Nurmes, located in the heart of Pohjois-Karjala is an area filled with food and cultural experiences that you just can’t get in other parts of Finland.
We went to Nurmes in November during kaamos, the darkest time of the year, and somewhat of an off-season for the Nurmes area as most of their local travel is during the Summer and international travel in the winter.
Personally, we love off-season travel because it is more environmentally friendly and because there are less people around, which means we have the whole place to ourselves.
During kaamos in Finland it is easier to see the stars during clear nights, and if you are lucky you can even see the northern lights.
Even in the off season, there are still plenty of things to do and ways for you to experience Karelian culture.
~*This blog post was made in collaboration with PIKES and was co-funded by the EU. All thoughts and opinions are our own and we only shared the things we experienced during our stay.*~
Arriving to Nurmes, Finland
If you are planning to travel to Nurmes, then I highly recommend traveling by car. It is possible to travel by train, but it’ll be harder to get around the area and explore all the different places Nurmes has to offer.
On most days there are 1-2 trains that leave from Turku to Nurmes, usually early in the mornings. Just make sure to plan ahead and book your train tickets beforehand to make sure that there is a train available.
You can find more about how to get to Nurmes and what the region offers here on their website.
Where to Stay in Nurmes, Finland
Break Sokos Hotel & Spa Bomba
While in Nurmes, we stayed at the Break Sokos Hotel and Spa Bomba in the Superior Queen room. The Superior Queen Room is located on the top floors and comes with a balcony so you can enjoy the views of the national parks from your window.
When it comes to hotel beds, Tuomas and I are quite picky, we usually prefer beds that are actually one bed, not two beds pushed together.
So we were pleasantly surprised when the bed in the Superior Queen Room was actually one bed 😆
In addition to the room, the hotel offers a spa which we will talk more about later.
You can check out the room we stayed in through this link here, just scroll down to the part that says rooms.
Hyvärilä Youth and Holiday Centre
Alternatively, if you are looking into more green sustainable travel that provides ways for you to give back to the local community then Hyvärilä Youth and Holiday Centre is filled with year round activities.
In addition, the proceeds that the hotel makes are given back to the center to further continue their youth work in the area and throughout Europe.
You can find out more about the types of accommodations they offer here on their website
7 Things to Do in Nurmes, Finland During Kaamos
Learn More About Karelian Culture
This is the part of the trip that we were the most excited for. As an immigrant living in Finland, I feel that it is my responsibility to learn more about the history and culture of Finland. That includes subcultures in Finland like Karelian culture.
During our stay at Bomba we were able to learn more about Karelian architecture. The one fact that stood out the most to me was that Karelian architecture uses traditional log building techniques that allowed them to build the houses without nails, kind of like Lincoln logs.
We also learned that you can identify Karelian houses from the highly ornate window borders.
Honestly, Karelian architecture feels like you are looking into the soul of the architect. The amount of detail that goes into Karelian architecture is astounding, from picking the right materials to all the little details of the windows.
You can learn more about Karelian culture at the Bomba House’s museum during your stay at Bomba.
Enjoy a Relaxing Spa Evening
The spa hotel was hands down our favorite part of our stay in Bomba. The spa offers a steam sauna, traditional Finnish sauna, and a Karelian sauna.
Unlike the traditional Finnish sauna where you throw water to get the löyly (steam that rises from the rocks) in the Karelian sauna you pull a lever and the water pours and drips on top of the rocks.
I don’t know if other Karelian saunas have this lever aspect but to us it was so much fun, and we may have been too excited pulling it.
Additionally, the spa offers 2 outdoor jacuzzis, heated indoor pools and a hot cold contrast pool.
You can also enjoy the spa without staying at the hotel as many of the Nurmes locals do. So even if you aren’t staying at the hotel the spa needs to be on your list for when you go to Nurmes.
You can find more information about the spa here on their website.
Have a Romantic Dinner at Frans & Emma
Another highlight of our trip was dinner at Frans & Emma which was located in the hotel, and is also where you get the hotel breakfast from.
