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A view to the Suensaari island, where the city center is situated

Tornio (Swedish: Torneå) is a city in Finnish Lapland, by the border to Sweden.

Understand

Being estabilished in 1621 Tornio is definitely the oldest city in Lapland. Today the city has approximately 22 000 inhabitants. Tornio forms a unique economical zone together with Swedish town Haparanda; the border between the countries is hardly visible.

The city has a large steel factory and a famous brewery (Lapin Kulta), which was closed in August 2010. Outokumpu steel company is biggest employer in Tornio area.

While Tornio may be a good place to view the Northern Lights, many things are closed during the winter (though they may not necessarily be advertised as such).

  • 1 TornioHaparanda Tourist Information Office, Green Line, Pakkahuoneenkatu 1, ☏ +358 50 590 0562. 

Get in

Map
Map of Tornio

By car

Most people arrive with their own car to Tornio (along the E4 road) either from Haparanda, Sweden or from the Finnish side from Kemi, Rovaniemi or Kilpisjärvi (Enontekiö).

By train

VR has a night train from Helsinki to Kolari, which stops at Tornio, the station is named Tornio-Itäinen (Tornio East).

More trains stop at Kemi, 30 km away from Tornio. From there you'll have to continue by bus.

By bus

From Finland, you can check the central organization for intercity buses, Matkahuolto's website for information about timetables and fares.

From Sweden, check Länstrafik Norrbotten and Resrobot. Direct expressbus connection from Stockholm to Tornio is offered by Tapanis buss.

By plane

There is an airport in Kemi, 20km away from Tornio.

Get around

The city is small; therefore you can get everywhere by walking. Its also easy to visit Haparanda in Sweden by foot.

See

The orthodox church
Kukkola Rapids north of the city center
  • 1 Church of Tornio. One of the most beautiful wooden churches still in use in Finland. The church was designed and completed by Matti Härmä in 1689, making the building over 300 years old. 
  • 2 Church of Alatornio. Classic church designed by Jacob Rijfin and completed in 1797. The church is part of the Struve Geodetic Arc protected as an UNESCO World Heritage Site. 
  • 3 Orthodox Church of Tornio. An orthodox church completed in 1884 and dedicated to apostles Peter and Paul. Open during the summer. 
  • 4 Kukkola Rapids. In river Tornio, situated some 10 km north of the town. 
  • 5 Arboretum Park. An excellent teaching and observation area. No entrance fee. 
  • 6 Historical Museum of Tornio River Valley (Torniolaakson maakuntamuseo), Torikatu 4. A visit to the museum gives a good overall impression of the history of the entire Western part of Lapland. Entrance fee: €2-4.. 

Handicraft

  • 7 Smeds Gold & Silver Gallery, Kemintie 6. Silversmith Jorma Smeds forges traditional Lap Silver using hammer and an anvil. 
  • 8 Jaur Showroom, Teollisuuskatu 8. Open M-F 12-16.30.. A design gallery which presents the internationally renowned artefacts of Eero Hyrkäs. Free entrance.. 
  • 9 Aine Art Museum (Aineen taidemuseo), Torikatu 2. Open Tu-Th 11-18, F-Su 11-15.. The art collection presented in the museum is from the Aine Visual Arts Foundation collection. Entrance fee: €4, children for free.. 

Do

  • 1 Alkunkarinlahti Nature Trails. A bird reservation site with three observation towers, covered trails and a campfire site. A must-see for a bird-watcher! 
  • 2 Perämeri National Park (Perämeren kansallispuisto). A group of islands lying far apart from each other; a characteristic view for Perämeri National Park! Many different bird species are nesting in the park and seals can be seen in the waters. A great experience for anyone enjoying swimming and sunshine! 
  • 3 Arctic Iceroad Production, Hallituskatu 9, ☏ +358 40 555 8529. A wide range of programme services. For example guided tours with an authorised guide, guided fishing and hunting tours, extreme and survival adventures, rally and off-road safaris. Also equipment rental, bicycles, skies, ice skates and canoes. 
  • 4 Green Zone Golf. A unique golf course in the golfing world. The border is crossed four times during the game and you have the possibility to make a hole in one across the border on the sixth hole. The time difference between Finland and Sweden is one hour so it takes an hour to hit the green! In the middle of the summer the sun shines 24 hours a day so you can play even during the night. 
  • 5 Hovilompolo, Husantie 4, ☏ +358 40 531 9353. Situated 23 km north of Tornio. A traditional country manor with a large courtyard, terrace, a smoke sauna and a Lappish tent. A rental cottage for sunny summer days! 
  • 6 Nordic Safaris, Koskitie 130, Kukkola, ☏ +358 40 755 1858. River and white-water rafting safaris with rubber and rowboats in the summer. During winter time snowmobile safaris to Sampo Ice breaker and Snow Castle. 
  • 7 Traffic park for children, Juhannussaari, ☏ +358 40 776 5852. Open every day during summertime at 11-17 closed in case of rain.. Summer fun for children. The park is situated in Tornio, close to the water tower. 
  • 8 Kotieläinpiha Tara. Domestic animal farm in Arpela, 20 km from Tornio. Riding tours and camps. Open all year round. 

The hot summer days can also be spent swimming in the cool Tornio river, lake Karsikkojärvi or in the beautiful island of Seskarö.

