White nights, summer in the city

Downhill biking center near Oulu city with various selection of trails. Rusko bike park offers trails for demanding customers and beginners.

Up with a lift, down by bike. Enjoy trails from enduro styled routes to DH biking trails with jumps and berms. We are also offering rental gears and guided DH biking for the groups and individual drivers.

Would you like to experience the city of Oulu from the canoe?

City canoeing trip floats from beautiful and peaceful sceneries of river Oulujoki to open sea landscapes. We’ll see the white sand beaches and lights of the city, ducks and trees to bend over the canoe.

You can choose either a daytime or a late night trip, which both have their own lovely details. In the beginning of summertime the sun barely sets and in the fall the red and purple sky looks amazing. In the daytime we’ll get to see the city and the nature better.

Fresh air and beautiful landscape surrounded by Koiteli white water rapids, amazing!

Nice time, challenging but funny group tasks. You have to use your brains to solve these ticks and at the same time you can enjoy the nature of Island Sahasaari and Koiteli rapids. The tasks cannot be completed successfully without teamwork, creativity and helping each other. The ability of working as a team will increase by itself. After teamwork, coffee and sausage in warm hearted cabin or outside by the river.

Can dance be captured in an artwork? Can bodies in motion be frozen as images?

Dance! invites you to experience a meeting of two art forms: dance and visual art. The works featured convey the spectrum of affect that can be expressed through dance: from passion, bliss and joie de vivre to wistfulness, sorrow and vulnerability. Bodies in motion radiate with life and energy, but they also carry a reminder of our lack of defence to fatigue, illness, and the inexorability of death.

At the heart of the exhibition are collections of Finnish art museums from the 20th century, and how the works in the collections reflect embodiment and motion but also currents in the history of art and culture at large – while at the same time touching on broader social questions. On one hand, dance is associated with the idea of liberating and revolutionary joy, but, on the other hand, with the precise and focused practice of choreographed movement. The exhibition explores how aestheticized movement has been represented in the visual arts as two-dimensional images and three-dimensional forms, and how the moving body has embodied different identities, gender roles and cultural ideals.

The exhibition is based on the original concept of the HAM Helsinki Art Museum, curated by art and cultural historian Hanna-Reetta Schreck and exhibition curator Merimaa. Schreck and chef curator Elina Vieru are responsible for the updated version of the exhibition presented in Oulu and the new selection of works.

Guided paintball games in Oulu. Choose your field from our three builded areas. We guarantee you the best guns and equipment, the most impressive game zones near Oulu, Finland and a wide variety of game types.

A unique kayaking trip that you can experience only in Oulu on the Air Guitar World Championships week! Come and paddle in the beautiful Oulujoki river delta with air guitar contestants from all over the world. Guaranteed fun, laughter and air guitar stories – rain or shine! Along the way, you will also get to dive into the roots of Karelian culture through folk musician Emmi Kuittinen’s lament singing performance in the nature.

The three-hour trip starts from Linnansaari island (at Lappis waterpark), goes around the islands by the shore and returns to the starting point. The trip is great for first-timers but it’s certainly a new kind of experience for more experienced paddlers as well. The host of the afternoon, Air Guitar Champion of Champions Justin “Nordic Thunder” Howard, will keep up the Airy atmosphere together with other air guitarists.

The price includes paddling equipment, the services of a guide throughout the trip, and the lament singing performance. You can take your own snacks with you on the trip.

The trip is part of Oulu August Festival’s programme and it is organized together with Lappis.

#makeairnotwar

De Urbe Uloa – Paintings of Oulu showcases paintings from the collections of the Northern Ostrobothnia Museum. Most of the approximately 30 works have never been exhibited before.

The selection features oils, watercolours and gouaches of downtown Oulu streets and buildings, some of them still in existence, some of them gone. The paintings have been received to the museum’s collections as part of donations.

Oulu Days is an urban festival with long-standing traditions – it has been organised since 1962. Oulu Days is a festival which welcomes everyone to arrange an event by offering it to be included in the Oulu Days programme. The festival takes place on the first weekend of September from Friday until Sunday. The concept of Oulu Days is to be a communal event entity in which a range of different communities creates the programme together. The organisers of Oulu Days events includes companies, associations, public sector operators and even private persons. The festival supports new urban culture without forgetting the long traditions.

In the playroom called Leikkilä, children can experience what it felt like to be a child more than 100 years ago. Imagine yourself to the role of a market seller, fisher or the child of a merchant family.

The Northern Ostrobothnia Museum has opened a playroom of approximately 30 square meters decorated and furnished in the style of Oulu at the turn of the 19th and the 20th centuries. The exhibition is hands-on and action-based with numerous historical toys.

The exhibition is accompanied by a newspaper that showcases the topical concerns, talking points, travel destinations and – of course – toys of the day.

The playroom has been designed following the principles of sustainable development. Many recycled materials are used, and a number of favourite items from past exhibition have been brought back.

Sense the power of the sea, go hiking along the Oolanti nature trail, stand at the feet of wind mills.

At the harbour of Vatunki you can see a wide range of fishing boats and working fishermen. Oolanti nature trail is a place to get to know the nature and history of the area.

Services: Swimming spot, childrens playground, nature trail (450 meters), lean-to and campfire, outhouse toilet, caravan parking, berths for visitor boats.

Arrival instructions: Vatunki is located about 40 km from the Ii town center towards Kuivaniemi, north on highway E4. Road signs will guide you to take a turn to Pohjoisrannantie and drive about 7 km until the end of the point.

Address: Pohjoisrannatie 759, Kuivaniemi.

Stunning sea views, birdwatching tower and a place of silence marked with a wooden anchor will guarantee successful pictures of your holiday. In the winter time, the Merihelmi is a popular spot for ice fishing or riding a snowmobile.

Services: Seaview restaurant, camping area and caravan parking, gas station, children’s playground, birdwatching tower, Sailor’s trail (300 m duckboards) with information boards about history, outdoor seating area.

Address: Rynkyntie 21, Kuivaniemi.

Arriving: Merihelmi is located on the coast of the Bothnian Bay along the highway E75 in between the cities of Kemi and Oulu. Distance from the Ii town centre is about 25 km and from Kemi 44km.

Nallikari Holiday Village 3,5 kilometers away from the center of Oulu has a large camping area which provides camping pitches for tents too.

All 150 tent pitches are without electric supply and can be choose according to own preferences. Caravan pitches with electricity can be booked also for the tents.

All the services in Nallikari Holiday Village are available for visitors; maintenance buildings, free public sauna (days vary depending on the season), laundry and drying room. There are also lockable mini fridges for hire for tent site guests.

Camping price consists of basic fee + person fee. Please check the seasonal prices from the booking site.

Nallikari boasts one of the best all-year round campsites in Finland. Nallikari is easy to access even by a larger camper van or caravan. There are places to choose from places without electricity to small and large pitches and drive-through spots.

All the services in Nallikari Holiday Village are available for visitors; maintenance buildings, free public sauna (days vary depending on the season), laundry and drying room. Park-like campsite has also fire places that guests can use.

Camping price consists of basic fee + person fee. Please check the seasonal prices from the booking site.

Enjoy early autumn and mornings in a local market hall and step up to Arctic Food Lab pop up to explore arctic food!

Pop up is open between 1st of August until 3rd of September in Oulun Kauppahalli.

There is info about Arctic Food Lab, local food, companies presented and food related theme days.

On Saturdays there is live music.

Come and leave your favourite recipe spiced with Arctic Food Lab touch! Three best recipes – with most fresh touch and best imagination – will published in Arctic Food Lab contents during autumn.

Traditional favourite recipes will be collected in Oulu2026 area aim to publish Arctic Food Lab recipe book before year 2026 – Oulu to be European capital of culture!

Arctic Food Lab – Northern Delicacies to the World
Northern Finland’s short but intensive summer ripens our local ingredients. Arctic Food Lab is one part of Oulu2026-culture programme that brings forth the ingredients that have grown under the Oulu2026 region’s Northern sky, and the uniqueness of traditional food born under arctic circumstances.

Arctic Food Lab brings together those operating in gastronomy and food culture in the Oulu region and celebrates Northern cuisine and gastronomy. You will recognize local tastes and experiences from this trademark.

www.arcticfoodlab.fi

Arctic Food Lab Pop up is a trial point, that is co-financed with Oulu Culture Foundation, Council of Oulu Region and City of Oulu.

Opening hours
From Monday to Friday 8-17 and Saturdays 8-16

See you at Oulun Kauppahalli on August!

The surprise menu is a tribute to the diverse nature of the North and the world’s purest ingredients sourced from the wild. We have roamed the rolling fell tops and open mires and forests in the wilderness to offer you a surprise menu that embodies the genuine and unique quality of Northern nature.

We believe every bite should be an experience, so take plenty of time to enjoy the surprise menu. To allow our kitchen enough time to prepare the dishes for your party, the 5-course surprise menu is available until 8 p.m. and the 3-course surprise menu until 10 p.m. To ensure a pleasant evening for everyone, we hope you order the surprise menu for all members of your party.

Jumpru Patio Live! – club will start at Jumpru Pub Patio on Tuesday June 14th and there will be live music every week from Tuesday to Saturday from 9 pm to 10.30 pm.

The Jumpru X OMJ Jazzpatio club is always on our menu on Tuesdays, soulful and rhythmic Soul Kitchen club on Wednesdays and a Rytmipatio club will take turns on Thursdays with weekly changing themes. On Fridays and Saturdays everyone gets to sing when the popular Allsång På Jumpru club take its turn.

Clubs have an age limit of 20 and free admission.

Websites unfortunately only in Finnish at the moment!

Flying in a hot air balloon flight is a lifetime experience, when you can gently sail across the sky and enjoy the beautiful finnish landscapes from a bird’s eye view.

The MOMENTS balloon trip takes about 3-4 hours of which one hour is spent travelling in the air.

Our service includes:

– Transportation from the agreed meeting place to the departure site and back to the meeting point
– About 1 hour flight in hot air balloon
– Traditional after-flight ceremony at the landing site.
– Flight certificate

These tips will lead you to the top attractions and sights in Oulu, whether you are staying just over one night or enjoying the versatile leisure selection of Oulu for longer. The city is compact, so everything is close, and you will soon feel at home!

The seaside atmosphere of the Market Square with the legendary Market Square Policeman’s statue and the offering of local products is a must for every visitor especially in the summertime. The Market Hall holds a variety of local delicacies and produce to take home, too. A bridge for pedestrians and bicycles connects the Market Square with the old wooden district of Pikisaari Island just a short walk away.

