In the morning or afternoon, this young woman slips on her trainers: the area around the Sibelius Hall in Lahti is actress Anni Kajos’s favourite place and a great setting for a jog.

“The distance from home is fifteen minutes if I walk and five minutes if I run. The shores of Lake Vesijärvi are almost like being by the sea. It has a large harbour and restaurant boats where you can sit and enjoy the evening. The proximity of water calms me down and lets my mind rest.”

In her hectic work, finding moments of peace is important. Kajos is a freelance actress currently employed by Lahti City Theatre but her work often takes her to the Helsinki Metropolitan Area.

“I usually work at the theatre for four hours in the day and almost four hours in the evening. In the time between, I’ve sometimes gone to Helsinki to do a dubbing gig. The best thing about Lahti for a freelancer is that it has excellent transportation connections.”

In addition to the excellent location, Kajos thinks Lahti is just the right size. The city also offers cultural experiences: the actress has been to see gigs, concerts at the Sibelius Hall and performances at Teatteri Vanha Juko, in addition to her own workplace.

Kajos lives right next to the City Theatre. From there, it’s easy to get to work and further away, too, by train or car.

“I like living in the centre, the location is perfect. Back in the day, I moved from a single in Helsinki to a more spacious two-room apartment in Lahti together with my partner.”

Kajos is a musical theatre professional who is now living in Lahti for the second time. She spent a year in between in Helsinki but returned to Lahti four years ago.

“Now it feels like I’m attached to the city.”