Oulu

Oulu (Swedish: Uleåborg) is the biggest city in Northern Finland, with about 210,000 inhabitants (in 2021). Once known for wood tar and salmon, Oulu has become a major high-tech centre, particularly in IT and wellness technology. Oulu has been selected as the European Capital of Culture for 2026.

The adjacent town of Kempele and the former municipalities of Ylikiiminki, Haukipudas, Kiiminki, Oulunsalo and Yli-Ii are also handled in this article.

Understand


Oulu is the capital of the province of Oulu and the region of Northern Ostrobothnia. It is the fifth largest municipality in Finland by population and the largest and most important in Northern Finland. As a result of two consolidations of neighbouring municipalities, first Ylikiiminki in 2009, and then Haukipudas, Kiiminki, Oulunsalo and Yli-Ii in 2013, its land area is over 3,000 km² (five to ten times the size of other similar sized cities in Finland). As urban area it comes fourth, after the capital region, Tampere and Turku.

A lot of Finnish IT companies, including Nokia, have offices in Oulu or nearby areas. In 1988 Jarkko Oikarinen wrote the first IRC server and client here. Oulu is also home to Oulun Kärpät, a successful hockey team playing in the top Finnish league, Liiga.

Early history
Until the end of the Stone Age, the current city was underwater, but around 1800 BCE, the post-glacial rebound had moved the coastline inside the current city borders. The Oulu river had already been an important trade river, as it offered connections to the east and the west, as well as to the south by the sea. During the Iron Age, the population in the Oulu area most likely lessened a bit, although the Sami population persisted through the Iron Age. During the Iron Age, the southern Finnish peoples such as the Finns Proper and the Tavastians made hunting, trade and taxation journeys to the north.

In the 12th century, Oulu became an important spot for trade and hunting trips by the Karelians, including the people from the flourishing population centres of the shores of the Lake Ladoga.

From the Middle Ages to the 16th century


It is commonly interpreted that the Treaty of Nöteborg in 1323 placed Oulu inside the Republic of Novgorod, but according to some historians, Ostrobothnia was shared as a collaborative area between the two nations, Sweden and Novgorod. However, in the year 1345 Sweden annexed the regions all the way to Kemi as a part of Turku Diocese. The possession of the area became controversial, and during the next centuries the Novgorodians and later the Russians made raids to Ostrobothnia all the way to Oulu. The first armaments of the Oulu Castle were made in 1375. The fortification was known in Swedish as "Uleåborg", "Ule River Castle". After the founding of the castle, the city started to slowly evolve close to the castle, which was colloquially known as "Uleåstad", "Ule River Town".

Oulu, Kemi, Tornio and Ii were given the right to serve as trading centres by the Swedish King Gustav Vasa of Sweden in 1531.

During the Russo-Swedish war of 1590–1595, the fortification was turned into a small castle. In the Treaty of Teusina (1595), Russia acknowledged the Oulu area as a part of the Kingdom of Sweden.

The founding of the city and the 18th century


Oulu is the oldest city in Northern Finland. It was founded with the Swedish name of Uleåborg in 1605 by the King Karl IX at the mouth of Oulujoki river, on the opposite bank of Oulu Castle. In the beginning there were around 400 residents in the city. The city got its full city rights in 1610, and during the 17th century even some small-scale industry was born in town; the only rifle manufacturing plant in Finland was in Oulu. The first pedagogium in the city was founded in 1611 and in 1682 it was transformed into a trivial school.

The Oulu Castle was destroyed by a lightning strike in 1793 and never rebuilt.

The 19th and the 20th century


During its history, the city has suffered eight great fires; after the 1822 one, the city centre got the look it still has today.

In the 19th century the trivial school was transformed into an upper comprehensive school and a gymnasium school was attached to it. In 1872 the first Oulu private lyceum was opened and it was transformed into the Oulu Lyceum in 1883.

The city was greatly affected by wars, and Oulu was a battlefield for the Whites and the Reds in the civil war of 1918. The Winter War was seen in the city when the Germans built different training, maintenance and cadre centres in Oulu. In the Continuation war, Oulu was bombed heavily and some traces from the bombings are still seen in some of the older buildings in the city centre.

The 20th century brought industrialisation to the city and the borders became too tight for all population and the city borders were expanded by adding some smaller neighbouring municipalities to the city.

The University of Oulu was founded in 1959, although Oulu had been proposed as a university town since 1917. The new university got a great reception, since it was the first one in Northern Finland and the people didn't have to go all the way to southern Finland in order to get academic education.

Recent history and modern day
Nowadays Oulu is known especially as a technology city and the economical engine of Northern Finland. Technopolis, founded in 1982, was the first so-called technology village of the Nordic countries.

