Kiruna, a Swedish arctic destination

In february 2016 I've visited the arctic town of Kiruna in the far north of Sweden. This remote place is largely isolated and is surrounded by astounding nature.

A frozen lake just east of Kiruna, near the village of Jukkasjärvi

During wintertime, the local lake is basically a frozen desert

The famous Icehotel can also be found in the vicinity of Kiruna. Only during wintertime ofcourse ... !

The interior of the Icehotel is simply stunning. Inside temperatures are kept around -6 degrees celcius for obvious reasons

A frigid yet beautiful hallway in the Icehotel

Especially in winter, the town of Kiruna might appear somewhat desolate. Everything is covered in a very thick layer of snow and the cold can get severe.

Darkness is quite prevalent during winter in northern Sweden. This photo was taken just after 5 pm / 17:00 h in the final days of february 2016. From november to january, daylight is VERY rare in the region

Aurora Borealis is one of the stunning natural phenomena occuring in northern Sweden. With some effort, I managed to photograph the polar lights somewhat successfully.

It's like a giant green luminous curtain dancing above the frozen landscape. A stunning sight to behold with your own eyes ... !