Pass the stately Oulu Cathedral to get to the lush city park of Hupisaaret Islands. This is a local favourite around the year and an excellent place for spending time on summery picnics or having fun in the winter. If you enjoy beach life, visit Nallikari Beach on the Bothnian Bay in Hietasaari Island – the Riviera for Nordic tourists. Its lighthouse lookout spot and phenomenal sunsets are mandatory Instagram material for all visitors.

Last but not least: any traveller must experience Oulu as a cycling city, with its vast cycleway network of more than 900 kilometres and the trademark red cycling highways! Jump on a bike and admire all these sights, pedalling comfortably through the Oulu landscape.

Oulu Music Video Festival is a four-day spectacle of music and moving pictures that brings together young and youthful people, both music and film professionals, enthusiasts and consumers on the last warm evenings of the summer.

The Festival presents hundreds of music videos, movies, documentaries and special screenings. In addition, the authors of the videos express their own views from different perspectives in some of the screenings. The best Finnish music videos and video makers are rewarded at the prestigious Pumpeli Gala.

The festival organizes also live clubs and other music video related activities in local bars.

The artistic director of the festival is Anna-Mari Nousiainen. The event is produced by the Oulu Music Video Festivals Association.

Literary Art Festival Muusajuhlat (Muse Festival) is the most notable literary happening in Oulu area. The festival brings together poets, writers, musicians, and artists from all around Finland. The versatile programme offers something for literary enthusiasts of all ages.

The programme is mostly in Finnish but there are also events that include multiple art forms and are suitable for non-Finnish speakers.

The events are centered at the Oulu City Library and Restaurant Tuba, but there are also events in other restaurants, libraries and nearby municipalities in Oulu. Most events are free of charge.

The nine poems or muses of antiquity have inspired humanity since ancient times. Now the muses are calling us to the world of reading and writing once again. The books delight, enchant and captivate. When reading them you can empathize, be charmed, reminisce, stray and linger – the books have all our stories and countless worlds.

The festival is produced by Huutomerkki ry.

VARIKKO continues the series of multi-disciplinary and multisensory immersive performances by Flow Productions. The performance is situated in Oulu’s historic City Depot building, whose stark architecture provides an impressive setting to the events. The audience is free to roam in the building as part of VARIKKO. The experience will be different for every viewer, because the choices they make define their routes and encounters.

VARIKKO is the work of an international team of creators, including dancers, circus artists, actors, musicians and visual artists. The work is directed by dance artist Pirjo Yli-Maunula.

Flow Productions is a long-standing partner of Oulu August Festival, bringing both domestic and foreign top contemporary circus performances as well as its own productions to the Festival’s program.

Oulunsalo Soi is a versatile, intimate and high-class chamber music festival that brings great pieces, premieres and musical delights to the Oulu region. The festival’s concerts and events are surprising, touching, and sometimes a bit whimsical too.

This year’s main theme is classics and forgotten gems. The festival includes eight concerts and one art exhibition, which is made by the visual artist of the year, Aino Väänänen.

Oulunsalo Soi presents both international and domestic top names and rising stars. The concerts invite you to more traditional concert halls as well as new venues.

The artistic director of the festival is pianist Mika Rännäli. The festival is produced by the Oulu Cultural Events Association.

Oulu Arts Night is a magical night full of culture!

Oulu Arts Night lets musicians, actors, dancers, writers, and artists take over the streets and parks and offer unique experiences for everyone. The festival lasts for only one night but the number of visitors takes up to 30 000!

The goal is to make arts and culture easy to reach and thus most of the events and performances are free of charge. Professionals and amateurs alike can bring their performances to the Arts Night.

Incredible performances, international love and big emotions – welcome to the airiest competition in the world!

The Air Guitar World Championships is a celebration of love and peace. In 25 years, the semi absurd performance art has grown into a favourite of international audiences and media, spreading its message around the world.

The year of air guitar culminates in August in Oulu, where national champions and black horses arrive to compete for the world championship. The official Air Guitar World Championships network includes over 10 countries from almost all continents.

The AGWC Finals offers performances from the world’s best air guitarists and a magnificent show for old and new friends of air guitar. In the Black Horses Qualifying Round the night before, the prize is an instant place to the world finals. In addition to the contest events, Air Guitar World Championships offer air guitar-themed events for tourists.

The next Air Guitar World Championship competition takes place in August 2022. The Air Guitar World Championships are organized by Airnest Productions Oy.

The Northern Ostrobothnia Museum focuses on the history of the city of Oulu, Northern Ostrobothnia and Finland. Our exhibitions captivate kindergarten groups, teenagers and seniors alike.

In the Northern Ostrobothnia Museum, years gone by come alive in an unforgettable way through objects, phenomena, famous persons and common people. Smell the tar, learn of adventures in the high seas and get to know working-class life in the Vaara district of old. This and much more is what makes the history of our fair city. The eye-catcher of our exhibition is a large miniature of the White City of the North as it was before the Second World War in 1938.

The cultural-historical provincial museum is located in the beautiful river delta of the Oulujoki River. All four floors of the building house exhibitions. Oulu’s cultural cradle is located at the heart of the city in the Ainola Park and the Hupisaaret Islands.

The idyllic Turkansaari Open Air Museum takes you on a time trip to the past. Turkansaari’s historical countryside setting and beautiful natural environment are fully preserved, yet close to the city centre. Step into the past and listen to the stories of Northern heritage, everyday life and celebration in the countryside.

Turkansaari Open Air Museum is located on three islands in the Oulujoki River 12 kilometres upstream from downtown Oulu. The museum is Finland’s second-oldest open air museum. It was officially established in 1925 when the island’s wooden church dating back to 1694 was restored to its original location.

In addition to the historical buildings and setting, the museum offers summertime work demonstrations in the Northern Ostobothnian tradition, such as tar pit burning during the Midsummer Week. The main themes of the museum are traditional agriculture and forestry, fishing and Oulu’s history of tar. The main events of the year are Tar Week, Midsummer celebration, the Rahvaan Perinnepäivät Tradition Week, the Jaakko Days and the Autumn Market.

The Hietasaari recreational area represents post-glacial rebound coast with lush vegetation of old park and garden species, dotted with old villas and private gardens. Here you can discover the various seacoast vegetational zones, coastal meadows and woods, young and grove-like forest heaths, and an abundance of indigenous birdlife.

Starting in the 1850s, a villa community was created in Hietasaari as the wealthy merchants of Oulu escaped the summer heat of the town to the island with their cattle and servants. Some of the old villas still exist in Hietasaari. Some are used as private homes while others have been renovated to serve as rentable facilities, for example. The ever-evolving island remains an attractive summer destination, with Nallikari Beach offering a fantastic setting for visitors near and far. Here you will also find accommodation and restaurant services, a variety of activities to choose from, and nature trails with birdwatching towers and campfire sites along them. Trails are suitable for walking and biking and they are maintained all year round!

Welcome to experience the nature in Virpiniemi. Located on the Bothnian Bay near Oulu, the recreation and tourist centre of Virpiniemi is a paradise of beautiful forests and ridges accompanied by year-round activities. This northern sports centre offers visitors the summer trails and winter ski tracks of Runtelinharju ridge, aquatic activities on the sea, lovely beaches, and even the possibility to go horseback riding in wonderful scenery. The Rantasara camping area is perfect for longer stays, too!

Golf lovers visit Virpiniemi for the greens created by leading Nordic course designer Jan Sederholm. Usually, the local season for this fascinating sport can begin as early as April. The closeness of the sea and the ridge landscape will challenge players throughout the round.

Food experience in the Northern Finland is unique. Lean-to dining, authentic and cultural restaurants create the perfect Lappish atmosphere. The restaurants and food experience producers chosen by Hungry for Finland, know how to make a tourist fall in love not only with Lappish nature but also with local food.

Finland’s first science centre is the perfect place for learning, enjoying yourself, putting your brain and body at test or simply spending some time engaging in entertaining exploration. Science Centre Tietomaa is a household name in Oulu and the entire Northern Finland. It has been one of the best-known attractions in Oulu for years.

The themed exhibitions of the science centre feature more than 150 hands-on attractions and demonstrations. New exhibitions are opened every year, and the highlights of past exhibitions become part of the permanent exhibition. Our exhibitions explore different fields of science and technology and give food for thought for all audiences.

The Science Centre’s giant screen cinema shows fabulous 3D films that take the audience to the depths of oceans, the darkest jungles, the infinite reaches of space, or back in time to see the dinosaurs. Our giant screen theatre has the second-largest screen in Finland.

The Science Centre’s 45-meter tower, completed in 1920 to serve as the water tower of the tanning plant, is one of the key landmarks of the Oulu cityscape. The glass-walled elevator of the tower takes you up 35 metres to the top floor with fabulous views over the city.

Every Wednesday in July there is a flea market at Voimala 1889’s patio.
You can come as a seller and buy your sales table at Tiketti or just come to shop as a customer! Sales table for one person costs 15€ for one night.

We also sell refreshments and food at the patio!

Jarkko Martikainen ja Luotetut miehet performing on Friday 22nd of July at Voimala 1889’s patio!

Edu Kettunen performing on Thursday 21st of July at Voimala 1889’s patio!

Elojazz is an intimate jazz and rhythm music festival in the heart of Oulu. The sweet melodies of Elojazz have been heard in Oulu for more than three decades. The festival takes place on the first weekend of August and includes main concerts as well free club gigs.

The artistic director of Elojazz is Jukka Eskola, one of the most recognized jazz musicians in Finland. The festival is produced by Jazz-20 Association.

Aknestik performing on Saturday 23rd of July at Voimala 1889’s patio!

Ailasto is an old school building in Hailuoto island. Last 45 years it has been restaurant and now with new owners we want to develop Ailasto meeting place for all people. There are two idyllic two person rooms upstairs in the old teacher’s apartment. Big room has double bed and sofa where can sleep 1-2 persons. Small room has 2 separate beds. Breakfast, sheets and sauna is not included the price. At the service building you can find showers, toilets and kitchen area.

Luotolainen is an old traditional sweater knitted by finnish sheep wool. It has many special details that you can not find other knit wears. The first Luotolainen was found in Hailuoto island near Oulu. Now that knitted sweater is more famous than ever! In the exhibition you see all the versions of this awesome sweater. Can you use a spinning wheel and make yarn? Now you have a change to try!