The latest municipality mergers alongside population growth of the city proper have made Oulu the 5th biggest city and 4th biggest urban area in Finland. It is by far the biggest city in the northern part of the Nordic countries.

Modern Oulu is known all over Finland with the nickname "Paska kaupunni" ("Shitty City") due to a graffiti made at some point in the 1980s to a wall in the address Uusikatu 22. The urban tradition of drawing the graffiti again and again has persisted to this day.

Other well-known things related to the city are the Toripolliisi statue (1987), the Oulu Market Hall (1901), the Marketplace granaries, the hockey team Oulun Kärpät, Tietomaa Science Centre, the annual Air Guitar World Championships, the Starboy tradition, the Oulu dialect and Rössypottu.

Oulu is also one of Finland's "cycling capitals" with over 20% of residents cycling daily – the cold weather notwithstanding. In fact, due to the prioritising of clearing snow from the main bicycle network, even at temperatures below -20°C you will see many people out and about on their bikes.

Get in
Oulu is on the main north-south railway, and train may be the most convenient way to get in from southern Finland, e.g. Helsinki, Tampere and Turku. There are flights from Helsinki, dominated by work-realated travel. Oulu is also on the two main south-to-north highways, highways 4 and 8.

By plane
The airport has six Finnair flights a day from Helsinki Airport. In summer there are also flights from Mediterranean holiday resorts. That is about all, although the airport website (nothing if not aspirational) lists 50 airlines flying here, including from Tibet. As of 2024, there is also a direct 3 hour flight to Oulu from Munich, operated by Lufthansa. They are planning to increase the number of weekly flights in October.

Transport
Bus routes 8 (to Teknologiakylä) and 9 (to Heikinharju) run between the airport and central Oulu, taking 30 min. The bus stop is to the right as you exit the terminal. There are usually two buses an hour M–Sa 06:25–21:00, otherwise hourly to 01:20.

The airport is in Fare Zone B, and the centre is Zone A, so you need a ticket for Zone AB. Adult fare is €5.80 (cash to the driver or use the transport app) but double after 23:00 – see "Get around" below for practicalities. The ticket is valid for transfers for 60 min. However the airport hotel and the southern municipality of Kempele are in Zone B, so for those, tell the driver and pay for that Zone only.

The main city stop for the lines 8 and 9 is Kaupungintalo. The bus doesn't stop on the Pekuri stop in the city centre at all. The university is on bus route 8, else change in the centre to buses 1 (Jylkynkangas), 2 (Ritaharju), 3 (Aaltokangas), 5 (Kaijonharju), 18 (Kaijonharju) or 23 (Haukipudas-Ii): tell the driver "Yliopistolle" (ILL-yo-piss-toll-e) meaning "to the university".

Taxis might cost €35; Otaxi is the main airport operator.

Car rental: all the main car rental firms are found at the airport. Book in advance as they have small fleets here, and their kiosks may have limited staffed hours.

By train


Oulu is on the main railway line between Helsinki and the far north of Finland. The station is right beside the city centre, and there are trains from Helsinki via Tampere to Oulu every hour or two, taking 6–8 hours. Trains from Turku connect to most of them. They continue north to Kemi and either Rovaniemi (all year) or Tornio and Kolari (some trains in season). There are also sleeper trains (which take cars from some stations) on the Helsinki/Turku–Tampere–Oulu–far north routes. See Finland § Get around: By train. The cost from Helsinki can be less than €20 if bought well in advance.

By bus
Travel by coach from Helsinki takes between 8 and 15 hours and costs around €25–50, cheapest Onnibus fares are about €15. Direct bus connections are available also from Turku, Jyväskylä, Lahti, Kuopio, Pori, Joensuu, Vaasa and Rovaniemi. Coming via Tallinn or Stockholm, there may be coach connections from the port with arranged transfer, mostly via Kamppi.

From Sweden, travel to Haparanda; the buses to Oulu depart from the Tornio-Haparanda bus centre. From Northern Norway, you usually need to transfer in Rovaniemi; in summer there may be a direct coach service between Tromsø and Oulu by Eskelisen Lapin Linjat. See Matkahuolto.

The bus station is across the tracks from the railway station.

By car
Oulu is on Highway 4, which runs the length of the country from Helsinki via Jyväskylä to Oulu, continuing north to Kemi, Rovaniemi and Utsjoki on the border with Norway. The highway is part of E75 between Northern Norway and Athens.

Route E8 runs along the coast from Turku through Rauma, Pori, Vaasa and Kokkola to Oulu, continuing to Kemi, Kolari and eventually Tromsø.



