A Midsummer Trip to Jyväskylä, Finland

I spent a month in Sweden and Finland during the summer of 2024 and started my trip in Tampere. Since my girlfriend was elsewhere in the country for Midsummer, I decided to go on my own adventure. For some reason, I had always wanted to visit Jyväskylä. 

When I told people I was visiting Jyväskyla, their first question was: 

“Why?” 

A great start, clearly. 

Nonetheless, I was still intrigued to see what Jyväskylä had to offer. I was pleasantly surprised, though I must admit that I’ll go again at another time of the year. Here’s what I did and when I would recommend visiting. 

What I Did in Jyväskylä

A Bright Late-Evening Walk

Summer evenings are bright where I live (Copenhagen), but those white nights are taken to a whole new level in Finland. The sun didn’t officially set until 23:15 while I was in Jyväskyla, and it was back above the horizon at 03:23. It’s now kind of funny because I’m writing this six months later while in Finland again, and the sun doesn’t come up until well after 09:00… talk about contrasts 😄. 

I walked part of the Rantaraitti route, which goes around the city’s main lake. Besides forests and pleasant skyline views, I also went along the Ylistö Bridge—one of Jyväskylä’s main landmarks. 

Being outside at this time and not seeing full darkness was disorienting but also interesting. It was crazy looking at my watch and seeing that it was past 23:00 but still light enough to walk around and continue my daily activities. I stayed out until after midnight, and there were still quite a few people relaxing by the water while I was there. 

The Green Loop

The Green Loop is another lovely walk in Jyväskylä, and I did this on my second day. This walk takes you around the parks, forests, etc., surrounding the main part of the city. It’s also possible to cycle this route, and as a side note, Jyväskylä is arguably the most bike-friendly city in Finland. 

In addition to Jyväsjärvi (the city’s main lake), this walk also takes you to Tuomiojärvi—another lake to the north of Jyväskylä’s city center. Here, you’ll find a beach and swimming area. 

I didn’t do the entire walk, but I recommend doing at least part of it if you have some time. Besides the natural attractions, you’ll also find a handful of playgrounds if you’re visiting with children. 

Morton Container Restaurant 

While most restaurants in Jyväskylä were closed for my midsummer trip, I found a nice burger place close to the main harbor. You’ll find Morton Container Restaurant establishments throughout Finland, including in Helsinki, but the Jyväskylä one was pretty nice. I was exhausted on the third day and waiting for my bus back to Tampere, so this was a welcome place to grab some lunch. 

You’ll find numerous burgers on the menu, and you can also get lots of sides and desserts. Breakfast is also served here, and you can choose from many drinks on the menu. 

One side note is the birds can be quite annoying here; I saw one blackbird swipe some food off a person’s plate when they went to the toilet. So, it’s best to keep an eye on your food and not let them take any opportunity. 

Soaking in the Harbor Atmosphere 

Lutakko Harbor is the main harbor in Jyväskylä, and I honestly think it’s worth spending a weekend here just to soak in its special atmosphere. Having been to numerous Finnish towns and cities, I believe that Jyväskylä has the nicest waterfront area in the country. 

I recommend visiting one of the ice cream stalls and trying some cloudberry ice cream, and you’ll also find numerous restaurants here. 

If you want to delve into the world-famous Finnish sauna culture, consider visiting Sataman Viilu. It’s more of a luxury sauna, but if you don’t want to do the full experience, Viilu is a slower introduction. 

Jyväskylä Is Great, but I Don’t Recommend Visiting for Midsummer…

The simple reason I don’t suggest visiting Jyväskylä for Midsummer is because most things are closed. The Finns take this holiday very seriously, and as a result, many head to the countryside. All of its cities, even Helsinki, feel like ghost towns. 

I couldn’t do most of the things I wanted to do, such as visiting the Aalto Museum, as a result. I took my girlfriend’s “Finland closes down over Midsummer” comments very lightly… as it goes, I maybe should have listened to her 🤷🏾‍♂️. 

I’ll Visit Jyväskylä Another Time 

Despite most restaurants and attractions being closed, I still really enjoyed my visit to Jyväskylä. Its waterside location is marvelous, and you’re very close to the rest of the Finnish Lakeland. You will quickly realize why Finland is known as “The Land of a Thousand Lakes” when you visit. 

The people in Jyväskylä were also some of the friendliest I’ve found in Finland, and I have a weekend’s worth of activities that I didn’t get to try this time. Even though I couldn’t do most of what I wanted, I still found enough to stay entertained for a few days. Turns out that you enjoy life’s simple pleasures more when you don’t have access to constant stimulation… who would’ve thought? 

I still recommend visiting in the summer and spending a few days here. However, you’re better off visiting in early June or around August (many Finns go on holiday in July). 

How to Get to Jyväskylä

Jyväskylä is very easy to reach by bus or train. It took just over two hours from Tampere; the train and bus stations are right next to each other, so it really doesn’t matter which one you take. I got return tickets with Onnibus for around €10 altogether; Flixbus also operates here.

From Helsinki, the train/bus to Jyväskylä takes 3-4 hours. Services depart daily. You can compare train and bus prices before booking them on Omio. Alternatively, if you already know you want to take the train, you can book via the VR website. 

Where I Stayed in Jyväskylä

I stayed in an apartment by the harbor while in Jyväskylä because I wanted to cook for myself while I was there. The place was comfortable, and I would have happily stayed here for longer if needed. 

You do have to take out the trash and tidy the apartment before leaving, but I didn’t have any issues with this. The apartment is easily reachable from the city center, too.