Opening hours generally coincide with Ittlandsbanan train arrival times, and there are free guided tours. Gallivare GALUVARE is one of the most important sources of iron ore in Europe. № modem mines and works are distant, dark blots dovm which, in the summer, ше tourist office ferries relays of tourists. If you have any interest in seeing a working mine, don't wait until Kinma (see p.523), which has a tame "tourist tour"; get doi these instead. There are two tours, both running fiom June to August, one of № underground iron ore mine (MonFri 9am; 150kr), the other of the copper mine (MonFri 1pm; 125kr). Tickets are available from the tourist offlC who encourage you to do both trips on the sanie day; it's well worth the P®"?® 1 The mines are Gallivare's start turn, but the town itself unlike the adjojl settlement of Malmberget, where the mines are is far more pleasant tji surrounding industry suggests. The centre, heavily glazed and insulated ag . GALLIVAREIbl Kyrics "a. m the biting cold of winter, is a steely grey mesh of modem streets which neverthe conspire to a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. GaHivare also occupies the of a Same village, as recalled by the Lapplkan (summer daily 10am6pm), by the river, a mideighteenthcentury construction known as the "oreskyrkan (one ore church) after the one ore subscription drive throughout bwen that paid for it of ft M' Gaffivare if s the briefest of drives to the swamps and forests of ft National Park and 120odd kilometres to the severe mountains jje Sarek (see below). Train travellers will have to be satisfied with the spot "fountain, overshadowing the town, which is the target of Midnight Sun and ft ' "P Bomfdllan, about a 4km hike on a wellmarked path, Hey цЛь magnificent, but this isn't the very top. Buses make that jour Jung ding road especially for the Midnight Sun, leaving daily between avaibbi at 11pm, returning at lam; again, tickets (125kr return) are from the tourist office. Practicalities The tourist office (early June to midAug daily 9am8pm; rest of the year Mon Fri 9am4pm; «0970166 60) is at Storgatan 16, opposite a Domus store, a five minute walk from the station along Lasarettsgatan. The office is most accommodating, with good free maps and hiking information, and downstairs in the same building there's a cafe and upstairs a museum dealing with Same history. ТЪе tourist office will gladly fix you up with a private room for around 125kr per person, plus a booking fee of 50kr, or you could sample one of the town's hotels: the Nex Hotell, Lasarettsgatan 1 (w0970110 20; ®), is tiie best of the bunch, but you could also by the Hotell Dundret at Per Hogstiosgatan 1 («0970145 60; very close to the station. Alternatively, Gallivare's youth hostel (open all year; «0970143 80; 90kr), behind the train station cross tiie tiacks and the metal bridge offers accommodation in small cabins; because of tiie town's strategic position (on routes north to Kiruna, south to Stockholm) booking ahead in summer is advised.