City parking: Kivisydän underground car park stretches the length of the centre. There are two entrances: Hallituskatu 1, a block north of the market place off Rantakatu, search map for "Kivisydän Torin Ramppi". Hallituskatu 20 is at the junction of Hallituskatu and Uusikatu, search for "Kivisydän Uusikadun Ramppi."

Park & ride: use the free parking lot of Prisma Limingantulli (Nuottasaarentie 1) and take Citybus line C to the city centre. It runs every 30 minutes and costs €1.50 (cash) or €1.20 (card) each way The Citybus stop is on the west side of the hypermarket.

When coming from the north, you can also park at Ideapark Oulu mall (Ritaharjuntie 49) and take Bus 3 to the centre, though this is unlikely to save you any money (unless you travel alone) since you will have to pay the normal bus fare.

By boat
There is no ferry, but for arriving with your own boat, Oulu has four marinas dotted around the estuary of the Oulujoki river. The main one is right next to the marketplace.

By foot
For being the fifth largest city in Finland the city centre is small compared to, say, Tampere or Turku. The whole of the city centre is easily walkable, and the walking conditions are good. There are usually free walking route maps distributed at the Tourist Information.

By scooter
For 2024, the only e-scooter company in town is Ryde. Their operating area reaches from the southern region of Mäntylä all the way to Ideapark mall in Ritaharju. Be sure to follow the rules on riding and parking the vehicles.

By bus


The public transportation is operated by OSL (Oulu Regional Transport).

Payment
Single ticket (kertalippu) within about 10 km from the city centre costs €3.30 with cash, €2.05 with card or the OSL app. There is a child ticket for children under 16, but it is only available when paying with cash or the OSL app. Between 23:00–04:30 a single ticket by cash costs €6.60, but night services are limited.

To save money, do use your contactless bank card (Visa, Mastercard or Eurocard; Diners Club and American Express do not work) or a mobile device with Apple Pay or Google Pay. Press "lähimaksu" and tap your card on the machine.

The other option is the OSL application (by Waltti Solutions), available in Google Play and App Store. After purchasing the ticket from the app, show it to the driver and you're good to go. You cannot buy tickets in advance with the app, so you must buy it right before you need it.

The system calculates the fare combining all trips paid with the card or device: a new single ticket fee will not be charged until the 90-minute changeover period has ended, and a day ticket will be substituted when those are relevant.

If paying by card, notice that you can only pay your own ticket. If you want to buy a ticket for a companion, you must use cash or the OSL app.

There are day tickets (1 to 7 days) available; you can buy them from the tourist information or Oulu10. You can also buy day tickets from the OSL mobile app.

Taking a bike to the bus costs €2/trip, and if the bus is full, you might have to wait for the next one. You can take your bike on some taller long-distance buses (e.g. to Tyrnävä) which have narrow hallways, elevated floors and single middle doors (as opposed to doubles), too, but you need to ask the driver to put the bike in the luggage container of the bus. Taking a folding bike on the bus is free (if the bike is folded, that is) but some bus drivers don't know that (since folding bikes are quite rare). You can also take your own e-scooter to the bus, and the drivers are unlikely to charge you for it if it is folded.

The validity of single and value tickets is 60 minutes when travelling in one zone or two zones, and 80 minutes in three or more zones. You can transfer from one vehicle to another within the validity of your ticket. Lähi ticket is valid only in Lähi-buses (minibuses). The validity of Lähi ticket is 30 minutes.

Good to know
The bus drivers usually understand some English, but best plan your trip beforehand. To plan your route in the city, use the OSL application. It gives you the most convenient route to where you want to go, including walks to bus stops, what bus lines to use and where to switch buses. A few third-party phone apps like Nysse or Google Maps' public transport features do the job fine, too. The buses have trackers which let the customers see where the bus is on a map and how long you have to wait for it.

Most buses display the information on the upcoming stops, as of July 2024, but it is still good to have a downloaded map with your current location on your phone. The displays are slow, so check the name of the previous stop to yours and press the stop button after that.

The bus stops are named so that the name of the stop is followed by either an E or a P. The letters stand for Etelä south) and Pohjoinen (north), implicating the direction of the buses passing through the stop. PP stands for "päätepysäkki", meaning terminus.

Be careful when using the bus in the city centre, since not all buses stop at all bus stops. When using the stops Pekuri and Kaupungintalo, remember that the lines 1–17 stop at Kaupungintalo, whereas lines 20–57 stop at Pekuri. Lähi bus lines (A, B, C, D) stop at Kaupungintalo E. If unsure, check if the number of the line is found on the sign on top of the bus stop.

