to be found here. Historical buildings have been moved here from various parts of the county creates an authentic environment.
  Address: Gammlia
  Website: www.vbm.se

• Tráhppie (1.6 km, north-west)

  Close to Västerbottens Museum, on Gammlia, the Sami cultural centre Tráhppie stands. In the café, traditionally made coffee is served together with coffecheese, gáhkku (sami flatbread) with reindeer meat, graved salvelinus and waffles with cloudberry jam. At Tráhppie you also find Sami art, music, handcraft and traditional food for sale.
  Address: Gammlia
  Website: http://www.sahkie.se/en/trahppie/

• Bildmuseet (1.7 km)

  In recent years it has established itself as one of the country’s leading museums for photography and the visual arts. Painting, sculpture, drawings, graffiti, video and installations, but also photojournalism, design, architecture and the world of scientific images are presented in about 15 exhibitions per year. The museum´s new seven – story building enjoys phenomenal views. Along with its shop and café the museum is by the Umeälven river. Entrance is free.
  Address: Östra Strandgatan 30 B
  Website: www.bildmuseet.umu.se

• Utopia (2.7 km, west, central city)

  We call it Utopia - the place where everything is possible! Here are all the shops needed for an enchanting shopping experience. Leave your everyday life behind and step into another world!
  Address: Rådhusesplanaden 2A
  Website: www.utopiashopping.se

• MVG (2.7 km west, central city)

  Shopping mall along the pedestrian street in central Umeå built in three floors. From McDonald’s that lies at the street level, to Clas Ohlsson at the top floor. Besides them, there are plenty more well-known stores for you to visit at MVG.
  Address: Rådhustorget
  Website: www.mvgumea.se

• Women’s history museum (2.7 km, west, central city)

  The Women’s history museum, the only one of its kind in Sweden. It highlight structures and ideas about male and female. The Women’s history museum will surprise. It will also twist and turn aspects and perspectives. It is to be a place for action, laughter and debate.
  Address: Storgatan 46
  Website: www.kvinnohistoriskt.se

• Guitars - The museum (3.3 km, west, central city)

  Umeå brothers Samuel and Michael Åhdén possess one of the world’s largest privately owned collections of guitars and starting in 2014 the whole world has a chance to see it. You can visit the experience-based, interactive exhibition of electric guitars, basses, amps and music accessories at Umeå Guitar Museum. The museum houses about 500 exhibits altogether.
  Adress: Västra norrlandsgatan 30
  Website: www.guitarsthemuseum.com

• Röbäck history route (6.1 km south, local bus)

  The historical five-kilometer route in Röbäck, a village steeped in history. Here you can find Västerbotten´s oldest bridge, Bronze Age graves, the source of the Röbäck stream, the stone mason monument, Jättstugan cave with lookout tower are just a few examples on what you can see in Röbäck.

• Backen church (7.2 km, west, local buss)

  Umeå’s oldest church has been important to many reindeer-herding Sami. Before it burned down in 1893, it had seats that were reserved for Sami people in what was known as the “Sami balcony”. Where people sat in church reflected their status in society.

• Umedalens skulpturpark (9.3 km, west, local bus)

  Skulpturparken, located in the former hospital compound in Umedalen, is considered to be one of Europe’s most distinguished sculpture parks. More than 150 Swedish and international artists has since the start in 1994 exhibited their works there during the annual summer exhibition. Today there are also 26 purchased and permanent works in the park. Skulpturparken also has a garden landscape in connection with the IKSU Spa, Umeå’s so-called cultural spa. The garden is created by one of Sweden’s famous landscaping artists, Ulf Nordfjell. Skultpturparken is open to everyone year-round seven days a week.
  Address: Umedalen (local bus number 1 towards Umedalen)
  Website: www.umedalenskulptur.se/us/

• Arboretum Norr (10.8 km, west, local bus 10 km + walk)

  In the beautiful river landscape north and south of Baggböle Manor Home, more than 5 000 trees and bushes have been planted, with around 150 species from different parts of the world with a sub-Arctic climate. The Arboretum is divided into areas according to the origin of the plants. You can find walks, barbecue and art works, including Fredrik Wretman’s statue 8’11 (meditating man) in an old turbine hall in the park.

• Umeå Energy Centre (13.8 km, west, local bus 10 km + walk)

  The first power station on the Ume river, from 1899 is today an interesting Energy museum. The power station operated until 1958 when Stornorrfors started and left the Klabböle power station dry.
  Umeå Energy Centre / Klabböle Power Station Museum. The Energy Centre shows how energy is used in different forms. Energy exhibition, framesaw, water-mill, café.