Joensuu is one of the largest cities in Finland, and has excellent services. The city has a high-calibre central hospital that takes care of everything from fractures to childbirth; a university; a polytechnic university; vocational schools; and a good network of nursery schools, family day care centres, schools and upper secondary schools.

Living in Joensuu is easy, effortless and safe. There is more culture, sports and leisure activities than you have time for.

Joensuu makes an especially good home for families. This is partly due to the city’s excellent network of day care centres and schools, built on the teacher studies provided by our own university. Thanks to the local teacher training, nursery schools and schools here have competent and committed staff -  something that is also appreciated by parents. New spaces are planned with care, always leading with strong pedagogical thinking. This is evident in the new schools in Karsikko or Eno, built in 2022.

For the youth, Joensuu can offer e.g. various youth spaces and guided activities through different hobby initiatives.

Joensuu is a genuine sports town. The city places great emphasis on providing sporting opportunities for each resident, as well as staging top level sports and sporting events. The sports facilities in Joensuu are some of the best in the country, and they are topped off by the unique Mehtimäki Sports Park. The city has two swimming baths and an endless number of well maintained gyms, outdoor and indoor sports locations, beaches, and hiking areas.

At the Joensuu Sports Academy, you can combine studies and sports at the highest level. The city is home to a number of vibrant sports teams and clubs that play matches on a weekly basis.

You can find some helpful links to local sports venues, outdoor trail and activities in our VisitJoensuu site, link below.

Joensuu is full of culture. In addition to the Joensuu City Orchestra, high quality museums, City Theatre, and Conservatory, there is a vibrant independent scene full of art, culture and events. The best known among Joensuu’s events is the mega festival Ilosaarirock, but there’s plenty of live music, theatre, cinema, dance and other inspiring culture to be enjoyed.

In Joensuu, you can try a variety of sports and hobbies for a reasonable price. There’s all types of activities from padel to crossfit, and from circus to graphics printing. The Community College of the Joensuu area organises courses that are available for everyone, and children, youth and students can enjoy a broad selection of basic education in arts. The Joensuu library network operates 18 libraries and three mobile libraries to boot.

A huge number of associations and clubs organise events and activities in Joensuu. There are gigs at restaurants, plenty of audience in sports events, and the winter swimming association has over 2,000 members! It is easy for new Joensuu residents to get involved in different activities, make friends with the locals and to immerse themselves in the Joensuu way of life.