Some bus lines include:


 * 2 Ritaharju–University–Tuira–City centre–Raksila–OYS–Kaukovainio–Kaakkuri–Metsokangas
 * The most popular bus line in town, hence one of the most operated one. Departure times vary, but during daytime on weekdays it departs every 10–20min. It takes you through the university, the city hospital (OYS) and the infamous (yet nowadays quite peaceful) Kaukovainio into the neighborhood of Metsokangas, which is full of newer, wood/brick residential buildings. Also passes through Kaakkuri shopping hub which holds the Verkkokauppa.com electronics store mentioned in this article.


 * 8 Technology village–University–Tuira–City centre–Raksila–Oulunsalo–Airport
 * This line runs from the technology village through the university to the Raksila mall, where it continues to the airport. More info about airport transit in the section Get In/By Plane.


 * 9 Talvikangas–Haapalehto–Myllytulli–City centrer–Heinäpää–Limingantulli–Oulunsalo–Airport
 * The bus line 9 to the airport takes more time, but is operated more than number 8. It also passes through the southern end of the city centre (Heinäpää) and the shopping district of Limingantulli. You can get to the art museum and Science Centre Tietomaa with this bus line.


 * 15 Nallikari–Tuira–City centre–Höyhtyä–Mäntylä
 * The line takes you from the Nallikari holiday village and beach to the city and continues to the lesser-known suburb of Mäntylä. It does pass through the Oulu Music Centre and Höyhtyä, where the legendary Höyhtyän Grilli is found in.


 * 20 Haukipudas–Toppila–Tuira–City centre–Raksila–OYS–Oulu vocational college
 * One of the most popular bus lines. It starts from the suburb of Haukipudas, which used to be a town of its own but which is part of the city nowadays. It also passes through the somewhat sketchy Toppila suburb and terminates in OSAO, the main unit of Oulu vocational college, which has a cheap cafe and a store full of student-made food and delicacies.


 * 21 Kiviniemi–Herukka–Pateniemi–Rajakylä–Toppila–Tuira–City centre–Limingantulli–Karjasilta–Kaukovainio
 * The line operates only every 60 minutes, but this line is the closest one to the Pateniemi Sawmill Museum.


 * 23 Ii–Haukipudas–Linnanmaa–Tuira–City centre–Raksila–OYS–Oulu vocational college
 * This line takes you to the municipality of Ii, which has a small, but beautiful old town. It also passes through the hospital and terminates in OSAO, the vocational college.


 * 35 Kiiminki–Jääli–Tuira-City centre–Oulu vocational college
 * A quite popular bus line, which starts from the neighbourhood of Kiiminki, which is similar to Haukipudas since it also was a town of its own in the past.


 * 41 City centre–Tuira–Hintta-Myllyoja–Sanginsuu–Muhos-Madekoski-Maikkula-City centre
 * This line takes you to the town of Muhos, which is the hometown of the first ever Miss Universum. It also passes closest to the Turkansaari Outdoor museum. The line goes to Muhos from the north side of the river, and returns along the south side. The line 40 makes the same trip in the reverse direction.


 * 50 City centre–Heinäpää–Limingantulli–Kempele–Zeppelin–Haapamaa
 * The main bus line to Kempele takes you to Limingantulli, Kempele and the shopping centre Zeppelin.

A longer, but more interesting line to Kempele than 50. You see more of new, wooden residential buildings as well as brick ones. Also passes through Kaakkuri shopping hub and Metsokangas, similarly to number 2.
 * 51 City centre–Raksila–Kaakkuri–Metsokangas–Honkanen–Zeppelin–Kempele
 * 52(/52A) City centre–Heinäpää–Kempele–Tupos–Liminka(–Liminganlahti–Lumijoki)
 * This line operates to Liminka, which is the home of Liminganlahti, an important bird-watching area. Liminganlahti is only reached by the bus 52A or 53 though. Liminka is also a nice place to visit with a few historic buildings and points of interest.


 * 54 City centre–Raksila–Tyrnävä–Liminka
 * This line takes you to Liminka through the rural municipality of Tyrnävä, known for its potatoes. If you want to see real countryside, do take this line.


 * 59 Bus station–Heinäpää–Oulunsalo–Hailuoto
 * The longest public transport bus trip in the Oulu area is the bus number 59 which takes you to Hailuoto, the biggest island in the Bothnian Bay. The municipality has about a 1000 residents making it the smallest in Northern Ostrobothnia. It is suggested to take the bus in to the very end of the line to Marjaniemi, since there are the most important sights in Hailuoto. Remember to check the schedules though, the bus doesn't operate too often.


 * A City centre–Train station–Myllytulli–Värttö
 * The citybus line takes you to Värttö, next to the quite pretty and old Oulu psychiatric hospital area. You can walk through the area, but cannot enter the buildings. It passes through Myllytulli (near the science centre Tietomaa) and next to the Oulu prison. The trip costs €1.50.

