In English

Location

Kankaanpää is located in southwestern Finland and you can reach the city easily by bus or car. The nearest airport is located in the city of Pori and the nearest railway station is located in Parkano. It’s easy to arrive by train in Pori also and take a bus connection to Kankaanpää.

Distances from Kankaanpää:

• Parkano 43 km (nearest railway station 49 km)
• Pori 52 km (nearest airport and port)
• Tampere 95 km
• Vaasa 170 km
• Turku 174 km
• Jyväskylä 213 km
• Helsinki 267 km

Activities, nature, sights and events

Varied cultural and sightseeing options, good connections, beautiful nature and scenery surrounding the city, service offerings, recreational opportunities and proximity to other popular tourist destinations make Kankaanpää a good place to visit and stay!

You can find more information about destinations, activities and their locations from Outdooractive.

All content is in english.

Activities

Sports center (track & field, swimming, cross-country skiing, skating, gym…)

The Kankaanpää newly renovated sports center is the heart of Kankaanpää in many ways. The main sports areas and venues are located here. There is a top level athletics field, swimming hall, gym, sports hall, ski and outdoor trails etc. The Kankaanpää ice hockey arena is also located in the area. One of the ski trails is called the “intelligent ski trail” having energy saving lighting that accommodates to e.g. the time of day and the users on the trail.

In wintertime, you can easily check the condition of skiing trails from the sports centers real-time GPS-based tracking. The same service provides up-to-date information on the condition of ice rinks and skating rinks. The service provides track condition and maintenance information (when was the track last serviced or the track’s condition checked) as well as style, length and lighting. You can find the service here: Sometec real-time GPS tracking

Sports centers address: Jämintie 10, 38700 Kankaanpää

Multipurpose building Honkala

As the name implies, the multipurpose building Honkala creates opportunities for diverse year-round sports activities. The gymnasium offers ball games, tennis, badminton and athletics. The well-equipped gym caters for lovers of power sports. In addition, the house conference facilities. In Honkala area you can find also: tennis courts, ice rink, fitness stairs, frisbeegolf course and outdoor gym equipment. pictures and more info. Multipurpose hall Honkala

Address: Honkalantie 1, 38950 Honkajoki

Pesämäki Motorsports Center

The Pesämäki Motorsports Center in Honkajoki offers a high-quality framework for competition and training. National and international motorsport competitions can be organized in the region. Five different tracks allow for a variety of sports. You can also find a meeting room for about 50 people. There are also three rooms and accommodation for 20 people.

More info and pictures: Pesämäki motor sports center

Address: Vanha Maantie 237, 38950 Honkajoki

Swimming/beaches

The swimming hall at the sports center has been totally renewed in 2019. Address: Jämintie 10, 38700 Kankaanpää

There is also a swimming pool at the Kankaanpää Wellness Center. Address: Kelankaari 4, 38700 Kankaanpää

There is a beautiful recreation area just outside the city centre called ”Riviera”. The area has a beach, playground, beach volley court and lots of space to throw frisbee, play games and just relax and enjoy yourself. Address: Tapalankatu 7, 38700 Kankaanpää

Few kilometers outside the city center, there is a caravan area “Kuninkaanlähde”. The area has an outdoor pool. Address: Kuninkaanlähteentie 393, 38720 Kankaanpää

Explore other beaches and bathing areas in the Kankaanpää area: Beaches and swimming areas (in Finnish).

Parks and play grounds

There are over 30 nice play grounds in Kankaanpää. There is for example “Leijonapuisto” or “Lion park” in the city center area (address: Keskuskatu 39-41, 38700 Kankaanpää) and the “Riviera” park in the main beach (address: Tapalankatu 7, 38710 Kankaanpää). List of all play grounds with addresses. (In Finnish).

Bowling

The Kankaanpää Wellness Center has a bowling alley. Address: Kelankaari 4, 38700 Kankaanpää

Frisbeegolf

There are three frisbeegolf courses in the Kankaanpää area. Download the maps here:

Myllymäki course for beginners (9 lanes)

Viidentienristeys competition course track (23 lanes)

Honkajoki course for beginners and experts (9 lanes)

Nature

Kankaanpää is a part of Lauhanvuori-Hämeenkangas UNESCO Global Geopark.