The legend of Luotolainen
On the island of Hailuoto, in the far north of the Baltic Sea, lived a boy and a girl. As they grew older, their paths led them apart; he went off to war, and she married another man. As a token of their deep affection, she knit the Luotolainen sweater for him. The sweater was his most prized treasure. He lived in solitude for the rest of his life, but his Luotolainen sweater he never gave up. It was worn and mended for over 45 years—worn until the day he died. The Luotolainen is the island’s story of love and longing.
the man got several other sweaters over the years, but he never wore them. instead he took pieces from the new ones to mend the sweater from his unrequited love. the orginal sweater from this legend is located in the handicraft museum in Jyväskylä. (Käsityön museo). This sweater is about 100 years old.

Significance of the ribbing: not unusual, goes through whole sweater, easy to adapt when making larger or smaller. ribbing also makes it warmer, better insulator. Inteded to be kept and mended even through multiple generations. If the sweater is gifted to a specific person, the knitter can add the wearers, personalized initials or other personal emblem, so that if the fisher died or was lost at sea, the person could be recognized by the sweater. If it happened in late fall or winter you couldn’t find the person, but the sweater.

This exhibition is to be seen in Taito Shop Pop up room all the july. This exhibition is not guided.

The Botanical Garden of the University of Oulu is one of the northernmost scientific gardens in the world. Botanical Garden collection of plants is maintained for teaching and research purposes and it is open to the public.

Collections include more than 4,000 different plant species and provide an overview of global vegetation diversity. Botanical Garden is also a testing and experimental area for many new and rare plants. The landmark of the Oulu Botanical Garden are the pyramid-shaped greenhouses Romeo and Julia where about 1,200 exotic plant species are presented. Science Garden of the University of Oulu is also located here.

Outdoor garden is open every day 8 AM – 8 PM and is free of charge. Greenhouses are open Tue – Sun 10 AM -4 PM, with voluntary admission fee of 5 €.

Guided walking tours are available during the summer with varied themes. Guaranteed departures on Tuesdays and Fridays between 13.6.-19.8.2022. Guiding in Finnish only.

You can also book a guide for your own group! More information in the web page!

Welcome to the Oulu River estuary! In Oulu, you can sense the closeness of water just a short walk away from the city centre. The cultural landscape opening over the river is present all around. The estuary with its lovely islands is a source of year-round recreation on natural waters with a multitude of services on offer. The estuary is easy to discover by paddling or SUP boarding, for example.

Hietasaari Island does not offer only a lush park atmosphere but also the sandy beaches at Nallikari, the “Riviera of the North”. When you enter Pikisaari Island, you will be swept away by the charm of old wooden houses in an artists’ district full of local industrial history. On Hupisaaret Islands, you can try and count how many small wooden bridges across the lovely brooks you can find. If you fancy a refreshing dip in Oulu River, visit Värttö Beach where you can go swimming throughout the year. Seaside disc golfing by the Bothnian Bay at Meri-Toppila disc golf park is a memorable experience in the summer, while fatbiking on the sea ice is an unforgettable one in the wintertime.

Oulu Climbing Center is a recreational sports venue with indoor climbing facilities for lead, top rope and automatic belayed climbing and bouldering. There is climbing for everyone even if you are a first timer or beginner, a young child or an elderly climber. The climbing routes are setup by competent route setters who take all the climbers into consideration. Come and try it yourself!

A sauna with a meeting room and kitchen is found at the top floor of the climbing centre. A balcony with a view to the sea is equipped with tables and chairs together with barbecue facilities and a hot tub to relax after climbing or a meeting! Make a reservation for your work group or peer.

Do you want to be your own boss on the waters? For those who prefer independent activities, there are easy and safe paddling routes around the islands in the estuary, and a special atmosphere awaits those who paddle the “Amazon of Oulu”, a route along Mustasalmi strait through Hietasaari Island all the way to the sea.

Adventurers can paddle through Toppilansalmi strait toward Nallikari and back down Mustasalmi to the estuary, truly discovering the aquatic Oulu from the waves! You can also rent an inflatable canoe or SUP board and head out to other waterways around Oulu, such as lakes Kuivasjärvi, Pyykösjärvi, or Valkiaisjärvi, the last of which is a special local favourite. The best summer moments also include taking part in a relaxing, guided paddling trip and enjoying a shared experience with others.

The most central blocks of wooden buildings in Oulu – with national significance – are the Rantakortteli ones adjacent to the Market Square. They are a window to the era of wealth in Oulu due to trade and seafaring in the 1870s and 1880s, when many trade-educated businessmen worked in Oulu. After the third and final Oulu Fire, handsome houses were built on Rantakatu, Ojakatu, and Hallituskatu streets in the spirit of neo-renaissance and art nouveau. Some stone buildings are included.

If you stand back-to-back with the plump Market Square Policeman’s statue, you will see the pink House Höckert across Rantakatu street as well as the pastel green House Jurvelius on the left. Together they constitute a significant and recognisable part of the Oulu cityscape around the Market Square. House Jurvelius was built in the empire style and is the oldest wooden building (1828–1945) on Rantakatu street. Nowadays it is used as a student residence. The first ever electrical lighting system for a private home in Oulu was installed in the house in the year 1900! House Höckert dates to 1838.

Also the Ojakatu and Hallituskatu streets still have some of the construction milieu built after the Oulu Fire in 1882. The single-floor wooden neo-renaissance building of the Oulu Trade Society was built in 1884.

The wooden district of Raksila is a nationally valuable cultural environment of multi-coloured wooden houses. The construction of the area dates mainly back to the 1930s and 1940s. The houses represent the classical wooden architecture of the time. Some apartment buildings have functionalist features.

As you walk around in the colourful Wooden Raksila, you will notice that the wooden apartment buildings have been designed meticulously in six large grid plan blocks. The regular method of construction makes it a uniform residential district, and the design has been based on a unified city image. The lush courtyards are spacious, and you can see small outhouses at the back of them. Wooden Raksila has its very own, unique atmosphere.

In Puistikkokatu street in the middle of the district, there are houses formerly used for business. Teuvo Pakkala School at the end of the street was built in 1950 as an integral part of the composition and intended particularly for use by residents of the Karjasilta district.

The Kuusiluoto District with its beautiful wooden houses lies right next to the city centre by the Oulu River estuary. A pedestrian bridge leads you forward to currently uninhabited Sonnisaari Island to enjoy its peaceful atmosphere. In the 18th century, Kuusiluoto was still an island just like Sonnisaari, and locals used them both as pastures for sheep. Since then, upthrust, soil brought in by the river, and landfill have connected Kuusiluoto to the continent.

According to the city plan made after the Oulu Fire in 1822, construction turned Kuusiluoto into a traditional 19th-century Finnish wooden town district that attracted sailors and artisans as residents. A third of the houses in the area date back to the 19th century and another third to 1900–1920. Stone houses built in early 1950s as replacements for wooden ones destroyed in Second World War bombings represent the third layer of construction in Kuusiluoto.

Also the Sonnisaari Island used to be inhabited in the last decades of the 19th century, housing for example a hospital for epidemic diseases since 1982 and the first municipal maternity hospital in Oulu between 1903–1925. Now the island is a nature destination for discovering the flora of coastal meadows and wetland dells as well as grove woods.

The cultural landscape of the Oulu River estuary also offers plenty of activities for photography lovers. The historical Market Square area, the handsome trees in the parks, pedestrian bridges lighted by architects, and the monumental dam bridge of Oulu look wonderful from the waters and create beautiful reflections on the surface. When paddling, you can see the reflecting pools of Oulu in all their glory as the cultural landscape is drawn onto the water surface in front of you. When admiring them on land in Hupisaaret, Linnansaari, or the Rautasilta steel bridge crossing the Oulu River, the pools look amazing, and you can capture the stunning view in pictures.

Fishing in the summer and ice fishing in the winter are a popular pastime in Oulu! Fishing is also perfectly suited for travellers visiting Oulu, even with the whole family. Go angling in Kuusisaari, fish with a spinning rod in Tukkisaari, net a plump salmon on the river, or ice fish on the Bothnian Bay in Nallikari with dozens of other winter fishing fans. In Kuusisaari in the autumn, you may also watch the traditional scoop netting of whitewish and even try it out yourself. Take a guided tour with a skilled fishing guide for luring rarer catch. When fishing, you must naturally follow the standing regulations. For fishing licenses and instructions, please visit Oulu10 service desk or the online Kalapassi service.

There are beaches in Oulu for many tastes. The most popular one – and the number one destination for families – is the Nallikari recreation area and tourist resort with its pearly beaches. You can get to the beach from the city centre even by foot or bike through Pikisaari Island or catch a ride on a local transport bus. The Nallikari beach is almost a kilometre long and a true family favourite.

The beaches of Tuira and Värttö along the Oulu River provide excellent opportunities for swimming or enjoying the heat of a sauna raft with appropriate refreshments to complete the experience. Riding rentable jet skis at Värttö beach is a fun activity. In the wintertime, Tuira beach attracts winter swimmers to take a dip in the freezing cold water. Winter swimming is possible also at Värttö sauna raft, with the added opportunity for having a sauna in between.

In the summertime, you can try more active sports, for the facilities offered in Linnansaari Island next to the city centre include kayaks, canoes, and SUP boards as well as a floating adventure course. At the northern end of Toppilansaari Island, you will find a sandy beach and breakwater favoured by kitesurfers speeding on the waves.

Water games in Oulu are not a matter of weather. You can splash about in Oulu’s Raatti and Raksila swimming pools all year round. In addition to traditional pools, the Raksila swimming pool offers a wading pool for kids, a diving tower, a pool slide, and a multi-function pool with massage spots.

Oulu is a bicycle-friendly city all year round. The extensive network of pedestrian and cycle paths spanning over 900 kilometres features beautiful Nordic landscapes and lively districts and offers plenty of opportunities for sports and recreational activities. The pedestrian and cycle paths are maintained throughout the year.

The main cycling routes in the Oulu region are signposted and numbered to guide you to your destination. The longest main route of the cycling route network, which is undergoing continuous development, extends 38km from the centre of Oulu. The cycling routes can be accessed from various locations, including directly from the Kauppatori market square!

Karjasilta is a wood-governed residential district selected as the best city district in Finland in the 2000s. Built in the 1940s and 50s, the dimensions, plot setting, and materials of the houses are consistent, and the aim is to maintain the mood of the era in the district as well as possible. In Karjasilta, there are about 200 detached houses built after the Second World War for the families of soldiers who returned from the front.

