Oulu
Discover 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.
Taste of Oulu...
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). 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). 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.
A Rich Past
Explore the historical roots that shaped Oulu into what it is today.
Until the end of the Stone Age, the area that's now the 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 route, 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 and 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 people from the flourishing population centres on the shores of Lake Ladoga. 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"....
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsOulu 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. 64.92916725.3555561 Oulu Airport (OUL ) (15 km south-west of the city). There is only one terminal, open whenever there are flights. There are several device charging points and free Wi-Fi. There is also a piano and rocking chairs in the free Hailuoto Lounge. Oluthuone Toppila in the gate area stock beer, cider, soft drinks and the local "kärkkäri" sausage, as well as hamburgers and other food. Oulu Café (both airside and in Arrivals) has snacks and souvenirs. There is also a pharmacy by the café in the gate area. (updated Jun 2019) The airport has six Finnair flights a day from Helsinki Airport. In summer there are also flights from Mediterranean holiday resorts....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
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. 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. The public transportation is operated by OSL (Oulu Regional Transport). Single ticket (kertalippu) within about 10 km from the city centre costs €5 with cash, €2.60 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 €10, but night services are limited. The night-time price increase only applies to tickets paid in cash.
Where to Stay
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 ☏ +358 29-546-0211. The central police office is at Kirkkokatu 13. In case of emergency, contact the emergency number ☏ 112.
Money & Budget
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 petrol station/restaurant/shop Oulun Baari in Maikkula is open 24 hours daily.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
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 ☏ +358 29-546-0211. The central police office is at Kirkkokatu 13. In case of emergency, contact the emergency number ☏ 112.