Travel Responsibly in Oulu and Pohjola Route

1. Travel to (and in) Oulu with public transport
When coming from abroad, you can fly to the Oulu airport. The Finnish flight operator Finnair is committed to long-term sustainability and responsibility actions and aims to be carbon neutral by the year 2045. Finnair also lists some steps you can take as a customer when booking your flights and planning your route.
Oulu is easy to reach by train and bus via the Finnish railways and roads – so you can certainly consider flying to Helsinki and then continuing to Oulu by train or bus. From the Oulu coach station, you can continue to Hailuoto, Kalajoki, Liminka, Kempele, Raahe and Pudasjärvi close to Syöte, as well as the villages of Muhos, Utajärvi and Vaala which are all in the Rokua UNESCO Global Geopark region.
Both the railway and coach station are only a stone’s throw from Oulu city centre. So, when arriving by train or bus, you can just walk to the heart of the city in about 5 minutes. Local buses operate every day, too. The city centre itself is compact and flat so you can easily take in the sights on foot.

2. Choose eco-friendly accommodation
It’s simple: when you choose accommodation that has an ecolabel, you can rest assured that the sustainability and responsibility viewpoints are properly taken care of. Many hotels and other businesses in Oulu are hard at work with their sustainability programme, so this list will keep on expanding.

3. Live like a local and hop on your bike
In case you didn’t know: Oulu is a highly prominent cycling city and home to a great many winter cyclists. Some quarters have also named Oulu the winter cycling capital of the world.
Oulu’s infrastructure planning prioritizes cyclists and pedestrians – this means in many cases that you get around by bike faster than by any other mode of transport. Thanks to its location by the sea, Oulu is also very flat which makes cycling easy and relatively effortless.

4. Enjoy locally grown food and purchase Finnish design for souvenirs
There’s more than just a fleeting element of hunter-gatherer still there in the Finnish DNA. Thanks to the everyman’s rights, Finns are allowed to fulfil their inner hunter-gatherer needs with all their hearts. So, in the Oulu region you’ll find lots of opportunities to taste local berries, mushrooms and herbs as well as game. There are also many restaurants where you can get vegetarian and vegan food. Shop your souvenirs from local shops and designers.
5. Leave your footprints only
Both the city of Oulu and the Oulu region host a great many nature trails and footpaths. You only need sturdy shoes and, depending on the current season, a few layers of clothing, and you’re ready to go out for a hike to enjoy the nature.
There are ample opportunities to sit down and enjoy the sound of silence, light a campfire, enjoy the atmosphere and give some tender loving care to your body and mind in the region’s forests – after all, science has proven many times that spending time in nature has multiple highly positive effects on your health and wellbeing.
To preserve our nature and environment, we urge you to only leave your footprints behind. Whatever you take with you on your hikes, please also bring it back with you. Back in your certified accommodation, you can then sort your waste and participate in recycling materials properly. Read more on outdoor etiquette here.

Want to expierence more?
Welcome to Oulu to enjoy city life, local culture, wonders of nature and life in general!
Search for servicesSort by category

Go Arctic group activities - Traditional games

Go Arctic activities - Stories from Oulu

Go Arctic group activities - Winter Olympics

Go Arctic activities - Snowshoe / gliding snowshoe trip

Koskikippari in Koiteli - Conference and event service

Go Arctic Events - Theme parties

Go Arctic activities - Fatbike trip in Koiteli or Liminka

All-year round campsite in Nallikari, Oulu

Pohjolan Matka Charter Coaches Oulu

Go Arctic Events - Decorations for your events

Go Arctic - Events Services

Go Arctic group activities - Heptathlon

Go Arctic activities - Craft upcycle workshop

Meriholsti Meeting Room & Private Saunas in Nallikari, Oulu

Go Arctic activities - Arctic ice fishing experience

Go Arctic group activities - Team Path

Cafe Tunnelmatupa in Koiteli

Tunnelmatupa in Koiteli - Conference services

Go Arctic group activities - Traditional tar olympics

We Breathe the Forest!

Go Arctic Events - Performers and hosts to your events

Tent site in Nallikari Holiday Village, Oulu

Go Arctic activities - Yoga

Go Arctic activities - Air guitar workshop or Air guitar show

Go Arctic Events - Dinner with the ghosts of Oulu

Go Arctic - Guided walking tours in Oulu and in Oulu area

Go Arctic activities - Rubber raft polo game

Go Arctic group activities - Kurvisen karsinnat

Go Arctic activities - City canoeing day or night

Go Arctic activities - Guided tour in Oulu by bike

Go Arctic group activities - Inhouse Derby

Arctic Edu-Tech - Workshop of art

Go Arctic - Guided bus tours in Oulu and neighbouring municipalities

Conference and venue facilities in Lapland Hotels Oulu

Deluxe Poiju Villas by the Sea in Nallikari, Oulu

Go Arctic activities - Archery Competition

Go Arctic activities - White water rafting in Koiteli

Cafe-Restaurant Seelari in Hietasaari

Go Arctic group activities - Hassle in the city

Surprise menu in Oula Kitchen & Bar

Go Arctic - Conference rooms - Seelari in Hietasaari

Go Arctic group activities - Koiteli Team Path

Go Arctic group activities - Amazing Oulu - City adventure

Guided walking tours in Oulu

Conference and Banquet Facilities by Original Sokos Hotel ArinaOulu

Go Arctic - Conference services

Go Arctic activities - Fishing at the Koiteli Rapids

Lapland Hotels Oulu

Traditional Holiday Cottages in Nallikari, Oulu

Go Arctic activities - Northern Lights

Go Arctic activities - Canoeing trip at river Oulujoki or Kiiminkijoki

Scandic Oulu City

Modern Messi Summer Cottages in Nallikari, Oulu

Original Sokos Hotel Arina, Oulu

Go Arctic group activities - The Head of Tribe
