Jyväskylä city navigation guide
You can find the checkpoint map from the end of this page!
Checkpoint #1: Kävelykatu and Kauppakatu
Kävelykatu (Walking Street) or Kauppakatu (Pedestrian Street) in City Center. Kävelykatu is the main street of Jyväskylä where you can find markets, specialized shops, restaurants, and pubs. Sokos is the biggest shopping mall in the city center which offers a wide range of operators including the latest trends in clothing, home and leisure, as well as food. The core of the downtown area is called the compass (kompassi) which is a compass-shaped formation made of stone tiles. At the end of Kävelykatu is the main building of the University of Jyväskylä.
https://visitjyvaskyla.fi/en/the-centre-of-jyvaskyla/pedestrian-street-uptown/
Checkpoint #2: Seminaarinmäki Campus
Seminaarinmäki campus. Seminaarinmäki main building, Student hall and Seminaarinmäki residential area are designed by Alvar Aalto, a famous Finnish architect. Aalto's production is proposed for UNESCO's World Heritage List in the next few years. You might want to check out why Aalto is so highly regarded.
Checkpoint #3: Restaurants
Hungry after your trip? Jyväskylä offers you a wide selection of different kitchens all around the world. Shalimar, located in Matkakeskus, is one of the best Indian restaurants in Jyväskylä. If you want something more elegant, we recommend going across the street to Figaro, which serves quality Finnish food. Another highly considered restaurant is Kissanviikset (Cat's Whiskers) with its delicious seasonal menus. At Sokos you will find an excellent sushi buffet, Itsudemo. For those looking for more relaxed and street food-style food, we recommend Green Egg, where you can find a wide selection of different grill products. Usually, every restaurant has its own tasty vegetarian and vegan dishes as well.
https://ravintolashalimar.fi/matkakeskus/
https://kissanviikset.fi/en/etusivu/
https://itsudemo.fi/jyvaskyla/
https://www.raflaamo.fi/en/restaurant/jyvaskyla/green-egg
Checkpoint #4: Harju
Harju. Famous historical Nero's stairs are located on the Harju ridge. Via these stairs you can get to the top of the ridge, from where you can see great views of the different parts of the city. The surroundings of Harju are a popular jogging area and there are also a unique observation tower, a nature museum and a cafe-restaurant to visit.
https://visitjyvaskyla.fi/en/attractions/harju-ridge-vesilinna-observation-tower/
Checkpoint #5: Harjun Paperi
Harjun Paperi. Harjun Paperi has been operating in the same address in Jyväskylä for 70 years. In this lovely craft shop you can find posters, calendars, gift wrap, glossy photos and of course personalized postcards. The number on place for homecoming gift cards - support your local!
https://www.harjunpaperi.fi/ (in Finnish only)
Checkpoint #6: Boutiques
Besides Harjun Paperi, Jyväskylä offers numerous small, friendly boutiques where you can make memorable finds and gifts.
Toivola Courtyard: Lots of small shops and places to eat in the middle of Jyväskylä's oldest buildings. https://toivolanpiha.fi/en/
Paahtimo Papu: Coffee roastery for everyone’s taste. https://www.paahtimopapu.fi/in-english
Pienikamari: Cute accessories, clothes, and games for the youngest in the family. https://pienikamari.fi/ (in Finnish only)
Levykauppa Äx: Jyväskylä’s biggest record store is well-known of its funny and original marketing. https://www.levykauppax.fi/jyvaskyla/ (in Finnish only)
Checkpoint #7: Viitaniemi Park and Tuomijärvi Beach
A beautiful walk by the water towards Tuomijärvi beach is a way for many citizens to spend a pleasant day off. In winter time, many enthusiasts also go ice swimming.
Checkpoint #8: Seppä Shopping Center
Seppä Shopping Center is the newest and largest shopping center in the Jyväskylä region. The most popular clothing stores, sports stores, electronics stores and restaurants can be found in the same milieu. In the same area of Seppälä, there are also many other specialty stores. The hypermarket Prisma is located right next to the shopping center, so practically everything you need is available at the same address!
https://kauppakeskusseppa.fi/en
Checkpoint #9: Lutakko
Tanssisali Lutakko (The Ballroom Lutakko) is one of the most popular and well-known live clubs in Finland. Top Finnish artists have played in the venue, which has been operating since 1990. Over the years, a number of legendary foreign bands have also performed at Lutakko. In the summer, Lutakko takes a break of about a month but the square next to the venue is usually full of program during the break. Lutakko's specialty is that its activity is based almost entirely on volunteers.
Check the program here: https://www.jelmu.net/en
Checkpoint #10: Sports
In addition of being a student city, Jyväskylä is also known for its rich sports culture and passionate bench sports fans. The most popular team sports are ice hockey, floorball, soccer, finnish baseball and basketball. Jyväskylä is also well-known of its success on track & field, swimming, orienteering, and skiing. Go and watch a match of our local sports team. They really have the right atmosphere there with nice snacks and beverages!
Ice hockey team JYP: https://www.jypliiga.fi/in-english/
Football team JJK: https://www.jjk.fi/in-english/
Floorball team Happee: https://www.happee.fi/ (in Finnish only)
Women's Finnish baseball team Kirittäret: https://www.kirittaret.fi/ (in Finnish only)
Basketball team JBA: https://jba.fi/jba-in-english/
Looking to get to know Jyväskylä on a deeper level?
Join our Finnish Intensive Courses here!