Finnish Cities | Finland Portrait

What is the Hottest City in Finland?

If you want to find the hottest places, where should you go?

Summer weather in Finland isn’t usually very hot, but pleasently warm. By the statistics, the coastal towns are the sunniest in Finland, but not always the warmest. If you want to find the hottest places, where should you go?
What is the hottest city in Finland?

The Highest Temperature – City of Joensuu

Temperature in Finland is rarely above 30 °C (86 °F), and very rarely above 30 °C (95 °F). The highest temperature ever recorded in Finland was 37,2 °C (99 °F). This record was made in the city of Kouvola on July 29th, in 2010.

The Hottest Heat Wave – Village of Nellim

Summers in northern Finland are usually not as warm as in southern Finland. But sometimes the temperatures turn upside down, and it might be warmer in Lapland than in southern Finland. Especially the summer of 1972 was very warm in Lapland. Temperatures were over 30 °C (86 °F) in many places, including in Utsjoki, which is the northernmost place in Finland. But the hottest heat wave was experienced in a Village of Nellim, where the daily maximum temperature was over 30 °C for ten (10) consecutive days between June 30th and July 9th.

The Highest Number of Hot Days – City of Kouvola

Summers aren’t usually very hot in Finland. Usually there are just 10-15 days when the temperature is above 25 °C (77 °F). These hot days are called “hellepäivät” in Finnish. But there have also been summers, when the number of hot days have been much higher. In 2010, in the city of Kouvola, there were 48 hot days. This is the highest number of hot days ever recorded in Finland. So Kouvola has recorded the highest number of hot days, but also some other cities in Finnish Lakeland region have come quite close. City of Lahti had 47 hot days in 2010, city of Heinola 46 in 2018, city of Mikkeli 44 in 2018 and city of Lappeeranta 42 in 2014.

What is the Hottest City in Finland?

So what is the answer to our question. By the statistics, it looks quite simple. If you want to experience the highest number of sunny days, visit Finnish Coast and Archipelago. If you want to have the most number of hot days, visit Finnish Lakeland. Or if you are dreaming that the hot heat wave returns, visit Finnish Lapland. But no matter which you choose, you have made a great choice!

10 Fun Facts about Kuopio

What do you know about the city of Kuopio? Before you visit this great Finnish city yourself, here are some fun facts about Kuopio.

What do you know about the city of Kuopio?
Before you visit this great Finnish city yourself,
here are some fun facts about Kuopio.

Fun Facts about Kuopio

1. Where is Kuopio?

Kuopio is a city and a municipality located in the region of North Savo, about 340 km distance from Helsinki.

2. Kuopio is Surrounded by Lake Kallavesi

Lake Kallavesi is an important part of the city of Kuopio. It surrounds Kuopio from almost every direction.

3. Kuopio was Founded in 1775

Kuopio was founded in 1653, but Kuopio officially became a city in 1775 by the order of King Gustav III of Sweden.

4. The Name Kuopio Comes From…?

It is not known where the city’s name comes from, but there are a few theories. According to one theory, it is related to horses and comes from the Finnish word kuopia (=paw). Another theory was a traveling salesman named Prokopij who gave his name to this place. And the third explanation was a man named Skopa, who the locals called Coopia or Cuopio.

5. Kuopio is Finland’s 8th Biggest City

With the population of 122 000, Kuopio is Finland’s eight biggest city.

6. Kuopio is the Capital of Lakeland

Kuopio has named itself as the “Capital of Lakeland”. In total there are over 900 lakes in Kuopio municipality, so the name is well justified.

7. Kuopio is the Summer Cottage Capital of Finland

Kuopio municiapility could also be called the the summer cottage capital of Finland. There are over 10 800 summer homes in the area of Kuopio, which is more that in any other municipality in Finland.

8. Puijo is Kuopio’s Best Known Landmark

Kuopio is a very popular travel destination. The City’s best known landmark is the Puijo hill and the Puijo Tower on top of the Puijo hill. So it is one of the must-visit places in Kuopio!

9. Kuopio Market Square is the Centre of the Universe

Kuopio Market Square is called in Savo dialect as “Mualiman Napa”. Which means nothing less than the centre of the universe…

10. Kalakukko is is very Popular in Kuopio

And when you are visiting the centre of the universe, you should taste the kalakukko. Kalakukko is a traditional Finnish dish that is especially popular in Kuopio. It is a fish baked inside a loaf of rye bread. It might not be everyone’s favorite but you should taste one when in Kuopio!

+The Best Saying in Savo Dialect

The Savo dialect is full of funny sayings. Probably the best known, and one that works in every situation, is “suattaahan se olla vuan suattaahan se olla olemmattakkii”. This could be translated as “it might be or it might not be”. How wrong you can go with that?

More info:
City of Kuopio

Image by Vicente Serra / City of Kuopio

10 Fun Facts about Turku

What do you know about the city of Turku? Don’t worry if you don’t know much, you can start with these fun facts about Turku!

What do you know about the city of Turku?
Don’t worry if you don’t know much, you can start with these fun facts about Turku!

