A southern Finnish city known for winter sports and ice hockey. Home to an Olympic stadium designed by Alvar Aalto, 100 km north of Helsinki.
Lahti, a city in southern Finland, sits on the shores of Lake Vesijärvi. In 2021, Lahti received the European Green Capital award for its environmental initiatives. The city has ski jumps at Lahti Sports Centre, hosts concerts at the wooden Sibelius Hall, and serves as a gateway to Päijänne National Park. Lahti connects visitors to the Finnish Lakeland, the largest lake district in Europe.
Getting to Lahti
Lahti is about 100 kilometers northeast of Helsinki. You can reach Lahti from Helsinki by train, with frequent services operated by Finnish Railways (VR). The journey takes approximately one hour. If you prefer to drive, the trip from Helsinki to Lahti takes about 1.5 hours via the E75 highway. Buses also connect the two cities, offering a less expensive option.
Exploring Lahti's Lakes and Forests
Forests cover 74% of Lahti's area, while lakes make up another 11%. You can take a cruise from Lake Vesijärvi to Lake Päijänne, Finland's second-largest lake, and explore the Päijänne National Park. The park's Pulkkilanharju Ridge has hiking trails with views of the surrounding landscape. Visit the Salpausselkä UNESCO Global Geopark to see landforms shaped by ancient meltwater streams at the end of the Ice Age.
Winter Sports and Activities
Lahti has a strong reputation for winter sports. The Lahti Sports Centre, home to the city's ski jumps, hosts annual championship ski races and other winter games. You can take a chairlift to the top of the Lahti Ski Jump tower to see the sport from a new angle and view the surrounding area. In summer, the landing area becomes an outdoor pool. The center also houses the Ski Museum, where you can learn about Nordic skiing history.
Arts and Culture in Lahti
The Sibelius Hall, completed in 2000, appeals to music and architecture fans. This concert and congress center uses wood innovatively in its modern construction and hosts performances by the Lahti Symphony Orchestra. You can visit the Lahti Museum of Visual Arts Malva, which opened in 2022 in the renovated Malski brewery building. The museum has collections of art, design, and posters. To learn about local history, explore the Lahti Historical Museum, which recently reopened with new exhibitions.
Sustainable City Living
As the European Green Capital of 2021, Lahti aims to become carbon neutral by 2025 and has implemented various eco-friendly initiatives. You can use the city's bike-sharing system, which includes 500 bikes across 60 stations. Lahti's tap water, naturally filtered by the Salpausselkä ridges, is high quality. The city's sustainable practices extend to its public transportation system, making it easy for you to explore while reducing your environmental impact.
Local Food and Drink Options
Lahti's food reflects its industrial heritage and proximity to agricultural areas. The Hartwall brewery has produced the local "Lahden Erikois" beers since 1930. You can visit Taivaanranta, a distillery in the basement of an apartment building that produces Finnish whiskey. Mea Manna offers organic plant-based lunches at two locations in the city. To try local flavors and ingredients, visit the restaurants along the Lahti Harbor, many of which are open year-round and serve regional dishes.
Outdoor Recreation
The Lahti region has many options for outdoor activities throughout the year. In winter, you can ice skate or cross-country ski on frozen Lake Vesijärvi, with tracks starting from the Lahti harbor. During warmer months, you can swim, fish, and boat in the area's many lakes. You can hike the trails in Päijänne National Park or visit Linnaistensuo Swamp for landscapes similar to those in Lapland. The region's two Olympic training centers, Vierumäki and Pajulahti, are open to the public and have various sports facilities and activities.