Experience the serenity and mystique of the wild mires and discover the traces of the past geological drama. The geology of Lauhanvuori – Hämeenkangas UNESCO Global Geopark has international value. All Geoparks have their own geological theme, which in Lauhanvuori – Hämeenkangas UNESCO Global Geopark is the development from an ancient mountain range to the landscape of vast open mires we see today.

Geocaching

Kankaanpää is a home to some very active geocachers which means there are a plenty caches to find in the Kankaanpää area: List of geocaches in Kankaanpää

Hiking and cycling, mountain biking

Hämeenkangas recreational area offers excellent possibilities for hiking all the year round! Besides hiking you can cycle, ski, horse-back ride, pick mushrooms and berries… You can start your trail for example at the “five-road-crossing”. Address: Google Maps

More information about Hämeenkangas: https://www.nationalparks.fi/hameenkangas

Trails and paths in Outdooractive:

Orienteering

The are maps for orienteering in the city area as well as skiing orienteering starting from the “five-road-crossing”. Download the maps from the Finnish page “suunnistusreitit”.

Sights

Circle of Art, Art Path, Art Route

Kankaanpää host a one-of-kind outdoor gallery having over 100 pieces of art situated in the city area. This unique collection has been built over the last three decades and it still continues to grow as the city is committed to the “percentage principle” meaning that in all renovation and investment projects one percentage is allocated to art investments. The Circle of Art can be accessed from many directions. See the English brochure below and plan your own route! Taking a stroll on the Circle of Art is a great way to spend an afternoon and learn more about art and culture.

Circle of Art brochure

Circle of art in Outdooractive:

Kankaanpää art school (Satakunta University of Applied Sciences)

Kankaanpää is internationally famous for its art school which was established in the 1950´s. The school building is a sight itself, but you can also visit the school and its art gallery. Address: Paasikivenkatu 24.

Kankaanpää gallery

In addition to the art school and the circle of art, Kankaanpää has a very active art community. The Kankaanpää art association maintains the Kankaanpää gallery which is located close to the market square. The gallery showcases monthly changing exhibions. The gallery is open Wed 12-18, Thu-Fri 12-16, Sat 11-14. Address: Jämintie 2D, 38700 Kankaanpää.

Red-brick architecture

Kankaanpää has a history of having strong brick industry. This heritage can be seen in the impressive red-brick architecture that gives the city area its unique look. The dedication to modern city design and architecture has rewarded by the Finnish Association of Architects. See the attached presentation for some examples of the landmark buildings.

Libraries

Kankaanpää city library has been recently renovated and expanded. The building front represents a new landmark for the city, which can be seen on the top of this page as well. Even if you didn´t have a library card, you can still enjoy the friendly atmosphere, browse through the collections and read a magazine at the very popular local reading room. There is also a range of books and magazines in foreign languages. The library is open Mon – Fri 11-19 and Sat 10-14. The Kankaanpää Hall is situated in the same building, see below for details. Address: Kangasmoisionkatu 1, 38700 Kankaanpää

Kankaanpää also has another library in Honkajoki. The library is open Mon 13-19, Tue 13-16, Thur 13-19 and Fri 10-16. Address: Puistotie 6, 38950 Honkajoki

City museum

Kankaanpää city museum is located in Niinisalo. Under the same roof you can find local history, art collections and military history. There is also changing exhibitions. The museum hosts a unique collection of art work from example early works of the artists who have studied at the Kankaanpää art school. During summer season the museum is open daily from 11 to 18 and otherwise on weekends at from 12 to 16. The museum is worth a visit, because at the same time you can see the military area. Address: Museokatu 10, 38840 Niinisalo

Honkajoki Homeland Museum

The Honkajoki Homeland Museum is located on Hongontie next to the Lankoski Bridge. The museum has an extensive collection of peasant artefacts, most of which are handcrafted in or around Honkajoki. The museum’s collection covers artefacts related to the household, agriculture, animal husbandry and the handicraft tradition of women and men from the 18th century to the end of the 20th century. The Local History Museum was established in 1958 in a loan magazine that was decommissioned. Address: Hongontie 8, 38950 Honkajoki

