Lahti

Lahti

First Finnish thing I want to introduce you is the city of Lahti.

Fast facts

The Lahti region forms part of the Helsinki metropolitan area. Lahti occupies an ideal logistic location in the centre of Southern Finland, with good traffic connections to other parts of Finland. Lahti is only an hour's drive away from the greater Helsinki region and Helsinki-Vantaa international airport. With the new Helsinki-Lahti railway the traintrip to Helsinki takes only 48 minutes.
Lahti region in brief

• Number of inhabitants 198,434 (city of Lahti 100 944)
• Inhabitants/km2 39
• Number of households 94,491
• Number of businesses 9,739
• Area 6,258 km2
• Area of water 1,125 km2
• Number of lakes and ponds approx. 1,000
• Coastline approx. 5,500 km

Connections to Lahti

Ulla-Maija plans to move to Lahti. My sister is living in Lahti. My “oldest” friend with whom I have been friends since we were 3 years old lives in Lahti with his beautiful wife and even more beautiful 5 months old little baby. My own history is bind many ways to Lahti since I am originally only 15 minutes drive from Lahti. The town I am from is called Orimattila.

Big part of inhabitants of Lahti are old people or their sons and daughters who runaway from parts of Karelia that become part of Russia (Soviet Union) during the WW II.

Lahti used to be town I went for nightclubbing when I turned 18 years old. So Lahti is full of nostalgy for me. However, with my stereotypic mindset, I do not consider Lahti-people that friendly or curious. They may carry on the industrial town -mindset still in their blood. Please do not agree!

Tips & Tricks:
-Take a boat tour during the summer in Vesijärvi and before that take a cider and if more local taste “sahti” Lahti Port
-See the biggest wooden building built after WWII in Finland and enjoy either classical or rock concert there: Sibeliustalo
-If you are brave enough see the most legendary rock pub Torvi
-Those who are not vegetarian have cheapest food ever (and so good) –“lihapiirakka” and enjoy the buzz of market square. For veggies we recommend “munkkipossukahvit”
-Take bird eye look over Lahti from the ski jumping building
-Winter fun (Skiing etc) in Messilä
-A Museum Journey in Päijät-Häme

This is my “home” in Orimattila where I lived from 4 years until 20 years old.

Have a good visit to Lahti, you know will have one experienced guide (me) and one more fresh guide (Ulla-Maija)!

PS. I have few good plans already in head what we will do while visiting Lahti