Espoo (Finnish pronunciation: [espo]; Swedish pronunciation: [sbo]) is Finland’s second-largest city and municipality. It is part of the Finnish Capital Region, and the majority of its residents live in the Helsinki metropolitan area’s inner urban core, which includes the cities of Helsinki, Vantaa, and Kauniainen. Espoo borders Helsinki and Vantaa on the east and encircles Kauniainen on the west. Espoo is the fastest-growing city in Finland, with five different local centers instead of a traditional city core, one of which is Tapiola Garden City. So, without further ado, here are some of the top things to see in the area.
Nuuksio National Park
Tourists and locals alike will find Nuuksio National Park to be very accessible. It’s a wonderful way to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life and into the wild, where they can enjoy pure Finnish landscape, including lush woods, fascinating lakes, and steep rocky crags. The distance between Helsinki Vantaa Airport and Helsinki City Center is only 30 minutes. Nuuksio National Park is perfect for guided forest excursions, mushroom, herb, and wild berry gathering, and fishing. Canoeing outings, a longer stay in lakeside log cottages, and a camping trip are also available.
Pentala Archipelago Museum
The Pentala Archipelago Museum comprises 15 separate complexes and is one of the best sites to visit in Espoo. It is located on an old fisherman’s estate in Espoonlahti Bay on Pentala Island. The fisherman’s cottage, which dates from the 1790s, is the oldest structure. The estate of the fisherman was inhabited until 1986. In the summer, there is a lot to do and see in the museum area. Following the nature walk to Diksand beach and Lake Pentalanjärvi, you may discover Espoo’s unique archipelago ecosystem. It is one of Espoo City Museum’s five museums.
Espoo Cathedral
Espoo Cathedral is a medieval stone church in Espoo, Finland, and the seat of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland’s Diocese of Espoo. The cathedral sits in the Espoon keskus area, near the Espoonjoki river. The earliest elements of the church were completed in the 1480s, making it the city’s oldest surviving structure. After the Diocese of Espoo was separated from the Diocese of Helsinki in 2004, the church was designated as a cathedral. Murals, mostly painted in the 1510s, adorn the vaults and walls of the cathedral’s older sections, depicting both biblical subjects and happenings from people’s daily lives.
Iso Omena
On September 24, 2001, Iso Omena (Finnish for “Big Apple”), a shopping center in Matinkylä, Espoo, Finland, opened. The goal of the construction of Iso Omena was to give as much consideration to the wishes of the Espoo residents as feasible. As a result, numerous municipal and commercial services are centralized in Iso Omena. Apartments with a direct link to the shopping center are also available at Iso Omena. The term “The Big Apple” for New York City in the United States inspired the name “Iso Omena.” Over 200 companies are part of Iso Omena.
