"Moving to Jyväskylä was one of the best decisions of my life."

- Hilla

The Joo Kodit summer trainee Hilla moved to Jyväskylä to study. Originally from Sipoo, she says she loves Jyväskylä's compact city centre and its student friendly vibe. If you're route is also taking you to Jyväskylä, check out our rental apartments in Jyväskylä.

Now Hilla reveals her top tips for experiencing Jyväskylä like a local:

1. Jyväskylä stands for sports

Jyväskylä is known as the sports capital of Finland, and for good reason. A favourite spot for sports enthusiasts is the Jyväsjärvi lake and its surroundings. A trail with several outdoor gyms runs around the lake, ideal for running, cycling or rollerskating.

See you on the jogging trail!

2. Lutakko is lovely in every season

The beautiful Lutakko is a great place to visit around the year. On summer days, people gather on the beach and the lawn to relax in the sunshine, and the restaurant boats in the harbour provide an idyllic setting for a drink. In winter you can ski or skate on the frozen lake, just be sure to check that the ice is strong enough first. Lutakko's iconic JYVÄSKYLÄ letters are very Instagrammable - go see for yourself!

3. Tuomiojärvi beach is your summer happy place

Jyväskylä has loads of lakes. If you like swimming, you've chosen wisely to live here. One of the most popular beaches is found at Tuomiojärvi lake close to the city centre. You can swim, hang out or play beach volley ball, and once you've had enough of that (if ever), there's also a well-equipped outdoor gym and a disc golf course.

Who's ready for the beach?

4. Exciting events in Jyväskylä

Jyväskylä is busy with events all year. The major ones like Secto Rally and the Suomipop festival of Finnish pop music are complemented by a wealth of other cool cultural events at regular intervals.

I particularly recommend Yläkaupungin yö ("Night uptown") festival, during which Jyväskylä comes alive with culture and arts around every corner. You'll meet lovely people, too, so I dare you not to miss it!

5. The student friendly vibe is a major bonus

Jyväskylä is incredibly student-friendly. Meeting up with your new friends is always easy, as the distances are so short. The multidisciplinary events are big and great fun, and you can choose from a huge range of things to study. Last but not least, lots of places offer tasty food on a student budget - yum yum!

We're really quite spoiled here as students. And, always remember to ask for your student discount, as the city gives us fabulous deals on a wide variety of stuff.

To call Jyväskylä home before you know it, take note of our Jyväskylä checklist below.