Frans & Emma offers a French cuisine in a cozy atmosphere, not to mention that during kaamos and the off-season made the restaurant feel twice as cozy.
Tuomas got the Steak au poivre, a beef fillet with a delightfully creamy pepper sauce and whole green peppercorns. His meal came with a fresh garden salad and potatoes in 3 forms, and one of those forms was potato chips!
I got the starter, Mussels in vermouth sauce with fries and y’all that sauce did not disappoint. It was so good I was practically eating it like soup after I had finished all the mussels.
The sauce was light and creamy with a slightly bold flavor. It wasn’t overpowering by any means, but had this slight tang from the citrusy vermouth.
You probably can tell by reading this that Tuomas will say “it was good” when it comes to food whereas I’m like “I NEED TO KNOW THIS RECIPE RIGHT NOW”.
I’ll leave the menu for Frans & Emma here so you can decide what you would like to try during your visit.
Find Your Next Adventure at Bomba Safaris
Bomba safaris is home to a plethora of activities that can be done all year round. Fat Biking is one of their main attractions that can be done all seasons weather permitting. Another experience you can book is a Karjalanpiirakka making workshop.
Bomba safaris organized for us a lettu making workshop, which was a lot of fun, and we quickly realized that neither Tuomas or myself were good at campfire cooking. 🙈
Make Stick Pulla and Learn About Youth Work at Hyvärilä Youth and Holiday Centre in Nurmes
Or at least that’s what we thought until we tried the campfire cooking experience at Hyvärilä. At Hyvärilä we got to test out their new off-season activity of stick bread making, a classic campfire food making experience.
Hyvärilä’s restaurant provided us with the pulla dough and showed us how to wrap it around the stick. Tuomas did it the traditional way, while I did it.. the American way, I called upon my inner girl scout and did what I was taught then.
Our pulla was cooking along the campfire, Tuomas was doing his best not to burn his and I propped my stick up to let the fire do it’s thing.
During that time we listened to our host tell us about the history of Hyvärilä and how it started out as a nursing home, mental hospital, and a center for the homeless.
She continued to tell us that during that time the facility had the best outcomes for the patients because of the farm area that the able bodied patients contributed to, luscious nature, and of course the clean fresh air in the area.
Then in the 70s they converted Hyvärilä to the youth center that is there today, which is now part of an international youth work organization.
You can read more about the youth work here on Hyvärilä’s website
Get the Best Lunch in Nurmes at Hyvärilä
If you are looking for cafeteria style lunch that is organic and collaborates with local producers, then the restaurant at Hyvärilä is your spot.
Touted by locals as the best lunch place in Nurmes, Hyvärilä offers breakfast and lunch while showcasing bread from local bakeries and locally sourced juices.
In addition, Hyvärilä offers vegetarian options and has something for every diet.
Try Karjalanpiirakka at Pielispakari
If you are a foodie, or just open to trying new things then you HAVE to stop by Pielispakari. We were told that if you wanted to try the most authentic Karjalanpiirakka then this is the place to go, and it did not disappoint.
They also had the only perunapiirakka that Tuomas liked. Along with tasty lihapiirakka and even lanttukukko.
If you have a special diet needs, Pielispakari also has vegan, gluten-free, and lactose free options available. We strongly recommend stocking up on a few goodies on your way home.
Are You Traveling to Nurmes?
If you have Nurmes in your travel list this upcoming year then I recommend giving yourself at least 3 days, especially if you are traveling during the kaamos season, since there isn’t a lot of light to do all the things you want to do in a day.
We were there for one day as part of the collaboration and missed out on a lot of things that the Nurmes and Pohjois-Karjala region has to offer. Including wooden villages, churches, and museums. Not to mention the stunning nature, as Nurmes sits in between 3 national parks: Tiilikkajärvi National Park, Koli National Park, and Hiidenportti National Park.
Here’s hoping that we will have another chance to visit this beautiful region again in the near future. Have you been to Nurmes? If so, what are some of your favorite things in the area, let me know in the comments below.
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