Östersund is the seat of Jämtland County in Norrland in Sweden. It was founded in 1786, as the only Swedish city founded during the 18th century.
Östersund is the economic and political centre of Jämtland and its only city. It is famous for its location near wild nature and for its winter activities. Östersund hosts many world cups in winter sports like biathlon and skiing. As of 2023, the municipality is home to roughly 65,000 inhabitants, 53,000 of whom live in the city. Östersund (and Jämtland in general) have a long history with the Norwegian neighbours which is reflected in both tourism and trade. However most of the people living in Östersund are Swedish and of Jemtlandic descent.
Östersund has a fairly extensive, inexpensive bus system, although you might have a long wait ahead of you if you plan to move about after 21:00, or on Sundays. You can buy single tickets on the bus, or pre-paid cards are a great deal if you plan on a longer stay. These can be purchased at the main bus station in town, located on Kyrkgatan, or in one of the many kiosks and shops around the city center. During summertime the city is easy to get around in by foot, at least the city center and its surroundings. By winter the city is still very walkable, however due to heavy snow and the fact that Östersund is built upon a height (thereby tilting) it can be quite slippery.
1 Frösö Runestone, Frösön (take the city bus No. 4 or No. 1 and jump of at Bergsgatan). Frösö Runestone is the most northern runestone in the world and the only one remaining in the entire region. The runestone is unique in several ways and over 1000 years old. The runestone mentions the Christianization of Jämtland and is an important part of Frösön's heritage. Free. 2 Jamtli (take the city bus No. 6 towards "Brittsbo" (departing from the main station), hop off at Jamtli (4-5 stations)), ☏ +46 63-15 01 00, fax: +46 63-10 61 68, info@jamtli.com. Tu-Su (and M in the summer) 11:00-17:00. Jamtli is an interactive museum about the history of Jämtland.
1 Moose Garden, Orrviken (15 minutes from the centre by car), ☏ +46 703636061, info@moosegarden.com. Book in advance. The elk is an important part of Jämtland’s cultural heritage. Described as "king of the forest" and seen on Jämtland's coat of arms, you can easily say it's the most famous animal in the province. On Moose Garden you get the chance and opportunity to pet and stand next to real elks – and even kiss one (if you dare). They have over 20 elks, and you can also find modern accommodation and a cafeteria. The owner and guide is very friendly and quite funny to listen to.
1 Arctura Restaurang och Skybar, Ösk-Vägen 13, ☏ +46 63 16-15-60. Offer a great view of Östersund in a skybar on top of a 55-m-high building. 2 Brunkullan Brasserie, Postgränd 5, ☏ +46 63 10-14-54. In a 19th-century milieu. 3 Hov, Jamtli 105, ☏ +46 63 15-01-03. Östersund's oldest restaurant, with traditional Nordic cuisine. 4 Jazzköket, Prästgatan 44, ☏ +46 63 10-15-75. Organic, local and sustainable food with live music. 5 Lilla Siam, Prästgatan 54, ☏ +46 63 51-20-30. A Thai food restaurant. 6 Sir Winston, Prästgatan 19, ☏ +46 63 10-68-00. Insipred by Sir Winston Churchill's visit to Jämtland in 1897.
1 Frösötornet, Toppvägen 11, ☏ +46 63 12-81-69. A café with a scenic view from a tower on Frösö island. 2 Jamtli Café, Museiplan, ☏ +46 63 15-01-05. A café in the "Jamtli" museum area. 3 Tages Konditori och Kök, Frösövägen 32 B, ☏ +46 63 51-84-07. A café, bakery and restaurant. 4 Wedemarks Konditori och Bageri (Popularly called "Wedan"), Prästgatan 27 (on the main pedestrian street), ☏ +46 63 51-03-83. M-F 07:30-18:00, Sa 10:00-17:00, Su 12:00-17:00. A classical Östersund café dating back to 1924.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
In Aug, Ostersund typically sees ~16°C daytime highs and 16 rainy days.
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