Hello friends. During my trip to Sweden I had the opportunity to visit the town of Järvsö. On the way, we stopped by the city of Uppsala because I had been wanting to buy decorations shaped like traditional Swedish pastries for a long time. On our next stop, while on the road, we decided to head to Järvsö. At the start of our journey, the sun was shining and there was no trace of snow. We went to Järvsö because we wanted to see the famous Järvsö Goat.
In ancient times young people in Sweden, Norway and Finland would dress up in costumes and go from house to house singing Christmas songs. Some wore straw masks or goat fur. They would receive food and drinks in return for their performances. In the 19th century, this tradition changed and the person dressed as a goat started giving out gifts instead. Now, we call him Pukki.
The first Järvsö Goat was erected on December 1, 1966. This was the beginning of the tradition. The goat was 13 meters tall, 7 meters long and weighed approximately 3 tons. Additionally, this Järvsö Goat is known for its secret rules: every year, teenagers or troublemakers try to set it on fire. Sometimes on New Year's Eve, sometimes a few days before or after… Anyway, I think it remained intact this year.
Finally we were approaching the end of our journey, reaching our destination Järvsö. It started to snow. The scenery along the way was breathtaking and we were traveling in harmony with nature. I was about to experience a true winter atmosphere.
In the afternoon we decided to take a walk around the town center. Near the train station, we found a hall with an open door, a warm place. Inside, we discovered a large bookshelf with a sign that read: Leave or exchange your book. We found an interesting collection. Someone had brought in very new books about the cuisines of various countries around the world. I flipped through one. it looked interesting and beautiful. It might be a great find for someone. Then I checked the train schedule and saw that the train would be arriving soon. From this town, Järvsö, you can also take a direct train to Gävle.
Our last task for the evening was to visit a store and pick up a few things. The store was filled with rice pudding and cheese pastries, which Swedes typically buy and I had really started to like them. I was excited to have them for breakfast in the morning. These were products from local producers in Järvsö. They also had Julskinka, the Christmas ham, which locals love. Additionally, I came across Polkagris, a traditional Swedish candy. It had a minty taste but was hard enough to break a tooth.I didn’t like it at all.
That evening, we returned to our accommodation, lit up our little sauna and relaxed after a tough year. We were preparing to regain our energy for skiing the next day.
Last year we had been here, but it was such a cold day that there were very few people and we couldn’t quite connect with the instructor. So, we decided to come again this year. Honestly, I don’t like skiing and each time I try, I realize it even more. After skiing, some people were still on the slopes, while others stopped to take photos. We then went to the neighboring town for shopping. Along the way, we continued to encounter stunning landscapes in Järvsö. This is a small town with charming houses that look like something out of a fairy tale. It was wonderful, but we kept going.
When we arrived in Ytterhöjda, about 10 km away, we saw a bridge. We stopped in amazement when we reached an interesting place. It looked like something out of a fairy tale.
I was so mesmerized that my energy lasted until the evening. After shopping in Ytterhöjda, we returned to our warm home. That night, we relaxed completely. The sauna provided such relief. I remember that I hadn’t slept so well in years. After the sauna, we read books and then fell asleep, preparing for the new day.
The next morning gifted us another spectacular sunrise. That day, we went back to the ski slopes. Everything was basically the same as the previous day. We skied a little and then decided to return to Järvsö. This magical and charming town had given us so much joy, creativity and peace that it would be a shame not to wander around in such beautiful weather.
We decided to visit a church on an island, a place we had liked last year and wanted to revisit. The surrounding nature was stunning and the weather was incredibly beautiful that day. When we arrived at the church, we initially thought a service was taking place. It turned out to be a farewell ceremony for a young girl who had passed away a few months ago. In Sweden, funerals are not held immediately, so all of her loved ones had gathered to say their goodbyes.
After this sorrowful event we walked quietly in the park. In the peace and silence, we reflected on the beauty of the surroundings and thoughts of eternity. We walked calmly and silently before leaving this wonderful island. If you ever get the chance, I highly recommend visiting. There’s a magical atmosphere here: it feels like a fairy tale. I didn’t want to leave, but unfortunately, time is not unlimited. So, we continued on our way.
About 10 km away there was another small and lovely town. On the way, the views continued to inspire us. Then, we arrived at my favorite region Dalarna. This is where the famous Dala Horses come from, a symbol of Sweden. I had prepared a detailed post about them before, so I won’t repeat it here.
We stopped by an old place where the Järvsö Goat stood and then slowly moved on to the next region. The landscapes began to change. While we were surrounded by snowy views in Järvsö, as we approached Rättvik the terrain shifted and it became clear that there would be less snow.