Food and cuisine in Jyväskylä

As a student living in Jyväskylä, it is vital to know where to get and buy food; and also where to enjoy a variety of cuisines in the city.

What if I am too lazy to cook?
One of the best things I value during my study here is the lunch meal in cafeterias at the University. After my exchange experience in France, I have come to appreciate these lunch cafeterias more.

Firstly, you might be amazed by the fact that there is not only one cafeteria (lounas ravintola in Finnish), but I would say many of them around the campus. Depending on which building you study, you can check the menus on each restaurant’s website in advance, as I and my friends often search what kind of menu is offered. They are accessible and available with multi-options every weekday. Ravintola Lozzi is also available on Saturday and Ilokivi is open until 5 pm on weekdays, which means you can have two meals per day in the campus cafeteria and also enjoy Saturday lunch if you are too busy to prepare for food on your own. They offer not only lunch but also snacks, coffee, drinks, smoothies, pastries, cakes, etc.

What is more, the price for students’ meal is incredible, with only 2.6 €, including drink, warm food with fresh salad, delicious bread and especially available vegan options on daily basis. These nutritious and healthy meals play an essential role in students’ health and mind for studying. Everything works in order, so you never have to worry about the rush hour at lunch time. Just queue in line and be ready to choose what you want to eat today!

Ravintola Piato (in Agora building) and Ylistö give you a fine view of the lake. In Ilokivi, when you buy a ticket book (25 € for 10 meals), you are able to contribute to the development projects of Student Union. The two links below belong to Ilokiki and Lozzi; on the latter one you can also see other cafeterias at the end of the website.

https://www.ilokivi.fi/en/restaurant/lunch

https://www.semma.fi/en/restaurants/seminaarimaki/restaurant-lozzi/

What if I like cooking, so where to shop for food?

There are two main chains of supermarkets in Finland: S group and K group. Though Jyväskylä is a student city, with a population of approximate 140,000, there are surprisingly a lot of huge supermarkets in the different areas of the city. S group consists of (from big to small size): Prisma, S-market, and Sale. K group has K-Citymarket on the biggest scale, then K-supermarket, K-market, and K-extra. The bigger the shop is, the more sections and the better price they offer.

Depending on where you live, you can always visit your nearby market. There is a very good connection from the city center to Prisma and Citymarket by bus. Once you get S/K group card, you definitely get more benefits such as discounts or bonus. I tend to buy common things in Prisma which offers better price and quality products. Yet, if I need more oriental spices and different kinds of vegetables or seafood, I will go to Citymarket in Seppala, which is close to Prisma. Also, nearby S-market and K-market provide an acceptable selection of products in case you do not want to go far.

Lidl is another chain of supermarkets where you might find other kinds of products or other brands, and sometimes they are even cheaper than in Prisma or Citymarket. Minimani offers very fresh fish with more decent price than the other shops. How about looking for exotic spices or ingredients to make your own food? I am sure that students from Asia, Africa, or South America sometimes miss your home cuisine and want to get certain food with familiar tastes. You can check out Asian Food (in Citymarket Seppala) which I highly recommend, or Antalya market, Silk Mark, which are all oriental shops. And you will be entirely happy to find something you have craved for long.

What if I am interested in restaurants?

Compared to other bigger European cities, Jyväskylä has a limited selection of restaurants. But I find it a privilege to a be student here. I am so surprised that many restaurants in this small city offer discounts for students ranging from 5% to 20%.

Here is the recommendations from our student ambassadors:

Sohwi (Western food and fusion cuisine), Green Egg (Western and Asian fusion), Haiku sushi (offer on buffet time), Katriina (vegan food), Beans & more ( vegan food), RAX ( buffet), Hualong ( Chinese cuisine), Thai Jyvaskyla, Fit (Vietnamese cuisine), Pizzeria Maria.

Why don’t you take a chance to enjoy with your friends and buddies?

Phuong Do-Salenius, Student Ambassador
Development and International Cooperation

Moving in and around Jyväskylä

Jyväskylä is a city of cyclists. Bicycle is probably the most popular means of transportation, especially among students, since it is as flexible, healthy and eco-friendly as walking but faster. It is a great way to explore the city! A good system of cycle paths, which are mainly located on the sidewalks and not on the roads, make the city a safe place for cyclists. You can easily find a used bike at an affordable price in second-hand bike shops or online in Facebook groups.

A working gear change and good brakes are quite important as the city is more hilly than it seems at first sight. When it comes to cycling in winter, opinions tend to differ sharply. While many people store their bikes in the bike shed during the cold season, others don’t want to miss their trusty vehicle and put studded tires on. Since the condition of the streets changes almost every day due to the varying mix of snow and ice, cycling in winter remains an adventure. Wearing a helmet is highly recommended.