Kankaanpää church

The wooden church of Kankaanpää was constructed during the years 1834-39. The church was designed by C.L.Engel and it represents the empire architecture. The church is situated on a small hilltop having a beautiful view on Lake Ruokojärvi. Address: Keskuskatu 64, 38700 Kankaanpää

Honkajoki church

Construction of the Honkajoki church began in 1804 and the church was consecrated on January 14, 1810. The church was designed by Salomon Köykkä-Köhlström, a well-known church builder from South Ostrobothnia, and he also worked as a construction manager. Address: Kauppatie 2, 38950 Honkajoki

Events

Kankaanpää is filled with exciting events for the whole family. See the event calendar (in Finnish)

Kankaanpää Hall

Kankaanpää Hall is a place for concerts, theater, dance recitals, seminars, meetings and other events. See the event calendar for upcoming events. Address: Kangasmoisionkatu 1, 38700 Kankaanpää

Markets

Kankaanpää square is a vivid outdoor market place. There is a market every Thursday throughout the year and on Saturdays during summer time. At the market you can find local goods, fresh vegetables, berries, fish, crafts and many other items not forgetting the famous “black sausage”. Address: Kauppatori 2, 38700 Kankaanpää

Finnish baseball

The national game of Finland is played on the national level in Kankaanpää. The “Kankaanpään Maila” of “KaMa” team celebrated its 80th birthday in 2018 and it still boasts with energy. During summer time, the games on the Kankaanpää baseball stadium gather people together. You can find the games in the event calendar. Stadium address: Jämintie 10 or Kuninkaanlähteenkatu 7, 38700 Kankaanpää

Summer theater

The summer theater in Veneskoski is recently renovated having now a new roof for the audience area that is made of “päre”, a very unique type of wood strip. The roof is a sight itself, but there are also wonderful traditional Finnish summer theater performances in July. Address: Soikanraitti 89, 38750 Kankaanpää

The “Hörhiäinen” week

The summer time in Kankaanpää is culminated in the “Hörhiäinen” week and weekend. The week (usually the last full week of August) gathers together a multifaceted program of culture, sports, well-being, markets, exhibitions, concerts and other events. The weekend nights are popular times to get together with old friends, have class reunions and just have fun. The “Hörhiäinen” is actually a title which is given an active and energetic local person, who has helped the community in some form and contributed to the common good.

Eat, drink and stay

Accommodation

There are nice hotels at the city center and many other options for accommodation. You can sleep in hotel, caravan area and you can even rent a cottage if you like.

• Sport Hotel Kantri has 52 rooms and conference rooms. There you can go different saunas, go to gym and play tennis.
• Finland Hotel Lumiainen is hotel next to market square. Hotel has its own restaurant.
• Kankaanpää Wellness Center it´s most versatile hotel in Kankaanpää. High quality accommodation and a full selection of services. There you can swim, bowl, hiking, gym and you can enjoy at the restaurant and bar.
• Pettu-Eerikki is nature-like inn where you can eat and sleep in historical milieu. It´s 15 minutes away from Kankaanpää. There is restaurant and rooms.
• Hotel Kuninkaankartano is located about 8 km away from Kankaanpää. Each room have own bathroom, shower and balcony. Hotel offers outdoor pool, tennis court and minigolf.
• Caravan area Kuninkaanlähde is very popular with families with children. There is 350 caravan places and 250 caravan place where you can have electricity. There is showers, saunas, Barbecue, Kitchen, there is inva toilet and inva shower. There you can swim, hike, run, Frisbee golf, bike, there is much to do with kids.
• Farm tourism Kurkikorven mummola it´s very grandmother styles and there is Wild Herb Courses and guided welfare path. There is food and sauna services.
• Honka-Center’s Honkahovi Hotel in Honkajoki accommodates the busy commuter and the laid-back holidaymaker. The cozy little hotel is also suitable for a stay of several days. Honkahovi also has a restaurant and homelike lunch Mon-Fri 10:30-15:00.

Restaurants and bars

In Kankaanpää, there are many options for good dining as well as finding a place to grab a small bite. You see contact information of all restaurants, bars and cafees from Visit Kankaanpää web page.

• Restaurants and lunch places
• Cafees
• Fast food places
• Nightclubs and pubs