This residential district of the reconstruction era has remained exceptionally large and unified, and its value as a constructed cultural environment has been assessed as nationally significant. However, renovations and expansions transforming the appearance of the houses have been done since the 1960s. Nowadays there are some renovation or expansion methods to be seen that are alien to the identity or unity of the district. In addition to houses, on the west side of the district there are some apartment buildings built in the 1950s and 60s, a school, a library, a music centre, two churches, and a grocery store.

Karjasilta (in English: Cattle Bridge) was named after its history as grazing ground for cows owned by the locals. The street names of the district still echo this period. On the northern edge of Karjasilta flows the Kaupunginoja brook, across which the cattle had to be led along a bridge. Another section of the street names here refers to battle locations of the Second World War.

The large park area on Hupisaaret Islands near Oulu city centre invites travellers to roam in its verdant oasis in the summer and discover a snow-covered wonderland in the winter. The park is a must for any outdoor person, culture enthusiast, and romantic to visit. Here locals and visitors alike can find enjoyment, adventure, games, picnics, and tranquillity. Oulu Museum of Art, the Northern Ostrobothnia Museum, and Tietomaa Science Centre are all located near the park, so there is plenty to see and do indoors as well as outdoors.

The Hupisaaret Park consists of several small islands in the Oulu River estuary. It became a public park after the 1850s, and its history holds industry, watermills, cattle pastures, French gardens, and child’s play. The sound of the rippling brooks is part of the park’s attraction – in the brooks, you can even find sea trout belonging to the native stock of Oulu River as they run to spawn in the park’s channels.

Cafeteria Kiikku serves customers in the park in the summertime, while a versatile playground attracts adventure seekers to play around the year. Created by talented architects, a wonderful summer theatre offers cultural enjoyment for all the family. Gazebos from the old days and lovely bridges joining the small islands provide beautiful spots for resting. At the northern end of the park is the longest fish ladder in Finland and the only one in Oulu River. Here you can spot migrating fish from May until the end of October.

In this workshop we will teach you how to make useful brushes and scrubbers for your home from natural materials. Fiber bundles are assembled into durable home tools using traditional brush tying techniques.
During the course you´ll have time to make three tools and the price of the course includes guidance for learning traditional brush making and a material fee to make 2 pot scrubbers and 1 crumb brush.
Price 37 € / member price 32 €.
Non-stop workshop Thu 7.7.2022 or Tue 19.7. between 12 and 5 PM. Please arrive no later than 3:30 PM. No pre-registration!

Come and create your own memory on a backpack, in our summer adventurer’s workshop.
In the finished backpack you will carry all the goods needed for a summer adventure and the treasures and memories that you grabbed from a summer trip.
Would you draw the ocean and the Nallikari beach, the beautiful flowers in the garden of Kiikkusaari or a happy moment eating icecream?
In the workshop, a summer picture is drawn on a cotton string backpack with fabric chalks, and the picture is attached to the fabric by ironing.
Non-stop workshop Fri June  8th  between 12 PM and 5 PM or Fri June 22nd between 12 PM and 5 PM.
Price 20 €/attendant (the price contains all material for one backpack and the guidance in the workshop).
No pre-registration – please arrive no later than 4 PM.
No pre-registration. Workshop duration less than an hour.

We have lots of different animals in our farmyard; sheeps, ducks, chickens, bunnies and ponies. We also offer free pony rides for kids from Monday to Saturday, between 11-15 o’clock. The animals warmly welcome you to visit, for free!

In addition the main building of the farm has been inhabited since 1690. The Lännenpirtti café is located in this centuries-old log cabin.

This country café offers you homemade tasty pastries that contain products from our farm. These are traditional Finnish pastries; pancakes, buns, chocolate mudcake, strawberry cakes… The café also serves savory pies and stuffed breads. And let’s not forget the soft ice cream!

We have a sandbox and toys for children in our farmyard. We also have pedal tractors for kids to drive. Do you like to play minigolf? You can do it in our farm for free! And hey, have you met our mascot, Bison?

We have also farmshop with fresh local products, all the products are picked up daily. We sell our own products; strawberries, peas, potatoes, onions, cauliflowers and broccolis. We also sell our strawberry-caps and strawberry-bags!

Dye a surprising skein of yarn with plants or organic waste!
Jar dyeing is a fun and easy technique, and we welcome you to join us in a journey of experiments. In this workshop you will learn how to dye yarn in a glass jar using natural dyes.
You don`t need any material of your own, we provide all supplies.
Workshop Fri June  8th  from 12pm to 5 pm or
Workshop Fri June 22nd from 12pm to 5 pm
Workshop is non-stop, so you can attend at a time that is suitable for you.
No prior notice – attend 4 pm at the latest.
Price: 25€/attendant (the price contains 100 grams of wool yarn, a glass jar, mordants and guiding)
Our maximum group size is 12 attendants at the same time.

In a real ghost house you will hear interesting and even scary stories told by a ghost guide.
Outside you get a sight of Kakaravaara ghosts, spirits and shadows.
Inside the house you take a look at the places and go down the old prison cells. (This could be a little bit creepy).
During all this you meet the creative person but you should be careful…
Kahvila Hanna’s colourful ragrugs, soft pillows and handmade coffee cups calm you down if the round has been too exciting.
At the end of the tour you’ll find out the secret of the house.
The experience includes a tour and coffees and pullas or juices to kids.
The starting point for the walk is at Rautatienkatu 11, the stairs to the Railway station.
Walks are arranged as follows:
Thu June 7th at 15:30 PM
Thu June 14th at 15:30 PM
Thu June 21st at 15:30 PM and
Thu June 28th at 15:30 PM
Pre-registration needed.

Raimo Törhönen describes his exhibition as “kind of retro”, as the works exhibited open a window into the artist’s thinking and how it has developed over the years. Törhönen’s work is characterised by serialism and repeating themes, to which he returns over and over with new variations.  

To Raimo Törhönen, art is a way of communicating, and making art is his way of exploring the reality. His works frequently feature human beings and animals, especially dogs, creating images that evoke presence or memory and often echo the fragility, mystery, and beauty of existence.

The large gallery on the first floor of the museum and the Tasku (“Pocket”) dark gallery feature paintings and object art by Raimo Törhönen. Gallery A showcases new paintings completed for the exhibition. They are accompanied by a selection of works from private collections and other museums, many of them featuring animal motifs and portraits – both subjects dear by the artist.

The dark Tasku gallery holds a selection of Törhönen’s sculptural object art with many of the artworks based on objects found on the street or in the environment. They also reflect the artist’s love of serialism and explore the themes of borders and control.

Raimo Törhönen (born 1960 in Hyvinkää, Finland) is a visual artist whose method is to shut out all verbal thinking and other distractions while painting to establish a private space and a one-on-one contact with the work at hand. Törhönen’s studio is on the island of Pikisaari near downtown Oulu. In addition to painting, he creates sculptural works, installations, and environmental art. His works are featured in the collections of Oulu Museum of Art and the Aine Art Museum in Tornio. Törhönen has also created a number of public artworks, including two murals in Oulu.

What would happen if we used our imagination more? Is it possible to think up new rules, or to become free from the existing ones? Is it possible to devise alternative endings?

PLAY, an exhibition of works by Kaija Hinkula, invites us to look at our everyday environment from a new perspective.  The title of the exhibition refers to playing, games and stage plays. Imagination and freedom were the starting points in the artist’s work on a spatial installation of paintings where everyday elements assume new poses and positions. 

Kaija Hinkula’s artistic work operates within the field of expanded painting, where conventional two-dimensional paintings expand into spatial experiences. In this expanded field, colours, paint, and compositions familiar from the tradition of painting combine with the methods of sculpture, and time and space arts.

For the artist, PLAY is also a study of the exhibition space. In its rich play of colours, the work finds its place near the tradition of post-minimalist art, where sparse geometrical shapes are accompanied by reflections on the society. The painting installation takes over Gallery C with elements that integrate into the supporting structures of the space and extend onto the floor. The artwork can be explored by strolling inside it.

Oulu-based visual artist Kaija Hinkula (born 1984 in Kuopio) has graduated as a visual artist from the Saimaa University of Applied Sciences in 2008 and as a Master of Fine Arts from the Helsinki Academy of Fine Arts in 2021. Hinkula has held solo exhibitions and participated in group exhibitions in Finland and abroad since 2007. Her works are featured in the State Art Deposit Collection and in the collections of Oulu Museum of Art. In 2021, Hinkula produced a public artwork named Kummeli (“Cairn”) to the Kanavaranta district in Oulu. Hinkula works in the K2 artist workspace in Hiukkavaara, Oulu.

The rich fields of Liminka, formerly seabed, are bright and spacious. The great expanse punctuated by rows of dark hay sheds was the physical and spiritual home of painter Vilho Lampi (1898–1936). In his home town of Liminka, Lampi painted self-portraits, the children of nearby farms, their interiors and the landscapes around them. Although Lampi’s artistic career spanned only 15 years, he experimented with various visual styles ranging from rough-hewn expressionism to New Objectivity and the delicate pointillism of his final years.

All his life, Lampi sought balance between his strong artistic calling and the work at his family farm Matinlauri. He spent his evenings and nights painting. Lampi’s summertime paintings radiate with the light of the late evening and the nightless night. The large and powerful paintings of his heroic period show individuals as hard, proud, even aggressive, while still lives made after a trip to Paris in 1931 using a very smooth painting technique highlight the artist’s own perception and the quiet significance of objects.

The exhibition shows Vilho Lampi’s key works from the 1920s and the 1930s. The collections of the Oulu Museum of Art are accompanied by works lent by museums, private collectors and companies. The exhibition also features virtual augmented reality (AR) models and soundscapes by Tiina Wallin, Otso Ritonummi and Saku Vääräniemi, students at the Oulu University of Applied Sciences.

In today’s world, images, looking and visual self-expression play a key role. Even though images surround us, art museums are still the next level. Relatively few of us acquire large collections of visual art to our homes, but in an art exhibition, everything there is yours and for you: experiences, interpretations, questions, insights, emotions. There is no sphere of life that art would not be able to speak of – and matters of taste are always subject to debate.

Art is often said to be difficult, but it is no more difficult than life in general. You live and you see. The more you are exposed to art, the more it gives back. Becoming curious about art is at least recommended as becoming an art expert.