Fun Facts about Turku

1. Turku is Located by the River Aura

Turku is located by the Aura River, on the shore of the Baltic Sea, and is surrounded by a beautiful archipelago. So water is an important part of Turku.

2. Turku is Finland’s Oldest Town

Turku is the oldest town in Finland. It’s not known exactly when Turku was founded, but in 1229 the Pope Gregory IX moved the episcopal seat to the area of the present-day Turku. This is the year when the history of Turku “officially” begins.

3. Name Turku means a Trading Place

Turku’s name derives from the ancient word tǔrgǔ, which means a trading place.

4. Turku is also known as Åbo

Turku is a bilangual city. About 5 percent of the population of Turku speaks Swedish as their first language. Is Swedish Turku is called Åbo. The Swedish name is quite accurate, because in Swedish å means “river” and bo is a verb “to live”.

5. Turku is Finland’s 6th Biggest City

With the population of 195 000, Turku is Finland’s sixth biggest city.

6. Turku is Finland’s Former Capital

Before Helsinki became the capital in 1812, Turku was Finland’s first capital.

7. Turku Cathedral is Finland’s National Shrine

Turku Cathedral is Finland’s national shrine. It was consecrated as a cathedral in 1300.

8. Turku Castle is the Best-Known Landmark of the City

Turku castle is probably the best-known building in the city of Turku. It is almost as old as the city itself. The construction of the castle began in the late 13th century. During its history, the castle has been a defense building, a residential building, an administrative building, a prison, an army barracks and a storage building. Nowdays Turku Castle is a popular museum.

9. City Almost Disappeared in the Great Fire

Throughout its history, there have been many fires in Turku. One of the worst happened in September 1827, when most of the city burned down. This disaster is known as the Turun Palo (the Great Fire of Turku).

10. The Christmas Peace is declared in Turku Every Year

The declaration of the Christmas Peace is one of Finnish Christmas traditions. It is declared in Turku every Christmas Eve at noon. This Christmas tradition has continued almost uninterrupted since the 1300s.

Sources:
City of Turku
Turku Cathedral
InfoFinland
Image by Suomen Ilmakuva / City of Turku

10 Fun Facts about Helsinki

What do you know about Helsinki? It’s the Finland’s capital! That’s good start. Here are 10 more fun to know facts about Helsinki!

What do you know about Helsinki?
It’s the Finland’s capital!
Great, that’s good start.
Here are some more facts about Helsinki!

Fun Facts about Helsinki

1. Helsinki was Founded in 1550

Helsinki was founded in 1550 as a trading post.

2. Helsinki is a Seaside City

Located on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, Helsinki is a real seaside city. Helsinki has a shoreline of 131 km and there are 327 islands in Helsinki.

3. Helsinki is the Biggest City in Finland

With a population of almost 660 000, Helsinki is Finland’s biggest city. About 12 % of the Finns live in the capital city.

4. Helsinki became the Capital in 1812

Helsinki became the capital of Finland in 1812. Before Helsinki, Finland’s capital was Turku.

5. Helsinki is the Second Northernmost Capital in the World

After Iceland’s capital of Reykjavik, Helsinki is the second northernmost capital in the world.

6. the World’s Northernmost Metro is in Helsinki

Helsinki Metro, opened in 1982, is the northernmost underground railway network in the world.

7. Helsinki hosted the Olympic Games in 1952

Helsinki has hosted the Olympic Games once. The summer Olympic Games were arranged in Helsinki 1952.

8. Helsinki Day is celebrated in June

Helsinki Day is celebrated on June 12th.

9. Linnanmäki is the most Attraction in Helsinki

The most popular tourist attraction in Helsinki is the Linnanmäki amusement park with about million visitors a year.

10. Lux Helsinki Illuminates the Dark Winter

Lux Helsinki is an annual light festival that illuminates the city when the winter is darkest in Helsinki. With over half a million visitors, Lux Helsinki most popular event in the city.

Sources:
Helsinki Statistics
Lux Helsinki
Linnanmäki
Image:
Suomen Ilmakuva / Helsinki Partners / Helsinki Material Bank

What is the Sunniest City in Finland?

Okay, first a little let down. Although there are places in Finland which call themselves the sunniest, we don’t really know which actually is the sunniest city in Finland. But thanks to the data provided by the Finnish Meteorological Institute, we can make a pretty good guess.

Finnish Meteorological Institute have been gathering data on how many hours sun shines in certain places in Finland. Based on this data, cities like Helsinki, Kotka and Parainen have quite good rankings on “sunny hours”. Unfortunately data isn’t gathered in every city, so making an accurate list is not possible. However, it is known, and what the data also suggests, there is usually there a better chance to get to enjoy sunshine in coastal cities compared to the inland cities.

So if we are going to make a list of the sunniest cities in Finland, we should pick up some coastal towns. So here you go. The (unoffical) list of the sunniest cities in Filand.

The 10 Sunniest Cities in Finland, perhaps…

Kotka
Helsinki
Hanko
Turku
Naantali
Parainen
Oulu
Vaasa
Rauma
Pori

Source:
Finnish Meteorological Institute