Nurmes

Nurmes is a town of 8,000 inhabitants situated at the northern end of Lake Pielinen.

In the Middle Ages, Nurmes was part of the Novgorod Empire, and the area was the scene of several battles with Sweden. In the 17th century, Nurmes was incorporated into the Swedish Empire, but in 1721 it became part of Russia.

In the 19th century Nurmes developed rapidly with industry. Several sawmills, mills and iron foundries were established in the area, bringing new residents and prosperity to the town. Later, Nurmes also developed as a tourist town, attracted by its magnificent nature.

Get in

By car

Being pretty much off the beaten track, the easiest way to travel to and from Nurmes is by car.

By train

The national railway operator VR runs a twice-daily train from

By Train

The national railway operator VR runs a twice-daily train from

By Car / Road

Being pretty much off the beaten track, the easiest way to travel to and from Nurmes is by car.

By train

The national railway operator VR runs a twice-daily train from

The town small, so you can easily get around by foot. Google Maps offers route planner which includes sparse long distance buses which can be used for local trips also, and Matka.fi route planner includes also some of them.

By dial-a-ride

The old town

( Puu-Nurmes ).

The "Wooden Nurmes" consists of 19th century wooden houses that are still inhabited.

The Bomba house and Karelian village .

A replica of a common Karelian log house village. The largest house is the main building for a resort.

Bomba Spa ,

Tuulentie 10 .

The attractions of the spa are various saunas, such as Kyly, which leads to the Karelian landscape, or Sampo, which contains beautiful details. The spa also has an atmospheric pool area and experience showers that lead the visitor to the sounds of wild nature.   ( updated Jun 2021 )

Nature

There are some nature parks in the area around Nurmes, where you can walk, swim, fish and camp in the summer and enjoy cross country skiing in the winter.

Festivals

Nurmes Film Festival .

Late in the summer every year Nurmes hosts a film festival with older and newer Finnish films.  

Nurmes Christmas Carol Festival

( Nurmeksen Joulumusiikki ).

A yearly Christmas song festival, obviously in December.

Local restaurants and trattorias serve regional cuisine featuring fresh, seasonal ingredients. Traditional dishes reflect the local culinary heritage.

Cafes and bars in the town centre serve coffee, wine, and local beverages. Regional wines and spirits are worth sampling.

Sokos Hotel Bomba ,

Tuulentie 10 ,

☏

+358 20 1234 908 ,

fax : +358 13 687 2401 .

Large resort hotel with great views over the Pielisjärvi lake. Nearby is the replica of a traditional Karelian house built as a home for the large Bombi family in 1854, now a restaurant that is part of the resort.   ( updated Jan 2018 )

Local shops offer regional products, handicrafts, and everyday necessities. Markets may be held weekly in the town square.

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