ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW WHEN VISITING events in ESPOO METRO AREENA
Espoo is a proud home to some of the most exciting events and happenings. Many bigger scale sports events and gigs take place in our beloved Metro Areena, and we want YOU to get the most out of your visit. Here is our guide on what to DO and where to EAT while getting ready for your event in Metro Areena!
FIRST OF ALL - HOW TO GET THERE?
The easiest way to reach Espoo Metro Areena when arriving from Helsinki, is by metro (underground) to Urheilupuisto station which is located very near to Metro Areena, or Tapiola station which is located under the Ainoa Shopping Centre as well as bus stations. The best way to figure out your journey is to download the Helsinki Transportation HSL app. The app will show your journey from your current location to your final destination and recommends the best means of transportation whether it is local train, metro (underground), bus or bike.
Photo: Omar El Mrabt
Where to eat?
Nobody likes being hungry on holiday, so let´s start with a list of restaurants in the area. Tapiola´s food scene is located mainly in the Ainoa Shopping Centre and its surroundings. And here is also few good tips from the areas nearby.
Restaurant GOAT offers delicious and relaxed food at the AINOA Shopping Centre with the contribution of three different popular and trendy restaurants.
Bistro O Mat Tapiola serves lunch and dinner which combines Scandinavian and French cuisine.
Restaurant Grill it! (Original Sokos Hotel Tapiola Garden) Scandinavian restaurant combines traditional barbecue and first-class raw materials with a fresh and exciting way.
Restaurant Kylä offers natural ingredients, seasonal flavors, warm and relaxed atmosphere and long dinners in a great company.
Anne's Vege (vegetarian) offers healthy and delicious vegetarian food that is completely vegan and gluten-free.
Deliberi Tapiola - choose snacks, tapas or bigger meals - or a glass of sparkling in a relaxed setting.
A BIT FURTHER:
Restaurant Plats (Hotel Hanaholmen) is a place where you can enjoy spectacular Nordic cuisine while adoring the coastal archipelago. A place where Nordic art and design meet world class gastronomy.
Lucy in the Sky a rooftop restaurant & Bar Lucy in the Sky serves Scandinavian food in Keilaniemi with spectacular rooftop views.
Restaurant Villa Lilla offers delicious treats, food and great wines in a beautiful setting in an old red-wooden Villa in Leppävaara district.
What to do and experience?
Do you have a couple of hours before heading to your event in Metro Areena? Great! Come with us to explore the neighborhood! Here are our TOP 7 tips on activities in Tapiola district and its surroundings:
1) WEEGEE EXHIBITION CENTRE & EMMA – ESPOO MUSEUM OF MODERN ART
If you would like to fall for the magic of modern art or would like to explore the story of Espoo, EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art and KAMU – Espoo City Museum at WeeGee Exhibition Centre are your spots to go. There you will find the finest of modern art exhibitions and also learn about the fairytale world of the famous Finnish writer Mauri Kunnas.
2) LEIKKI – THE MUSEUM OF PLAY & THE MUSEUM OF HOROLOGY AND JEWELLERY KRUUNU
If you fancy getting a bit nostalgic or if you travel with children, Leikki - the Museum of Play is your must-go place. In Leikki you will be taken into your childhood and most likely you will recognize some of your favorite childhood toys. You and your children can get creative or just enjoy playing as a huge part of the exhibition is interactive and supports the joy of playing. In the same building is also located the Museum of Horology and Jewellery Kruunu.
3) ESPOO CULTURAL CENTER & BUILDINGS IN TAPIOLA DISTRICT
Tapiola district is known for being Espoo´s cultural center. Why? Here you can find buildings from famous architects Aarne Ervi, Aarno Ruusuvuori and Arto Sipinen. Such as the Tapiola Central Tower - a 13-story office building that was considered exceptionally tall in 1961, designed by Aarne Ervi, and Aarne Ruusuvuori’s WeeGee Exhibition Centre. Espoo Cultural Centre – the main venue of Espoo’s cultural life - was designed after an architectural competition by Arto Sipinen with a theme called Kuunsilta (Moon glade) and was a later addition to the plan of Tapiola Centre.
4) ORIGINAL SOKOS HOTEL TAPIOLA GARDEN
Hotel Tapiola Garden was completed in 1974 and designed by Aarne Ervi. The hotel was originally built with 154 rooms, and you can still book an overnight stay in this building or stop for dinner or drink, as the hotel is operated by the Finnish hotel chain Sokos Hotels. The hotel is located by the central basin, where you can rent a SUP board in summertime and enjoy the atmospheric Tapiola Ice Garden in wintertime.
5) OLARI HEALTH NATURE TRAIL AND ESPOO WATERFRONT WALKWAY
Would you like to go outdoors in the forest, outside the hustle of the Arena? Try the Olari Health Nature Trail in Olari district (Ylismäentie 15, 02820 Espoo), a bit outside Tapiola. Along the approximately 2.5 km long nature trail, there are eight checkpoints with three separate exercises each. The exercises on the information boards are given also in English. The beloved Espoo Waterfront Walkway goes along the seashore for over 40 kilometers, and it can also be found outside in the surroundings of Tapiola district.
6) TAPIOLA GOLF & MINIGOLFING IN TAPIOLA (SUMMER SEASON)
In Tapiola, you can find both! Tapiola Golf offers good-quality greens and a golf club a few kilometers outside the Tapiola Centre. Minigolf by Tapiolan Minigolf is available during the summer season just outside the Tapiola Centre.
7) AINOA SHOPPING CENTRE
Looking for some souvenirs from your Espoo trip or just in need of buying some groceries or necessities? The Ainoa Shopping Centre is also home to some great restaurants, such as Bistro O Mat, GOAT, Anne's Vege (vegetarian), and Deliberi Tapiola.
Hero Image: Daniela Brezinova