Oulu has a long tradition of visual arts. Numerous professional artists work in the city, and it is home to many artists of international renown. Many of the surrounding towns, such as Liminka, Hailuoto, Ii, Tyrnävä and Pudasjärvi, are active in various arts – thanks to the artists and other individuals and organisations working in the field of art. The art museum is different from other Luuppi destinations because it has, in addition to a recording and researching role, an identity as an art body. It collaborates closely with the artists of the region. The exhibitions of the Oulu Museum of Art provide a thorough cross-section of the visual arts of the region, explore different themes and collections, and showcase highlights from Finnish and international art. Touring exhibitions are arranged to the surrounding region, and children learn about art in kindergarten art exhibitions. You don’t always have to go far: you can learn a lot about contemporary art and art of all eras and periods by visiting the art museum of your hometown.

The building that houses the art museum is also quite attractive and charming. It is the glorious second life of the old Brothers Åström factory building 22 that used to house the tanning factory’s offices and the canteen.

The Kierikki Stone Age Centre takes you back in time thousands of years into the distant past of the North. The Kierikki Centre is located along the Iijoki River on a Stone Age dwelling site that has been studied since the 1960s. Guests of all ages enjoy the archaeological exhibition in the main building and the Stone Age village.

Enjoy the most beautiful sights of Oulu on a mountain bike.

The sightseeing experience on mountain bikes begins at the famous Toripoliisi-statue of Oulu Market Square from where we’ll walk to the nearby starting point of the actual cycling.

From there the tour is directed through the historical Pikisaari island, which is a remnant of the Old Town of Oulu, and two the beautiful seaside and park scenery of Hietasaari. In Nallikari we’ll also drive across the beach and stop by the Nallikari lighthouse. During its latter part the route weaves through the gorgeous Hupisaaret park area concluding back at the Market Square. The route follows bicycle routes as well as off-road trails.

During this 2,5-hour tour you get to experience Oulu at its most beautiful. This trip is a great experience for travellers but also for the people of Oulu.

During thawed ground (from spring to fall) the trip can be executed with fatbikes and more narrow-tired mountain bikes. During winter the trip is only executed with fatbikes.

Fatbike is a bicycle with oversized tires. Their low tire pressure enables their use on soft and unstable terrains such as snow and sand. The trip is suited for anyone with basic fitness.

The delta of River Oulu is a diverse paddling location providing both cultural and natural scenery as well as a unique perspective on the cityscape of Oulu. This safari offers the delta area as its finest.

In the beginning we’ll teach the basics of kayaking and go carefully through the safety features. Then we’ll start a safari with the length of approximately 7 kilometers led by a trained and experienced paddling instructor and carried out with single seated kayaks.

The trip is well suited for beginners and doesn’t require swimming skills.

You have 60 minutes, can you get out..?

Can you escape the infamous Alcatraz? Or find the Dead Man’s Island in Caribbean in a pirate ship? Or solve mysteries of a famous magician?
Exit Oulu is the biggest room escape game organiser in Oulu with 12 differently themed games in four locations all located conveniently in Oulu city centre.

Each of our 12 games is designed to be played by team of 2-6 persons, so we can host games for up to 70 players at the same time.

There are bars in our Rotuaari and Uusikatu 22 venues. We can also provide catering services for groups. (Pre-booking required.)

Varjakka has a colourful history full of local stories. The island houses an old sawmill that is important for reasons of both cultural history and architecture. The collection of buildings around the sawmill is an intact entity and rare by international standards. It has also been declared a nationally significant cultural environment. Varjakka is located just over 20 kilometres from Oulu city centre.

The island of Varjakka was a ship and renovation dock in the 19th century, before seeing its golden age in the early 20th century when the largest sawmill in the Nordic countries operated on the island. The island and the Varjakka area on the continent constituted a sawmill community that used to employ as many as 700 people.

Nowadays, the island is a forested destination of natural beauty. You can reach it in the summertime with your own boat, a kayak, a SUP board, or a hand-winched block ferry – an unforgettable experience especially if you are travelling with children. You can explore the island on your own or hire a guide. The Varjakka area also has a beach, the all-year Warjakka Art Trail, and a B&B accommodation.

South of Varjakka Island, there is the 263-hectare nature reserve of Akionlahti, a popular resting place for migrating birds. The area has a nature trail, a tower for birdwatching, and a campfire site.

The beautiful pearly beach, spectacular sunsets, high-quality accommodation, and vast selection of recreational outdoor activities have earned Nallikari the nickname ‘Riviera of the North’. The Nallikari beach attracts not only sunbathers but also beach sports lovers.

A family seeking adventure can try out the gigantic climbing net on the beach or storm the well-equipped playground. In the winter, the vastness of the Bothnian Bay offers a range of possibilities for walking, skiing, or snowshoeing on the sea ice. You may also catch kite skiers or fatbikers speeding on the ice. If you fancy a day trip, discover the trails, birdwatching tower, and campfire sites around Hietasaari Island for recreation throughout the year. Accessibility has been considered for the summertime routes.

The protected area of Letonniemi is an important destination for education and research of post-glacial rebound, showcasing seaside nature and how areas like this turn from sea into forest. It is located only six kilometres from the city centre. A 2.7-kilometre nature trail provides a great opportunity to discover the lush and versatile vegetation. Along the trail, there is an old seafaring navigation device, now standing on solid ground 150 metres from the shore in the middle of the woods. The small lighthouse was built in the 1940s to guide ships to Toppila harbour. In those days, sea level was much higher than today, and Piispanletto in the middle of the area was still an island – the word “letto” means a small, bare island in the local dialect.

In Piispanletto, you will find a resting shelter with a campfire site and a birdwatching tower for the best view of the coast and the sea. Taking and harming of plants and plant parts is forbidden in Letonniemi protected area. Picking berries and mushrooms is allowed, however.

The Pilpasuo mire is a great destination for a family day trip and a unique northern experience, about 20 km from Oulu city centre. Most of the mire was formed on an ancient 3,000-year-old coastal meadow. One of the area’s rarities of is the raised beach of Ala-Korkiakangas. The top is covered by boulder soil, which was a little island in the sea 6,500 years ago.

The changing seasons bring out the versatility of the protected area of Pilpasuo. In the summertime, the nature trails attract visitors to take daytime hikes and relax by campfires in the nature. In the autumn, it is a good for berry and mushroom picking. During the winter, Pilpasuo is ideal for Aurora hunting on skis or snowshoes. Pilpasuo has two duckboarded nature trails with fun, nature-themed task points along them for a brain workout.

The shorter one-kilometre trail is especially suited for families with children. You can recognise the trail by the red route markers. The longer seven-kilometre trail has eight task points and is marked with blue. There are designated campfire sites along the trails.

Relax in a lovely traditional wood-heated sauna. Silence and candlelight relax the mind and body. Guests can book their own sauna session at an additional cost. The sauna can accommodate 7 people at a time. On the terrace you can cool off and enjoy the countryside. The sauna is heated on request. Watch the stars and northern lights in luxury! In addition to the sauna, there is a wonderful, large whirlpool that can accommodate up to 8 people. Sauna and jacuzzi are heated on request as it takes around 5 hours.

Warjakka B&B provides relaxed and friendly accommodation near the coast of Bothnia Bay, just 10 min from Oulu airport, 10 min from Hailuoto ferry and 20 min from Oulu city center.
Perfect for couples, families and small groups of up to 20 people looking for some quiet time in the countryside.
Welcome to our home!

With its splendid sunsets, Nallikari is home to a lighthouse – actually, a lookout tower – that is a must for countless holiday photos and a landmark loved by locals. The unique landmark was completed in 1988 and designed by architects of the Oulu School of Architecture. The tower offers excellent opportunities for taking photos, enjoying the sea view, or staring at stars late in late evening. This is a popular spot for taking unhurried promenades, snapping selfies, or just spending quiet time by the calm sea. Romantics find their way to the lighthouse for summer sunsets.

In the summer, the lookout tower offers a view over the pearly Nallikari Beach as sunbathers crowd the Riviera of the North. In wintertime, you can watch locals spend hours ice-fishing, skiing, fatbiking, or kite skiing. When darkness falls, you may also be lucky enough to spot the Northern Lights flickering across the night sky.

When you reach the Market Square and its landmarks – the Market Hall, the old granaries, and the Market Square Policeman’s statue keeping the peace – you know you have arrived in the local people’s summertime living room.

From early morning on, the summery Market Square bustles with travellers and local residents, along with vegetable and food vendors as well restaurant keepers serving customers till late evening. The old, multi-coloured granaries house not only restaurants but also tiny, charming boutiques selling handicraft products, clothes, and decoration items.

Patrolling in front of the Market Hall and keeping a watchful eye on the visitors is the Market Square Policeman, a plump statue as a reminder of the times when real policemen were guarding the area. The vibrant harbour and export hub of the 18th century gradually became less busy, and the market area became a meeting place for city folk and visitors from the countryside. The policement were needed for upholding law and order.

Over centuries, Oulu Market Square has offered its visitors a year-round, lively meeting and trading place which has also required guarding. A peculiar feature in the local policing history were the Market Square policemen who kept an eye on the Market Square and maintained order there. Through them, the townspeople and those who came from the province became acquainted first-hand with the authorities and the police.

The era of Market Square policemen in Oulu lasted from 1934 until 1979. After the patrolling ended, the policemen were commemorated through a citizen’s fundraiser for erecting a bronze statue in front of the Market Hall. The Market Square Policeman’s statue was designed by sculptor Kaarlo Mikkonen.

Standing at 2.2 metres, the robust policeman with his cap and Sam Browne belt has become a symbol of Oulu over the years and is a popular choice for selfie buddies. So go ahead and snap a friendsie with the jolly Policeman and prove you were really in Oulu!

Just a stone’s throw from Oulu Market Square, you can find the lovely, pastel-coloured Tähtitorni Café, which has served as a summer café since 1912. The idyllic setting invites you to experience an interesting piece of history while enjoying a nice cup of coffee – you are sitting on top of the renovated foundations of Oulu Castle which was destroyed in 1793 when the gunpowder storage blew up. From the observation tower, you have a nice view of Pikisaari Island where a stone from the castle landed in the explosion. The stone is still there.

Finished in 1875 according to a design by Wolmar Westling, the building with its observation tower originally belonged to Oulu Maritime School. More than 200 sea captains graduated from the school.

In the summer, the castle cellar is home to an exhibition about the history of the castle. For centuries, people have tried to find a rumoured, secret passage from Linnansaari Island to the city. Can you find it?

An idyllic wooden district, old industrial milieu and unique artists’ community awaits travellers who cross the pedestrian bridge from the Market Square to Pikisaari Island. Pikisaari (in English: Pitch Island) got its name from an old pitch works founded in the 17th century. Besides that, the island has housed shipyards, a sawmill, a distillery, a wool mill, and a machine workshop. Nowadays the island is the home and studio for many artists and artisans.

