EuroVelo: Ostseeküstenradweg Schweden

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During summer 15 June - 12 August 2018
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Umeå, called Ume by locals, is a city of about 110,000 citizens near the mouth of the Ume River and is the capital of Västerbotten County in Norrland in northern Sweden. The city's nickname is the "Town of Silver Birches".

Being the regional capital of Västerbotten, Umeå is also the educational and economic capital city of the region, with no Swedish city of similar size further north. With its strategic location along the E4 national highway, most transportation to the northern part of Sweden goes through here. Umeå has the largest hospital in Northern Sweden as well as the largest university. Situated on top of a small hill overseeing the Ume river and downtown Umeå, they are by far the largest employers in the region. Due to the university, Umeå has one of the lowest average ages in the entire country with a lively night life and creative scene. Umeå was awarded the title European Capital of Culture 2014.

Umeå is near the maximum of the Nordic post-glacial rebound, with the land rising at a rate near 1 centimetre per year.

Sami peoples have lived in the Västerbotten area since prehistoric times. The area was also settled by Germanic peoples, including Swedes during the Viking era. Umeå, however, is first mentioned in written sources in the early 14th century. The area remained a small parish until the late 16th century when the locals asked for, and was granted city privileges. The proposed site for the new city was in "Backen", some 5 km west of modern day Umeå. However, building the city proved difficult and it didn't attract many settlers. New attempts to build a city was made in the 17th century by the Swedish king Gustav II Adolphus, this time at the site where Umeå is today. In 1647 Umeå, with its 40 inhabitants, became the seat of Västerbotten county. In the 18th and early 19th century Umeå was destroyed and pillaged by Russian troops several times. In 1888 the city was devastated by a large city fire, and 2,300 out of 3,000 residents lost their homes. During the reconstruction of the city a large number of birch-trees where planted, and hence Umeå is sometimes called the "City of Birches". During the 20th century communications improved with the construction of a train station in 1902 and an airport in 1961. The national highways E4 and E12 were also built by the city. In 1965 Umeå University was founded as the fifth in Sweden and the first in Norrland.

See

• ⊙Bildmuseet, Östra Strandgatan 30 B, ☎ +46 90 786 7400. An art museum which is part of the arts campus of Umeå University, in a spectacular modernist larch building. (updated Dec 2017)
• ⊙Gammlia, Gammlia, ☎ +46 90 171801. Tu–F 10:00–16:00, Sa 12:00–16:00, Su 12:00–17:00. Open-air cultural showcase, centered around the Västerbottens Museum. Exhibits focus on the region's history, with art exhibits and musical performances as well. Free. 
• ⊙Guitars – The Museum, Vasagatan 18-20, ☎ +46 90 580 90. M-Sa 12:00-18:00. Guided tours at 12:00, 15:00 & 17:00. With some 500 guitars it is one of the largest in its kind world-wide. The facility also houses a rock club, a restaurant, a music store and a record store.
• ⊙Umeå Rådhus, Rådhustorget 1. Lies in the middle of Umeå. Behind it (on the north side) lies Rådhustorget (City Hall Square), the heart of Umeå's central shopping district. Rådhusesplanaden leads you from the square to Järnvägstorget (The Rail Square), next to which lies the train station as well as the long-haul bus station. Off to the side of Rådhusesplanaden you will also pass Umeå Stadsbibliotek (Umeå City Library) and Vasaplan (the hub of local bus traffic). In front of the City Hall is Rådhusparken and down by the waterfront is Trädgård i Norr (Garden in the North), which is a small flower park. 
• ⊙Umeå Universitet, ☎ +46 90 7865000. Founded in 1965, it is Sweden's fifth oldest university. Foreign students are welcome to apply here. 
• ⊙Vänortsparken. A small park in central Umeå, next to Umeå Stadskyrka. The park contains art related to each of Umeå's sister cities around the world.