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Voykit pocket guide · Finland
Ii
Give Ii half a day or one night from Oulu: walk Old Hamina, the church and the river mouth, then take bus 23 back. Not a base.
Ii is a small Bothnian Bay municipality 35 km north of Oulu, at the mouth of the Iijoki river. Its old wooden quarter, church and riverside paths fit into a few hours, and it markets itself on zero-waste and climate goals. Almost everyone arrives on the hourly bus 23 from Oulu or as a break on the E75 drive to Lapland.
- Country
- Finland
- Best months
- Jun–Aug
- Avoid
- Nov–Mar (ice, dark, most services closed)
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Cards and phone payments are accepted almost everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget €40–70 excl. bed · Mid €70–120 excl. bed · High €120+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- EU roaming applies.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 112 · Medical helpline (24 h) 116 117
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · European two-pin; UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: Not expected; round up for great service.; Café and bar: Nothing.; Taxi: Nothing expected.; Guides: Optional.
- Water
- Tap water is excellent.
- Toilets
- Free in libraries, malls and many stations; some charge €1 by card.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee and a bun | €3–6 |
| Lunch buffet (Makujen Kiina) | €10–14 |
| Pizza or kebab main | €10–16 |
| Beer in a pub | €6–8 |
| Bus 23 Oulu–Ii, one way | €8.30 adult / €4.20 child |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | €8–20 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- OUL · Oulu Airport
- Nearest airport, about 60 km (37 mi) south; bus 8 or 9 to Oulu centre, then bus 23 to IiNearest airport, about 37 mi (60 km) south; bus 8 or 9 to Oulu centre, then bus 23 to Ii
Typical fares
- Bus 23 Oulu centre → Ii
- €8.30 adult, about 1 h, hourly weekdays
- Taxi Ii centre → Iin Sillat camping
- €10–15
- Coach Ii → Kemi
- €10–20
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The centre is small enough to walk. A bike is the best way to reach the Environmental Art Park and KulttuuriKauppila; the Ruustinna route links them in about 2.5 km (1.6 mi). Local buses are run by Oulu PTA and mostly serve trips in and out of the municipality.The centre is small enough to walk. A bike is the best way to reach the Environmental Art Park and KulttuuriKauppila; the Ruustinna route links them in about 1.6 mi (2.5 km). Local buses are run by Oulu PTA and mostly serve trips in and out of the municipality.
See and do
Known for
- Old Hamina wooden houses
- Church of Ii
- Iijoki river mouth
- Zero-waste and climate goals
- Shortest place name in Finland
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Oulu | Bus 23 from the centre, hourly on weekdays | About 1 h |
| Hailuoto | Bus 23 towards Oulu, then the Hailuoto ferry connection | 2.5–3 h |
| Simo | Coach or car north on the E75 | About 1 h |
| Kemi | Coach or car north on the E75 | 1.5–2 h |
Sleep
- Old Hamina and the river
- Motel and camping by Vanha Hamina and Pappila, 500 m from the shops; the only realistic place to sleep in Ii.
- Oulu
- Most visitors sleep in Oulu and day-trip; the last bus 23 back leaves in the evening, earlier on Sundays.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| To Ii, please | Iihin, kiitosEE-hin, KEE-tos |
| Thank you | KiitosKEE-tos |
| How much is it? | Paljonko se maksaa?PAHL-yon-ko se MAHK-sah |
| Can I pay by card? | Voinko maksaa kortilla?VOYN-ko MAHK-sah KOR-til-la |
| Where is the toilet? | Missä on vessa?MEES-sa on VES-sa |
| One coffee, please | Yksi kahvi, kiitosOOK-si KAH-vi, KEE-tos |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Firm handshake, eye contact, short and direct; avoid: Hugs and long small talk with strangers
- Silence: Let pauses be pauses; avoid: Filling every quiet moment
- Sauna: Shower first, ask before throwing water on the stones; avoid: Swimsuits in nude-only saunas, or nudity in mixed ones marked otherwise
- Home visit: Shoes off; bring flowers or pastries; avoid: Keeping shoes on indoors
- Personal space: Keep a metre's distance in queues; avoid: Sitting next to a stranger when other seats are free
- Promises: Mean what you say; Finns will; avoid: Polite 'let's meet sometime' you do not intend
Scams and watch-outs
- Buses run hourly on weekdays and every second hour at weekends; the last bus from Oulu leaves at 21:25 on weekdays, 22:25 Fridays, 22:45 Saturdays and 18:35 Sundays.
- Winter pavements and roads carry black ice; do not walk on the river ice without a local who knows the conditions.
- Reckless drivers and mopeds in the centre; there are no marked crossings everywhere.
- Most sights and cafés are summer-only; outside Jun–Aug expect closed doors.
Very safe, quieter than Oulu. Real risks are black ice, river ice, and drivers on the E75 through the centre.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Ii yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Old Hamina wooden houses
- Church of Ii
- Iijoki river mouth
- Zero-waste and climate goals
- Shortest place name in Finland
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Ii municipality (official): www.ii.fi/
- Oulu public transport — routes and timetables: www.oulunjoukkoliikenne.fi/routes-and-timetables
- Matkahuolto — coach timetables: www.matkahuolto.fi/en
- VR — Finnish railways: www.vr.fi/en
- KulttuuriKauppila art centre: www.artii.fi/?lang=en
- Iin Sillat motel and camping: www.iinsillat.com
- Wikivoyage: Ii, revision 5230031 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5230031
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Ii
Tähän osoitteeseen, kiitos
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Ii; most are in Helsinki. The nearest consulates are in Oulu (check).
Tipping is not expected. Cards are accepted almost everywhere; the two ATMs in Ii are next to K-Market and inside Autokeidas.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/ii). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.