I have a place for you if you are looking for a unique winter escape in Europe. In the north of Finland, there is a magical city called Oulu. There, you will embark on an ice-fishing adventure like no other. Especially because this is not a simple fishing trip, this excursion will offer you a glimpse into the heart of Arctic life.
I visited Oulu for the first time in late January 2024, and I loved every minute of it—especially the chocolates, but this is a topic for another article. During my last day in town, we had a busy day planned: ice fishing on the frozen sea followed by an early lunch so we could explore the area and the Nallikari Lighthouse nearby.
I knew ice fishing wasn’t for me since I needed more technical skills, and I failed to do so on another trip to Finland when I went to see Lake Bodom. So, I brought along my drone to see how I could capture the frozen sea from above, similar to what I did when I flew my drone above the frozen Tempelhof Park in Berlin.
Bringing the drone around seemed like a fantastic idea since the timing was perfect for a sunrise, and I don’t think I would have captured the gorgeous images you can see here without the drone. But let me start talking about ice fishing in Oulu since this is how everything started.
Oulu’s Frozen Wonderland: Experience the Magic of Ice Fishing
My journey into the frozen landscape started close to the iconic Nallikari lighthouse. From there, our group took to the ice on snowmobiles, which was already amazing for me since I had never ridden one before.
The frozen landscape before me was hard to ignore as we rode on the ice. The natural beauty around me was hard to describe, and you can easily understand why in the pictures here.
But we finally arrived at our fishing spots, and a new challenge came to me.
How do you go through the ice and reach the water? I never thought about that, but this was a day full of new experiences, as you can see. I was given some kind of big manual drill, and I started digging around the ice until it reached the water.
I had never been able to drill my hole in the ice before, which wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be! But even if you’re new to ice fishing like me, our expert guide ensured the entire group had the skills and knowledge to reel in a catch.
The area around Oulu is famous for its abundant population of roach, perch, and whitefish, providing an exciting fishing opportunity. It’s too bad I had other plans after a few minutes of ice fishing. I knew the weather, the sunrise, and the frozen seascape would be perfect for a drone flight, so I left the ice fishing group and took to the skies with my drone.
Flying a drone around the Nallikari lighthouse in Oulu
The first place I wanted to see from the skies was the iconic Nallikari lighthouse since it’s the most important seaside landmark in Oulu.
Nallikari Observation Tower, commonly known as Nallikari Lighthouse, was constructed on top of the breakwater at the beach’s northern end in 1988. It was designed by the architectural firm NVØ to represent the unique spirit of Oulu, and you can see it clearly in its distinctive style.
Its shapes and white color were perfect for the pictures I had in mind. I can clearly see why the Nallikari Lighthouse has been one of the most photographed locations in Finland on Instagram for a long time now.
From there, I flew above the frozen sea for a while, trying to capture the textures of snow on ice. While I stood on the ice, I could fly my drone to one side and see the Nallikari Lighthouse and the breakwater at the beach’s northern end. On the other side, I had a gorgeous sunrise with a forest backdrop. Everything I had in mind for some unique pictures.
In the end, after all the walking on ice and drilling, the group went to have lunch at the Ravintola Nallikari. I can advise you to do the same. After all the effort I made during that cold morning in the north of Finland, their food was exactly what I needed.
So, are you ready to embark on an extraordinary journey into the heart of Arctic winter? Learn more about ice fishing in Oulu secure your spot now, and prepare for an unforgettable ice fishing experience in Oulu on this link.
Reel in the Thrill: Ice Fishing and More in Oulu, Finland
visitoulu.fi/en/product/traditional-icefishing-at-oulu/
I went to Oulu in the winter of 2023 to participate in a Discover Finland-Estonia-Sweden Media trip during the Matka Travel Fair. It was part of the Pohjola Route, and I loved every minute.
