Oulu

Oulu, the 5th largest city in Finland housing approximately 200.000 inhabitants, is located in northern Finland by the Bothnian Bay. The city centre is fairly small with a relaxed atmosphere and many parks and green areas often equipped with playgrounds. In summer Oulu is ideal for walks with a stroller, most streets being in good condition with hardly any cobblestone, but during the snow / ice season it can be a slippery and wet business.

Oulu’s public transportation is operated by busses. There are fairly many lines, however some of them don’t run very frequently; especially in in winter a 15 minutes’ wait can feel like an eternity. Entering the new busses with a stroller is easy, however some of the older models with a gap between the bus and the street are still operational, too. Many Finns are reserved and shy, not offering help out of their own initiative, but if asked they will happily give you a hand. In Finland English education starts in kindergarten, which means most people have a very high level of the language, meaning you need not to worry about communication problems.

The main sights include the Oulu City Hall, the Oulu Cathedral, the historic Market Hall where you can buy delicious traditional Finnish foods, the Old Observatory, the Rotuaari pedestrian street, the Market Square with the City Library and the City Theatre, and the Toripolliisi statue. When travelling with your little ones don’t miss the Tetomaa science centre which offers entertainment for young and old. The Spa Hotel Eden promises water fun for children of all ages. Further activities of interest for young and old are the Vehicle Museum, the Arctic Gallery, the Turkansaari historical open-air museum and the University of Oulu Botanical Gardens.

The Nallikari beach is worth a visit both in summer and winter. During the warm time of the year it is ideal for a picnic and relaxation and maybe even a quick splash in the water. The water is clean but even at the warmest of times a bit chilly. You can also find a playground in the immediate vicinity of the beach. Due to the beach’s somewhat remote location there is little light pollution and hence in offers a good spot to observe northern lights on cold and clear winter’s days. For further relaxation you can visit one of Oulu’s many parks and green areas oftentimes equipped with playgrounds, e.g. the Mannerheim Park, the Ainola Puisto Park and the Hupisaaret Islands, to name but a few.

Oulu has a small airport operating flights to Helsinki and a handful of destination in Europe. The airport is about a half hour’s drive from the centre and can be reached by bus or taxi. You can also arrive in Oulu by train from both the north or the south of the country. If you plan on exploring more of Finland, especially Lapland where public transport is poor, renting a car is a viable option.

If you arrive in winter be sure to pack plenty of warm clothes because it is not unusual for temperatures to occasionally sink below -20C.