Located simply south of the Arctic Circle in Finland, Oulu has loads to supply; its distant location, the purest air in Europe, a low-impact Arctic meals tradition and greater than 900 kilometres of strolling and biking paths make it a dependable eco-friendly vacation spot. But in 2026, town will turn out to be one of many northernmost European Capitals of Culture. Under the theme of Cultural Climate Change, a collection of occasions will deal with artistic options to the challenges going through Europe and past in one of many world’s fastest-changing areas.
In winter, northern traditions are on show at Frozen People, an digital music competition on the icy Gulf of Bothnia, and at Oulu Art Museum’s Sámi up to date artwork exhibit, which showcases the resilience of Europe’s solely Indigenous folks (on view till May 2026). Climate Clock is a brand new everlasting artwork path opening in June with thought-provoking work by famend artists such because the UK’s Rana Begum, set amid Oulu’s forests, and alongside its rivers and seashores. From May to August, the Solstice Festival will have fun summer time at a 500-metre Arctic fell with views of pine woods and lakes, whereas the Summer Night’s Dinner will spotlight northern substances at a communal desk stretched alongside one in every of Oulu’s primary streets.
As Finland’s tech and science centre, Oulu may even play host to a number of revolutionary digital artwork tasks all year long. These embody the year-long Peace Machine – a multidisciplinary set up by the Finnish Ekho Collective that makes use of AI to brainstorm battle options – and a first-of-its-kind 8,000-square-metre museum and science centre opening in autumn 2026, simply in time for aurora borealis viewing in its Deep Space theatre.
Travellers can take a break from tradition by leaning into Oulu’s robust sauna culture (select from wood-smoke saunas, floating river saunas, or luxurious saunas). At the summer time sauna competition, conventional sauna healers will supply therapies rooted in Finnish people heritage, equivalent to birch-leaf bathing and sauna chants. Newly renovated Lapland Hotels Oulu can be welcoming visitors with design-forward rooms and must-try breakfasts beginning in January, and a brand new Scandic Go lodge will open in late 2026. Yulia Denisyuk
Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Go for: World Design Capital 2026, new accommodations and a Jewish Academy