Another adventure can be your first bus ride in Jyväskylä. I spent some time waiting at bus stops until I realized that the time mentioned in the timetable at the bus stop is not the time when the bus arrives at that specific bus stop. It is actually the departure time at which the bus leaves from the first stop, so you need to estimate the time that the bus needs till your bus stop. You may want to use this website instead, which shows you the more or less exact time when the bus will be at your bus stop as well as the route. https://jyvaskyla.digitransit.fi/ It can be helpful to familiarize yourself in advance with the route and the location of the bus stop where you want to go to, because the bus stops are not announced in the bus and the bus stops only if someone presses the stop button or if someone is waiting outside at a bus stop and waving. Tickets can be bought from the bus driver (only cash) or in the app Linkki. The price of a single ticket bought in the bus is currently 3 € and in the app 2,70 €. The ticket id valid for an hour. If you are planning to use the bus regularly, it makes sense to get a value ticket or a season ticket from the Linkki service point in Forum or any R-kioski. A ride with a student value ticket costs 1,70 € and the card can be topped up online, in the bus or at the places mentioned above. A student season ticket for 30 days costs at the moment 43 € and a ticket for 90 days 123 €.

Travelling by bus is also a good choice if you want to visit other cities and explore the country. On the website of Matkahuolto, you can buy tickets from all Finnish long-distance bus operators, such as Onnibus (https://www.onnibus.com/home) which is well-known for its low prices. In general, the ticket will be cheaper the earlier you book it and in some intercity buses you can also get a student discount. The same applies to the train tickets of the Finnish railway company VR (https://www.vr.fi/cs/vr/en/frontpage), which has a great price–performance ratio. You can get for example from Jyväskylä to the Helsinki airport for around 13 €, including seat reservation, if you buy the ticket well in advance. There is free WiFi in all trains and in many buses and they are rather punctual, which makes travelling a pleasant and stress-free experience.

Linda Stenzel, Student Ambassador
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

The Small White Flakes of Wonder

The small white flakes of wonder

Swaying in the air

As I try to catch them

To take a closer look

Some are perfectly shaped

With details of art and muse

I stand there pondering on 

The limitless creation of nature.

An amateur poem that I wrote after experiencing my first snowfall in Jyväskylä in the month of October 2018. 

The minimum temperature I have been before I came to Finland is 21 degree Celsius. Very soon, I realized that was summer in Finland! Experiencing snowfall for the first time was an unforgettable moment. Soon after, there was heaps of snow everywhere and I got used to it. I started layering up with thermals, jackets, and accessories like mufflers, beanies and scarfs on top of that every time I had to go out, and removing them when I reach the place. Uff! I missed going out in my flip flops, t shirt and jeans! 

Life was good, until one day, when the temperature suddenly increased and the roads became the pathways of danger and caution. The snow froze and the roads became slippery! Each step I took, it was like stepping on the mine bombs. You never know on which step would you fall! And I did fall a couple of times, but that’s the fun!

Apart from such daily life adventures, I loved the walks on the frozen lakes, my failed skiing attempts, the glistening sun on the snow, the beautiful picture perfect sunsets, winter hikes and the peace and silence of Finnish nature.

Gomathy Soundararaj

Masters in Educational Sciences

Happy Lunar New Year 2019!

Happy Lunar New Year 2019 to everyone who celebrates these days away from home and family!
   

Let this new year be full of new achievements, learning experiences and constant improvement leading to success in all your daily operations and studies! :)
    

新年快樂! 恭禧發財!
新年快乐! 恭禧发财!
새해 복 많이 받으세요!
Chúc mừng tết Nguyên Đán!

With best wishes,

JYU Student Ambassadors 

Cultural life in Jyväskylä or Where to go on Friday night? Museums

    Finland - a country of thousands of lakes and islands with outstandingly beautiful nature and breath taking clean air is a wonderful destination for traveling, winter sports and of course education. In the heart of the country lies a truly town of universities - Jyväskylä. Despite of its' tiny size and population (a bit over 130.000 inhabitants) it has become a destination for thousands of students from all around the world coming here ether for exchange or for a full time degree studies.
    When coming to Jyväskylä one can right away appreciate the great location of the city in between great forests and lakes. Despite of the history of the town (being primarily industrial sight) Jyväskylä became home for scholars and academic intellectuals as well as prominent artists. One of the most well known Finnish architects and designers - Hugo Alvar Henrik Aalto  , a pioneer of Nordic modernism movement in architecture, grew up here and planned many remarkable buildings (also on the University's campus) which you can see in the town till this day.
    When planning your leisure time - Jyväskylä has a range of places/activities to offer, all depends on your taste and preferences. For international students it might seem difficult to find information since most of cultural events and venues mostly advertise to locals thus you may notice lack of information about cultural activities in English. However we are about to fix this gap and suggest you some places you might want to visit on your free time.

Museums

By the way, did you know that most of museums in Jyväskylä have a free entry policy on Fridays? So if you happen to pass by any of our next suggested locations, feel free to pop in!

