Niskanpää, Norrbotten | Exploring Sweden

Niskanpää is a small settlement on the western shores of the Torne River, the river marking the border between Sweden and Finland. Here in the far north of Sweden, in the province of Norrbotten, the summer nights are almost never-ending and the winter nights are almost completely dark. The settlement is just a few kilometers south of the Arctic Circle. For many, this is a beautiful rest area, right next to the rapids of Kattilakoski. For others, it is a mosquito nightmare. The Torne River is known for its many mosquitos during the summer months, so come prepared and you will be able to enjoy the beautiful scenery.

A Short History of Niskanpää

It’s not easy to find information about the settlement of Niskanpää. The legend tells of the largest salmon that has ever been caught in the Torne River. It is supposed to have been caught in Niskanpää in the year 1940 and had a weight of 43 kilograms. Other information tells of a continuous but small amount of reindeer herding in the area with a few inhabitants being reindeer owning Sámi of the Korju Sámi Village.

Things to Do and See

As mentioned, for many this is just a beautiful rest area when traveling along Road 99. The Kattilakoski Rapids are impressive and looking out across the river gives you the possibility to see Finland, just a stone’s throw away. The rest area at the Rapids has received many domestic awards as the best rest area within the province of Norrbotten. It offers both simple amenities and the scenery of the river and rapids.

How to Get to Niskanpää

• Flights: The nearest airports are Pajala Airport (PJA) in the north and Kemi-Tornio Airport (KEM) in the south.
• Car: Niskanpää is located along Road 99, north of Övertorneå and just south of the village of Juoksengi.

The driving distance from 5 major Swedish cities, according to Google Maps:

• Stockholm – 1060 kilometers (11 h 30 min)
• Gothenburg – 1407 kilometers (15 h 20 min)
• Malmö – 1670 kilometers (17 h)
• Linköping – 1258 kilometers (13 h 20 min)
• Kiruna – 272 kilometers (3 h 30 min)

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