Zones
Public transport system Oulun joukkoliikenne is divided into zones from A to D that radiate from the centre. The urban area within about 10-km radius from the city centre is zone A and the regions further from that are B, C and D. Nearly all the hotels, University of Oulu and the main sights are in zone A. The airport, Kempele and Haukipudas are in zone B, Ii, Muhos, and Liminka are on zone C. Only Yli-Ii and Hailuoto are in zone D. The number of zones you travel through during your trip will determine your fare. The Lähi zone includes only the minibus lines (A-D), not the normal buses. The A zone includes the Lähi zone.

Some places of interest in each zone:

Zone A: The whole city centre, Nallikari and Hietasaari, University of Oulu, OYS, Limingantulli, Oulu Music Center, Oulu Car Museum, Kaakkuri, Ruskotunturi, Ideapark Oulu, Pateniemi Sawmill Museum, Meritoppila DiscGolfPark, Oulu Climbing Centre

Zone B: Oulunsalo and Oulu Airport, Turkansaari Outdoor Museum, Kempele and the shopping centre Zeppelin, Haukipudas, Kiiminki and Koitelinkoski Rapids

Zone C: Ii, Ylikiiminki, Muhos, Tyrnävä, Liminka and Liminganlahti Bay, Lumijoki

Zone D: Yli-Ii, Hailuoto (kind of)

Prices
prices as of July 2024

Single Tickets

Contactless and the OSL app

24-hour ticket

You can purchase a 24-hour ticket from the OSL App by Waltti Solutions. You can also buy it from Oulu10 and Oulu tourist information, and some options are available in the Nallikari Holiday Village. When you buy a ticket that is valid for more zones, you can still use it to travel between less zones (i.e. when you buy an AB ticket, you can also use it in A or Lähi).

Info on the prices of multiple-day tickets can be found in the OSL website or the OSL app.

By hop-on-hop-off bus


To get a good look around Oulu, with English commentary, try Potnapekka (in Finnish). Half train, half bus, it operates during summer months (June to August) on two routes, via Nallikari or Hupisaaret, through roads for light traffic. Both routes leave from the city hall (at the centre of Oulu) and the journey lasts about one hour. You can hop off and in on the way.

The bus starts from the city hall, and there is a ticket booth where you can buy tickets and get free route maps there. Single tickets cost €8/adult and €4/child from 5 to 14. Children under 5 travel for free. Family ticket is €20. Day tickets cost €15/adult and €8/child from 5 to 14. Family ticket is €50.


 * Potnapekka Nallikari: City Hall–Pikisaari–Nallikari–Market Square–City Hall


 * Potnapekka Oulujoki: City Hall–Hupisaaret–Värttö–Peltola–Myllytulli–City Hall

By bike
This "Amsterdam of Finland" is well renowned for its good bicycle routes, which get you around the city easily and safely even through the cold winter. To rent a bicycle, try Pyörä-Suvala, Lekatie 27. If you're staying at Nallikari Camping, Leiritie 10, they also have bikes to rent for visitors, costing €12/day. Bike paths are cleared of snow in the winter and you usually won't have to have studded tires because the ground is rarely icy or slippery.

When biking, be sure to use the special bike lanes (usually marked with red). You can take the bike through the shopping centre Valkea, but you have to walk the bike. Take care when cycling through Rotuaari pedestrian street, you're required to give way to pedestrians when cycling. There are even experiments with projecting the bike lane signs directly onto the surface — very helpful in winter — but as of early 2021 it's only a trial in one location.

Oulu also has had an extensive bikesharing system, which opened in August 2019. It had 60 stations with 10 bikes each, and the cost was €5/day, €10/week and €20/season. After paying the fee, you were able to bike around for free for 30 minutes, after which it cost €1/hour. The hourly fee could be avoided by returning the bike in 30 minutes to the station and taking a new one immediately. You needed a debit or credit card in order to rent the bikes.

The system was taken down, at least for now, because there were problems with the operator. They're planning on bringing the bikes back, but it is unsure when it will happen. More information in the webpage.

By train
You're unlikely to use the train within the city area. However you can ride between Kempele and Oulu on the long distance VR Helsinki-Oulu-Kemi trains, and between Oulu and Muhos on the trains to Kuopio, fares for both routes about €5.

In the summer there are some steam-hauled trains between Kempele, Oulu and Haukipudas, mainly used as an attraction.