1. Alvar Aalto Museum (Alvar Aallon katu 7, Jyväskylä)

          Museum, is specialised in architecture and design. It was founded in 1966 to foster the legacy of the architecture of Alvar Aalto. The museum is located in a building designed by Aalto and completed in 1973. The museum houses a permanent exhibition on the life work of Alvar Aalto. The current permanent exhibition was opened in 1998, the centennial of Aalto's birth.

The mission of the building heritage section of the museum is the protection of buildings designed by Alvar Aalto.

   (photo: JYU students attend guided tour at Alvar Aalto museum during Jyväskylä Students' Art Festival - JSAF 2017)

2. Jyväskylä Arts Museum (Kauppakatu 23, Jyväskylä)

     Jyväskylä Art Museum nurtures the cultural heritage of visual arts in Central Finland, producing and transmitting experiences and knowledge of pictorial culture in interaction with its community. In addition, the museum creates and develops new forms and models of activity. Events and workshops are free of charge unless otherwise stated. Paintings, sculptures, digital art installations, photographs and much much more will keep your imagination and mind busy while visiting.

    Photos: Hosted by JYU students ( Nordic Art Network ry) new media and digital art exhibition: "City of Digital Art 2018" that brought over 1550 visitors to the Art museum just in 3 days.

3. Jyväskylä crafts museum (Kauppakatu 25, Jyväskylä)

     The Craft Museum of Finland is a specialized museum for handicraft covering entire Finland. The museum covers all techniques of handicraft, from house building to lace making and from forging to the design of ornaments. The National Costume Center of Finland and The Conservation Center are part of the museum. One of the main task is to make handicraft well known. Museum co-operates with artisans and craftsmen, general public, schools, any educational institutions from elementary school to university. The aim is to get people to see handicraft as a part of our life.

 4. Natural History Museum of Central Finland (Vesilinna Watching Tower, Ihantolantie 5, Jyväskylä)
 
   

   

     The Natural History Museum has an impressive collection of over 250 000 samples of flora and fauna typical for Central Finland. In addition to the museum premises in Vesilinna Watching Tower, there is a collection of plans in the main university campus.

   5. Toivolan Vanha Piha (Cygnaeuksenkatu 2, Jyväskylä)

     

      The site at Cygnaksenkatu 2 is the sole remaining example of an artisan’s home and courtyard, from a time when the buildings of downtown Jyväskylä were predominantly made of wood.  Artisanship has been an integral part of the rich history of the site. 

     Founded in 1837, the town plan of Jyväskylä was plotted out on a grid, according to the fashion of the day.  There were 143 lots marked out.  In 1838, among the first of the lots to be sold, was lot number 111, which is the lot where Toivola Old Courtyard located.

Originally from Heinola, dyer Anders Nygrèn bought the lot at auction for 50 rubles in 1838, and erected a two room building to house an artisan and family.  The dyer moved away from Jyväskylä upon completion of the building in 1840.

    6. Museum of Central Finland (Alvar Aallon katu 7, Jyväskylä)

        The Museum of Central Finland focuses on cultural history of the region. Here you can trace the development of Central Finland from the prehistoric times to the 1990’s. Besides the permanent exhibitions, the museum arranges temporary art exhibitions and events. The museum was built in two stages. Alvar Aalto  was commissioned to draw the architectural plans for it in 1956; the building was opened in May 1961 with interior designs by Alvar Aalto's Architects' Office and Maija Heikinheimo and Marja-Liisa Parko from Artek.

    7. Finnish Air Force Museum (Tikkakoskentie 125, Jyvaskyla)
   

        The basic exhibition consists mainly of aircraft, engines and aircrew equipment which has been used by the Finnish Air Force. The equipment of Air Force Signals Museum has its own section. A large collection of scale models gives a wider perspective to the whole field of aviation.
The museum has also a cafeteria and and museum shop.
 
     8. Kuokkalan kartano (Hämeenpohjantie 50, Kyväskylä)

        Kuokkala Manor was built by Julius Johnson built in 1904. Building was restored in the 1990s. Today, the manor house has a café open all year round and an art exhibition. There are works on the art and changing exhibitions. The atmospheric coffee rooms, café delicacies, background music, surrounding art and antique furniture provide all the senses. Small family parties, graduations or meetings can be arranged in the manor.

        In the next posts we will expand on cultural life of Jyväskylä and provide you more tips and suggest more places to spend your free time like live music venues, cultural events and prominent landmarks of Jyväskylä. You don't want to miss next edition of this blog! :)

        To catch up with more news about up-coming cultural events in Jyväskylä you are welcome to join : Jyväskylä Art Network group on Facebook, where more updates and information about upcoming events are published (community is maintained by Nordic Art Network ry).

        Have a great Friday and a weekend ahead!

     
        Oleksiy Kovalenko, Student ambassador

        MSc International Business and Entrepreneurship