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Leisure

The VisitLahti website offers extensive information about leisure activities in the Lahti region ranging from nature destinations to restaurant and staycation tips. If you are looking for information about events, please visit the Menoinfo website (in Finnish) which lists all the events and happenings in all of the Päijät-Häme municipalities. The Menoinfo website includes both sport and cultural events as well as information about public seminars and briefings. 

The Kulttuuria Lahessa Facebook page (in Finnish) gathers information specifically about cultural operators and events.

Library

To find out more about library services in Päijät-Häme, please refer Alipi's material. (Alipi - Free time activities)

Theatre

Many Finnish cities have professional theatres presenting a versatile selection of theatre productions. In addition, amateur theatre groups are also very active. If you are interested in drama as a hobby, please contact amateur theatre groups directly.

In Finland there is a strong tradition of outdoor summer theatre. During the summer months, it is possible to enjoy various plays in beautiful outdoor locations around the country. To read more about Finnish summer theatre culture, please visit the thisisFinland website.

The theatres and theatre groups operating in Päijät-Häme, including summer theatres, are listed below.

Lahti City Theatre was established in 1950 as a municipal theatre and is currently one of the biggest professional theatres in Finland. The theatre operates on three stages that host between six and nine of its own productions every year, as well as a varying number of guest performances. For more information, please visit the Lahti City Theatre website.

Vanha Juko Theatre is the home of a professional theatre group. For more information, please visit the Vanha Juko Theatre website (in Finnish).

SUPER Theatre is a children's theatre founded in 2015. SUPER Theatre also organises theatre clubs for children of different ages. For more information, please visit SUPER Theatre website (in Finnish).

Lahti Academy of Liberal and Fine Arts’ (ALFA) theatre education offers theatre art all year round. For more information, please visit the ALFA theatre education website (in Finnish).

Theatrum Olga is a student theatre group of the Diakonia College of Finland. For more information, please visit the Theatrum Olga Facebook page (in Finnish).

Nastola Pisarateatteri is an amateur theatre focusing on summer theatre productions. For more information, please visit the Nastola Pisarateatteri website (in Finnish).

Pesäkallio Summer Theatre has an annual summer production. For more information, please visit the Pesäkallio Summer Theatre website (in Finnish).

Urajärvi Manor Theatre is an amateur theatre in Asikkala that presents summer theatre performances about the history of Urajärvi Manor. For more information, please visit the Urajärvi Manor Theatre website (in Finnish).

Heinola Summer Theatre is famous for its annual professional theatre production. For more information, please visit the Heinola Summer Theatre website (in Finnish).

Heinäsuo Summer Theatre has an annual summer theatre production. For more information, please visit the Heinäsuo Summer Theatre Facebook page (in Finnish).

Iitti Amateur Theatre has an annual summer theatre production. For more information, please visit the Iitti Amateur Theatre website (only in Finnish).

Orimattila Theatre has productions in several different locations during the year. For more information, please visit the Orimattila Theatre website (in Finnish).

Padasjoki Amateur Theatre is famous for its annual summer theatre productions. For more information, please visit the Padasjoki Amateur Theatre website (in Finnish).

Kuurina Theatre is an amateur theatre located in Sysmä and has at least one production per year. For more information, please visit the Kuurina Theatre website (in Finnish).

There are also numerous theatre festivals in Finland. Information on these is available on the Finnish Theatre Information Centre website.

Cinema and Film Festivals

In Finland, films screened in cinemas are usually presented in their original language are subtitled in Finnish and Swedish. Only children’s films are dubbed into Finnish.

Finnkino Kuvapalatsi in Lahti offers a wide range of films and has several auditoriums. For the screening schedule and ticket prices, please visit the Finnkino website.

Kino Iiris is a cinema run by Päijät-Häme Film Centre (PHEK) and located in Lahti. Kino Iiris screens a wide variety of films, including non-mainstream films to enrich the local film culture. For the screening schedule and ticket prices, please visit the Kino Iiris website (in Finnish).

Kinos is a non-profit film festival organised annually in Lahti. The festival programme traditionally includes both amateur and professional productions and consists of short films, music videos, animations, and experimental audio-visual art. The festival is produced by a group of volunteers and the Päijät-Häme Film Centre. For more information, please visit the Kinos film festival website.

In Heinola, Elo Cinema screens a wide range of films. For more information, please visit the Elo Cinema website (in Finnish)

In Kärkölä, it is possible to see films at Järvelä Kino. For more information, please visit the Järvelä Kino website (in Finnish).

Sysmä Kino is a small and sympathetic cinema specialising in quality films and run by the Sysmä 4H Association. Films are screened twice a week, mainly on Sundays and Wednesdays. For more information, please visit the Sysmä 4H Association website (Finnish).

