Oulu in Winter: Best Things to Do + Seasonal Tips (2025)

Whenever I take a road trip up here in Lapland, I tend to drive north and very rarely to the south. While I have been to Kemi before, I had never driven further south to Oulu. I finally made that happen once I saw a direct bus route from close to my house to the seaside city.

In this guide, I will give you some tips for visiting Oulu in winter – including things to do, where to eat, and some weather info.

For reference, I visited in late December but I will likely make plenty of return trips since I live pretty close. I will be adding to this guide in the future as I do make those trips back!

Oulu will be the European Capital of Culture in 2026 and definitely worth the visit! While summer is the better season (a lot of islands are accessible and some places are only open seasonally), winter still has its perks!

If you have any questions about winter in Oulu, Finland, let me know in the comments. Thanks!

Winter Weather in Oulu

Oulu is situated in the north of Finland, just south of the Arctic Circle. However, it is located on the Baltic Sea, so the weather differs from that inland. Here are the average temperatures throughout the winter:

• Oulu in November: highs of 30F (-1C), lows of 20F (-7C)
• Oulu in December: highs of 24F (-5C) , lows of 11F (-12C)
• Oulu in January: highs of 20F (-7C), lows of 6F (-15C)
• Oulu in February: highs of 21F (-6C), lows of 7F (-14C)
• Oulu in March: highs of 31F (0C), lows of 17F (-8C)

Snow Averages

Oulu definitely sees snow each season but it can vary, like other places. The snowiest month is January and the average snowfall is around 8.2 inches (20.8 centimeters).

You can find snow from October to April in the city. When I was in Oulu, there was snow on the ground but it was mostly iced over and there was not much of it at all.

Daylight Situation

There is always a sunrise in Oulu during the winter months, but due to its northern location, it is minimal. And, the shift is big around the winter solstice (around December 21). Rather than give you exact day lengths, I recommend checking out the charts with the month you’re traveling here.

On winter solstice (the shortest day of the year), the sun is above the horizon for 3 hours and 34 minutes. This does not include twilight hours around that.

Northern Lights

So, can you see the northern lights in Oulu? Yes, you can – but it does sit slightly south of the auroral zone. However, on a night with good aurora activity and clear skies, you may be able to see them if you are away from some of the light pollution of the city.

I would, however, not book a trip to Oulu solely based on the northern lights. Opt for places a bit more to the north like Rovaniemi if you’re looking for a city trip or Ivalo, Saariselka, or Muonio if you’re looking for a more nature-filled getaway.

What to Wear

When I was visiting Oulu, it was unseasonably warm – around 3-4C (37-40F). And, as a result, it was extremely icy around the city.

I am usually okay walking on ice, but I even gave up after a while and bought a pair of studs for my shoes at Partioaitta in the center. If you are visiting during the winter months, I highly recommend bringing studs if you have a poor gait or are not used to walking on ice.

I definitely also suggest wearing layers. It was mild when I went, but I suspect that is just due to the weird winter we have been having. Usually, it is fairly cold and the layers will be nice as you can remove them when you head indoors.

Things to Do in Oulu in Winter (+ Main Attractions)

I will preface this by saying that a lot of things are closed on Sundays in the winter months in Oulu. Here are some of the best things to do in Oulu in winter:

• Oulu Automobile Museum: located on the outskirts of the city and closed on Sundays – but a nice stop if you’re into cars and automobile history.
• Day trip to Kemi: I will detail more about this below. There are a lot of fun activities in Kemi that would be a great reason to visit if you’re an adventurous traveler!
• Oulu Castle: A 16th-century castle that is built out of wood and into the earth. Offers beautiful scenery during the day.
• Oulu Market Hall: an amazing place (dates back to 1901) with various vendors. Closed on Sundays (but still stop outside of it for a photo with the Toripolliisi.
• University of Oulu Botanical Gardens: greenhouse and botanical garden with a variety of plants from all over the world. Open from 10am until 4pm daily.
• Opera House
• Oulu Art Museum: has ever-changing exhibitions and is a must for art enthusiasts. 
• Oulu Cathedral: beautiful yellow church in the city center – my view from Lapland Hotels Oulu was of the church.