By taxi

 * Smartphone apps: Valopilkku, 02 Taksi, Uber, Bolt
 * Smartphone apps: Valopilkku, 02 Taksi, Uber, Bolt
 * Smartphone apps: Valopilkku, 02 Taksi, Uber, Bolt
 * Smartphone apps: Valopilkku, 02 Taksi, Uber, Bolt

By dial-a-ride
Although meant for the elderly, the dial-a-ride service Onni can be used by anyone and can be a great way to get to the destination which is close to the city centre or inside it. Check the schedules here (Click the lines to see the map of the route).

The bus drivers usually speak at least a little English. Order by calling, and give your name, location and destination. It is best to call the ride a couple of days before your trip, but you can also get it right before the ride. The trip costs €3.30 for adults and €1.70 for children.

See



 * (Kauppatori) is a hotch-potch of styles: old red granaries, renaissance revival architecture and 1970s brutalist concrete. But during the brief warmth of summer, its terraces, cafes and market booths are busy and lively, though the main market hall is closed in 2019 for re-building. The area is presided over by Toripolliisi, the often photographed statue of the Market Square Policeman. He's a squat stubby young-old figure, as if weighted down by his responsibilities.
 * Franzénin puisto is the leafy little park facing the cathedral, with the statue of Frans Michael Franzén (1772-1847), an Oulu-born poet. The statue is also the eldest public monument in town.
 * Paskakaupunni.jpgMorkokivi.jpg
 * Madetojan & Pokkisenpuisto are the little parks along the stream just north of the centre, divided by Aleksanterinkatu. The statue is of Leevi Madetoja (1887-1947), an Oulu-born composer who ranks alongside Sibelius.
 * Holy Family of Nazareth Church Oulu 20110521.JPG
 * Franzénin puisto is the leafy little park facing the cathedral, with the statue of Frans Michael Franzén (1772-1847), an Oulu-born poet. The statue is also the eldest public monument in town.
 * Paskakaupunni.jpgMorkokivi.jpg
 * Madetojan & Pokkisenpuisto are the little parks along the stream just north of the centre, divided by Aleksanterinkatu. The statue is of Leevi Madetoja (1887-1947), an Oulu-born composer who ranks alongside Sibelius.
 * Holy Family of Nazareth Church Oulu 20110521.JPG
 * Madetojan & Pokkisenpuisto are the little parks along the stream just north of the centre, divided by Aleksanterinkatu. The statue is of Leevi Madetoja (1887-1947), an Oulu-born composer who ranks alongside Sibelius.
 * Holy Family of Nazareth Church Oulu 20110521.JPG
 * Holy Family of Nazareth Church Oulu 20110521.JPG
 * Holy Family of Nazareth Church Oulu 20110521.JPG
 * Holy Family of Nazareth Church Oulu 20110521.JPG
 * Holy Family of Nazareth Church Oulu 20110521.JPG
 * Holy Family of Nazareth Church Oulu 20110521.JPG
 * Holy Family of Nazareth Church Oulu 20110521.JPG
 * Holy Family of Nazareth Church Oulu 20110521.JPG
 * Holy Family of Nazareth Church Oulu 20110521.JPG

