Yesterday we arrived in this city of winter sports – also known as Lahti or Lahtis. It is famous for its ski jumping hills, radio towers, and the nickname “Finland’s Chicago”. It is not the first time we visit the town, as Susann has some family here. Lahti greeted us with sunshine, blue skies, and quite a bit of snow.
This was the second day of our week in Finland. We decided to take the chance to spend the day relaxing. A day of relaxation in this town includes walking. After all, this is a really active town. Standing on the shores of lake Vesijärvi, it is the capital of the Päijänne Tavastia region and with a population of almost 120,000 people, it is the 8th largest city in Finland.
Waking Up to Sunshine in Lahti
Our day started early with the sun peeking through the curtains. As usual, it was Little A who woke us up. She slept restlessly because of a cough, and we decided that we’d let her stay in all day. After all, the forecast was telling us about temperatures below zero. We decided to split the day into two.
A Sunny Winter Day in Lahti – Part 1
There is one thing that Susann always wants to do wherever she goes: visit a bookstore. We are staying at her aunt’s place near the train station, which means that the center is only about a kilometer away. So, when Little A took her first nap of the day, Susann headed to the city center. The sun felt quite warm already at 10 am and it was a pleasure to walk to the bookstore. On the way, she stopped to look at a statue of Mannerheim, as well as the famous Town Hall. The ski jumping hills are visible almost everywhere in Lahti,
It’s a while since we last visited the city and the center seemed a little bit different. A lot of cozy-looking cafés and small shops had appeared. Or maybe we didn’t pay any attention to them before?
Anyway, after a while in the town, it was time for Susann to head back home. The good thing about living in an apartment is the possibility to cook instead of always eating out. And that’s what we did! We had a simple yet satisfying spaghetti bolognese (with spinach) for lunch. After lunch, it was time for me to start discovering Lahti.
A Sunny Winter Day in Lahti – Part 2
After lunch I let Susann and Little A stay in the apartment to rest. I started my exploration of Lahti and did enjoy the sunshine. It felt like spring even though it was around zero degrees and snow everywhere. I first tried to walk towards the famous radio towers – the ones that survived the Soviet attempts to bomb them during the second world war. Apparently, I ended up on the wrong street and did only see the towers from a distance. Well, not so far away actually, only on the other side of a few trees and a road.
Instead of the radio towers, I continued towards the other towers in Lahti, the ones that are probably even more well-known – the ski-jumping towers. These really look impressive when getting up close. I can only imagine the feeling of actually ski-jumping from them. That is something I’m sure that I will never dare to try – it would most likely kill me if I attempted it.
Next to the center of Lahti is the Lake Vesijärvi. This is probably where the city really showed its heart today. The ice is frozen solid this time of the year and it is filled with people. People are skiing, fishing, walking and even enjoying a coffee. It is like all of Lahti is out and about this sunny winter day. My walk took me out on the ice for a short time before heading back towards the apartment. On the way back I walked through the center, with its main square and town hall. The Lahti Town Hall is together with the two radio towers and the ski-jumping slopes the most impressive constructions in the town. Nine kilometers and about two hours later, I was back in the apartment with Susann and Little A. The evening has been mostly for relaxing and we are currently enjoying a glass of sparkling wine, some smoked salmon and a few pieces of Cheese from the Åland Islands.