Day Trip to Kemi from Oulu

I have only visited Kemi in the summer but there is so much to do in winter that I will be heading back this winter to try out some things! Here are a few winter activities in Kemi that make the day trip worthwhile:

• Icebreaker cruise and ice floating (this is one of the top tours in Lapland – and many people even take it from Rovaniemi)
• Northern lights snowmobile adventure
• Guided snowshoe walk with ice fishing
• Build your own snow igloo
• Visit the SnowCastle (it is rebuilt every winter but there is part of it open in summer which I went to last year)

Getting to Kemi from Oulu is pretty straightforward. You can take the train or bus or you can drive in a rental car (or your own). The distance is a little over an hour (maybe longer in winter months). You can search for bus tickets on Onnibus here.

You can search for train schedules (there are around 5-6 trains daily) from Oulu to Kemi here.

Travel Tips for Winter in Oulu

➡️ Many places are closed on Sundays. If you plan a weekend trip, be sure to plan your itinerary ahead of time so you don’t end up missing out on some places.

➡️ Bring studs for your shoes if you don’t feel comfortable walking on ice. I have no idea if ice will be present during your trip, but better safe than sorry! I bought a pair when there at Partioaitta because it was really difficult to walk around. The train and bus station are a little walk from the city center.

➡️ There is a lot of construction happening currently. I assume this is getting the city ready for 2026 – but it is very noticeable and happening during the winter since it is the low season.

➡️ You don’t need more than 2 days in Oulu during the winter. Days are short and a lot of the seasonal places are shut. You can find plenty to keep you occupied, especially if you head to Kemi for a tour or two, but two days are enough to see the main attractions of Oulu.

Where to Eat & Drink in Oulu

One of my favorite things I did in Oulu was eat! We found some pretty delicious places while there and here is everywhere we ate and drank in Oulu:

• Hella Restaurant: amazing upscale dining in a comfortable setting. We both ordered reindeer two ways and each dish was €42. Reservations suggested.
• Fuchka: this place gets amazing reviews and serves Bangladeshi fuchka. Affordable and large portions – we LOVED it so much. It is independently owned and the owner is super-friendly. For the combo meal which includes 6 fuchka and soup, it was €22.
• Marani: I don’t often crave Georgian food but when I found out Marani existed, I found myself excited to go there. Turns out, the restaurant is pretty popular! I ordered the Megerian kharcho (€24) and Ed ordered Adjaruli khachapuri (€16) and an order of khinkali (€14).

Those were the three places we ate at and we wanted to try out Ravintola Kitchen & Bar Oula at our hotel (Lapland Hotels – I discuss below) but they were closed on Sunday when we had time to check it out. I also have Uleåborg 1881 on the list for next time!

I have eaten at other Lapland Hotels locations and they were delicious. If our hotel breakfast is any indication of what to expect there, I am IN.

When in Oulu, we also had coffee and tea at La Torrefazione (I think this also has locations in Helsinki that I’ve been to before), Espresso House, and Coffee House. I didn’t find too many independent cafes around on this trip but will do a better job searching when I head back in the high season.

Another place we visited was the Cocktail Company. They have a nice selection of mocktails which was nice as I no longer drink.

Where to Stay in Oulu

There are plenty of places to stay in Oulu but we choose to stay at Lapland Hotels Oulu. I love the Lapland Hotels chain because they retain a Finnish feel and always have an amazing breakfast! Lapland Hotels Oulu is undergoing some renovations that will expand the property but will be reopening in a few weeks.

Lapland Hotels Oulu is in the city center near the cathedral and has limited parking, so you will need to book a space before your arrival to ensure you get one!

>> Click here to check rates and availability for Lapland Hotels Oulu

Did I miss anything you’d like to know about visiting Oulu in winter? Let me know in the comments. Thanks!

More Finland Travel Guides

• Rovaniemi in winter
• Ruka in winter
• Day trips from Rovaniemi
• Helsinki in winter

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