Do



 * Football: AC Oulu play soccer in Veikkausliiga, the top tier. Their home ground Raatin Stadion (capacity 5000) is 2 km north of town centre. The playing season is April-Oct.
 * Stroll along the City Stream (Kaupunginoja/Plaanaoja) and see all the different parks and statues alongside it. The park district was built to control mass fires which Oulu experienced a lot. The stream and the parks were lit a couple of years ago with orange/red lighting to commemorate the history of the parks.
 * Ghost-hunting. Oulu has been called the ghost capital of Finland with countless buildings said to be haunted. To fill your visit with spiritual activity, stay in the Lasaretti (old military hospital) or De Gamlas Hem (old nursing home) hotel, join the Ghostly and strange stories from Oulu guided walk, visit the ruins of the Oulu castle to catch a glimpse of the Witch Montonen who died in his cell with his face clawed, or have a drink with an eerie man in the pub Jumpru, though no matter how much he drinks, it seems like his pint never empties...
 * Oulu will hold the title of European Capital of Culture in 2026.
 * Football: AC Oulu play soccer in Veikkausliiga, the top tier. Their home ground Raatin Stadion (capacity 5000) is 2 km north of town centre. The playing season is April-Oct.
 * Stroll along the City Stream (Kaupunginoja/Plaanaoja) and see all the different parks and statues alongside it. The park district was built to control mass fires which Oulu experienced a lot. The stream and the parks were lit a couple of years ago with orange/red lighting to commemorate the history of the parks.
 * Ghost-hunting. Oulu has been called the ghost capital of Finland with countless buildings said to be haunted. To fill your visit with spiritual activity, stay in the Lasaretti (old military hospital) or De Gamlas Hem (old nursing home) hotel, join the Ghostly and strange stories from Oulu guided walk, visit the ruins of the Oulu castle to catch a glimpse of the Witch Montonen who died in his cell with his face clawed, or have a drink with an eerie man in the pub Jumpru, though no matter how much he drinks, it seems like his pint never empties...
 * Oulu will hold the title of European Capital of Culture in 2026.
 * Stroll along the City Stream (Kaupunginoja/Plaanaoja) and see all the different parks and statues alongside it. The park district was built to control mass fires which Oulu experienced a lot. The stream and the parks were lit a couple of years ago with orange/red lighting to commemorate the history of the parks.
 * Ghost-hunting. Oulu has been called the ghost capital of Finland with countless buildings said to be haunted. To fill your visit with spiritual activity, stay in the Lasaretti (old military hospital) or De Gamlas Hem (old nursing home) hotel, join the Ghostly and strange stories from Oulu guided walk, visit the ruins of the Oulu castle to catch a glimpse of the Witch Montonen who died in his cell with his face clawed, or have a drink with an eerie man in the pub Jumpru, though no matter how much he drinks, it seems like his pint never empties...
 * Oulu will hold the title of European Capital of Culture in 2026.
 * Stroll along the City Stream (Kaupunginoja/Plaanaoja) and see all the different parks and statues alongside it. The park district was built to control mass fires which Oulu experienced a lot. The stream and the parks were lit a couple of years ago with orange/red lighting to commemorate the history of the parks.
 * Ghost-hunting. Oulu has been called the ghost capital of Finland with countless buildings said to be haunted. To fill your visit with spiritual activity, stay in the Lasaretti (old military hospital) or De Gamlas Hem (old nursing home) hotel, join the Ghostly and strange stories from Oulu guided walk, visit the ruins of the Oulu castle to catch a glimpse of the Witch Montonen who died in his cell with his face clawed, or have a drink with an eerie man in the pub Jumpru, though no matter how much he drinks, it seems like his pint never empties...
 * Oulu will hold the title of European Capital of Culture in 2026.
 * Oulu will hold the title of European Capital of Culture in 2026.
 * Oulu will hold the title of European Capital of Culture in 2026.
 * Oulu will hold the title of European Capital of Culture in 2026.
 * Oulu will hold the title of European Capital of Culture in 2026.
 * Oulu will hold the title of European Capital of Culture in 2026.
 * Oulu will hold the title of European Capital of Culture in 2026.

Annual events



 * Snow sculpture competition is held at Nallikari winter village, 4 km west of the centre. February.
 * Snowmobile races are at Raksila Stadium just east of the centre. February.
 * Hässäkkäpäivät is punk and hardcore music in early July.
 * UFOP - Uleaborg Festival Of Psychedelia - is a modern music and art event at Tukikhota, northern part of the city, in mid-July.
 * Qstock is the biggest rock festival in Northern Finland, with as much as 40 000 visitors, held in the Kuusisaari and Raatti areas of Oulu in late July. Mostly Finnish artists, but some foreign artists with usually 1-2 big foreign names performing. 2022 lineup included Electric Callboy, Limp Bizkit and Stratovarius. €84 (Friday)/€94 (Saturday)/€134 (F Sa). If visiting on Friday, be sure to check out the band Radiopuhelimet. The band has been the final performer of Friday in Qstock every year since the festival's inception.
 * Oulu August Festival takes in some half-a-dozen events over the month.
 * Elojazz: jazz gigs in Rauhala area and various parks and bars.
 * Oulunsalo Soi Chamber Music.
 * Li­te­ra­ry art fes­ti­val Muusa­juh­lat.
 * Koiteli elää! is a small rock festival at the Kiiminki rapids, 20 km northeast of Oulu. Tickets sell out within few minutes, so be quick with it.
 * Air Guitar World Championships reckon to usher in world peace and climate stability by annual frantic mime-guitar.
 * Oulu Music Video Festival.
 * The Irish Festival of Oulu is the Irish-themed folk music, cultural and world music event, which takes place in early October.
 * Lumo Light Festival (Lumo-valofestivaali) fills the city centre with light artworks for a weekend in late November.

Buy



 * Oulu Market Hall



If you are in desperate need of something from the grocery store late at night (which means after 22:00 for Finns) or early morning, the options are narrowed down to four grocery stores: S-Market Tuira, Kastelli, Kaakkuri and Ritaharju. They are open 24/7. None of them are located downtown, but Tuira is the closest one. If you need to get somewhere warm in the middle of the night in the winter, other place that is open 24/7 is the "summer street" of the shopping centre Valkea (yet no shops there are open in the night). The railway station building is open 04:00-01:20. Bars and fast food places downtown are usually open until 4-5 AM on weekends.