Events

  • Twin City Festivals. Northern town atmosphere and top artists mainly from Finland and Sweden. 
  • Rajasoitto. Folk music, folk dance and accordion festival. 
  • Midnight Sun Golf Marathon. Four days and three nights of golfing; an exciting competition between teams. 
  • National Sauna Day. Enjoy sauna, music and good company at Kukkolankoski. 
  • Art Bazaar. An art event that was first organised in 1991 at Aine Art Museum. Artists from both Finland and Sweden. 
  • New Year Celebrations. The new year is celebrated on the border with double fireworks! As Finland and Sweden are in different time zones you can celebrate the arrival of the new year in Tornio, then cross the river and celebrate it again one hour later in Haparanda. 

Buy

  • 1 Rajalla - På Gränsen. Next to the Swedish border, the name of Tornio's largest mall translates in both languages to "on the border". 

Eat

Budget

  • 1 Kisälli, Urheilukatu 6, ☏ +358 10 343 4491. Lunch M-F 11-13. During summer time only café and bakery open 9-14.30. Catering student training establishment. À la carte, café and bakery. 
  • 2 Subway, Rajalla - På Gränsen Shopping Centre, Länsiranta 10, ☏ +358 50 582 3331. M-F 12-20, Sat 10-19, Sun 12-18.. French bread and salads. 
  • 3 Cafe Picnic (in the shopping mall Rajalla-På Gränsen). Lunch delicacies: French bread, salads, pasta, soup. 
  • 4 Tasty Fast Food, Laivurinkatu 5, ☏ +358 16 480 150. Mon 11-20, Tu-Th 11-22, Fri 11-4.30, la 12-4.30, su 12-20. Lunch M-F 11-15.. Chinese, Italian and Thai food and pizza. 
  • 5 Grillikioski Kukkolankoski Catering, Koskitie 4, Kukkola, ☏ +358 40 730 1524. Open in the summer Su-Th 7-22, F-Su 7-02. Delicacies from Peräpohjola: salmon soup, smoked fish, reindeer, grilled white fish. 
  • 6 Meerin Grilli, Länsiranta, ☏ +358 16 480 430. Su-Tu 10-02, W-Th 10-04.30, F-Su 10-06. Delicious grilled food. 
  • 7 Turkinpippuri, Laivurinkatu 10, ☏ +358 16 611 116. M-Th 10.30-22, F-Su 10.30-4.30, Sun 12-22. Kebab and pizza 

Mid range

  • 8 Golden Flower, Eliaksenkatu 8, ☏ +358 16 481 384. Mon 11-18, Tu-F 12-20, Sa-Su 12-22. The first Chinese restaurant in Tornio. Chinese food and pizza. 
  • 9 Umpitunneli, Hallituskatu 15 (right on the western bank of Tornio river), ☏ +358 16 430 360. Mo, Tu, Th 15-22, We-Fr 15-04, Sa 13-04, Su 13-22, food served until 22:00. A bar and steak restaurant with outdoor and indoor seating. The decor is Mexico-themed, but the menu is not. If you're hungry, order the XXL-burger! They have live music performances on weekends. 
  • 10 Saigon, Kauppakatu 13, ☏ +358 16 430 565. Mon 10.30-19, Tu-F 10.30-22, Sa-Su 10.30-22. Lunch M-F 10.30-19. A Vietnamese restaurant. 
  • 11 Tornio Kerhoravintola, Puutarhakatu 9, ☏ +358 16 482 201. Lunch M-F 11-15. À la carte M-F 11-21, Sa-Su 12-21. 

Splurge

Drink

Coffee houses

  • 2 Café Aine, Torikatu 2, ☏ +358 50 597 1189. Tu-Th 11-18, F-Su 11-15. The coffee shop is situated in Aine Art Museum. 
  • 3 Karkiainen, Länsiranta 9, ☏ +358 16 480 669. M-F 8-18, Sat 10-17, Sun 12-17. Coffee house and restaurant. Lunch 11-15. Bakery products for sweet teeth. 
  • 4 Lappelill Viihdekahvila, Länsiranta 9, ☏ +358 40 184 0104. M-F 10-20, Sat 12-20. A cosy cafeteria near the shopping centre. 
  • 5 Myllynpirtti, Koskitie, Kukkola, ☏ +358 16 472 044. June-August M-Th 9-22, F-Sa 9-24, Sun 10-22. Coffee house and restaurant. 
  • 6 Pitoporras, Hallituskatu 14, ☏ +358 16 430 321. M-F 7.30-17, Sat 9-14. 

Bars, Pubs and Night Clubs

Sleep

Budget

  • 1 Summer hotel Lappia, Urheilukatu 6, ☏ +358 10 192 049. Situated in Tornio centre. In June-July the students apartments are rented for travellers. The rooms have a toilet, shower and cooking facilities. Bookings M-F 8-16. 
  • 2 Camping Tornio (Situated 2,5 km south of Tornio centre.), ☏ +358 16 445 945. Open 3.5-30.9 (closed in Midsummer 25.-26.6.) 15 cottages, 60 camping places with electricity for caravans and campers. A beautiful beach and riverside sauna. Rental boats. 

Mid-range

  • 3 Peräpohjolan Opisto, Kivirannantie 13-15, ☏ +358 40 536 4423. Situated 2,5 km north of Tornio. 30 rooms with a toilet and shower. Cooking facilities and washing machine. 

Splurge

  • 5 Tornion Kaupunginhotelli, Itäranta 4, ☏ +358 16 433 11. Situated in Tornio centre by the river. 98 rooms with shower and toilet, telephone, tv and wireless Internet connection. 5 different restaurants and a sauna compartment. double room €131. 

Go next

  • The Swedish town of Haparanda is situated at the other side of the border.
  • In the other direction the city of Kemi is less than half an hour away by bus or car.


This city travel guide to Tornio is a usable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.
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