Oulu

• 🌍 Oulu Tourist Information, Hallituskatu 36 B (right next to the railway station), ☏ +358 8 558 41330, touristinfo@ouka.fi. M–Th 09:00–17:00, F 09:00–16:00. Can help visitors to Oulu city and the wider region. (updated May 2001)

The history of the Oulu area of course reaches all the way to the end of the Stone Age. During the Stone Age, the location of the current city was still underwater, but around 1800 BCE (when the stone age ended), the coastline had risen inside the current city borders. The Oulu river has been an important trade river since the Stone Age since it offered connections to the east and the west, as well as 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 travels 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.

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. Although, in the year 1345 Sweden attached 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 on 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 I 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.

Oulu is the oldest city in Northern Finland. It was founded with the same 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 since 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.

During its history, the city has suffered 8 Great Fires, and in 1822 the city was severely damaged in one, and during its reconstruction, 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 short civil war. 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 trace from the bombings is 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.

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 expansions of the city alongside with the 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 nowadays 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 prioritizing 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.

🌍 Oulu Airport (OUL  ^IATA). The airport is 15 km southwest of the city. It has six Finnair flights a day from Helsinki Vantaa. In summer there are flights from Mediterranean holiday resorts. And that is about all, although the airport website (nothing if not aspirational) list 50 airlines flying here including from Tibet. There is only one terminal, open whenever there are flights. There are several device charging points and free WiFi. 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)

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 tell the driver then you only pay for that Zone.

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 downtown 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". You can also take the bus 48 or 52 from other bus stops.

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.

Oulu is on the main railway line between Helsinki and the far north of Finland. Day trains by VR run from Helsinki to Oulu every hour or two via Tampere, taking 6 hours; they continue north to Kemi and either Rovaniemi (all year) or Tornio and Kolari (some trains in season). There are also sleepers (which take cars) on the Helsinki-Oulu-far north route. See Finland#Get around: By train for ticket deals and general advice. The cost from Helsinki can be as low as €27 (less than €20 for students with a VR-approved student card) if bought well in advance.

🌍 Oulu railway station (on Rautatienkatu, just under 1 km east of the market square). station building 04:00–01:20 staffed ticket office M–F 09:00–17:00 otherwise buy from the machines. has a café-kiosk, news stand and luggage lockers. Toilets charge €1. For city buses and taxis, exit west towards the water front, to reach Raksila district or for out-of-town buses, walk through the tunnel to exit east by the bus station. 

Trip duration from Helsinki varies between 8 and 15 hours and costs around €25-50, but using the cheaper Onnibus, you can get trip with a price as low as €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 it is possible to travel to Oulu by changing bus in Haparanda, probably needing a walk to Tornio central bus stop from where you can continue to Oulu. If you arrive from Northern Norway, you need usually to transfer at Rovaniemi, at summertime a direct bus route between Tromsø and Oulu of Eskelisen Lapin Linjat may operate. Timetable and information from Matkahuolto and Onnibus.

The bus station is right next to the railway station, but on the other side of the tracks.

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.

Oulu is on Finnish National Road 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 north as E75 to Kemi then as E8 to 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 each way, cash and mobile ticket only. You can check the timetables on the web. The Citybus stop is on the northern 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.

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.

See also: Finland#By motorised scooter

Swedish Voi, German Tier and American Bird and Lime have electric kick scooters for rent, to use in the centre. Tier has also electric bicycles.

The public transportation is operated by Oulun joukkoliikenne (Oulu PTA). Single ticket (kertalippu) within about 10 km from the city centre costs €3.30 (€1.70 for children ages 7-16). Between 23:00–04:30 a single ticket costs €6.60, but night services are limited. The bus drivers usually understand some English, but best plan your trip beforehand. To plan your route in the city, use Google Maps' public transport features. It gives you the most convenient route to where you want to go, including walks to/from bus stops, which bus lines to use and where to switch buses. You can also use Oulu's own journey planner, Oulun liikenne, but it's not as good. Few third-party phone apps like Nysse do the job better. 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. There are screens on bus stops that use this technology, but the previously mentioned Nysse also takes advantage of this feature (granted you have an internet connection, of course).

You can use the app Oulu Public Transport by iQ Payments or Waltti Mobile by LMJ to purchase the ticket. 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.

There are day tickets available, you can buy them from the tourist information or Oulu10. You can also buy a day ticket for one day from the Waltti Mobile app or 1, 2 or 7 day tickets for zone a from Nallikari Holiday Village.

