Kannonkoski Karstula Kinnula Kivijärvi Kyyjärvi Pihtipudas Viitasaari
Get to know the municipalities in the area
Our vibrant municipalities invite you to live, engage in hobbies and travel. Learn more about the municipalities through this page and fall in love with the Heart of Finland.
Municipalities in the area
Heart of Finland in numbers
- 7 municipalities in Northern Central Finland
- 5 048 km² of land area
- 401 100 hectares of forest
- 18 485 inhabitants
- 1500 entrepreneurs
- 816 lakes
Kannonkoski
Kannonkoski offers residents and visitors excellent recreational opportunities for a wide range of sports and enjoying nature. In addition to activity, Kannonkoski, surrounded by three lakes, offers a peaceful atmosphere by waterways and in the middle of nature. The municipality has long sandy beaches, rapids fishing spots and ideal berry and mushroom forests.
Karstula
In Karstula, cooperation is active and carried out in a positive spirit. For this reason, there is a lot of entrepreneurship in Karstula, and active cooperation also maintains opportunities for hobbies. Karstula has a long tradition in music, Karstula‘s music lovers actively organize concerts, and Karstula hosts a traditional music week every year. In addition to cultural offerings, Karstula has good sports opportunities and a wide range of services.
Kinnula
In Kinnula, people are open and happy to get to know new villagers and tourists. The warmth of the people creates a sense of community and security in the municipality, here you are not left alone, but you get help when you need it. In this small parish, people also spend time together with hobbies and relax close to nature. Welcome to get to know this warm–hearted and scenic municipality, its everyday life and people.
Kivijärvi
In Kivijärvi, you can enjoy the beautiful wilderness nature, the center is surrounded by sturdy and rocky pine forests. In addition, Salamajärvi National Park is part of Kivijärvi. The national park also brings tourists to the municipality, and in the summer, the number of people moving around in the municipality doubles because of the cottage residents. Kivijärvi has a few specialties, such as an airport, a candy factory and a sculpture park with sculptures made with a chainsaw. In addition, there is also a miniature golf course in Kivijärvi, where both tourists and locals can spend their free time.
Kyyjärvi
Kyyjärvi‘s slogan reads: Small village, big heart. This sentence is true, there is strong teamwork in this village. Residents actively participate in events and are also involved in organising them. In Kyyjärvi, volleyball in particular keeps the whole village in suspense when Kyyjärvi KyKy plays in the men‘s championship league. Kyyjärvi offers its residents an active everyday life by building together and a space to relax. The municipality has a good setting for outdoor activities and you can recharge your batteries in the middle of nature.
Pihtipudas
Pihtipudas is an active municipality in terms of both hobbies and business activities. The municipality does voluntary work in sports and there is a strong sense of community. For example, in the village of Muurasjärvi there is a village shop called MeiJän kauppa, which operates in the form of a cooperative and is owned by the villagers. Both in the villages and in Pihtipudas, events are actively organized around music, culture and sports. In Pihtipudas, people live close to nature, and an ice swimming spot or a lingonberry forest can be found right on your doorstep. Tourists are offered things to see and experience from sports to culture and from history to the silence of nature.
Viitasaari
Viitasaari strongly supports business activities. In this rural town, companies do not rest on their laurels, but actively develop their own operations. Residents and tourists have access to a wide range of shops and restaurants. The people of Viitasaari have been instilled with a touch of courage and love for their home region, they are hospitable and communal. Clear waterways, sparkling rapids and the peace of the forests attract people to live, engage in hobbies and spend time in Viitasaari for longer, even permanently.
Test which municipality is right for you
Use the test to see which municipality would be the most suitable for you. You can access the test from the link below.