Our Ikaalinen

We are Joni and Reetta Liukkonen. In addition to the two of us, our family also includes two adult children who have already moved to another city to pursue their university studies.

Elli and Jesperi experimented with living in Ikaalinen for a week in the autumn of 2025 as part of the Ihana kamala rural living experiment campaign. The week reinforced their ideas about moving to the countryside, close to nature. Ikaalinen offered nature and space, exactly what we were looking for.

“I had dreamed of moving to an old, beautiful house on the shore of a lake, in the center of a small village, for years – and when I saw the old town of Ikaalinen, Vanha Kauppala, I knew that this was where I wanted to be”, “I immediately fell in love with the idyll of the town: the beautiful old buildings, linden boulevards, well-kept parks and, of course, the lake scenery surrounding the town’s cape!” And it’s no wonder, because Vanha Kauppala is known as the oldest, smallest and most beautiful town in Finland.

We are Outi, Otso, Eino and Ville Vuorihuhta and we live in Ikaalinen, in the Sarkinranta residential area. Ville is a barefoot native of Ikaalinen by birth and Outi moved here a little over 10 years ago to study at the University of Applied Sciences.

Leena and Jami live in Tampere, but Ikaalinen is no stranger to them. When the opportunity for a housing experiment opened up, the couple saw an opportunity to find out if Ikaalinen could be the place they eventually settle in. Nature is an important part of everyday life for Leena and Jami. Their dog Silli also enjoyed the forests, lakes and new jogging trails immensely. Ikaalinen has invested in outdoor activities. “Living in apartment buildings is becoming a thing of the past. We miss space and our own peace. The diverse recreational opportunities also impressed us.

It's always good to come home to Ikaalinen - clean nature, good water and beautiful scenery! The nature and beauty of Ikaalinen were an invitation for my husband and me when we moved here.

I have lived in Ikaalisi for over 20 years. My husband and I decided to move to the landscape of his childhood, Kilvakkala. It was clear to us that we wanted our children to grow up in the middle of grain fields, under the open sky.

In addition to beautiful nature and water, and good sports opportunities, Ikaalinen has all the basic services our family needs, and they are easily and quickly accessible. Ikaalinen has invested in services for families with children and recreational opportunities for children and young people, and a wide variety of events are actively organized here for all ages.

We have lived here at Kolkko in Ikaalinen since 2016. Rural living has many positive aspects, which only seem to be emphasized when we seek functional solutions to ecological problems that support sustainable development. Ikaalinen is a good place to live and work, with rural peace, beautiful space and quiet when needed. Basic services work well and specialist services are also available within a short drive.

There are good opportunities for hobbies in Ikaalinen. The community college has a diverse offering, and cultural life is lively. There are plenty of opportunities for exercise, both organized and free in nature. There are many different associations, and being involved in them is fun. Important to me are, for example, our knitting group, the Karelian Society and the Kalevalaiset naiset.

I have spent my whole life in Ikaalinen. I lived in Myllykarttu during my childhood, enjoying my own peace, and when I started my nursing studies, I moved to the city center to be closer to services and school. It was good to stay in Ikaalinen to study because of the diverse offerings.

We are deeply grateful for our friendly neighbors who have welcomed us warmly and received us well. We have settled deeply and cherish the spirit and heritage of Väinölä – the house has a rich history and each of its residents has left their mark within the log walls. We recommend Ikaalinen as a new home for anyone who appreciates beauty and caring and a sense of community. The church is invitingly located in the middle of the village. The market square is lively.