Using the bus is simple. If you pay with cash, you just tell your destination to the driver (and if you're young, you should tell if you're under 16 or not; the bus drivers will almost automatically take you as an adult).

If you pay with a Waltti-card (more info in the section With Waltti Travel Card), you just press the card against the reader (a machine with a blue ring on it). If you want to load more money (or "value") on the card, you just give the driver the money and ask to load the card with it ("lataa arvoa"). The loading of value in the buses costs €2 whereas you can load it freely in select R-Kiosks or ticket machines in, for example, Oulu10 (Torikatu 10, but temporarily located in Saaristonkatu 8), Shopping centre Valkea, OYS (the University Hospital), the University and the Airport.

You can also use NFC payment with Visa, Mastercard or Eurocard (Diners Club and American Express do not work) or a mobile device with Apple Pay, Pivo or Google Pay: the payment card or mobile device is displayed to the reader device, which then says "Lähimaksu hyväksytty" ("Proximity payment accepted"). The system calculates the fare combining all trips paid with the card/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.

Most buses display the information on the upcoming stops, as of May 2021, 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.

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 quite rare).

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. A-City ticket is valid only in citybus. The validity of A-City ticket is 30 minutes.

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.

Be careful when using the bus in the city centre, since not all buses stop in 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. City bus lines (A, B, C) 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.

40/41 City centre–Tuira–Hintta⨪Myllyoja–Saarela–Sanginsuu–Päivärinne–Muhos

The 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.

50 City centre–Heinäpää–Limingantulli–Kempele–Zeppelin–Haapamaa

The main bus line to Kempele takes you to Limingantulli, Kempele and the shopping centre Zeppelin.

51 City centre–Raksila–Kaakkuri–Metsokangas–Honkanen–Zeppelin–Kempele

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.

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 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, be sure to 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 in the area freely, but cannot enter the buildings. It passes through Myllytulli (near the science cent Tietomaa) and next to the Oulu prison. The trip costs €1.50.

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. A detailed map of the zones is found here (PDF).

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)

Single Tickets

With Waltti Travel Card

You can also get a Waltti bus card (recommended if you visit Oulu often) from Oulu10 which reduces the prices a bit. The card costs €3 and you can load money to it either online or in buses, select R-Kiosks and Oulu10. You can load any amount you want in Oulu10, previously mentioned ticket machines (or select R-Kiosks, but in the buses, you have to round the price you want to the closest €10 (although sometimes the drivers accept €5's, too). As mentioned before, loading money in buses costs €2.

24-hour ticket

You can purchase a 24-hour ticket from the app Oulu Public Transport (by iQ Payments) or, more newly, Waltti Mobile by LMJ. 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 A-City).

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

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.

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.

• Menevä Oulu, ☏ +358 50-471-0470 (head of office), toll-free: 0800-02120 (booking). Also bookable by app or web. Fixed price based on calculated route and time if destination address given when booking by app or web. Flag fall M–Sa 06:00–18:00: €4, other times and holidays: €7; 1–4 persons €0.90/km + €0.90/km, 5–8 persons minimum €20, €1.60/km + €0.90/min (July 2020). (updated Jul 2020)
• iTaksi, ☏ +358 102 120 000, info@itaksi.fi. Also bookable by app or web. Fixed price based on calculated route and time if destination address given when booking by app or web. €4.00/6.00+€0.90/km+€0.85/min. 
• Fixutaxi, ☏ +358 100 6060, info@fixutaxi.fi. Also bookable by app. Fixed price based on calculated route and time if destination address given when booking by app. Daily 06:00–18:00 €0.99/km+0.90/min, evenings and nights €1.17/km+€0.99/min, minimum fare €10; prebooking €10. 
• Smartphone apps: Valopilkku, 02 Taksi, Uber, Bolt

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 ☏ +358 8 5584 4015, 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.

