Haparanda is the easternmost city in Sweden. Once it was an important outpost of the kingdom on the border with the Russian Empire, but now the former rival Tornio forms a Eurocity conurbation with Haparanda with the only inconvenience – the need to change the clock when crossing the border passing along the Tornijoki River. But the residents of both cities celebrate the New Year twice in one night.
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Most of the sights, cafes and restaurants are located on the Finnish side. But the Swedes have better shopping, and it is in the 6,000th city of Haparanda that the northernmost IKEA store on the planet was built, where residents of a vast cross-border region gather.
How to get to Haparanda
The nearest airport to Haparanda is in the Finnish city of Kemi (which is 20 km away), where Finnair flies from Moscow Sheremetyevo. The flight, taking into account the transfer to Helsinki, lasts 5-7 hours. Air travel from St. Petersburg (with a connection in the Finnish capital) will take 4-6 hours.
You can also get to Haparanda by train from Helsinki. There you need to take a train to Kemi, and upon arrival in the city – a bus to Tornio. Traveling from Moscow to Tornio with a change in Helsinki will take 21 hours of pure road time. The trip on the route St. Petersburg – Tikkurila – Kemi – Tornio lasts approximately 20 hours. You can check the schedule and buy tickets at the office. website of the Finnish railway carrier VR.
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From airport to city
Kemi-Tornio Airport is located 6 km from the center of Kemi and 18 km from the center of Tornio. The nearest bus stop Keminmaa Jokisuu is located 1 km from the air harbor, bus number 70 goes towards the city, fare: 7 EUR.
By taxi to Haparanda can be reached in 25 minutes and 50 EUR. The prices on the page are for February 2021.
Transport
Parking in the city is free, but only for a limited time, up to two hours. Haparanda is a small city that is easy to get around on foot or by bike, but you can always get to your destination by bus.
A trip within the city by taxi will cost 200-250 SEK.
Haparanda Hotels
There are practically no “star” hotels in Haparanda. Tourists stay mainly in guest houses and hostels, since a room in a single “three-ruble note” costs about 1500 SEK per day.
A standard room in a guesthouse will cost 800-1000 SEK per night. A bed in a hostel can be rented for 400 SEK, and an apartment for four – for 800-1000 SEK.
Cuisine and restaurants
Most establishments in the city specialize in regional cuisine, which combines Swedish and Finnish dishes: meatballs, salmon cream soup, baked root vegetables. Dinner in a restaurant for two with wine will cost around 600-800 SEK.
Fast food in the city is primarily pizzerias, where, in addition to Italian dishes, there are almost always kebabs with potatoes and burgers. You can have a hearty and inexpensive meal for 100-150 SEK. There are also several coffee shops in Haparanda that serve traditional Swedish pastries: princess start cake, semla buns and vinebread.
In both Tornio and Haparanda, shops accept both euros and Swedish krona.
Sights of Haparanda
Perhaps the most striking building in the city is the modernist church of Haparanda (Kopmansgatan). Outside, the temple, built in 1967, is lined with copper plates, which eventually became almost black. The dark exterior, as it were, is opposed to the light and airy.
Also noteworthy is the early 20th century dark brick railway station, one of the largest in Sweden. The building of the Haparanda Stadshotell hotel (Torget, 7) was built in a similar architectural style. Nearby stands an old 50-meter water tower (Kopmansgatan).
Weather
Haparanda has cool cloudy summers and long frosty and snowy winters. The city is interesting at any time of the year, but most tourists prefer to come here from early July to early August.
