Sundsvall is the seat of Västernorrland County, and the only city in the Medelpad province of Sweden. The city population is about 55,000 but including suburbs the total is close to 100,000. It is located in a hilly area by the coast and its main industries are pulp and paper factories, sawmills, aluminium smelting, and hydroelectric power generation. Sundsvall also houses a campus of the Mittuniversitetet (Mid Sweden University), which gained university status in 2005.
The wooden city was repeatedly destroyed by fire, so after the great fire of 1888 it was rebuilt as a Stenstaden - a stone city. Sundsvall was prosperous at the time, so the central area was rebuilt in art nouveau style, with grand city blocks and lavish exteriors. Most sites of interest are in this central area, including the Tourist Information Bureau, Stora Torget, +46 60-658 58 00. M–F 11:00–18:00; Sa 11:00–15:00.
The wooden city was repeatedly destroyed by fire, so after the great fire of 1888 it was rebuilt as a Stenstaden - a stone city. Sundsvall was prosperous at the time, so the central area was rebuilt in art nouveau style, with grand city blocks and lavish exteriors. Most sites of interest are in this central area, including the Tourist Information Bureau, Stora Torget, +46 60-658 58 00. M–F 11:00–18:00; Sa 11:00–15:00.
The central Stenstaden is mostly pedestrianised. The main square is "Stora Torget", a pleasant space with building styles ranging from red-brick "Midland-Railway-Belle-Epoque" to concrete brutalist. The main church, Gustav Adolf Lutheran church, is just west.
- Kulturmagasinet, Packhusgatan 4 (In the city near the harbor, +46 60 19 18 00. M-Th 10:00-19:00, F 10:00-18:00, Sa Su 11:00-16:00. Museum over 3 floors of two linked warehouses. Free.
- Norra Berget Friluftsmuseum, Gustaf Adolfsvägen 18 B (On hillside 2 km north of city centre. Daily; most attractions 11:00-17:00. "Skansen" or open-air museum of country life.
Kulturmagasinet, Packhusgatan 4 (In the city near the harbor, +46 60 19 18 00. M-Th 10:00-19:00, F 10:00-18:00, Sa Su 11:00-16:00. Museum over 3 floors of two linked warehouses. Free.
Norra Berget Friluftsmuseum, Gustaf Adolfsvägen 18 B (On hillside 2 km north of city centre. Daily; most attractions 11:00-17:00. "Skansen" or open-air museum of country life.
- Sundsvall Street Festival is held in the first week of July. It's a street party with a lot of great artists.
- Casino Cosmopol Sundsvall, +46 60 141150. M-F 15:00-03:00, Sa Su 13:00-03:00. One of only four casinos in Sweden - the others are in Stockholm, Goteborg and Malmo, all run by Cosmopol. Check their website for games, stakes, dress code, house rules etc.
- Södra Berget, Södra Stadsberget 1, Sundsvall, Sweden, +46 60-67 10 00. Leisure complex on South Hill overlooking the city, with a hotel, bowling alley, spa and restaurant.
- Ski: two small ski areas are just south of the city, Slalombacke on Södra Berget and Sidsjöbacken a few km east. Two others lie 10 km south.
Casino Cosmopol Sundsvall, +46 60 141150. M-F 15:00-03:00, Sa Su 13:00-03:00. One of only four [[gambling|casinos]] in Sweden - the others are in Stockholm, Goteborg and Malmo, all run by Cosmopol. Check their website for games, stakes, dress code, house rules etc.
Södra Berget, Södra Stadsberget 1, Sundsvall, Sweden, +46 60-67 10 00. Leisure complex on South Hill overlooking the city, with a hotel, bowling alley, spa and restaurant.
Sundsvall has more than 60 restaurants, bars and pubs, mostly in the central area. Most international cuisine is represented and of course Swedish traditional husmanskost.
- Brandstation Bar & Matsalar, Köpmangatan 29, +46 60 12 3936. M-F 11:00-13:30. All-you-can-eat buffet lunch, in city centre.
- Invito, Storgatan 6-8, +46 60-153900. M-F 11:00-14:00 & 17:00-23:00 (F to 01:00), Sa 17:00-01:00, Su closed. Popular Italian restaurant and bar
- Tant Anci & Fröken Sara, Bankgatan 15, +46 60 785 5700. M-Th 10:00-21:00, F 10:00-20:00, Sa 11:00-18:00, Su 12:00-16:00. A café with focus on ecological and locally sourced produce.
Brandstation Bar & Matsalar, Köpmangatan 29, +46 60 12 3936. M-F 11:00-13:30. All-you-can-eat buffet lunch, in city centre.
Invito, Storgatan 6-8, +46 60-153900. M-F 11:00-14:00 & 17:00-23:00 (F to 01:00), Sa 17:00-01:00, Su closed. Popular Italian restaurant and bar
Tant Anci & Fröken Sara, Bankgatan 15, +46 60 785 5700. M-Th 10:00-21:00, F 10:00-20:00, Sa 11:00-18:00, Su 12:00-16:00. A café with focus on ecological and locally sourced produce.
Almost all bars are in the "Stenstaden" area.
The choice is southwards to Uppsala and Stockholm, inland to Östersund and Trondheim, northwards to Umeå with a ferry route to Vaasa, and further north towards Luleå and Narvik.