Museums and Galleries

If you are interested in visiting museums in Päijät-Häme, please check the list of museums on the VisitLahti website. The VisitLahti website also lists galleries located in the area. Please see this list for information about the galleries.

Music

Concerts and gigs

There are several concert venues and music clubs in Lahti offering a wide range of both Finnish and foreign artists. To find all the concerts and gigs taking place in Lahti, please visit the Meteli.net website (in Finnish) or the Menoinfo website (in Finnish). You can also use both websites for searching for gigs and concerts in other Päijät-Häme municipalities.

Sibelius Hall is one of the largest event venues in Päijät-Häme consisting of the main concert hall, Finlandia Club, conference venues and a restaurant. Finlandia Club hosts gigs by a variety of Finnish and foreign artists. The main concert hall is the home concert hall of Lahti Symphony Orchestra. For more information about all the upcoming events taking place in Sibelius Hall, please visit their event calendar.

The Lahti Symphony Orchestra offers concerts for lovers of classical music. To read more about the Lahti Symphony Orchestra and to see their concert calendar, please visit their website.

Möysän musaklubi or Mössö is a live music venue located in the city centre of Lahti hosting a wide range of artists. Please check the upcoming shows on the Möysän musaklubi website (in Finnish).

Torvi is one of the most legendary rock clubs in Finland and it has been a place for artists, musicians and other people to enjoy underground culture since its establishment in 1966. Ravintola Torvi is located nearby the Lahti Travel Centre and it hosts gigs of all kinds of music such as punk, metal, rap, indie, pop, reggae, classical music, etc. Please visit their website (in Finnish) for the upcoming shows.

JukoKlubi is a music club hosted by Vanha Juko Theatre, in the city centre of Lahti. Please visit the JukoKlubi website (in Finnish) for information about upcoming shows.

Sopenkorven kesanto is an urban event venue located in an old industrial area in Sopenkorpi neighbourhood in Lahti. Follow their Facebook page (in Finnish) for upcoming events.

Music education

If you are looking for instructed classes for playing an instrument or would like to join a choir, please check the websites listed below:

Sports

The Lahti region offers a variety of opportunities for exercise and outdoor activities. To find information about the sports services and facilities provided by the Päijät-Häme municipalities, please visit the websites listed below:

Sport venues and facilities

Please visit the VisitLahti website for a list of both outdoor and indoor venues of different sport activities in Lahti and its surroundings; some examples of venues and facilities in the area are shown below.

Lahti Sports Centre is the heart of ski games and a gateway to Salpausselkä nature trails. Please read more about the Lahti Sports Centre and its sport facilities on the VisitLahti website.

Kisapuisto sports park and Lahti Tennis and Squash Centre are in the heart of the city of Lahti, offering many opportunities for active residents. Kisapuisto has outdoor beach volley, basketball, tennis and paddle courts, a large sand-based field as well as heated artificial grass. During the winter season ice-skating and ice-hockey rinks are installed. The stadium located in the sports park is the home of FC Lahti. The courts and fields are available for residents free of charge, except for the stadium and the padel and tennis courts, and unless there is a club reservation. Tennis and paddle courts can be booked at the Lahti Tennis and Squash Centre (in Finnish) which also offers indoor facilities for tennis, squash, badminton, padel and table tennis. The Tennis and Squash Centre also has a gym and an indoor golf simulator.

Radiomäki athletics venue in the centre of Lahti offers a six-lane 400-metre running track and a grass field for jumping and throwing events. In addition, Radiomäki has a sand field, which is frozen for ice skating in winter and an outdoor ice-hockey rink is also installed.

Disc Golf is a popular leisure activity in Finland, and there are several disc golf parks in Päijät-Häme that are accessible free of charge. Please see this map (in Finnish) to find the nearest disc golf park.

Orienteering is a great way to get to know the surroundings and spend some time outdoors, and there are many permanent control points placed in the terrain in Lahti. Orienteering maps can be requested free of charge from the City of Lahti Sport Services. For more information, visit the City of Lahti website (in FInnish).

There are two Adventure Parks in Päijät-Häme, Pajulahti Adventure Park and Flowpark Vierumäki Adventure Park, both consisting of a high ropes course built up in the trees. The adventure courses include, for example, ziplines and different kinds of obstacles, such as swaying paths and liana jumps.

Messilä Ski Centre located in Hollola is the largest ski centre in southern Finland. For more information, visit the Messilä website.

There are several golf courses in the region. Please visit the VisitLahti website for more information.

