Things to do in Nurmes
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Bomba Village
Nurmes’ biggest draw is Bomba Village, 2.5km southeast of the town centre. The imposing Bomba House, with its high roof and ornate wooden trim, is a replica of a typical Karelian family house, and was built in 1855 by Jegor Bombin, a farmer from Suojärvi (now in Russian Karelia). It now houses the Bomban Talo restaurant and eating there is the only way to see inside. The surrounding re-creation of a Karelian village makes for a pleasant browse among craft studios, especially when the summer market is on.
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Karelia Expert
Nurmes offers a well-organized schedule of tours with daily departures - dog-sledding, snowmobiling, ice-fishing and cross-country skiing from January to the end of March, and canoeing, rapids-shooting (at Ruunaa) and farmhouse tours from June to the end of August.
Contact Karelia Expert for an updated schedule, pricing information and other details. Bookings at least 24 hours in advance are often required for the tours.
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Bomban Talo
This place has a fantastic Karelian smorgasbord abounding in Karelian pies, muikku (fried whitefish) and varieties of karjalanpaisti (stew), served throughout the day in summer. The atmosphere is authentic too, it's set in an imposingly large wooden building with solid timber tables. There are good à la carte options too.
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Bomban Talo
This mammoth wood cabin is the place to sample a Karelian buffet. Try the variety of karjalanpiirakka ingeniously designed to swab up karjalanpaisti (stew). The buffet is served throughout the day in summer, when the outdoor terrace is particularly tempting, but the à la carte options are just as authentic in winter.
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Lutheran Church
Dating from 1896, the massive brick Lutheran Church is the largest in North Karelia, with around 2300 seats. You’ll know it by its florid cross. Inside there are several models of Nurmes’ previous wooden churches that burnt down, hence earning this part of town the name Ash Village.
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Puu-Nurmes
Puu-Nurmes is the Old Town area on the esker above the train station. It's a pleasant neighbourhood for a stroll among the traditional wooden houses, which are protected by law and surrounded by birch trees. The plan dates back to 1897.
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Ravintola Karpalo
This is an unpretentious place behind the supermarket. It serves burgers, pizzas, kebabs and steaks and has a lunch buffet. It doubles as a local nightspot with karaoke and dancing nightly.
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Ikola Museum
The Ikola Museum is an agricultural museum in Tuupala, 1km northeast of Nurmes’ town centre, which features an open-air exhibit of Karelian wooden buildings.
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Kesport Konesola
You can hire a bike to explore town from Kesport Konesola, which can also help out with fishing permits for Pielinen and fishing tips.
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Kötsi Museum
Kötsi Museum, in the large Nurmes-talo Building, is the local museum of history, and has a variety of Stone Age artefacts on display.
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Ikola Museum
The Ikola Museum is an agricultural museum in Tuupala, 1km northeast of the centre. It features an open-air exhibit of Karelian wooden buildings.
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Golf Course
At the Hyvärilä Holiday Centre is a nine-hole golf course, which, while not especially challenging, has a lovely lakeside location.
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Bella
This Italian place in the commercial centre of Porokylä does pizza and pasta. Later it becomes a popular pub.
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Saimaa Ferries
Saimaa Ferries has cruises on Lake Pielinen in summer from the passenger harbour near the train station.
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Lokinlampi
There’s a good chance you’ll hook salmon at Lokinlampi, a stocked pond north of town.
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Tyko Art Gallery
Housed in the Nurmes-talo building is the free Tyko Art Gallery with changing monthly exhibitions.
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Tyko Art Gallery
At Nurmes-talo, Tyko Art Gallery has changing monthly exhibitions.
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