Pikisaari Island has residential and industrial buildings as well as granaries from the 18th and 19th centuries as well as the early 20th century. Many of the original wooden houses remain standing, although several fires have tested the island. The oldest wooden building in Oulu accommodates the Sailor’s Home Museum. Another building worth seeing is the old, decorative office of the local machine workshop from the 1880s, nowadays used as a residential house. It represents the neo-renaissance style with a tower that is a notable landmark among the houses on the island. Unique accommodation businesses have also found home at the heart of the island, and there are charming restaurants, too.

Just a ten-minute walk from the city centre, Kuusisaari Island offers a variety of recreational opportunities and an active day out in a wonderful setting by the river. The island’s campfire sites are regularly used throughout the year, and plenty of fishing spots are available, too. The spacious lawns provide a great setting for enjoying a sunny summer day on a relaxed picnic, for example.

For those in search of active leisure activities, street basketball is the best way to get fit! At the end of the day, you can take a dip in the river or watch the local football club play at the nearby stadium. By the way, Kuusisaari is also the number one location to watch in Oulu’s lively summer calendar. Festivals, concerts, and other events will take you to holiday mood with rock, pop, and metal music every summer.

One of the most important buildings in Oulu by cultural history standards is the Market Hall which has served its customers since 1901. The building was designed in neo-Gothic fashion by Karl Lindhal and Valter Thomé, and a massive reconstruction finished in 2020 restored its old-time glory.

Some of the current merchants have operated in the Market Hall for decades. They stock a multitude of products for gifts and souvenirs, including beautiful and unique handicraft products, clothes, and other lovely gift shop items. This is also a great place for buying high-quality local food produce and organic ingredients for festive or everyday occasions. Popping in for breakfast of a hearty bowl of salmon soup is not a bad idea either!

Web page only in Finnish at the moment!

A walking distance from the city centre, you will find the historical industrial complex of Brothers Åstrom tannery. Since 1988, the former steam power plant of the tannery has housed the first science centre in Finland – Tietomaa Science Centre. The tower standing next to the centre was designed by Birger Federley and completed in 1921. Originally it served as the tannery’s water tower. Now the tower offers a wonderful view of the estuary and over the city of Oulu.

You can reach the top observation deck at 35 metres easily with a panoramic lift. When descending along the staircase, you can enjoy the tower’s exhibitions and a Northern Lights presentation. You can buy tickets to the tower at the counter of the Science Centre.

On this ocean adventure we will learn the basic skills on paddling a stand up paddle board (SUP). We will also focus on how to paddle safely and on a sustainable manner protecting the nature.
This paddling trip suits beginners and experts alike. We will provide you with all the SUP equipment needed. Just wear some sporty clothing and bring your adventurous spirit – Lappis will take care of the rest. We will ensure You’ll have a relaxing and a memorable paddling experience. We will paddle on a slow and easy pace, everyone can tag along on this journey.
What is included: guidance in English, SUPboard, live vest, paddle and waterproof cellphone case
Good to know:
• This adventure requires basic physical fitness and is recommended for children of 10 years or older.

Start the day with your local guide who will introduce you the secrets of Fatbiking. Even though the fatbikes look sturdy, they are great fun to ride and surprisingly agile, giving you a feeling of floating even on rugged terrain. After the guided tour, the guide will give you the best tips to explore the beautiful nature by yourself.
What is included: guidance in English, helmet and fatbike
Good to know:
• This adventure requires basic physical fitness and is recommended for children of 10 years or older.

Our giant floating water park offers challenge and fun experiences for all ages! Adequate swimming skills are neccessary. The diverse obstacles include jumps, climping walls, a giant slide and an iceberg that will challenge everyone!

The water park is supervised by our staff and it’s for everyone over 6 years old with at least adequate swimming skills. A child between the ages of 6 and 10 must be accompanied by an adult guardian who constantly monitors the child in water park. For parents, we also offer family tickets.

You can rent wetsuits from us. Life jackets are mandatory and those are included to the ticket.

Experience the lively atmosphere of the Stone Age at Kierikki Stone Age village on a day trip from Oulu!

Kierikki Stone Age Centre is beautifully located on the banks of the Iijoki River, less than an hour’s drive from Oulu. Kierikki is a combination of an archeological museum and modern log architecture. The Kierikki main building is one of the most magnificent and largest log buildings in Europe and it has won several awards and host to an archeological exhibition.

You can explore the outdoor area in Stone Age village on your own. There is a guide in the Stone Age village and nice things to do for the whole family. Guests can also explore the archeological excavations.

The café-restaurant in the main building offers a selection of refreshments, hot and cold drinks, as well as sweet and savory items. In the museum shop you will find personal souvenirs.

The Saaga Travel day trip from Oulu to Kierikki is organized on Saturdays from July 2 to August 6, 2022 as a guaranteed departure. If there is one participant, the tour is organized.

We organize also private tours from Oulu to Kierikki on request – ask for a quote!

De Gamlas Hem Hotel & Restaurant is fully renovated, 17 room boutique hotel in a heritage protected building near the centre of Oulu. As early as in 1906, the building was used to house, care for, and provide food for elderly upper-class women from Oulu. It was a private retirement home. Swedish fighter pilots were also housed in the building during the World War II. Today, we welcome you to this wooden Art Nouveau villa to enjoy some peace, quiet and delicious food among the beautiful ceramic tiled stoves and log walls.

We offer beautifully furnished and well-equipped guest rooms with high-quality, extremely comfortable beds. We want to ensure that all our guests enjoy a peaceful night’s sleep. To preserve the building’s historical and cultural value, the floor plans are original and unchanged. We are committed to make your stay unforgettable!

A sport for the whole family, combining the joy of being outdoors, spending time together and practicing precision.

A full-length 18-hole forest course going round the Illinsaari outdoor recreation area. The tees and baskets are mainly located in the forest. The course starts behind the Illinsaari ski lodge, and the overall length of the course is approximately 2 kilometres. The course is AA1-rated, meaning that due to the longer fairways, the course is ideal for more experienced disc golf enthusiasts, although, of course, it can also be used by players of all skill levels.

The estimated duration of the round is 90–120 minutes, but it is also possible to take a break a little before the 11th hole, in a rest area with a BBQ hut and a toilet.

Koitelinkoski is a wonderful nature destination for the whole family, only half an hour’s drive from Oulu.

In the area you can admire the rapids of the Kiiminkijoki River, walk on the nature trails on the islands of the river, have picnic on the rocks and campfire sites, or enjoy the delicacies of the café and ice cream kiosk. There are also play stands for children in the area.

The Saaga Travel day trip from Oulu to Koitelinkoski is organized on Fridays from 1 July to 12 August 2022 as a guaranteed departure. The trip is organized if there is at least one participant.

The bus leaves from Kaarlenväylä street from Oulu Market Square at 11.30. The total duration of the trip is 3.5 hours.

We organize also private tours from Oulu to Koitelinkoski on request – ask for a quote!

Experience charming Ii on a day trip from Oulu!

The tour starts from the historic district of Ii with a short introduction to the homeland museum exhibition, after which there is time to explore the old Ii historic district (Iin Wanha Hamina) on your own. Visit also the Ii Church and enjoy refreshments at Café Wanha Hamina.

Next, our trip continues to the Art Center KulttuuriKauppila, where we have a guided art exhibition tour.

At the end of the tour, we will visit the new suspension bridge in Jakkukylä. Completed in December 2021, the longest suspension bridge in northern Europe crosses the Iijoki River, which is almost 200 meters wide. The bridge has quickly become one of Ii’s most popular attractions.

The Saaga Travel day trip from Oulu to Ii is organized on Tuesdays 5.7., 12.7. and 19.7.2022 as a guaranteed departure. If there is one participant, the tour is organized. Duration of the trip is five hours.

We organize also private tours from Oulu to Ii on request.

Syöte area offers a wide range of opportunities for nature activities from sightseeing to hiking, mountain biking or berry-picking! For those looking for the charm of speed, we recommend downhill biking in Iso-Syöte Bike Park.

Syöte area is located 2 hours from Oulu and can be conveniently reached with Saaga Travel’s guaranteed weekly departures on Saturdays from July 2 to August 6, 2022.

The bus operates around the area during the day, so you can explore more Syöte destinations during the day.

Example itineraries for a perfect day in Syöte:

1. Syöte for landscape admirers
Get off the bus at the Syöte Visitor Centre. Check out the exhibition which tells about the history and nature of the area. Ask the Syöte Visitor Centre guides for suitable hiking tips and take a small walk along the trails in the Syöte National Park. Have lunch at the Visitor Centre or enjoy your own packed lunch during your small hike. Take the bus to the top of Iso-Syöte fell. Climb to the top of the fell and admire the scenery over the National Park. Enjoy afternoon refreshments in Hotel Iso-Syöte panoramic café-restaurant and visit the hotel’s rooftop Skywalk observation deck for last selfies and photos before the bus takes you back to Oulu.

2. E-fatbiking around the Iso-Syöte fell
Book e-fatbikes in advance from one of the rental shops. Pick up your bike and head for the 19-km Syötteen kierros trail. Bring your own packed lunch and swimming suit with you. Have a lunch break by one of the ponds along the trail and enjoy swimming before riding your bike back to Syöte. You can also swim in Luppovesi behind the KIDE Hotel after the biking tour. Eat a nice meal at the new restaurant Bistoria at KIDE Hotel before taking the bus back to Oulu.

We organize also private tours from Oulu to Syöte on request.

The unique Hailuoto is the largest island in the Gulf of Bothnia, where you can spend a varied summer day enjoying the outdoors, beach life, culture and good food.

The Saaga Travel day trip bus is an easy way to visit Hailuoto. The bus runs between Marjaniemi fishermen’s village, the village center and Ailasto during the day, so you can combine different destinations of the island to your visit.

Example itineraries for a perfect day in Hailuoto:

1. Go first to Marjaniemi fishermen’s village. Explore the beach, take photos, climb the lighthouse, enjoy lunch at one of the restaurants and buy freshly smoked fish from the smokery. Hop on the bus and go the Hailuoto village center. Visit Hailuoto Organic Brewery, enjoy locally produced beer in the atmospheric pub, and buy local handicrafts in Luovon Puoji just next to the brewery.

2. Get off the bus at Ailasto and make a nature excursion to Hyypänmäki, the highest point of Hailuoto (31 m) with interesting history. Enjoy lunch in Ailasto. Take the bus to Marjaniemi and take a swim in the sea before heading back to Oulu.

