The history of STF
Svenska Turistföreningen (STF) was founded in Uppsala in 1885 by a group of geology students with an interest in outdoor activities. Right from the start, the goal was to promote tourism and make Sweden more accessible for everyone. The association initially targeted its activities on the Swedish mountain world, but the field of operation rapidly spread to the rest of the country.
Accessibility of the mountains
One of the primary tasks of the association was to make the Swedish mountain world accessible to tourists. The first hiking trails started to be marked out in 1887, and ambitious plans for Kungsleden between Abisko and Kvikkjokk were started two years later.
The first mountain cabin was built in 1888 – the Varvek shelter. A small hut by the Varvekälven river on the trail between Kvikkjokk and Sulitelma in the northern Lapland mountains. It was a simple one-room cabin with fixed benches and a table. An earthen floor, a stove, and a few bunks. The total cost came to SEK 310, including a footbridge across the river. Since then, STF has developed a network of mountain accommodations, spread along the trails across large parts of the Scandinavian mountain range.
The first hostels
STF was initially active primarily in the Swedish mountains, but a desire arose during the 1930s from members who wanted to be able to travel and stay in comfortable accommodation in the rest of Sweden. STF coined the name “vandrarhem” or “hostel” for the new form of accommodation – it gave a resonance of mountain hiking and the cosiness of one’s own home. The association opened its first hostel in May 1933, in Gränna. Development was rapid, and only two years later as many as 187 hostels were operating under the auspices of STF. Many different types of hostel were available, and guests could choose to sleep in barns, school halls, mediaeval houses or castles.
STF today
What started as a small club for academics has grown to become one of Sweden’s largest popular movements, with around 190 000 members. We arrange several thousand courses and activities at the accommodation facilities and in our many district associations. Our guiding principle, however, remains the same as it was 140 years ago: to enable more people to discover Sweden.
We now have around 250 accomodations throughout Sweden offering not only reasonably priced accommodation but also memorable experiences. The STF mountain stations act as hubs where you can find accommodation, courses, guided tours, restaurants and shops. STF’s mountain facilities allow us to keep the mountain world open for all.
