Häme
Head to this cosy basement pub under the Piparkakkutalo restaurant on Wednesdays and Thursdays for karaoke, and on weekends to hear live music.
Must-see nightlife in Finland
Lappeenranta
One of the swankier bars in town, Birra has a shaded terrace, cosy booths and a great range of beer (over 100 by the bottle) and cider (20 varieties) with…
Tampere
On the main street, this is a good place with excellent microbrewery beer and cider. It offers a relaxing, candlelit interior, a heated terrace and heaps…
Tampere
One of Tampere's best pubs, Tuulensuu has a superb range of Belgian beers, good wines and a lengthy port menu. We suggest giving the food a miss.
Finland's West Coast
An ale-lovers’ paradise, this distillery and microbrewery sells its own beer, cider and whisky along with a vast array of international brews.
Turku & Finland's South Coast
Wonderfully cosy Opus K is lined floor to ceiling with books and new discoveries from obscure Finnish microbreweries.
Häme
In high summer, two adjacent boat bars offer relaxed lakeside drinking on floating wooden decks.
Finland's West Coast
Live music is on most weekends at this sociable pub, which opens up to a huge beer garden.
Turku
They'll have you believe it's called the WaterLoo because it's a British pub (with requisite sport on the telly, etc). But it's actually a double entendre…
The Finnish Lakeland
This massive space has three dance floors where DJs spin disco, Suomi-pop and rock; there are also live bands on weekends. Age limits apply on weekends …
Helsinki
With plenty of ‘G’days’, this laid-back watering hole doesn’t miss a cliché. Beneath the corrugated iron and faux-colonial fittings, it serves Down Under…
Kallio
Kallio's Vaasankatu is the best street for a pub crawl, and the classiest place on the strip is Solmu. Soft lighting makes for a cosy atmosphere, and the…
Kallio
This joint has more beers on tap than you can shake a stick at. All come from microbreweries in Finland and abroad; the line-up changes almost every day…
The Finnish Lakeland
In the liveliest part of the pedestrian zone, this warm and welcoming pub has several excellent beers on tap, sports events on TV, occasional live music…
Rovaniemi
Large, light, modern ZoomIt is a popular, buzzy bar and cafe in the central Hotel Santa Claus. Its terrace is the spot to be on a sunny afternoon and its…
Kuopio
This old wooden warehouse conversion is an atmospheric place to see some live music or grab a drink, particularly when you can sit outside and look at the…
Tampere
On the main pedestrianised strip, this place has range of perfectly poured microbrewed Finnish beers on tap, backed up by guest ales from around the…
The Finnish Lakeland
Sports fans congregate at this popular pub, which pours a range of home-brewed beers and offers live-music gigs or DJs on weekends. If you're out and…
Helsinki
Set over three floors, this gay bar is aimed at men aged 30-plus (minimum age on Fridays and Saturdays is 24, and 20 on other days). There's a lounge bar,…
Finland's West Coast
You'll spot the crowds long before you make it inside this lively 'traditional' Irish pub. There's regular live music and a huge menu of hearty pub grub,…
Oulu
This Oulu institution is a great place for meeting locals, and its enclosed outdoor area is always humming. There’s a warren of cosy rooms inside, as well…
Kallio
A Kallio classic, this dive bar has some of Helsinki's cheapest beer, a soundtrack of metal and rock, and great ragged character. The action spills onto…
Mariehamn
Inside the Hotell Arkipelag, Arken (aka 'the Ark') hosts live bands and chart-conscious DJs, who keep the young and energetic on the dance floor.
Rovaniemi
Upstairs, this friendly bar has cosy seating, cheap and long happy hours, and regular karaoke. Its downstairs nightclub gets cheerily boisterous with…
Tampere
The huge terrace in front of this bar heaves on sunny afternoons, when young locals congregate here for a beer or two. On weekends it has loud music and a…
Kallio
One of Kallio’s darkened drinking dens, this small, unassuming bar is frequented by both men and women. The front terrace is a prime streetside spot.
Kuopio
One of the town's most popular clubs, Nousu offers bars, karaoke and a dance floor. Age limits apply on Fridays (20 years) and Saturdays (22 years).
The Finnish Lakeland
Attached to Night & Bar Tamino (both can be accessed on the same ticket), this place has a large dance floor and hosts popular DJs.
Kuopio
Grungy but likeable Ale Pupi has a huge interior, a surprisingly classy decor, and the big drawcards of cheap beer and karaoke.
Northern Lapland
Live music plays on weekends in summer at the pick of Sodankylä's pubs, which opens to a covered, heated beer garden.
Finland's West Coast
With six bars, two dance floors and a huge heated terrace, this dressy place is one of the biggest clubs in town.
Tampere
Moored alongside Laukontori Quay, this is a typical Finnish boat bar offering no-nonsense deck-top drinking. Prepare a boarding party and lap up the…
