Riksgränsen Information

Apres-ski

As with most off-slope activies at the resort, Riksgränsen’s après-ski offering is fairly limited.

Grönan is Hotell Riksgränsen’s (tel: +46 980 64100; riksgransen.se/mat-noje/gronan/) main après-ski area and is good for a game of pool, live music and parties. For a quieter evening try the Meteorologen Ski Lodge (www.riksgransen.se) where the hotel’s sommelier is on hand to guide you through the extensive wine menu.

Another alternative option for après-ski in Riksgränsen, at the end of the season at least, is Pelikanhyllan, an outdoor venue offering entertainment in April and May.

Eating out

On the slopes, Nordalskiosken, which can be found near the Nordal lift and the children’s area, has a variety of refreshments on offer; while at the base, Café Lappis serves food, including a good choice of pizza, and soft and alcoholic drinks.

For more formal dining, Restaurant Lapplandia (tel: +46 980 64167) in Hotell Riksgränsen is one of the best restaurants in the resort, offering modern Swedish cuisine based around local ingredients. Another option also linked to the hotel is Meteorologen Ski Lodge, which serves local dishes accompanied by fine wines.

Resort Information

Beyond the slopes

During winter, Riksgränsen is fully focused on snow sports. As such, off-slope activities are fairly limited in comparison to other European ski resorts.

Those looking to get their adrenaline fix can try their hand at dog sledding, with two-hour long ‘Alaska Trapper’ tours departing the resort at 0930 each morning, or snowmobiling, with excursions that send participants racing across nearby frozen lakes. Snowshoeing is a more relaxed option, with evening excursions providing visitors with a chance of catching a glimpse of the mesmerising Northern Lights.

The Riksgränsen hotel complex includes a spa facility that offers a range of treatments, including a special package ‘for the skier’. This 80-minute therapy includes an exfoliating body scrub, eucalyptus soak and deep massage.

Family fun

Riksgränsen is certainly a very different destination for a family ski holiday, and an adventurous one too, thanks to its intrepid location on the cusp of the Arctic Circle.

However, while the small size of the ski area can be a big plus for families, there are limited specified facilities to keep children entertained here – with the exception of a children's play area near the Nordal lift and Nordalskiosken restaurant.

There is no ski school specifically for children either, and the resort’s owners are keen to promote Riksgränsen’s sister facility, Björkliden, 30km (18.6 miles) away, where there is a designated ski school. Thankfully, Riksgränsen and Björkliden offer a combined ski pass and a free ski bus transfer between the resorts.

Retail therapy

Riksgränsen does not have a lot to offer in terms of shopping. A recently constructed ICA supermarket has marginally expanded the choice of goods on offer, but aside from food items, a shop selling sports equipment is about as far as it goes. Those who are particularly keen to flex the plastic should head to nearby Kiruna, or across the border to Narvik in Norway.

Splashing out

Try the Same Zen treatment in the local Relaxen Spa & Sauna. Inspired by traditional therapies from the Lapland region, the package includes a facial, treatment bath and a massage using warm, soft stones to spread locally produced birch oil all over the body.

Hotels

There is a range of accommodation linked to the resort-owned main hotel in Riksgränsen, the aptly named Hotell Riksgränsen. Among these options are a hostel, apartments and the Meteorologen Ski Lodge.

Luxury

Moderate

Cheap