"About halfway up Sweden's long eastern coast, 200 miles north of Stockholm, lies the city of Hudiksvall. It has a strange nickname throughout Sweden - 'Happy Hudik' refers to its supposed great tradition of hospitality and vibrant social life. Visitors can hire a car in Hudiksvall to see for themselves. The city is within a remote area where forestry and paper are now the main industries. Driving around the district you're sure to spot the Storbergsmasten, a TV mast that is Sweden's tallest structure. Visit the rural communities like Bollnäs and Gruvberget to find historic churches and farmsteads among the unspoilt country landscape, and explore the wild coastline dotted with hundreds of small islands."
The picturesque old wooden fishermen's houses along the waterfront of the bay hint at Hudiksvall's past as a fish and fur trading outpost. Today it's a city worth exploring and that's easiest if you hire a car in Hudiksvall. Touring around the quiet streets, you'll find grand historic buildings like the Stadshotellet, an imposing 19th-century hotel, Jacobs Kyrka, the 17th-century Lutheran church with an ornate interior, and Folkets Hus, a former workers' library that now hosts exhibitions. Best of all, during the summer, you'll find the local strawberry growers selling their fruit at makeshift stalls along the roads.
