Jyväskylä in Finland – The University City in Finland

Jyväskylä is a university and school town and the seventh largest city in Finland. It is located in Central Finland on the northern shore of Lake Päijänne.

Profile

• Population: 143,420 (as of December 31, 2020)
• Size: 1.466,34 km²
• Location: Central Finland, 270 km north of Helsinki; 62° 14′ N, 25° 44′ E

• Currency: Euro
• Costs: approx. 25% higher than in Germany
• Weather:

Month	Average temperature
January	-11°C to -5°C
February	-12°C to -5°C
March	-8°C to 0°C
April	-2°C to 7°C
May	3°C to 14°C
June	8°C to 18°C
July	11°C to 21°C
August	9°C to 18°C
September	5°C to 13°C
October	1°C to 6°C
November	-4°C to 0°C
December	-8°C to -3°C

• Drinking water quality: high

History of Jyväskylä

The city of Jyväskylä was founded in 1837 and has been considered a university city since 1966. Until 1997, Jyväskylä was the capital of the province of Central Finland. Nowadays the city is the capital of the Central Finland region.

In 2009, it united the city of Jyväskylä with the regional municipality of Jyväskylä and the municipality of Korpilahti.

Top 10 activities and sights

In and around Jyväskylä you will find a variety of unique sights and exciting activities.

Museums

There are many unique museums in Jyväskylä. Four of them are particularly recommended.

Finnish Craft Museum – Suomen käsityön museo

In this museum you can admire unique craftsmanship. There are permanent exhibitions and also constantly changing exhibitions.

Admission is free for anyone under the age of 18. Otherwise, the entrance fee is 8 euros. Pensioners have to pay only 6 euros and students 4 euros. There is also an offer for groups.

Learn more at www.craftmuseum.fi/en

Finnish Aviation Museum – Suomen ilmavoimamuseo

In the Aviation Museum, visitors can admire old aircraft used by the Finnish Air Force. The museum also has a café and a museum store.

If you want to learn more about it, you can find it here: www.airforcemuseum.fi

Natural History Museum of Central Finland – Luontomuseo

This museum is part of the Science Museum of the University of Jyväskylä. It deals with Finnish geology and the development of flora and fauna.

To learn more about this museum, visit www.tiedemuseo.jyu.fi/fi/luontomuseo (The site is only available in Finnish.)

Jyväskylä Art Museum – Jyväskylän taidemuseo

The Jyväskylä Art Museum is the place for all art lovers. The exhibitions change frequently, so there is always something new to see.

You can learn more about the museum here: www.jyvaskyla.fi/en/jyvaskyla-art-museum

Sports & Entertainment

You can find many places for sports and entertainment in and around Jyväskylä. Some of them are particularly recommended.

Himos Ski Resort

Himos Ski Resort is not located in Jyväskylä, but in Jämsä, so it is easy to reach by car or public transport.

The resort is a dream for those who love skiing. But also for those who do not know how to ski and would like to learn, this place is recommended, because there is a ski school here.

The resort offers everything a good ski trip needs.

More information can be found here: www.himos.fi (The page is only available in Finnish.)

Family Park Mäki-Matti – Mäki-Matin perhepuisto

Family Park Mäki-Matti is ideal for a trip with the whole family. The park is the oldest family park in Finland. It was founded as early as 1979.

It consists of two buildings and a large outdoor area. Children can have a good romp here.

Mysteeri Escape Rooms

In this place you can find four different Escape Rooms. You have to solve tricky puzzles and work as a team to escape from the selected room.

The prices vary, depending on how many players participate, between 25 and 40 euros per person.

For more information about Mysteeri Escape Rooms in Jyväskylä, visit www.mysteeri.com/en/escape-room-jyvaskyla.

Other places

Besides the places already mentioned, you can find many other exciting and unique places in and around Jyväskylä. Some of them should not be missed.

Port of Jyväskylä

At the harbor of Jyväskylä you can enjoy a beautiful view of the water. In the surrounding area you can find numerous restaurants and cafes and especially in summer you can enjoy breathtaking sunsets.

Jyväskylä city church

The town church inspires with its impressive architecture in Romanesque and Gothic style. Various events and activities are held here on a regular basis.

Around the church there is a park with lovingly arranged flowerbeds and statues.

Säynätsalo City Hall

Säynätsalo is located very close to Jyväskylä.

Säynätsalo City Hall consists of two buildings arranged around an inner courtyard. The building is known for its unusual architecture, which combines influences of Finnish folk architecture and the humanistic Italian Renaissance.

Mobility in Jyväskylä

To get from one place to another in Jyväskylä, there are many different options.

Bus and train

Getting around by bus in Jyväskylä is not a problem and Jyväskylä has its own train station. The station functions both as the city’s main train station and as a long-distance train station.

Cab

Of course, you can also go by cab. Here are some cab companies that are eligible:

• Jytaksi(www.jytaksi.fi/en)

Contact: 0100 6900

• Keski-Suomen Aluetaksi Oy(www.keskisuomenaluetaksi.fi)

Contact: 0100 0700

• Jyvässeudun Taksiautot Oy(www.taksiautot.com)

Contact: 030 030 99 00

Own car or rental car

Those who own a car will have no problems with mobility in Jyväskylä anyway. There is also the possibility to rent a car on site. Some of the companies that offer this service and have a registered office in Jyväskylä are the following:

• Europcar(www.europcar.de/de-de/stationen/finnland/jyvaskyla)
• Scandia Rent(www.varaa.scandiarent.fi)
• Hertz(www.hertz.fi)

Airport

Jyväskylä Airport is located 21 kilometers north of the city of Jyväskylä and is well suited for arrival or onward travel.

