HaparandaTornio is the northernmost twin city in the world! With us, you can do many things in two countries at the same time. You can arrange dates at the same time – twice! You could say we manage to travel in time. You can cross the border in many ways – here are some examples.
Walking and biking across the border
At HaparandaTornio, it’s nice to stroll or bike along a river bank, stop for coffee, marvel at outdoor art and explore historical sculptures and places. There is also an ice swimming place along the way and in summer you can stop to enjoy the beach life. There are plans for a tourism boulevard in the area, which will help developing the experience in an even more experiential direction. The new walking bridge is a nice place to cross the country border on foot. Many people in our area cross the border to go to work and for that this bridge is a very nice addition to an everyday life. If you wish to explore the area more we highly recommend to book a fatbike tour with Nordic safaris around HaparandaTornio where you cross the border by crossing the river on a raft in Kukkola village.
Market square named by the crown princess Victoria
The Victorian square is a rarity in itself, as there are not many border squares in the world. It was inaugurated by Swedish Crown Princess Victoria and the square has been named after her. So when walking in the market, you can easily switch from one country and time zone to another. Do you regret something you just said? Jump back in time and act differently! Well maybe this does not work that well, but it is worth trying. The market is a a place for entertainment and events for the locals and visitors. The square also has art worth seeing as well and the most known selfie place in town. There is a heart where you can sit in, you in another and your friend in another country.
Skiing and ice rally on the frozen lake
The city bay is located on the Finnish-Swedish border. In winter, a cross-country ski trails run on the ice of the bay, allowing you to ski in two countries at once. Fortunately, we cross the same side of the street and the trail, so we avoid uncomfortable overtaking situations! On the ice of the bay, you can also see cars racing on the ice rink in winter. It is also nice to get around the bay by jogging and cycling.
Playing golf in two countries at once
We have a unique golf course, here you can hit the longest punch in the world and play in two countries at the same time. The ball is in the air for an hour and 5 seconds!
Shopping on the border
We have the northernmost IKEA in the world and our shopping center Rajalla is named after its location being on the border of two countries. The border shopping center is located on Victoria Square and features a nice setting for shopping, coffee, dining and a cinema.
Changing buses on the border
There is also a travel center on the border of the countries, where both Finnish and Swedish buses stop. Here you can easily change to a bus from another country and drive across the border. There is also a restaurant in the center, so hunger cannot be the issue while waiting. Remember the time difference when checking the bus schedules.
Fishing and river rafting in two countries at once
We can try our luck in fishing twice. In Kukkolankoski, you can take part in fishing on a raft where when fishing and enjoying the sun on the raft, you cross the border without noticing. Also in rafting, you may sometimes jump from Finland to the Swedish side. Nordic safaris arranges several border crossing activities in HaparandaTornio.
Snowmobiling across the border
We offer several winter activities that you are looking for when visiting Lapland. In HaparandaTornio you can snowmobile from a country to another. If you wish you can also try cross country skiing from a country to another and if skiing is something you have not done before, do not worry, here the crossing only takes a few seconds.
