Haapavesi is a town in the Southern Oulu region.

Understand

Haapavesi is on the northern shore of Lake Haapajärvi - however it's not the same (eponymous) lake which the town of Haapajärvi (some 60 km south as the crow flies) borders. It's an industrial town with a Valio cheese factory, the Kantele peat power plant and one of the two highest masts in Finland.

Kantele peat power plant

Get in

Haapavesi doesn't have a railway connection, so you can get in by car or bus. There are bus services from nearby towns including Kärsämäki, Ylivieska, Oulainen, Kalajoki, Nivala, Haapajärvi, and all the way from Oulu.

See

• 1 Haapavesi Church. A white, slightly office-like building from 1984, replacing a 18th century wooden church that burned down three years before. (updated Aug 2023)

• 2 Haapavesi local museum Myyrilä, Myyrinkuja 1. Items from bygone days on display. (updated Aug 2023)

• 3 Haapavesi School Museum, Tähtelänkuja 6. An old school turned into a museum. (updated Aug 2023)

• 4 Haapavesi radio and tv mast. At 327 m in height, together with the equally tall Tiirismaa mast outside Lahti they're the tallest constructions in Finland. (updated Aug 2023)

Do

Entrance of the Haapavesi Folk Music Festival in 2019

• Haapavesi Folk. Folk music festival taking place each summer. (updated Aug 2023)

Eat

• 1 Ravintola Opinpuu, Kytökyläntie 40. Part of the JEDU vocational school; cook students cook lunch for customers as part of their education. (updated Aug 2023)

• 2 Haapaveden Autogrilli, Urheilutie 56. Drive-in fast food kiosk. (updated Aug 2023)

Sleep

• 1 Hotelli Haapakannel, Vanhatie 47, ☏ +358 8 452 370, haapakannel@co.inet.fi. Hotel and restaurant. (updated Aug 2023)

• 2 Kylpyläsaaren Matkailu, Nivalantie 61, ☏ +358 40 124 1267, kylpylasaari@hotmail.com. Cabin lodging, campsite, restaurant. (updated Aug 2023)