About Dalarna, Sweden

Dalarna, Dalecarlia, The Dales in Sweden

Dalarna, English exonym: Dalecarlia, is a historical province (or landscape) in central Sweden. Another English language form established in literature is the Dales.

The word ”Dalarna” means ”the dales” (valleys). The area is a popular vacation destination for Swedes from the south, who often travel there to relax during summer vacations, drawn by good fishing lakes, beautiful campgrounds, and deep forests. Many such Swedes own or rent a second residence in Dalarna, where they are likely to have a vegetable garden and apple trees. In mid-June, summerfest celebrations and dances are held in many of the small villages and, of course, in the larger cities. Dalarna is a region full of historical associations, possessing strong local characteristics in respect of its products, and especially of its people. In the western districts of Älvdalen and Lima some people in villages speak an old-time dialect, the Dalecarlian language. Historically, the people of Dalecarlia – called Dalecarlians, or Dalesmen (dalkarlar, dalmasar) and Daleswomen (dalkullor) are famous for their love of independence.

Lake Siljan features in the middle part of Dalarna, and the Västerdal River and Österdal River join the Dal River. The northern part of the province lies within the Scandinavian mountain range: mountainous country with many glacier-created lakes. The southern part consists of plains, with several mines, most notably copper, traditionally forming part of Bergslagen.

Dalarna a rich and unique folk culture

Historically, Dalarna has enjoyed a rich and unique folk culture, with distinct music, paintings and handicrafts such as the unique painting technique called Kurbits.
A famous symbol of the province is the Dalecarlian horse, in Swedish Dalahäst, a painted and decorated wooden horse.
Vasaloppet, a cross-country skiing race (the world’s longest) of 90 km, takes place annually, on the first Sunday of March, between Sälen and Mora. It commemorates the ski-borne escape of Gustav Ericson, who would later become King Gustav I of Sweden, from Danish troops in 1520.
UNESCO has named the mining area of the Stora Kopparberg (”Great Copper Mountain”) in Falun a World heritage site.

The NewYork Times listing Dalarna as one of the ”The 45 Places to Go in 2012″

44. Dalarna, Sweden
A storied region offers a getaway from Stockholm.

”Most travelers know Sweden only for the urban cool of Stockholm and Gothenburg. But when the sun approaches its summer apex, city dwellers often leave town for one of the country’s central provinces, Dalarna. Its deep forests and glimmering lakes host traditional midsummer parties, and every brick-red farmhouse deserves its own postcard. With Dalarna’s southern edge only about 125 miles from the capital, getting there — by car, bus or rail — is easy enough, though the rustic landscape of “the Dales,” as Dalarna translates, can feel worlds apart.

That’s made it a natural respite for Swedish painters like Anders Zorn, whose home in the town of Mora is now a museum. Artisans still produce traditional handicrafts like the Dala Horse, a national mascot. But Dalarna is not just for summer journeys: every March, the region hosts the Vasaloppet, one of the world’s biggest cross-country ski races, and autumn brings incredible foliage and rich game dishes at restaurants of surprising sophistication like the Dala-Husby Hotell.” Text: /EVAN RAIL

Dalabrollop.net

This site publish news and links to places and products for visiting, having a party or wedding in Dalarna, Sweden. Welcome to Dalarna – The Dales in Sweden!