Hometown Secrets: Four seasons and so many reasons to visit Oulu

Oulu and people living in it do not take themselves too seriously. This relaxed and versatile capital of Northern Finland has only little over 200,000 inhabitants, but it still is a busy city where you can find stuff to do all year round. Lapland and other amazing nature destinations are fairly close to Oulu, so it is easy to combine multiple attractions in one visit. One of the best things about my hometown is that every season there is great: Warm summers, colourful autumns, freezing winters and blooming springs. In Oulu, you can experience every season to the fullest!

Winter cyclers in Oulu. Photo: VisitOulu.

Oulu is a cycling city. It leads the country in the number of people who cycle, but unfortunately, it is also the number one in bikes stolen, so be sure to lock it up. Cycling in Oulu all year round, despite the weather, is a great example of Finnish persistence, sisu. Rain, snow, or never-ending headwind do not stop people from cycling. The city of Oulu has over 700 kilometres of cycling paths and even a brand new “highway for bikes” between the city centre and the University of Oulu. With numerous beautiful cycling routes by the coastline, it is really easy to jump on a bike and have a little sightseeing tour in Oulu.

Hupisaaret. Photo: VisitOulu.

All my favourite places to walk or cycle around in Oulu have one thing in common. They are all located close to the city centre, and yet you can wander around in them and forget that you are in the fifth biggest city in Finland. Oulu lies within the Bay of Bothnia, and its numerous green islands let people easily have a break from their busy lives. Hupisaaret (fun islands) is a forested park full of little brooks, pathways and secret hideout places. It also has a very popular playground and BBQ area where families and friends can enjoy their day and visit the botanical greenhouses. The Northern Ostrobothnia Museum is also located in the park. There you can get to know about local history and culture. Other museums close to the Hupisaaret include science museum Tietomaa and Oulu Museum of Art.

Nallikari and the nightless night. Photo: VisitOulu.

Other favourites include Hietasaari (Sand Island) and Pikisaari (Pitch Island). Hietasaari is a huge peaceful island with Oulu’s famous sand beach Nallikari. During the summer, it is great to swim in the sea and enjoy our scarce warm summer days. In the winter, nothing is better than taking a walk over a frozen sea, enjoy the serene and crisp winter weather, and maybe see northern lights dance all over the sky. Pikisaari is a neighbourhood filled with old wooden houses and old factories, which have been restored to apartments, stores, restaurants and to a vocational school. Pikisaari used to be the industrial hub of the city and marketplace for pitch and tar, but decades flew past and now it is a home for many artists and artisans. 

Festival crowd in Rotuaari. Photo: VisitOulu.

Compact centre, Rotuaari, is filled with cafés and restaurants, and Oulu has events all year round. People who visited our embassy for the Finnish Crazy Games might already know that the Air Guitar World Championships takes place in Oulu every August. Oulu also has numerous other events: For music lovers, there is a two-day music festival QStock, where many local and international artists play in front of over 30,000 visitors in late July. Smaller but definitely one of a kind festival is Bättre Folk. This music and literature festival takes place in Hailuoto, which is a charming island only a short ferry ride away from Oulu. The day in the city of Oulu must include our local delicacy, Majokänkky (pizza with mayonnaise in Oulu dialect), which you can get only from Oulu. If any pizza place in any other Finnish city tells you they have it, they are talking nonsense: the mayo is not the right kind and you will be disappointed.

Toripolliisi Statue. Photo: VisitOulu.

It does not matter if you are more interested in the city life or nature: Oulu has them both. Located in the beautiful coastal area this old tar capital of Finland offers a great display of Finnish architecture. At the marketplace, you can admire old wooden granaries and houses, brutalist-style library and theatre, over 100-year old market hall and beautiful art nouveau inspired houses. Everything is watched over by Toripolliisi-statue, which is a sympathetic statue of a police officer making sure all is under control at the marketplace. Give Oulu a visit, meet Toripolliisi yourself, and experience the versatility of the fifth biggest city in Finland! Tervetuloa!

Author Information: Katja Palosaari is an intern at the Embassy of Finland in Australia