“I was educated in Jyväskylä, and moved back to the city with my husband in 1990. Also, he is from here. Jyväskylä has a large land area, as it also comprises the former Rural Municipality of Jyväskylä. We live in the district of Kuokkala, a couple of kilometres away from the centre,” says Ritva Kuula.

The years away from Jyväskylä were spent in Kirkkonummi, where the Kuula family had already settled down. After moving back to Jyväskylä, the former hometown felt small for a moment, but the Kuulas could see how it had developed. Nowadays, Ritva Kuula is of the opinion that the city is just the right size for them.

“I have settled in very well. It’s always nice to return to Jyväskylä after having visited the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. Here, the distances are also short in every direction,” she points out.

The city offers a lot to do for someone interested in outdoor activities and exercise, and a pensioner also has time to enjoy it.

“In Jyväskylä, my favourite place is the Jyväsjärvi lake, which is only 150 metres away from our house. I go there every day for a walk. The Rantaraitti recreational route circles the lake and now there are plans for erecting fitness equipment along the route. In summer, you can swim in the lake, and, in winter, you can skate or ski on the lake, even all the way to Lake Päijänne if the lake is frozen.”

Kuula also recommends Jyväskylä as a place to live for anyone hungry for culture.

“Jyväskylä is an ideal place to live for a culture enthusiast. There are theatre performances and concerts in the pavilion. There are also many concerts arranged in churches. Here, near us, we have a wooden church with particularly good acoustics. And you can reach every place on foot.”