Discover Kemi: Culture and winter on the Gulf of Bothnia

The Gulf of Bothnia also shapes Kemi as a destination for winter activities: in winter, illuminated ski trails and walking paths lead straight onto the sea ice from the Old Inner Harbour. The city also has museums, churches and historical sites that show its different sides. When planning your trip, consider whether you would like to discover Kemi mainly through art and history, outdoor activities or a ride on an icebreaker.

Art, city history and architecture

Kemi Art Museum is the oldest art museum in Northern Finland. It presents six to seven changing exhibitions each year. Its spacious, bright galleries are located in the Cultural Centre, designed by architect Sebastian Savander. If you would like to see art during a visit to the city, this offers a focus distinct from the historical themes of the museums.

Kemi Historical Museum presents the local cultural heritage and the history of the city and its surrounding area. Its themes range from land uplift and the first settlements to industrialization and the present day. Admission is free. The Yli-Jaakheikki Smokehouse Museum in the Meripuisto Museum Quarter by the Old Inner Harbour offers a different historical perspective. It explores the history of the smokehouse and the lives and way of life of Finns in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The city’s churches also tell different stories. Designed by Josef Stenbäck, Kemi Church was completed in 1902 and displays continental Gothic Revival influences. The Orthodox Church was first built in the early 1960s as a chapel for evacuees from Karelia and Petsamo, and was consecrated as a church in the 1970s. The icons on its iconostasis were painted by Nina Vanas. Kemi City Theatre adds another cultural dimension: it is the only professional theatre in the Sea Lapland region to produce its own world premieres each year.

A historic stretch of road lies at the southern end of the golf course: a gravel road and an old bridge over Nauskaoja remain as remnants of the Bothnian Coastal Road. The original bridge was built in the 1870s. Along with the museums, these sites offer different ways to explore an interest in cultural history, from everyday life and industrialization to older transport routes.

Waterfront, park and outdoor trails

Mansikkanokka Beach is in central Kemi and is about 250 metres long. Mansikkanokka Park has outdoor trails, a disc golf course and a shelter. The beach and park offer different ways to spend time outdoors: you can choose the beach as your destination or explore the trails and other park facilities mentioned here.

In winter, illuminated ski trails and walking paths lead straight onto the ice of the Gulf of Bothnia from the Old Inner Harbour. These are separate from the trails in the surrounding area: about 100 kilometres of ski trails are maintained in winter in Kemi’s suburbs and neighbouring areas, of which about 27 kilometres are illuminated. The Kemi area also has 27 kilometres of maintained forest snowmobile routes. These also lead onto the sea ice and connect with snowmobile routes in Keminmaa and Simo.

Icebreakers and the SnowCastle

Icebreaker experiences are described as trips of varying duration and with different inclusions. The morning trip on the icebreaker Sampo lasts 3.5 hours. It includes ice swimming, a walk on the ice, a guided ship tour, a diploma, a welcome drink and admission to the SnowCastle exhibition area. The trip on the icebreaker Arktis lasts three hours and includes ice swimming, a walk on the ice and a diploma. These listed activities give you a concrete basis for choosing between the two trips.

The SnowCastle area is in Kemi. SnowExperience365 features ice sculptures, an ice slide, an ice bar and ice tables. The SnowCastle Winter Park has slides, a snow maze and a traditional Finnish carousel. When making your choice, consider whether you would rather focus on an icebreaker trip at sea or on the different attractions at the site.

Getting here and other destinations

Kemi railway station is in the city centre, with a taxi stand nearby. If you are continuing your trip beyond Kemi or would like to include other places in your search, you can also find Ranua, Patokoski, Keminmaa, Pello, Äkäslompolo, Utsjoki and Mäntyjärvi.

For the broader travel overview: Lapland.

More about the destination

Useful information for planning your trip:

Kemi.