Autumn Dalarna Itinerary

Autumn Dalarna — Fall Colours, Dala Horses & Mushroom Foraging

Of all Sweden's regions, Dalarna (a province in central Sweden, often considered the heart of Swedish folk culture) comes closest to the country Swedes imagine when they think of home. Rolling hills wrapped in forest, red-painted cottages reflected in glassy lakes, Dalahäst (the painted wooden Dala horse, Sweden's most famous folk craft symbol) workshops where artisans still carve and paint by hand — it's a landscape steeped in living tradition, especially beautiful in autumn when the birches turn gold and the forests fill with mushrooms and lingonberries.

This itinerary covers 5–7 days in Dalarna in September and October, centred on Siljan (Lake Siljan, a large lake formed by an ancient meteorite impact) and the surrounding villages. It's an antidote to the fast-paced city itinerary — slower, more contemplative, and deeply connected to the Swedish landscape and folk heritage.

• Quiet: The summer crowds have departed. Villages return to their unhurried rhythms. Craft workshops welcome visitors without queues.
• Light: The low autumn sun casts everything in warm, golden tones — perfect for photography
• Berry season: Wild lingonberries and blueberries carpet the forest floor

Day 1: Arrive in Mora

Getting there: Drive from Stockholm (3.5 hours via E4 and Route 70) or take the SJ train to Mora (4 hours, scenic route through the Dalarna countryside). The train journey is particularly beautiful in autumn.

Mora (a town at the northern tip of Lake Siljan, cultural centre of Dalarna) is the main town of the Siljan area and your best base for exploring.

Afternoon:

• Zorn Museum — dedicated to Anders Zorn (1860–1920), one of Sweden's greatest painters and a native of Mora. His watercolours of the Dalarna landscape and nude bathers are among the finest in Scandinavian art. The museum also includes Zorngården, his preserved home and studio.
• Walk along the lakefront as the afternoon light catches the autumn colours
• Settle into accommodation — the Mora Parken hotel or one of the many stuga (a cottage, often a holiday rental) rentals around the lake

Evening: Dinner in Mora — try local specialities like tunnbrödsrulle (a thin bread wrap filled with mashed potato and various toppings) or game from the surrounding forests.

Day 2: Dala Horse Workshop & Nusnäs

Morning: Drive (or cycle — 10 km) to Nusnäs (a village outside Mora where the original Dala horses are made), home of the Grannas A. Olsson and Nils Olsson Dala horse workshops — the two original manufacturers of Sweden's most iconic folk craft.

At the workshop:

• Watch artisans hand-carve horses from pine wood
• See the traditional kurbits (the floral folk-art painting style that decorates Dala horses and Dalarna furniture) painting applied — each flower and flourish following patterns passed down for generations
• Try painting your own Dala horse (workshops available, booking recommended)
• Buy the genuine article — from miniatures to large decorative pieces

The Dala horse has been carved in these villages since the 18th century, originally as toys whittled by woodsmen during long winter evenings. It became a national symbol after the 1939 World's Fair in New York, where a giant Dala horse at the Swedish pavilion captivated international visitors.

Afternoon: Drive to Rättvik (a picturesque town on the eastern shore of Lake Siljan), famous for its 625-metre-long wooden pier stretching into the lake. Walk the pier — it's particularly atmospheric with autumn mist on the water.

Swedish Folk Art — The traditions of kurbits painting, woodcraft, and the cultural significance of the Dala horse — on The People.

Day 3: Mushroom Foraging

Full morning/afternoon: Join a guided mushroom foraging excursion in the forests around Lake Siljan. Several local guides offer autumn foraging walks — ask at the tourist office in Mora or Leksand.

What you'll find (September–October):

• kantarell (chanterelle — Sweden's most prized wild mushroom) — golden, funnel-shaped, with an apricot-like fragrance. Found in mossy birch and spruce forests.
• karljohansvamp (porcini/cep — a large, meaty mushroom prized in Swedish cooking) — growing under birch and pine, with a brown cap and thick white stem.
• trattkantarell (funnel chanterelle/yellowfoot — a slender, darker relative of the chanterelle) — growing in dense clusters in mossy spruce forests.
• lingon (lingonberry — the ubiquitous Swedish wild berry) and blåbär (wild blueberry/bilberry) — carpet the forest floor.

Foraging rules:

• Under allemansrätten (the Right of Public Access), you may freely pick mushrooms and berries in Swedish forests
• Never pick what you cannot positively identify — Sweden has poisonous look-alikes
• A guided walk is the safest and most educational way to start
• Carry a basket (not a plastic bag — mushrooms need to breathe)

Evening: Cook your foraged haul. Many stuga rentals have full kitchens. Chanterelles sautéed in butter with a splash of cream, served on toast — the quintessential Swedish autumn meal.

Foraging in Sweden — The tradition, law, and ecology of wild mushroom and berry foraging across Sweden's forests — on The Land.

Mushroom Cookery — Swedish recipes for chanterelles, porcini, and other wild forest mushrooms — on The Table.