If you have a car available, the gas station-restaurant-shop Oulun Baari in Maikkula is open 24/7

Budget
Oulu is a place for eating pizza and other fast foods. For €10-15 you can get a pizza with your choice of (usually three) toppings. Try one of the more interesting choices of toppings such as reindeer, kebab and mayonnaise. Also there are many restaurants that have a pizza buffet for €12-16 which includes a drink. A number of restaurants serving international cuisine or fast food are found in Oulu, including Indian, Greek, Mediterranean, Russian, Spanish, Turkish, Thai and Chinese kitchens. For American-style fast food there is McDonald's and Finnish equivalent Hesburger, but best burgers can be had at a tiny and ever-crowded Kauppuri 5 (Kauppurienkatu 5).


 * Stalls on the Market Place have local delicacies such as fried vendace (muikku) or salmon.
 * Puistokahvila Makia Oulu 20150829.JPG
 * Puistokahvila Makia Oulu 20150829.JPG
 * Puistokahvila Makia Oulu 20150829.JPG

Mid-range
During lunch time, usually 11:00–15:00, most restaurants serves food for reasonable prices. Lunch restaurants and lists in Oulu can be found at lounaat.info.

For typical, if a bit boring, French-Scandinavian dining, use hotel restaurants, such as Sassi (Radisson Blu) and Frans & Camille Bistro (at the Arina hotel in the town centre).





Drink
Drinking in Finland can be an expensive activity, a typical pint (either 0.4 or 0.5L) of domestic macro lager is typically around €6 and up. Typical Finnish beer is European lager, but also more interesting Finnish and local (breweries Maistila, Sonnisaari and Hailuoto are local) craft beer is available at a few pubs, as is imported stuff. Do try lonkku, a long time Finnish favorite long drink of gin and grapefruit juice.



Stay safe
Oulu is, on the whole, a very safe city, but avoid getting into arguments late in the night in fast food joints. Pickpocketing is remarkably rare, but it doesn't harm you to keep an eye on your belongings just like in any other place.

Even though crime otherwise is rare, Oulu has experienced a lot of bike thefts, so make sure to keep your bike locked when you go shopping etc.

There can be some drunks in Rotuaari, the "summer street" of Valkea, the Mannerheim park and some other places in the city centre, but they shouldn't cause any harm to travellers.

The police are helpful and friendly, although some might lack English skills. If you have non-emergency cases or questions, you can contact the police department of Oulu at. The central police office is at Kirkkokatu 13.

Medical help
In case of emergency, contact the emergency number.

For non-emergency but urgent cases, contact the number for a free evaluation of the situation. If you are a holder of the European Health Insurance card, you will get necessary treatment in any health center or Oulu University Hospital emergency room.

During weekdays 8-16 you have to visit the urgent care in a health center. Kontinkangas (Kajaanintie 46A) and Tuira (Kangastie 12-16) health centers are the closest ones to the city center. Outside of business hours and on weekends, you have to go to the emergency room of OYS (Kajaanintie 50 A1).

The waiting times for any public healthcare in Oulu are long as public healthcare is shortstaffed. It is not uncommon to wait for 10 hours in the OYS emergency room during busy days. There are also private healthcare chains which have locations in the city, though more expensive, usually provide appointments faster. These include Terveystalo, Mehiläinen and Pihlajalinna, all of which have multiple locations in Oulu, including in the city center. They have good websites with all necessary information.



Connect
The panOULU (public access network OULU) network provides wireless internet access to everybody in its coverage area, mostly the city centre.

The tourist information centre has a computer with free internet access.

Usually, there is free Wi-Fi in cafés, although the connections might not be the strongest. The same goes with Oulu PTA's buses.

Go next

 * Hailuoto is the largest island in the Gulf of Bothnia and a good destination for a day trip. Accessible by a free of charge, either with own car or by bus. In February you can drive there on an official ice road (dates varying by year).
 * Iso-Syöte on the way to Kuusamo is the closest destination for downhill skiing and the southernmost fell of Finland. Here are also Syöte national park, Iso-Syöte national hiking area and Pikku-Syöte recreational forest. Koskilinjat arranges day trips to the slopes during the winter season.
 * Kuusamo by Finland's eastern border is a gateway to Lapland, with the ski resort Ruka, the legendary Karhunkierros hiking route (80 km) and Oulanka national park.
 * Koitelinkoski — rapids of Kiiminkijoki-river, about 25 min by car from Oulu.
 * Ii has a beautiful old town and is 35 km away.
 * Vaala municipality on the shores of Lake Oulujärvi about 90 km southeast of Oulu.
 * Helsinki, the capital of Finland