Swimming halls and public beaches

There are several public swimming halls in different parts of Lahti. There is also a swimming hall in Heinola, Hollola, Kärkölä, Orimattila and Padasjoki. Swimming hall services usually include affordable access to a gym. Please see the links below for information about swimming halls located in the Lahti region:

All municipalities in Päijät-Häme have several beaches accessible to the public. Please see the links below to find out more about the public beaches located in each of the Päijät-Häme municipalities:

For information in English about some of the public beaches, swimming halls and spas located in the region, please visit the VisitLahti website.

Instructed sports activities

Instructed sports activities are organised by municipalities, sports clubs and private enterprises, among others. To find sport clubs located in Päijät-Häme, please see the list on the Päijät-Häme Sports Association’s (PHLU) website (in Finnish). A list of sports clubs located in Lahti can be found on the Urheilulahti webiste (in Finnish).

If you are looking for a low-cost instructed sport group, please see the offering of community colleges and adult education centres operating in the region:

You can find information about the community colleges and adult education centres in the “other instructed hobbies for adults” section.

Private operators can be found by using a search engine. You can also see the list of operators listed in the “Children and young people” section as some offer activities for adults as well. (Guide to Päijät-Häme - Children and young people)

Other instructed hobbies for adults

Wellamo Community College offers low-cost courses for free time and leisure activities in Lahti, Asikkala, Hollola, Kärkölä, Orimattila and Padasjoki. There are classes in art, handicraft, languages, theatre, and much more. For more information, please visit the Wellamo Community College website.

Harjula Adult Education Centre is based in Lahti and operated by the Harjula Settlement Association. The institution offers classes, for example, in languages, art, handicraft, and literature. For more information, please visit the website of Harjula Adult Education Centre (in Finnish).

Heinola Community College is operated by the Jyränkölä Settlement Association. In Heinola Community College it is possible to join courses for example in languages, art, and handicraft. For more information, please visit the Heinola Community College website (in Finnish).

East Häme Adult Education Centre operates in Hartola and Sysmä. The courses include, for example, languages, handicraft, and gardening. For more information, please visit the website of East Häme Adult Education Centre (in Finnish).

Private operators can be found by using the a search engine. You can also see the list of operators listed on the “Children and young people” section as some offer activities for adults as well. (Guide to Päijät-Häme - Children and young people)

Nature

Nature destinations and nature trails

Lakeland Finland starts in Lahti and all the municipalities in Päijät-Häme offer a tremendous amount of nature destinations of different kinds. The municipalities also have a wide network of nature trails for cross-country skiing, hiking, running, and cycling. Päijänne National Park is the only national park in Päijät-Häme, and covers areas in Asikkala, Padasjoki and Sysmä. Please visit the Päijänne National Park website for more information.

VisitLahti and Lahden seudun luonto (in Finnish) websites offer an extensive list of nature destinations and trails located in the Lahti region. In addition, the websites listed below have detailed information about nature destinations in other municipalities:

To see all the ski trails in your municipality of residence, please use the search function of the ski trail map of Finland. Please check this map to see all the lean-to shelters and outdoor fire places in Päijät-Häme. For cycle paths and cycling routes for, please see the “Cycling in the Lahti region” section.

Parks

Parks and green spaces offer facilities for different kinds of recreation, such as jogging and working out, or having a picnic and playing games. The largest parks in Lahti are Pikku-Vesijärvi Park and Fellmannia Park, both located near the city centre.

Please visit the municipality websites to read more about parks and green spaces in each municipality:

Fishing

The lakes in Päijät-Häme offer great opportunities for fishing. Angling and ice fishing belong to everyman’s rights, but spinning, trolling and fly-fishing, as well as using nets and traps require a licence. Please read more about different fishing management fees and licences on the Fishing in Finland website.

Everyman’s rights

In Finland, everyone has a right of public access to explore nature destinations and outdoor pursuits, these are the so-called everyman’s rights. However, rights come with responsibilities, and there are certain rules that need to be followed when enjoying nature. Please read more about everyman’s rights on the Finland’s Environmental Administration website.

Volunteer work

Please read more about volunteering in Alipi's material. (Alipi - Free time activities)

Associations and networking

In Finland, the number of associations is high compared to the number of citizens, and everyone has a right to attend association activities. Please read more about associations and networking possibilities in Päijät-Häme here. (Alipi - Free time activities)

The InfoFinland website has a list of nationally operating associations for immigrants. It is also possible to search for associations on the Finnish Patent and Registration Office's website.

In addition to associations and organisations, there are several Facebook groups aimed at the international community living in the Lahti region such as the International Family Group of Lahti, the INTERNATIONAL CLUB LAHTI and the Lahti International Meetings: Couchsurfing - Expats - Erasmus - Exchange.