Day 4: Leksand & Swedish Traditions

Morning: Drive to Leksand (a village on the southern shore of Lake Siljan, centre of Midsummer traditions) — the epicentre of Swedish Midsummer celebrations. In autumn, it's quieter but no less beautiful.

Highlights:

• Leksand Church — a grand lakeside church with origins in the 13th century
• Munthe's Hildasholm — a lakeside mansion built by physician Axel Munthe, now a museum with beautiful autumn gardens
• Homestead Museum (hembygdsgård (a preserved traditional farmstead, common across rural Sweden)) — traditional farmstead buildings showing how Dalarnas folk lived for centuries
• Walk the kyrkbåtsled (the church boat trail — a scenic lakeside path) along the shore

Afternoon: Sundborn (a village near Falun, home of artist Carl Larsson) (40-minute drive south)

Visit Carl Larsson-gården — the home and studio of Carl Larsson (1853–1919), whose watercolours of family life in this idyllic Dalarna cottage defined the Swedish domestic aesthetic and remain globally influential. The Arts and Crafts interiors are virtually unchanged. Guided tours only — book in advance.

Evening: Return to the Siljan area. Dinner should feature autumn game — elk, venison, or wild boar — served with lingonberry sauce and root vegetables.

Midsummer Traditions — The history and ritual of Sweden's most beloved holiday — maypoles, flower crowns, and the Siljan celebrations — on The People.

Day 5: Falun & the Copper Mine

Full day in Falun (40 minutes south of Mora)

Falun (Dalarna's largest city, famous for its copper mine) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, centred on the great copper mine that powered Swedish empire for centuries.

Highlights:

• Falu Gruva (Falun Copper Mine) — descend 67 metres underground into the mine that was the world's most important copper producer from the 13th to 17th centuries. The "Great Pit" — a massive collapsed crater — is visible from above. Guided tours run throughout autumn.
• Falu rödfärg (Falun red paint — the iconic deep-red pigment used on Swedish cottages) — the red paint that covers cottages across Sweden originates here, produced as a by-product of copper mining. You'll see it on virtually every traditional building in Dalarna.
• Dalarnas Museum (in Falun) — comprehensive museum of Dalarna's folk culture, traditional costumes, and the kurbits painting tradition
• Walk through central Falun's well-preserved wooden quarter

Sweden's Mining Heritage — From Viking iron to industrial copper — how mining shaped Sweden's economy and global power — on The Engine.

Day 6: Autumn Hike & Lake Circuit

Full day outdoors. Several excellent autumn hikes surround Lake Siljan:

• Gesundaberget — a short climb (30 minutes) to a panoramic viewpoint over Lake Siljan and the surrounding autumn forest. On a clear day, you can see the curve of the ancient meteorite impact crater that formed the lake.
• Siljansnäs Nature Reserve — gentle trails through mixed forest with superb autumn colour
• Lake Siljan circuit — drive or cycle the lake's circumference (~100 km), stopping at villages, viewpoints, and churches

Alternative: fäbod (a traditional summer mountain dairy farm) visit

Dalarna's fäbodar (plural: summer dairy farms, a centuries-old pastoral tradition) are among the last surviving summer pasture farms in Europe. Some open for autumn visits, offering traditionally produced butter, cheese, and messmör (a caramelised whey spread, distinctly Swedish). Ask locally — these are small-scale, genuine operations, not tourist attractions.

Evening: Final dinner in Dalarna. Seek out a restaurant serving a smörgåsbord (a traditional Swedish buffet — the original meaning of the word) or autumn tasting menu featuring game, mushrooms, and forest berries.

Day 7: Departure

Morning: Last walk along Lake Siljan. Pick up any final crafts — Dala horses, hand-woven textiles, or jars of lingonberry preserves make excellent souvenirs.

Departure: Drive or train back to Stockholm. The journey south through the Dalarna countryside in autumn is a fitting farewell — red cottages, golden birches, and the quiet dignity of the Swedish landscape.

Budget Breakdown (Per Person, 5 Nights)

What to Pack for Autumn Dalarna

• Layered clothing — mornings are cold, afternoons mild
• Waterproof jacket and trousers (autumn rain is common)
• Sturdy hiking boots
• Basket for foraging (or buy one locally)
• Warm hat and gloves (essential by late October)

See our Packing Guide for full seasonal advice.

Recommended Gear & Reading

• Collins Complete Guide to British Mushrooms and Toadstools — useful reference for identifying Nordic forest mushrooms alongside a local guide (affiliate link)
• Fjällräven Kånken Daypack — the iconic Swedish daypack, perfect for forest walks and foraging excursions (affiliate link)
• Swedish Folk Art: All Tradition is Change — a beautiful exploration of Dalarna's craft heritage, from Dala horses to textile traditions (affiliate link)

Swedish Autumn Cuisine — Game, mushrooms, root vegetables, and the flavours of the Swedish autumn harvest — on The Table.