• 🌍 Oulu swimming pool (Oulun uimahalli), Pikkukankaantie 3 (Raksila), ☏ +358 8 558-48100. M-W F 06:15-22:00, Th 07:00-22:00, Sa Su 08:00-16:45. One of the largest public swimming pools in Finland. There is a big pool often reserved for swimming clubs, lap pool, diving boards (not always open), activity pool, water slide, and two pools for children. In addition to the pools facilities include separate gyms for weight training, gymnastics, judo and boxing. Cafe upstairs with a view to the pools. €5.50 for the pools or the gym, if you have an ISIC Student card, then it's €3.20. (updated Oct 2018)
• 🌍 Raatti swimming pool (Raatin uimahalli) (Raatti, northwest from the city centre), ☏ +358 8 558-48105. M W–F 06:15–21:45, Tu 07:00–21:45, Sa Su 08:00–20:45. Public pool and gym. Smaller than Oulu swimming pool, renovated in 2010. Pools include children's pool, teaching pool, two 25 meter pools and a cold-water pool. €5.50 for the pools or the gym, if you have an ISIC Student card, then it's €3.20. (updated Oct 2018)

• 🌍 Pelibunkkeri and Megazone, Pakkahuoneenkatu 17. Indoor minigolf, air hockey and fussball tables. Megazone is a futuristic laser tag adventure mainly for groups, with a possibility of playing with random others. 
• 🌍 Oulu bowling alley (Oulun keilahalli), Isokatu 97. Over twenty bowling lanes near the city centre. €15-18 per hour per lane, plus €2.50 for shoe rental. Also pool and snooker tables. 
• 🌍 Superpark Oulu, Tyrnäväntie 16 (Limingantulli; the citybus line C takes you right to the park; or you can use the lines 3, 9, 50, 52, 52K, 53K, 59, or 59S, but using them requires more walking), ☏ +358 10-325-2400, info.oulu@superpark.fi. M–F 13:00–20:00, Sa Su 11:00–19:00. Indoor activity park for all the family. The Freestyle Hall boasts a skate and scooting park, the extremely popular AirTrack tumble track, and a range of ramps and trampolines. The Game Arena features a hockey radar, disc golf, and basketball for those with a competitive streak. The Adventure Area has climbing walls, exhilarating slides, and a pedal car track. SuperPark Oulu also has a play area called Adventure City for small children. €19. (updated Feb 2018)

• 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.
• Winter music festival is held at various city venues in late March, programme for 2020 TBA.
• 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 includes 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.

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).

• 🌍 Pizzeria Romeo & Vienna, Hallituskatu 22. Some of the biggest pizzas in Finland are served here. 
• Stalls on the Market Place have local delicacies such as fried vendace (muikku) or salmon.
• Pannukakkutalo Renesans, Aittatori 9 (on waterfront by Market Square). M-Sa 11:00-20:00, Su 12:00-20:00. They serve pannekoeken - Dutch crêpes - with over a hundred sweet or savory toppings to choose from. (updated Jun 2019)
• 🌍 RAX Pizzabuffet, Ritaharjuntie 49. The pizza buffet chain has one restaurant in Oulu. Buffet €9.95. (updated Oct 2018)
• Katri Antell-lounasravintolat. The local bakery operates several lunch eateries both in central Oulu and the suburbs. Lunch about €6–8. 

• Café Provence, Kempeleentie 7b, ☏ +358 8 882-1414. M-F 10:00-14:00. Simple cafe serving lunch. (updated Jun 2019)
• 🌍 Koivurannan kahvila, Kasarmintie 51, ☏ +358 8 333-944. Open only in the summer months. A café right at the Oulu river. Also has rowing boats for rent. 
• 🌍 Villa Hannala, Kahvelitie 1, ☏ +358 44-714-0323. M–F 10:00–15:30. Only in summertime. A summer restaurant-cafe in a historic villa 3 km from the city centre. (updated Feb 2018)
• 🌍 Coffee House Oulu (Coffari, Koffari), Pakkahuoneenkatu 16, ☏ +358 44-788-6760. M–F 08:00-20:00 Sa 10:00–21:00 Su 11:00–20:00. The most popular café in Oulu is right next to the Sokos Hotel Arina, and is a modern, trendy café with nice staff. Outlets to charge your phone are found on many seats. (updated Feb 2018)
• 🌍 Puistokahvila Makia (Makia), Otto Karhin Puisto, ☏ +358 44 788 6180. M–Th 07:30–20:00 F 07:30–22:00 Sa 09:00–22:00 Su 09:00–20:00. A stand-alone park cafe in the centre of Oulu. Lunch and salad buffet available. A popular place for university students and foreigners to hang out in the city centre. (updated Oct 2018)
• 🌍 Café Piha, Kauppurienkatu 7. M–Th 10:00–21:00 F Sa 10:00–24:00 Su 12:00–18:00. A modern cafe-restaurant with many power outlets. (updated Feb 2018)
• 🌍 Café Rooster, Torikatu 26 (Right next to the movie theater), ☏ +358 20-711-8280. A popular cafe-restaurant-pub in the middle of Oulu. (updated Feb 2018)
• Ravintola Indian Cuisine, Kajaaninkatu 38 (next to railway station), ☏ +358 8 530-1640. M-Sa 10:30-22:00, Su 13:00-20:00. They do a good Indian lunch buffet for €11. Excellent price to quality ratio on the à la carte menu. Try their garlic chicken tandoori or Lamb Hyderabad. 

