SMALL CHARMING HOTEL IN DALA-FLODA THE PROVINCE OF DALARNA,
3 HOUR'S DRIVE FROM STOCKHOLM

Tel +46-241-22050
Mail: [email protected]
Magnificent landscapes, vivid colours and hot spices are often associated with exotic destinations on the
other side of the globe but it is not necessary to make a long journey to experience them, actually no further
than Dala-Floda in Western Dalarna. The village of Dala-Floda is a typical Dalarna picture postcard village the
only difference being the effect tourism has had compared to other places. The majority of the village looks no
different than it would have done one hundred years ago. The buildings are mainly unaltered from the 16th c
in traditional Dalarna red with a few additions from the turn of the century. The landscape around the village is
a mixture of enchanting forest, powerful rivers and mellow lakes.The sun bleached barns in the meadows
contrast with the old fäbodar (traditional Swedish chalets) up in the mountains which are a popular
tourist destination, these all help to give the area its special character.
On many maps Dala-Floda is marked as Floda which is how the village was originally known.

• On the second weekend in July in accordance with tradition the Cow Party is held in the village.
  In the olden days the young girls were up in the hills looking after the animals and were unable
  to return for the midsummer festivities. When the girls returned home for the haymaking an additional
  midsummer celebration was held and this tradition has been followed ever since,
  every year the village holds a two day festival with a street market and music and dance in the evenings.
  
                                                                         
  Three of  Floda's four bridges                         

Worth visiting in Dala-Floda
Particular to Dala-Floda are the suspension bridges, the bridge that leads to the churchyard is
Sweden's longest wooden traffic suspension bridge. On the other side of the bridge you can visit the
Old homestead Museum Hembygdsgården and see all the varieties of the national costume of Floda.

In the beautiful Danilsgården next to the churchyard is an antique shop. Danilsgården was built by a wealthy
farmer in 1801 and the present owner has carefully restored it to its former glory. In the summer you can
buy all manner of antiques and the connoisseur can find beautiful high quality furniture nearly always in
pristine condition. New or old furniture can also be painted with homemade tempera paint.



Floda people are very proud of their handicraft tradition and cultural heritage.
The strong colours and motives on textiles and clothes are reminiscent of far away lands.
The traditional local costume is one of the most beautiful in the country
with its colourful flowers and if anyone from the village is having a wedding they would
probably still chose to wear it. The shop Floda Hemslöjd, has a careful selection
of beautiful textiles and costumes as well as other examples of needlework.
One of the most well known families in the village are the Wålstedts who have run a successful
woollen mill for three generations. It was started by Mary and Lennart who saved the
original breed of sheep from dying out in Sweden. The yarn that they produce is used to
create woollen articles all over the world and is exported even is far as Japan. In the shop
you can buy yarn in every imaginable colour and even knitted articles such as jumpers.
There is also a nice little display of the history of the family business.

Next door to the woollen mill is the Wålstedt family organic farm. They produce KRAV
quality vegetables which they sell to shops in the area. There is also a small farm shop
where you can buy vegetables and other organically cultivated wares at good prices.



Go three km north of Dala-Floda right into the woods and you find a pretty place for picnicking -
a restored water-mill site "KVARNA", an outdoor museum of early 17th century industry.
Here men stayed out for weeks making use of the running waters to work the wowen
materials into thick warm pieces of cloth used for coats etc.



Dala-Floda has a rich tradition of both folk dances and folk music.
Many Dala inhabitants play the fiddle and "everybody" know how to dance a
hambo, polka, schottis and wals
An interesting typical Swedish instrument is the Nyckelharpa Key Harp,
and another instrument the Swedish Bagpipe is much played in our neighbourhood

The remote and isolated fäbodar (summer pasture areas) up in the hills far from the village community
is where the young girls who worked hard looking after the cows developed a music language.
To communicate with one another, to warn for predators and to call their cattle,
they blew special horns often made of birch bark. Another way of communicating with
each other was to �kula� � a sort of high-pitched yodelling that could be heard over hill and dale .

Bastberget, south of Dala-Floda, was probably the largest summer grazing settlement
in Scandinavia, where about 100 households grazed some 600 cattle.
The settlement is still running today and is much worth a visit.

At Värdshuset in summer 2007 we arrange small courses in Folk Music,
African Rytm and Dance, Kulning
A splendid retreat week as You sleep and eat at our charming inn!

"…One cannot hastily describe a place as beautiful as this. In perfect harmony with the nature
are the villagers, smiling and cheerful, open and easygoing…"
So wrote Karl Trotzig in an article for the Swedish Tourist Association in 1905, he was so
charmed by the area he named it Dalarna's paradise. ...................Which is still true............

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