As Swedish as it gets (Dalarna)

Member Name: kirlykird

Product:	Dalarna
Date:	20/01/09 (95 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Natural beauty and swimming for free!

Disadvantages: having to leave

Dalarna is a province or as we would call it, a county in Sweden. It is the birth place of my husband and a place that we visit at least once a year. Dalarna is also the heart of Sweden as it is located in central Sweden and is the original home of the Dala horse, the bear and red timber houses.
This province if arguably, the most Swedish part of Sweden and this is apparent all over the county.

Landscape and nature:

The county of Dalarna has a wonderful and varied nature. The landscape ranges from rugged mountains in the north where you can ski to forests along the banks of the Dalälven River in the south east. My husband grew up in the South East of Sweden in a city named Avesta and this is where we spend much of our Swedish time and it is on this river that my father in law keeps his boat and a lot of time is spent here with the 'boys' fishing in the peaceful surroundings for hours!
Our summer visits are lazed away with boat trips or swimming in the beautiful lakes. Most of the lakes here have beach facilities and safe swimming areas for children. It is so beautiful to take a swim on a warm summer's day with the sun glistening down on the lake and the beautiful sights around you.
If you decide to take in the county by road, there is so much beautiful countryside to behold and always somewhere breathtaking to stop and take out your camera.
If you're interested in the wildlife aspects of Sweden, then Dalarna is the natural home to the Lynx, Wolf, Wolverine and the bear. Without a doubt, you will find Elks wandering around in their thousands.

Lakes and water:

By far the thing that I love the most about Sweden is the water. On my first decent in an aeroplane over Stockholm I was astounded by the islands and the water around and it was tremendously spectacular. I was then to become accustomed to the Swedish lakes and their central part in the Swedes lives. There are over 6,000 lakes in the county of Darlana, including the largest Siljan. The Dalälven River, which in Gagnef is divided into an east and west river, runs through the landscape from the north to the south east.
In the summer there is the appeal of the ability to swim anywhere whilst in the winter, the ability to skate and enjoy the winter lake.

Red timber houses:

Dotted over Dalarna will be the typical red wooden houses which are associated by the Falu red copper paint. The history of Falu Red dates as far back as the 16th Century. In that age, red timber houses were seen as a sign of wealth and status. The idea came from continental terracotta tiled buildings. The paint originates from the Falu copper mine which is also based in Darlana.

The Dala horse:

The Dala horse is a very famous iconic Swedish figure. We have a number of these in different shapes and forms in our home from candle holders, to small wooden horses with the children's name on them and kitchen towels due to my mother in laws love of them! The brightly painted hand carved wooden 'Dala Horse' has become a global icon associated with the whole of Sweden rather than purely Dalarna. These traditional wooden horses are still made in the village of Nusnäs outside Mora. You can watch horses being carved and painted there.
Dala horses were originally carved by forestry workers when they sat around the fire at the end of a hard day's work. They carved horses, because the horse was a faithful workmate in forest, field and meadow. They took these wooden horses home as toys for their children. In the 19th Century, it became common practice to paint the horses in traditional Dalarna patterns.
Nowadays numerous villages and parishes in Dalarna have a horse as their symbol. Alongside the Mora Horse from Nusnäs, perhaps the most famous is the yellow Leksand Horse and the grey Rättvik Horse.



I could ramble on for hours about this beautiful part of Sweden but I think that I would bore you all to sleep! So to summarise, although the county holds a number of tourist attraction such as the silver mines, Summer land and Tomteland (Santa) , if visiting the county it almost feels a waste to spend money to visit attractions when you are in a place with such beauty and natural attractions which can be found free of charge.
The county gives so much opportunity to explore and there is something for everyone here. Please visit, it is truly beautiful and you will not be disappointed whether you take in the summer or the winter, Darlana is beautiful in every season.

Summary: A beautiful county with so much to offer