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).

• 🌍 Ravintola Toripolliisi, Facing marketplace. M-Sa 12:00-23:00, Su 14:00-22:00. Gastropub fare in nice surroundings indoors or out, in the corner of the marketplace. Mixed reviews for food quality. (updated Jun 2019)
• 🌍 Crecian, Kirkkokatu 55. A "taverna" serving Greek food in a Greek-styled environment. 
• 🌍 Oskarin Kellari, Uusikatu 26 2 krs., ☏ +358 8 311-3191, info@oskarinkellari.fi. Large servings of non-nonsense food, steaks and such at reasonable prices. It used to be right across the street from the railway station, but nowadays neighbours the Forenom apartment hotel. (updated Oct 2018)
• 🌍 Sokeri-Jussin Kievari, Pikisaarentie 2. Finnish "countryside food" restaurant on the island of Pikisaari, accessible by pedestrian bridge from the Market Square. It operates in a former storage building, which is one of the oldest buildings in Oulu. The seaside outdoor seating is a nice place to dine in the summer. Try out reindeer tongue or blood pudding soup! 
• 🌍 Pannu, Kauppurienkatu 12 (next to the McDonald's in Rotuaari), ☏ 0207 9282 00 (extra charge), ravintolapannu@ravintolapannu.fi. M-Th 11:00-22:00, F 11:00-23:00, Sa 12:00-23:00, Su 12:00-20:00. An atmospheric cellar restaurant in the heart of Oulu. (updated Mar 2019)

• 🌍 Ravintola Uleåborg 1881, Aittatori 4-5 (on waterfront by Market Square). M-Th 17:00-23:00, F Sa 17:00-00:00. Pricey but consistently high quality food, service & ambience. (updated Jun 2019)
• 🌍 Ravintola Puistola, Pakkahuoneenkatu 12-15. M-Sa 08:00-20:00. Good Scandinavian food, but it's the pizza and pastries that draw most admiration. (updated Jun 2019)
• 🌍 Ravintola Hella, Isokatu 13. M-Th 16:00-22:00, F Sa 16:00-23:00. Classic Finnish food, lunch is good value for money. (updated Jun 2019)
• 🌍 Kitchen and Bar Oula, Kirkkokatu 3 (inside Lapland Hotels Oulu). Su–Th 17:00–22:00 F 17:00–22:30 Sa 15:00–22:30,. Traditional Finnish ingredients are made into tasty dishes in this chain hotel's restaurant. (updated Jan 2024)

• 🌍 Hotel Lasaretti, Kasarmintie 13, ☏ +358 20-757-4700. One of the cheapest, yet most historical hotels in Oulu. It's in Hupisaaret, the recreational area of Oulu, 1 km from centre. 
• 🌍 Nallikari Lomakylä-Camping, Leiritie 10, ☏ +358 44-703-1353. Absolutely the cheapest place to stay in Oulu. It's next to Nallikari beach 4 km from centre. 79 cottages with shower, toilet, cooking equipment and television. No breakfast served, but you can purchase breakfast at nearby Hotel Eden. Bus number 15 takes you to the city centre. €36/4-person cottage. 
• 🌍 Kempeleen Moottorimaja, Sohjanantie 3, Kempele, ☏ +358 8 515-566. Clean rooms with refrigerator, microwave oven, coffee machine and television. Breakfast €4/person. The motel is 9 km south from the city centre, access by car, buses no. 50 and 52(A/K) or taxi. Single €25, double €40 or €50, quad €65–75. 

