Things to Do in Espoo
Espoo is a versatile holiday destination. At Hotel Matts, you’ll stay in the heart of Matinkylä, Espoo, surrounded by diverse services and excellent transport connections, including the Metro. In no time, you can reach the events and attractions of Espoo and Helsinki, without the need for your own car!
Espoo in a Nutshell
Espoo was founded in 1972 and is the second-largest city in Finland with 314 000 inhabitants (2023). Espoo as an area though has had a settlement for the past 8000 years. The surface area of Espoo covers 312 km² on land and 216 km² on water. Espoo has 165 islands and 95 lakes and 58 kilometres of coastline. Almost everything you can find in Finland; you can find on a smaller scale in Espoo.
See more what Espoo has to offer:
Culture
Museums and Exhibitions
There are museums for both lovers of modern art and those seeking a glimpse of history:
Concerts
Music and atmosphere in Espoo! Discover Espoo’s music offerings:
Theatre
For lovers of live performances, Espoo Cultural Centre and Espoo City Theatre offer unique experiences. Also for international guest, as English subtitles are always available for the performances.
Other Culture
Just a 4-minute metro ride from Hotel Matts, you’ll find Espoo Metro Arena, which offers a wide variety of events, from sports to concerts!
For more activities and events in Espoo, see Visit Espoo website.
Nature and the Sea
Espoo Waterfront Walkway
True to its name, Espoo Waterfront Walkway follows the coastline for nearly its entire length. This 40-kilometer route offers excellent outdoor paths and stunning sea views. The journey from Hotel Matts to the waterfront can easily be made on foot, by rental bike, or by bus. Along the way, you can stop to enjoy the offerings of the seaside café-restaurant Nokkalan Majakka.
Matinkylä Beach
Espoo’s seaside beaches are located just about 2 km from the hotel. Matinkylä Beach also offers showers and changing rooms. For more information, visit the Espoo.fi website!
Nuuksio National Park
Nature experiences are easily accessible from our hotel. Travel to the heart of nature and enjoy the stunning scenery of Nuuksio National Park. The park is just over 20 km away by car. You can also take a bus to reach the park—check the schedules on the HSL website.
Finnoo Nature Trail
Finnoo’s nature trail (Suomenoja bird pond) is a great place to get to know the life of birds! There are a lot of birds and in some places you can watch them very closely. Along the Finnoo nature trail, there are two bird towers on different sides of Finnoolahti. The nature trail is easy to navigate and can also be used with strollers.
Friisinkallio Nature Reserve
Located near Olari and Friisilä, Friisinkallio offers a diverse slice of nature in a small area. Here, you can see impressive glacially smoothed rocks, dry rocky pine forests, and spruce-dominated forests. The area also features a small swamp and, in the northern part, a small alder grove and fern thicket.
Sports and Wellness
Matinkylä Swimming Hall
In the immediate vicinity of the Hotel Matts is a new and modern Matinkylä Swimming Hall, which includes a 50-metre pool with eight lanes, a multi-functional rehabilitation pool with jacuzzi seats, a cold-water pool and a paddling pool and a teaching pool for children.
ELIXIA Iso Omena
Our guests can enjoy complimentary access to the nearby ELIXIA gym at Iso Omena!
Borrow a Bike
At Hotel Matts, you can reserve a bicycle free of charge during your stay. We also provide helmets for your convenience!
Rent a Fatbike or Book a Guided Tour!
Natura Viva offers self-service Fatbike rentals at Matinkylä, where you can easily pick up a bike. Reserve your bike on Natura Viva’s website.
Natura Viva also organizes guided tours for kayaking, stand-up paddling (SUP), or fatbiking. Explore the tours here!
Golf in Espoo
Espoo boasts several high-quality golf courses. The nearest courses to Hotel Matts are Tapiola Golf, just 6.5 km away, and Löfkulla Golf, 12 km away. On the Helsinki side, the closest course is Helsinki Golf Club in Tali, about 16 km from the hotel.
Ice sports and skiing in winter
There are many artificial ice rinks in Espoo where you can skate in the winter. See Espoo’s artificial ice rinks here. Ilmatar Areena is only a kilometer away from our hotel, where you can find public skating times. See Espoo’s public skating times here.
In the Espoo area, you can also go skiing in the winter when the weather is favorable! Read more here. You can check which tracks are available for skiing on the Ulkoliikunta.fi service.
Shopping
Shopping Centre Iso Omena
Shopping Center Iso Omena is located right next to the hotel! The Second Hand selections are also continually expanding—explore Kieppi Second Hand Market in Iso Omena and its variety of shops!
Shopping Centre Ainoa in Tapiola
Shopping Centre Ainoa is located in Tapiola, just a 5-minute metro ride away. Explore the diverse shopping experience at the heart of Tapiola!
Food and Drink
Restaurant Freja
Restaurant Freja is located on the first floor of Hotel Matts and serves breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. Freja’s à la carte menu takes you on a delicious journey with both familiar and slightly more exotic flavors, all prepared with seasonal ingredients. In Freja’s cozy bar, you can enjoy hot and cold drinks, as well as light snacks. Our bartenders craft the best seasonal cocktails, also available in non-alcoholic versions.
Nokkalan Majakka
Nokkalan Majakka is a seaside café-restaurant where you can enjoy wonderful scenery of the sea all year round! Enjoy quality pastry, salads, soup lunch or delicious meals from the menu. Specialty coffees, high quality wines and other drinks will ensure you a relaxing moment by the sea!
Dining in Espoo
Eat, drink, and celebrate in Espoo! Explore Espoo’s wide range of restaurants and cafés on Visit Espoo website!
Entertainment
Duudsonit Activity Park Espoo
Experience an action-packed adventure at Duudsonit Park! Located just a stone’s throw from our hotel in the Iso Omena shopping centre, Duudsonit Activity Park offers fun for all ages. As a guest at Hotel Matts, you can enjoy a discount on the entrance fee! Ask more at our hotel reception!
Finnkino Omena
Iso Omena is home to the Finnkino Omena cinema. Finnkino Omena is a modern, seven-screen movie theatre complex, featuring the luxurious LUXE auditorium, offering a premium movie experience.
Distances from Hotel Matts
Matinkylän metro station: 0,1 km
Shopping Center Iso Omena: 0,3 km
Matinkylä Swimming Hall: 0,1 km
Finnkino Omena cinema: 0,3 km
Matinkylän Ice Hall Ilmatar Areena: 1 km
Duudsonit Activity Park: 0,3 km
Nokkalan Majakka: 1,8 km
Matinkylä Beach: 1,9 km
Espoo Museum of Modern Art EMMA: 5,7 km
Otaniemi: 7,8 km
Espoo Metro Areena: 4,8 km
Tapiola Golf : 6,5 km
Helsinki City Center: 13 km
Seurasaari Open Air Museum: 12 km
Helsinki Airport: 29 km