The Saaga Travel day trip from the center of Oulu to Hailuoto island is organized on Wednesdays and Sundays from June 29 to August 7, 2022 as a guaranteed departure. If there is one participant, the tour is organized.

We organize also private tours from Oulu to Hailuoto on request.

Amusement park Vauhtipuisto can be reached from the city center of Oulu and Nallikari beach with Vauhtipuisto ‘s own 52 – seat city train called Kompiainen. Kompiainen city train operates daily 27.6.-7.8.2022.

Nallikari – Vauhtipuisto 11.00, 12.00, 13.00, 14.00, 15.00, 16.00, 17.00

Vauhtipuisto – Oulu City Hall 11.10, 12.10, 13.10, 15.10, 16.10, 17.10

Oulu City Hall – Vauhtipuisto 11.30, 12.30, 13.30, 15.30, 16.30, 17.30

Vauhtipuisto – Nallikari 11.45, 12.45, 13.45, 15.45, 16.45, 17.45

Kompiainen city train ride is included to Vauhtipuisto bracelet’s price. Without bracelet prices are for adults 8 euros and children 5-14 years 4 euros. Children under 5 years free of charge.

You can also buy Vauhtipuisto bracelets from a Kompiainen train with cash or credit card.

The thrill of speed in a fairground atmosphere. Vauhtipuisto is a fun place for children and the young-at-heart in Nallikari, near downtown Oulu. We offer a variety of rides for everyone, from the smallest members of the family right up to the slightly more grown up ones. Vauhtipuisto has everything from carousels to bouncy castles, a play-village for kids and miniature cars.

You can easily reach Vauhtipuisto by City train Kompiainen. Train operates from the city centre – Vauhtipuisto – Nallikari and back.

Opening hours 2022
Open 28.5.-7.8. every day 11-18.

Entrance

Free entrance in the area. Rides work with ticket or bracelet. Single ticket is 4 eur and bracelet is 20 euros under 110 cm child or adult and 26 euros over 110 cm child.

Kahvila Karuselli
Cafe Carousel (Kahvila Karuselli) in the area serves coffee, ice cream, paninis, candy, cotton candy etc.
Warmly welcome!

Welcome to guided bike tour from Nallikari to Oulu city center! We drive cycleways trough Pikisaari to city center. We visit Market Place, City Hall and Catherdral from outside. The tour ends in Nallikari. Guide will tell you information and stories from Oulu and Oulu region. You will get tips for shopping and events. You can rent bikes from Nallikari holiday village. Rental is not included in the price of tour. For families, small groups and companies.

Welcome to a minivan trip to Turkansaari Open Air Museum. The museum is located in three island in Oulujoki. The main themes of the museum are traditional agriculture and forestry, fishing and Oulu’s history of tar. We pick you up from Oulu city center and bring you back after the trip. The guide will be with you throughout the trip. From the guide you hear stories and information of Turkansaari, Oulu and Oulu region. Turkansaari Open Air Museum is open 6.6.-29.8. Mon-Sun from 10 a.m. to 18 p.m. In the museum area is Café, where you could have traditional salmon soup for lunch from 11 a.m. to 15 p.m. Tickets 10 € adult, children under 18 years free. Museum tickets and lunch are not included in the price of the trip. For Companies, groups and families.

Welcome to Oulu! Guided city walking tour.

History and present shortly told by an authorized tourist guide: Market Place, City Hall, Cathedral. Tips for places to visit, shopping and events.

Welcome to a minivan trip to Hailuoto. We pick you up from Oulu city center and bring you back after the trip. Guide will be with you troughout the trip. You hear stories and information from Hailuoto, Oulu and Oulu region. We visit Hailuoto Organum, wich is a concrete piece of spatial art by Hai Art in Ulkokarvo. The piece was designed by a distinguished acoustic artist, Lukas Kühne. We can enjoy snacks, in the nearby Petsamo hut, on an open fire. Then we drive to Marjaniemi, where you can get to know the area with guide or independently. Possibility for shopping also. If you like to have a meal in restaurant in Hailuoto, it is better to book advance. It is also possible to visit Hailuoto Brewery, when it is open. For companies, groups and families.

Guided transportation from Oulu Airport to your accommodation to Oulu city center. The guide will pick you or your group up from airport. On the way you will hear stories and information of Oulu and Oulu region. You will get tips of events and shopping. 30 min tour in Oulu city center is included.

Enjoy calm river deltas or head to the Bothnian Bay seashores.
Routes are not signposted.

Contemporary art by the river and in the heart of Ii.

The Environmental Art Park of Ii was first opened in June 2012 and now has become a popular site among locals and visitors. Every second year KulttuuriKauppila Art Centre organizes Art Ii Biennale (AIB) that produces international modern art.

Familiarise with the local culture, traditions and folklore.

The museum tells the story of life in Ii from the pre-historical times until present day with modern, recently renewed exhibitions. The museum area consists of four buildings: the old parish granary, the museum hall, old storage and the loggers building museum cafe Huilinki.

Free admission.

In the museum, you can learn about the life in the local iron age village or the early industrial history with a peculiar glass factory owner, Hourooti. Exhibitions display the local traditional livelihoods, fishing, farming and logging. Kids can try their skills in archaeology.

Don’t forget to stop by in the picturesque Wanha Hamina cafe for a coffee or a local delicacy.

Enjoy the views of Ii river

The outdoor recreation area on the Purusaari island, located in Jakkukylä village in the Finnish municipality of Ii, offers amazing views of River Iijoki and the Jakkukylä village. The island becomes even more attractive in the summer, when visitors can independently cross the river using a rope-operated ferry (distance 20 metres). In the winter, the island can be reached by a ski trail or over the ice. The Purusaari recreational area is maintained by the Jakkukylä village association.

Services: On the Purusaari island, there is a 2-km-long scenic route, and at the west end of the island, there is a lean-to perfect for enjoying the view and live fire. The area was equipped with a woodshed and an outdoor toilet in the summer of 2022. There is also a beach suitable for taking a swim. Information boards describing the local history and environment are planned for the route.

A suspension bridge with the largest span in northern Europe, crossing the almost 200-metre-wide River Iijoki, was completed in December 2021. The bridge can be crossed on foot. If you are travelling the route on a bicycle, you have to dismount it for crossing the bridge. The Jakku school is located on the north side of the bridge. Particularly if you are taking the route with a dog, please note that the walking surface of the bridge is made of metal mesh.

The Jakkukylä area also offers various opportunities for hiking, cross-country skiing and cycling.

Ailasto is an old Kaartotie elementary school building built 1926. As a restaurant Ailasto has had long traditions from 70’s till recent years. Renewed Ailasto has also program services and equipment rentals as addition to cafeteria and accommodation services. Cafeteria has alcohol license and local product shop.
Products base on locality, minor producers and ecologicality.

Camping area has 25 caravan/tent areas, five of which have electricity. There is a sauna, kitchen and sanitary facilities in the service building. We are located 13km from ferry harbor. Come and enjoy peaceful sleeping in Hailuoto island.

There are nice outdoor activity grounds right nearby Ailasto, for example Hyyppä. Bus stop is located right by Ailasto, or you can rent a bike to ride to the town center. Ailasto’s decoration reflects history and calmness.

Sustainability reasons we wish you to empty your garbage and waste water before coming to island because all waste go back to mainland from Hailuoto. We have recyckling point at the service building but no slop sink for caravans.

Ailasto Camping and caravan park, bar and cafeteria is open daily at summer, check the opening hours from our Facebook @Ailasto

The national romantic spirit of the twentieth century was brought to life in the architecture of Oulujoki church, completed in 1908. The church was designed by the architect Viktor J. Sucksdorff of Oulu province, and it also contains Karelian influences. The atmospheric church is the only preserved wooden church in the art nouveau style in Northern Finland.

In 1984, as a result of the restoration work planned by Anna-Kaisa Ylimaula, the church was restored as closely as possible to its original appearance. Visitors to the church can see how the roof and the bell tower in particular reach upwards. On the second clock of the tower, an inscription has been made asking for a blessing for the Finnish people.

This church is part of the Oulujoki Pilgrimage route. Read more from the web page!

The oldest wooden church in the Oulu urban area serves as a summer church and is located in Madekoski, in the Turkansaari open-air museum area. Nowadays it functions as a beautiful wedding venue for many summer weddings. In the Middle Ages, the island was the westernmost marketplace for Russians and Karelians. As was typical of the time, the church was built in connection with the marketplace. The fishing industry also had an important role on the island.

When the days of trade and fishing were over, the church was demolished and transferred to Raati island, where it served for years as a storehouse until Östen Elfving, founder of the Turkansaari open-air museum, bought it and returned it to original location in 1922.

This church is part of the Oulujoki Pilgrimage route. Read more from the web page!

The beautiful Oulu Cathedral stands in Oulu’s monumental centre, on the same site where several church buildings were located over the centuries, with the oldest dating back to the late sixteenth century. The wooden church that was built on the site in the 1610s was replaced by a cathedral designed by Daniel Hagman of Sweden and completed in 1777. The cathedral, built of natural stone, was so big that all the 2,400 inhabitants of Oulu could fit in it at the same time!

Throughout the centuries, densely built wooden towns were vulnerable to urban fires. The Oulu fire of 1822 completely destroyed the wooden structures of the cathedral. The movable property was saved in time, and the fire left only the stone walls standing. The current stone cathedral was completed in 1832 according to the neoclassical designs of C. L. Engel. The most notable work of art in the cathedral is the portrait of Johannes Messenius, painted in 1611.

Among the cloud cherry trees in the garden is the Pikku-Sofia church for children. It is a model of Oulu’s very first wooden church from the late sixteenth century.

This church is part of the Oulujoki Pilgrimage route. Read more from the web page!

Tourist Information Office in Oulu offers you practical advice and tips about events, accommodation, restaurants, attractions and places to visit.

More to that, Tourist Information Office provides you with a customer tablet, an open wireless network (panOulu), a charging point for smartphones, brochures, themed walking and cycling maps. In our Oulu Shop you can find local and responsible souvenirs.

On summer our customer service is also on wheels! You can see our tourist officers biking through the city from Nallikari beach to railway station, handing out maps and brochures and answering your questions. We are at your service!

Join us for a day trip from Oulu to Liminka Bay, where you can visit the interesting Eight Seasons of Birds exhibition at the Liminka Bay Visitor Centre and follow birdlife at the Virkkula Bird Tower. A birdlife guide is present at the bird tower at 10-12 am (weather permitting). There are also well-marked mountain biking trails starting form the visitor centre.