• 🌍 Best Western Hotel Apollo, Asemakatu 31–33, ☏ +358 8 522-11, fax: +358 8 372 060, hotel@hotelapollo.fi. Good value for money, a clean and modern hotel in the city centre. There are 70 rooms, some are tiny. B&B double €90. (updated Jun 2019)
• 🌍 Scandic Oulu Station (previously Cumulus Oulu), Kajaaninkatu 17 (Two blocks west of railway station), ☏ +358 8 882-7111. Clean, efficient mid-range hotel, central location, good for business or leisure visit. B&B double €170. (updated Jun 2019)
• 🌍 Finlandia Hotel Airport, Vihiluoto 10 (4 km east of airport off road 815), ☏ +358 8 514-5100, fax: +358 8 5145 200, sales@airporthoteloulu.fi. reception 07:00–23:00. A decent hotel 5 minutes drive from the airport. With Spanish restaurant El Sabor. Double €100. (updated Jun 2019)
• 🌍 Forenom Oulu Uusikatu (Apartment hotel Forenom), Uusikatu 26, ☏ +358 20-198-3420, asiakaspalvelu@forenom.fi. Apartment hotel in the ex-premises of Omenahotel Oulu. 123 rooms, free Wi-Fi and shared kitchen and laundry room. Rooms include code lock, coverlets and towels, WC and shower, hairdryer, TV, microwave, fridge and electric kettle. ~€100. (updated Mar 2016)

• 🌍 Break Sokos Hotel Eden, Holstinsalmentie 29 (Nallikari beach 5 km west of centre), ☏ +358 20-123-4905. Spa hotel on Nallikari beach. Good for beach activities, hotel is tired-looking. B&B double €130. (updated Jun 2019)
• Radisson Blu, Hallituskatu 1 (next to the marketplace), ☏ +358 8 887-7666. Splurge hotel built in the 2000s. Probably the most expensive hotel room in Oulu is found here, with the presidential suite costing around €1000 per night. (updated May 2021)
• 🌍 Scandic Oulu City, Saaristonkatu 4 (city centre), ☏ +358 8 543-1000. Pricey hotel of the Scandic mid-range chain. Double room €130. (updated Jun 2019)
• 🌍 Lapland Hotels Oulu (formerly Holiday Inn), Kirkkokatu 3 (Next to the cathedral), ☏ +358 8 881-1110. Slick modern hotel. Double €130. (updated Jun 2019)
• 🌍 Original Sokos Hotel Arina, Pakkahuoneenkatu 16 (in the centre, about 250 m from the tourist information), ☏ +358 8 312-3111, sales.oulu@sokoshotels.fi. A modern, cosy hotel. If you're travelling to Oulu to see the Air Guitar World Championships, this hotel is next to Rotuaari Stage, the competition venue. It is quite expensive, though, the most basic room costs around €120/night. There are two restaurants in the same building as the hotel and multiple others right around the corner. The nearest normal bus stop is 250 m away, and a citybus stop is found right outside the door. (updated Oct 2018)
• 🌍 De Gamlas Hem, Kirkkokatu 54 (about 1 km walk to the south from the tourist information centre; the buses 3, 9, 50 and all 52's also take you there; he nearest bus stop is Kyösti Kallion Puisto), ☏ +358 75 325 7605. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. A historic hotel-restaurant opened for hotel use in 2018. The building used to be an eldercare home ("De gamlas hem" is Swedish and means "home for the elderly"). A boutique hotel in a protected, supposedly haunted, building. High quality restaurant and conference services available. 14 000 m² of sports services available for hotel guests in the nearby Hukka sports centre. There is also the charming "five o'clock tea" for the hotel guests, included in the room price. €120. (updated Sep 2019)

In case of emergency, contact the emergency number ☏ 112.

For non-emergency but urgent cases, contact the number ☏ 116117 (OYS emergency centre) for a free evaluation of the situation.

If you are unsure about calling the emergency number 112, it's always better to call than not to call.

The emergency centre is not a health centre, but a place where urgent and severe cases are handled. For smaller, non-urgent cases, call ☏ +358 8 5584-4333.

There are also private health centres, where you can get an appointment faster. These include Terveystalo, Mehiläinen and Pihlajalinna, all of which have multiple locations in Oulu, including in the city centre.

• 🌍 Oulun Yliopistollisen Sairaalan päivystys (Oulu University Hospital Emergency Centre), Kajaanintie 50, entrance A1 (the bus stop name is OYS Päivystys ("Oulu University Hospital ER"); all buses with the destination "OYS" go straight to the hospital; there is limited parking available, and it costs €1/hr.), ☏ +358 8 315-2655. 24 hr daily. Oulu University Hospital is the main hospital in Northern Ostrobothnia and the biggest hospital in Northern Finland. The waiting times can be long, but the more urgent your situation is, the less you have to wait. (updated Feb 2018)