North Ostrobothnia · Finland
Where to stay in Oulu
Oulu is a city in North Ostrobothnia, Finland, home to about 217,000 people.
- Best months
- June to August
- Nearest airport
- OUL11 km · Oulu Airport
- Currency
- EUReuro
- Time zone
- Europe/Helsinki
- Language
- Finnish, Swedish
About
About Oulu
Oulu is a major port city in Finland and the regional capital of North Ostrobothnia. It is located on the north-western coast of the country, at the mouth of the River Oulu.
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.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Oulu
See
- Market Square
- Oulu Museum of Art
- Tietomaa Science Centre
- Oulu Castle
- Oulu Cathedral
- Oulu Automobile Museum
- Hupisaaret park, Fountains and salmon stairs
- Northern Ostrobothnia Museum
- Paska Kaupunni graffiti
- Kruununmakasiini
- Oulun Suomalaisen Yhteiskoulun Lukio
- Sailor's Home Museum
Do
- Oulu City Theatre
- Cinema Finnkino Plaza
- Cinema Star
- Rotuaari
- Nallikari
- Cycle or walk
- Kesän Sauna
- Vauhtipuisto
- Ruskotunturi
- Meri-Toppila DiscGolfPark
- Oulun Kiipeilykeskus
- Adventure Park Huikia
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Oulu
4 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Spa Hotel Eden Holiday Club, Sokos Hotels | 1989 | 3.1 km |
| Hotel Arina | 1939 | 0.2 km |
| Oulun Kauppahotelli | 1900 | 0.1 km |
| Nallikari Aalto | 2024 | 3.2 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Oulu
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Oulu are June to August. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 21 °C; July is the wettest, with about 71 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Oulu: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Oulu Airport (OUL), about 11 km from the city centre in a straight line; Kemi-Tornio Airport (KEM, 95 km) and Kajaani Airport (KAJ, 133 km) are also within reach.
Getting 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.
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).
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
OUL · Oulu Airport
KEM · Kemi-Tornio Airport
KAJ · Kajaani Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Oulu
Eat
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).
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.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Oulu: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Oulu?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Oulu are June to August. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 21 °C; July is the wettest, with about 71 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Oulu?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Oulu Airport (OUL), about 11 km from the city centre in a straight line; Kemi-Tornio Airport (KEM, 95 km) and Kajaani Airport (KAJ, 133 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Oulu?
euro (EUR).
Nearby
Destinations near Oulu
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.