Cafe-Restaurant Liminganlahti serves customers at the visitor centre building. Own snacks can be enjoyed by the visitor centre campfire place.

The Saaga Travel bus leaves from Kaarlenväylä from Oulu Market Square at 9.30. The return from Liminka Bay back to Oulu leaves at 13.00. For an additional fee, you can also take your own bike.

This day trip is operated on Fridays 1.7.-5.8.2022.

The Best Western Hotel Apollo offers all the right amenities for business and leisure travelers. The hotel has 70 rooms, 29 with sauna and in 5th floor attic rooms with skylight windows and steam bath or shower.
All guests will receive a complimentary continental breakfast. Free wireless Internet access in all rooms. On the fifth floor there is also LAN. Extra amenities include a business center and common sauna. Breakfast in Bar Apollo and the Karaoke Bar nightclub are located onsite.
The Best Western Hotel Apollo is conveniently located in the Oulu city center nearby sights and attractions such as Rotuaari Pedestrian Street, Market Hall and Market Square. Hotel is near major transportation access including the railway station, bus station and 15 kilometers from Oulu Airport. Hotel has 12 electric car charging plugs which are included in hotel rate.

Explore Oulu from the sea and as close to the sea as you can get! Be prepared for an unforgettable outdoor
excursion in Oulu!
City of Oulu by kayak is the defining paddling trip, our 2 hour guided kayak tour through the Oulu and
characterized by its clear waters and nature.
The kayaks used on the trip are easy to handle and very stable – This paddling trip suits beginners and experts alike.
We will provide you with all the kayaking equipment needed. Just wear some sporty clothing and bring your
adventurous spirit – Lappis will take care of the rest. We will ensure You’ll have a relaxing and a memorable paddling experience.
We will paddle on a slow and easy pace, everyone can tag along on this journey.
What is included: guidance in English, kayak, live vest, paddle, spraydeck and waterproof cellphone case

The Messi Summer Cottages for a little bit more comfortable camping!

Nallikari Holiday Village’s Messi Summer Cottages are located just a stone’s throw away from Oulu city center and situated on a beautiful spot right by the gulf of Bothnia.

Messi Summer Cottages are a great way to enjoy the camping feeling with a hint of luxury. These summer cottages are available from May until September.

The modern Messi summer cottage is suitable for two persons and the cottage includes a sofa bed or twin beds, dining table and chairs, as well as a lovely little terrace. Please note that toilet, shower and kitchen facilities are located in the campsite’s service building.

Pets are welcome for an extra fee.

Welcome to the home of Huskies! We wish you warmly welcome to meet the charming individuals of our pack. The canine members of our small family kennel include huskies of all ages from youngsters to pensioner – every dog ready to become your new best friend! You can also participate in the daily routines of the kennel.

Availability: All year round

Suitable for all

Group size: 1+

The programme introduces to the sounds, flora and fauna of the season.

Finland has four unique seasons. Light-filled summer, when Oulu is bright even at night. Our area’s birds and late summer berry reserves are second to none.

The colorful autumn brings with it migratory birds, dark nights and our pure nature is slowly turning into a mushroom-hunter’s paradise before frost-glazed winter.

Winters in Oulu are crisp, glittery and full of snow. It is the time for warm woolen jumpers and windproof jacket. Winter is also time for darkness but also time for peace and quiet in our forests.

Bloom-covered spring is also time for wild herbs. In the spring and early summer, nature provides an abundant harvest of wild edible plants for anyone to pick. It is easy to fond fresh, nutrient-rich ingredients for salads, seasonings and herbal beverages.

Finland is home to the world’s largest archipelago and has more than 80,000 islands off its coast. Our excursion destination is Akio Island, which is slowly becoming part of the mainland due to the region’s strong land uplift. The nesting birds in the area are rich in both species and numbers, and the surrounding sea area is an important resting area for migratory birds.

Did You know, that all people have the right to enjoy nature anywhere in the Finnish countryside regardless of land ownership? The legal concept of “Everyman’s Right” in Finland extends immense freedom to roam but comes with some serious responsibilities. Primary of all is a mutual respect for nature and people. The golden rule requires a desire to preserve and protect the unspoiled beauty and wonder of nature for future generations to enjoy.

Good walking condition required (includes ~3 km of walking).

What is SuperPark? SuperPark is an entertainer. We deliver a unique experience of joyful play that excites and unites people all over the world – no matter their age or fitness level. Via our purpose built, high quality indoor activity centres, we deliver joy, increased health and exercise opportunities to all manner of people. You have to see the place to believe it!

We want our customers to take care of the joy while we work with research and development – in order to serve the world even better. SuperPark is suitable for families, seniors, young people, toddlers, work groups, bachelor parties, birthday groups and just about everyone. Navigating the SuperPark, or ‘sparking’, is not only fun, but also useful.

Adventure Area. Game Arena. Freestyle Hall. Choose your own adventure! SuperPark is home to a smorgasbord of activities, designed to inspire and entertain you. Come see what all the hype is about!

Original Sokos Hotel Arina – your home in the middle of the city

Original Sokos Hotel Arina is a lively city hotel located next to two of Oulu’s most important landmarks: the Valkea shopping mall and the Rotuaari ball sculpture. The hotel is seven storeys high and has 260 rooms. In pride of place, you will find two spacious suites with large balconies overlooking the Rotuaari pedestrian street. Let the genuine smiles of our staff gladden your heart and bring you a good night’s sleep in between the crisp, white sheets of your freshly made bed. After all, we are always expecting important guests.

Check our website to see what spring and summer have in store and come and enjoy the vibrant city culture of Oulu! We will spoil you rotten here! <3

Come with us to enjoy in the arms of the Finnish forest. During the nature walk we challenge our senses to hear, feel and see the surrounding nature holistically.

Breathing exercises soothe us by the trees. We hear local stories and learn what the forest means to Finns. A relaxing moment in clean, Finnish nature increases health and relieves stress. In summer this can be arranged also during the night.

After the walk we sit by the campfire. Everyone gets to make a memory for themselves; a little piece of jewerly made from a local reed.

Coffee/tea with a little sweet and sausages are served.

The hotel is located on Hailuoto, the largest island in the Gulf of Bothnia. It is nestled at the foot of a still functional lighthouse. This location offers exceptional and expansive sea views across the gulf. This truly unique and utterly fascinating venue once served as a maritime pilot station.

Hotel guests also have access to a panoramic restaurant, a terrace, a lobby lounge, and sauna facilities.

Hotel is located in the beautiful fisherman’s village of Marjaniemi, at the end point of the island.

Nallikari Holiday Village’s Pooki Holiday Cottages are located just a stone’s throw away from Oulu city center and situated on a beautiful spot right by the gulf of Bothnia.

These traditional Finnish style Holiday Cottages are available throughout the year and recommended for 1-5 persons. Each cottage has kitchen, toilet and shower. 10 of the cottages are studio size and 6 with a separate bedroom.

It is easy to feel comfortable in this central hotel decorated in Scandinavian style. The shopping streets are close by. The hotel restaurant Torilla, which can be divided into smaller sections, serves both hotel residents and the people of the city.

A peaceful hotel in the centre of Oulu, near the railway station. Friendly service, refurbished rooms, a comfortable restaurant and a relaxation suite with sauna and swimming pool guarantee a relaxing visit. The hotel also has modern meeting facilities and good parking opportunities.

Nallikari Holiday Village’s Masto Holiday Cottages are located just a stone’s throw away from Oulu city center and situated on a beautiful spot right by the gulf of Bothnia.

These traditional Finnish style Holiday Cottages are available throughout the year and recommended for 1-5 persons. Each cottage has kitchen, toilet and shower.

Nallikari Holiday Village’s Poiju Villas are located just a stone’s throw away from Oulu city center and situated on a beautiful spot right by the gulf of Bothnia.

All villas are conveniently located to maximize daylight and sunshine on the patio all year round. Poiju Villas are modern and built in traditional island cottage style with large windows allowing nature enter the rooms.

Different size Villas for 1-12 persons. All the villas have kitchen, dining space, sauna, 1-4 bedrooms, combined kitchen and living room area, fireplace and large patio.

Hike along the duckboards, observe birds and count sheep on the field.
Hiastinhaara is perfect place for hike and bird watching while there are hundreds of migrating birds in the area every spring and autumn. The record is nearly 90 different species.

The area is located around 4,5km from Ii’s town center on the Hiastinlahti Bay, where tributary stream of Ii river also flows. Easy access nature trails are 2 km and 0,7 km, suitable for families with children.

Enjoy lively events, visit the museum of local history, walk along culture heritage route.
Ii Wanha Hamina (Old Hamina – Historic district) is among the Northern Finland’s oldest trading posts and dates to the 14th century. The name “Hamina” has its roots in the Swedish term “hamn”, which means harbour. It used to be a home to yearly markets with as much as 2 000 visitors from all over the northern Finland. Nowadays the Old Hamina is a tight-knit neighbourhood that has managed to keep its own unique historical spirit.

Most of the houses along two narrow streets, Alakatu “lower street” and Yläkatu “upper street,” are built side by side having the corners almost touching each other. The oldest buildings – or at least the vintage of the timber used to build them – are from the early 19th century. The heart of Wanha Hamina is the Huilinki stage where plenty of concerts, theatre plays and events take place.

Hailuoto Information point is open at summer season. If you need some assistance or have some questions, please contact by email: [email protected]

Hailuoto App you can find updated services and ferry timetables all year around.

Download here:

https://apps.apple.com/fi/app/hailuoto/id1566657292?l=fi

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.app_hailuoto.layout

You are welcome to visit our beautiful island.

Nordic Art Hotel Lasaretti is especially suitable for quality-conscious travellers who value uniqueness and friendly service. Location close to Oulujoki river and Ainolan puisto park is beautiful in every season. Hotel is only 2 km from Oulu city center. At Nordic Hotel Lasaretti you stay in the middle of art!

Our hotel is smoke-free and we use allergy-friendly materials in the rooms. We also have wheelchair accessible rooms. A good example of the carefully designed details in the rooms is the high-quality Molton Brown products; shower gels and and lotions that we offer our guests. We have 49 hotel rooms (renovated in 2019), sauna and fitness room.

Unique accommodation in historical pilot building. Beautiful seaview and atmosphere. Torni, in english “Tower” is one of the oldest buildings in Majakkapiha. Accommodation is on 2nd floor.