The big guide to Åre
Get ready for ski season.
In Åre, skiing and hospitality are embedded in the soul of a locally cultivated skiing culture that stretches back over 100 years. No other community in northern Europe lives and breathes skiing in the same way, and the town has produced more world champions, Olympic medalists, and ski stars than most other ski resorts in the world.
But it is perhaps what’s on offer here that makes Åre so unique, with food, drink, accommodation, and evening entertainment of the highest quality. Even though Åre is a small town, its pulse beats almost around the clock throughout the winter with activities for everyone.
Skiing
Störtloppet to Lundsrappet
Åre has hosted three alpine skiing world championship in its history in 1954, 2007, and 2019. It’s not hard to see why—the slopes here meet very high standards. The finest of all of them is the race track for downhill skiing, where you find yourself on Lundsrappet halfway down. In total, the world-class piste stretches over 2,700 feet into the sky—it is undulating, occasionally steep, and always has a surprise lurking behind the next crest. Do the whole run in one go for a real challenge!
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Åreskutan is Sweden’s best, most varied skiing mountain, with large, open areas in alpine terrain and captivating forest skiing, all with a big vertical drop. The mountain’s, and perhaps the country’s, most famous off-piste track is located on the eastern side of Åreskutan. It offers large, open areas on sometimes steep terrain that calls for speed and adventure. Before you head out, make sure you know where you’re going, you’ve read the avalanche report, and you’re carrying the right equipment. Or hire a guide from Åreguiderna, for example.
Duved and Tegefjäll
Åre’s “other” ski resort offers beautiful carving slopes and a much slower pace than Åreskutan. Duved and Tege are two separate villages connected by a common lift system. Here, the lines for the lift are a little shorter, the slopes are a little less busy, and the pace is a little more relaxed than in Åre, but the skiing is every bit as good. Don’t miss out on a coffee in front of the fire at Mr. Bramwell’s WigWam in Tegefjäll and enjoy Ski Sweden’s best playlist!
Food and drink
La Gondala
Few ski resorts in the world boast the same consistently high standard of dining on the slopes as Åre, at least not north of the Italian Alps. La Gondola serves the mountain’s best food with a distinctly Italian touch, along with a superb wine list—all in a warm, cozy environment. An Aperol spritz before dinner on the outdoor terrace is a must on sunny spring days.
More mountain highlights
Other popular spots on the mountain include the newly opened schnitzel restaurant Bibbos at the site of the old Platåkåtan eatery in the Sadel area. Alternatively, the traditional mountain restaurant Buustamon in the Rödkulle area has a lovely timber structure and distillery in the basement. The classic Hummelstugan offers the best view in the country on good days, with food and ambiance to match.
Supper
If the mountain is full of fantastic restaurants, what’s on offer in the village is perhaps even better and even more varied. A modern classic is Supper, located in the historic Villa Tottebo, which serves exciting fusion-style dishes. It also serves the best drinks in town and enjoys a lively, upbeat ambiance throughout the evening.
Broken
Sometimes it’s the company and surroundings that matter most, and nowhere in Åre understands this more than the classic diner Broken. Located on the square, it serves burgers, nachos, and other dishes with an American twist. The beer is served ice cold in frosted glasses—the perfect reward after a long day of skiing. There’s a relaxed atmosphere from early afternoon to late evening—so relaxed in fact that it’s not uncommon to see people walking home in their ski boots at midnight.
Werséns
Few places embody Åre like Werséns bistro in Åre’s town square. It offers a varied menu filled with classics. The pizza is some of the best in town and the Toast Skagen is always a winner, as are the home-cooked meals on the menu and the seafood platter if you are in the mood to celebrate. The atmosphere is always great and the bar is an obvious choice for a drink in the evening.
Parkvillan
Just below Åre’s town square, in Åre Park, is an inconspicuous little red house appropriately named Parkvillan (“Park Villa”). Here, Calle Nygren and his team serve the best burgers in town with beer to match, made in the basement of the same house in the Åre Ölfabrik microbrewery. And if you’re not in the mood for burgers, there are plenty of other culinary treats on the creative and ever-changing menu.
Åre’s best coffee shop and bakery is located at Brunkulla, just west of Åre’s town square. If you want fresh bread for breakfast, this is the place to go. Their semlor are nothing short of amazing, and on sunny spring afternoons, the homemade gelato is the perfect post-skiing treat.
Entertainment
There are those who say that a day of skiing without après-ski simply isn’t skiing. Whether that’s true or not is up to you. Åre’s largest nightclub, Bygget, has two floors with seven bars and four different lively dance floors for those who don’t feel the need to be first at the lift in the morning. The building also hosts regular gigs with famous artists during high season. Mister French is also located on the square and hosts the Club Chambre nightclub until the small hours.
Fjällgården
Hotel Fjällgården lays claim to Åre’s best après-ski, located right in the middle of the slopes where you can click off your skis and walk in with your boots on. The live bands offer boot dancing and cheesy rock songs every afternoon. It’s fun and sweaty, just like a proper après-ski should be. Take it easy on the way down to the village afterwards!
Åre Sessions
The ski season in Åre traditionally ends with the Åre Sessions music festival at the very end of April. The arena at the Holiday Club is the focal point of the festivities, which are also held in several other locations in the village and up the mountain. Some of the country’s biggest artists are usually on hand to celebrate the end of winter. And perhaps best of all, the lift ticket is valid as a festival pass.
Shopping
Åre Skidsport
The Larsson family has run what is by far the best ski shop in Åre for over 70 years, as evidenced by the knowledgeable staff and their passion for skiing. If you’re looking for a new pair of ski boots or need to fix up your old ones, this is the place to go. The ski boots expertise is world-class, just like the selection of gear on offer.
Brand stores
The ski clothing brands Stellar Equipment, Peak Performance, Haglöfs, Houdini, Norrøna, and The Mountain Studio all have their own shops in Åre with a wide range of products and expert staff.
Accommodation
Hotel Granen
The somewhat historic Granen is a homely hotel up the funicular, just above the square. A hotel to call home with cozy rooms, a fantastic breakfast and a bar and restaurant that are high-class even by Åre’s standards (and that’s saying something). The wine cellar is managed by artist, co-owner, and wine connoisseur Petter Askergren. Anyone who knows Petter knows that he doesn’t do anything in half measures, especially not the wine cellar at Granen.
Copperhill
The luxurious Copperhill sits on top of Förberget (the mountain above Björnen’s ski area) with a magical view of Åredalen and the back of Skutan. Here, you can enjoy a calm atmosphere in the airy foyer with its giant copper wall while you relax with a nice drink after a day of skiing. The hotel spa is one of the best in the mountains. Once you step inside the doors, you may find it hard to leave.
Addresses
La Gondola
VM-platån, Åre
Supper
Parkvägen 1, Åre
Broken
Torggränd 4, Åre
Werséns
Årevägen 95, Åre
Parkvillan
Parkvägen 6, Åre
Grädda
Årevägen 150, Åre
Fjällgården
Fjällgårdsvägen 35, Åre
Åre Skidsport
Årevägen 88, Åre
Hotel Granen
Tottvägen 127, Åre
Copperhill
Björnen Copperhill 62, Åre
Text by Tobias Liljeroth