Vacation rentals in Jyväskylä

In Jyväskylä you can stay in a hotel, as well as in a vacation apartment or a cottage. The prices vary greatly. In general, however, it can be said that hotels are on average the cheaper option.

Restaurants, cafes and bars

If you want to eat something in a restaurant or café or enjoy drinks in a bar during your stay in Jyväskylä, you can enjoy a wide range of options. Some of the restaurants, cafes and bars are particularly recommended.

Pöllöwaari

Pöllöwaari restaurant in Jyväskylä offers Scandinavian dishes and a wide selection of wines. Finnish microbrewery beers and cocktails can also be enjoyed here, and it is possible to hold parties in the restaurant.

More information can be found here: www.ravintolapollowaari.fi. (The site is only available in Finnish).

Figaro Restaurant & Bar

Figaro Restaurant impresses not only with its modern interior, but also with a sumptuous selection of dishes. Gluten-free, lactose-free, low-lactose, dairy-free and vegan options are also available.

Figaro Restaurant also offers catering .

More can be found here: www.figaro.fi. (The site is only available in Finnish).

Kahvila Miriam’s

This café enchants its visitors with a romantic and cozy atmosphere. The selection of cakes and other pastries is large and you can also have a leisurely breakfast or lunch in the café. Salads are also on the menu.

If you want to know more about the café, you will find it here www.miriams.fi/frontpage.

Harry’s

Harry’s is a pub in Jyväskylä created on the English model. The interior design is reminiscent of English pubs in old movies and gives the pub a very special charm.

On Fridays and Saturdays there is free live music in the evenings.

You can learn more here: www.harrys.fi/kuvat. (The page is only available in Finnish).

Supply in Jyväskylä

The shopping centers “Forum“, “Jyväskylä Torikeskus” and “Jyväskeksus” are great for shopping in Jyväskylä. Grocery stores can be found almost everywhere in the city.

For health care you can find several doctors and pharmacies in Jyväskylä. Some of the pharmacies in the city are “Yliopiston Apteekki”, “Jyväskylän 2nd Uusi Apteekki” and “Jyväskylän12th Kuokkalan Apteekki”.

Nature in Jyväskylä

Finland is known for its unique nature. During a stay in the Jyväskylä Region you can explore and experience Finnish nature first hand.

Leivonmäki National Park

Leivonmäki National Park is located in Joutsa, about 70 kilometers southeast of the city of Jyväskylä. The 30 km² park is perfect for long hikes.

Visitors can admire moraine, lake and swamp landscapes here. In the Rutajärvi lake you can swim or row on it.

The various trails through the area have different levels of difficulty and the Harjujärvi trail is well suited for wheelchair users.

Pyhä-Häkki National Park

The oldest tree in Pyhä-Häkki National Park in Saarijärvi is already over 500 years old. But in this national park you can find not only old trees, but also abundant marshland.

Visitors can walk around the park on one of the circular trails, and in winter there is the possibility of exploring the park on the 1.5-kilometer cross-country ski trail.

South Konnevesi National Park

The South Konnevesi National Park has only existed since 2014. Challenging hiking trails and gorgeous views make the park an ideal destination for all hikers and nature lovers.

On the waters of the national park you can practice water sports and the numerous small islands in the waters are waiting to be explored.

Salamajärvi National Park

Salamajärvi National Park is located in Kivijärvi. It can be explored on different routes and the best starting point for a hike is the Koiransalmi nature information hut. Here visitors are also provided with Meals provided.

In this park there is a possibility to meet reindeer and the landscape is characterized by marshy meadows and rough rocks.

Nature trails

In the Jyväskylä Region you can find numerous nature trails. They vary in length and difficulty. Some of them are the following:

• Tourujoki Nature Trail
• Vaarunvuoret nature trail
• Oravivuori nature trail

Language

There are two official languages in Finland: Finnish and Swedish. However, Swedish is spoken by only about 5% of the population.

A large part of the population of Finland speaks English, so it is easy to get along with English. However, it is helpful to know a few basics in Finnish.

Hello!	Hei!/Moi!/Terve!
Bye!	Heippa!/Hei hei!/Moi moi!
Thank you!	Kiitos!
Please.	Ole hyvä!
Yes	Kyllä/Joo
No	Egg
A coffee, please.	Yksi kahvi, kiitos.
Where can I find the toilet?	Missä vessa on?
I do not speak Finnish.	Minä en puhu suomea.
Can you* say that in German/English?	Voitko sanoa sen saksaksi/englanniksi?

* In Finnish we always use the first form of address.

Conclusion

Jyväskylä is home to numerous museums and other unique and interesting places. Mobility is not a hurdle and you can find numerous restaurants, cafes and bars.

There are also good shopping facilities and medical care. The city offers everything you need for a successful vacation.

The most frequent questions from travelers

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