Villas in Norrbotten - Lappland

Not quite. Vidsel, Arvidsjaur and Älvsbyn are south of the Arctic Circle, so around midsummer the sun dips below the horizon briefly but it never gets properly dark. Överkalix is closest to the circle. To see the sun at midnight, drive north across the circle in late June.

From about September to March, on clear nights away from street lights. Cottages in the forest around Vidsel and Arvidsjaur have dark skies on the doorstep. Cloud is the main obstacle, so a week gives you a far better chance than a long weekend.

Around Christmas there are only a few hours of daylight, with long spells of blue twilight either side. This far south of the Arctic Circle there is no full polar night. By March the days are long and bright, with snow still on the ground.

Yes, from late June into July, especially near rivers and bogs in calm weather. Bring repellent and a head net for walks. A breeze helps, and numbers drop off through August and September.

Snowmobile tours, ice-driving courses on frozen lakes, cross-country skiing and fishing through the ice for Arctic char. Car makers test their vehicles here through the winter, so book cottages and activities early.

Fly to Stockholm, then on to Luleå, which takes most of a day with the connection. Arvidsjaur has its own flights from Stockholm. Hire a car at the airport, because buses between villages are infrequent.

Yes. It is a long run of unregulated rapids on the Pite river near Vidsel, loudest in early summer when snowmelt swells the river. Marked trails and an accessible path run beside the water, and the area is a nature reserve.