Kokkola

Kokkola (Swedish: Karleby) is a town in Central Ostrobothnia, Finland, with a population of approximately 36,000. Kokkola is the biggest town in the region, between Oulu and Vaasa. Kokkola is a fairly peaceful city.

The city hall

Understand

It is an officially bilingual town where most people understand and speak Finnish and Swedish. It has also a sizeable district of wooden homes.

It was founded in 1620 and during the 18th century it had one of the largest merchant fleets in Finland, and was a major producer of tar and ships.

Get in

By train

Trains from Helsinki connect daily. The fastest connection is by Pendolino train which will last about 4 hours.

There are also some night trains with sleeping cars from Helsinki to northern regions stopping at Kokkola. Night trains usually arrive at early morning hours in Kokkola, which is uncomfortable unless you have somebody waiting for you.

By bus

Buses from all over Finland stop regularly at Kokkola. If you travel as far as from Helsinki, forget the bus and take the train or plane.

By car

The largest highway that passes through Kokkola is the E8.

By plane

• 🌍 Kokkola-Pietarsaari Airport (KOK  ^IATA) (the closest airport to Kokkola, about 20 km (12 mi) away). Scheduled flights to and from Helsinki and Stockholm, charter flights to holiday destinations around Europe. Airport shuttle is provided to and from Mannerheimin aukio at the centre of Kokkola.  

Get around

The city is fairly small, so the easiest way to see the sights is walking.

Public transport

Information about local buses can be found here. Most of lines operate during rush hours of school days. Line 7 operates also on evenings, weekends and school holiday time.

If you want to have a sightseeing without guide, you can take the bus number 7 from Kauppatori at city center. It will take you for example to the harbour part-of-town Ykspihlaja.

See

View of Tankar island

• 🌍 Natural History Collection Kieppi, Pitkänsillankatu 28. Holds a large collection of minerals and stuffed animals. 
• 🌍 K.H.Renlund Art Museum, Several locations around the city. A number of museums around the town presenting valuable collection of Finnish art from the late 19th century. 
• 🌍 Old town (Neristan, Vanha kaupunki). The Swedish name translates literally to "Downtown". The old quarter of Kokkola. One of the largest and most well preserved wooden house districts in Finland. 
• 🌍 Tankar Island (about 20 km northwest of downtown as the crow flies). A beautiful rocky island with its own lighthouse, an old church and a seal-hunting museum. Regular trips made by the ferry MS Jenny. 
• 🌍 Kaarlela Church. A medieval stone church from the 15th century. 
• Kaarlela Museum of Local History and Culture (Kaarlelan kotiseutumuseo). A museum that shows visitors the culture of Ostrobothnia before industrialisation. 
• 🌍 Kaarlela fire museum, Ventuksentie 84. A museum run by the volunteer firemen of Kaarlela to their fire station. In the museum there are various objects from 1800s to 1990s. The museum is open regularly in the summertime, otherwise you must contact the honorary fire chief or the fire chief of Kaarlela volunteer fire department. 

Do

• 🌍 Kokkola City theatre (Kokkolan kaupunginteatteri), Torikatu 48. The city theatre. 
• Kokkola Cup. The second largest annual football tournament in Finland held for children under 18 is held in Kokkola every July. 
• Venetian festival (Venetsialaiset). The "Venice festival" is an annual happening to celebrate the ending of cabin season, the last day to spend time in your summer cottages, that's held on the last weekend of August. It's a celebration of fire, light and water. Fireworks fill the night sky. People decorate their yards with fires and lights. 

Pop music

There is live music regularly at local bars and pubs. The local association of living music Kokemus is arranging club events for example at bar West Coast, address Rantakatu 16.

Classical music

Chamber Orchestra (Keski-Pohjanmaan kamariorkesteri) is touring both in Finland and abroad. The Orchestra was founded in 1972 and it received Nordic Council Music Prize in 1993.

Buy

There are many larger stores and smaller shops as it is regional centre.

Eat

Old town view

Fast-food and pizzerias

There are at least three fast-food franchises, over ten pizzerias and many small food stalls.

• 🌍 Hesburger, Tehtaankatu 3-5 (in the Chydenia mall). Hamburgers. (updated Apr 2016)

Restaurants

Many good restaurants for everybody. Basic restaurants, Chinese and some serve slightly Mexican food.

• 🌍 Rosso, Isokatu 4. Mid-range chain restaurant with Italian food. (updated Apr 2016)

Cafés

Many small and cosy cafés.

Drink

Bars and pubs

• 🌍 West Coast, Rantakatu 16. 
• 🌍 Wanha Lyhty, Pitkänsillankatu 24. 
• 🌍 Corner's Pub, corner of Rantakatu and Torikatu. 
• 🌍 Huismann, Kauppatori. 
• 🌍 Vanha Kippari, Satamakatu 12 (located out of center, in Ykspihlaja districts). 

Night clubs

• 🌍 Calle, Kauppatori 4. 
• 🌍 Socis, Torikatu 24. 

Sleep

Budget

• 🌍 Kokkola Camping, Meritie 10. Cottages, trailer park, tenting area. 

Mid-range

• 🌍 Best Western Hotel Kokkola, Rantakatu 14, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 
• 🌍 Hotel Seurahuone, Torikatu 24, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 
• 🌍 Hotelli Nukkumatti, Nahkurinkatu 2, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 

Splurge

• 🌍 Sokos Hotel Kaarle, Kauppatori 4, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 

Go next

• Kalajoki — 68 km north. Sandy beaches where you can go and swim in the Gulf of Bothnia in the summer.
• Raahe — 126 km north. An industrial town.
• Oulu — 200 km north. The largest city in Northern Finland with more sights and activities.
• Jakobstad (Pietarsaari) — 36 km south. The largest town with a Swedish speaking majority in Finland. The highlights include the ship replica Jacobstads Wapen and the botanical garden.
• Vaasa (Vasa) — 121 km south. Ostrobothnia's "capital", full with history and with a ferry connection across the gulf to Umeå, Sweden.

Routes through Kokkola

Tornio ← Kalajoki ←

NE  SW

→ Vaasa → Turku