Karakallio – for plenty of colour and natural beauty

Karakallio, or Kartsi as the locals call the area, is characterised by its beautiful rocky outcrops, pleasant nature trails and vibrant displays of public art. This peaceful residential district is located in Espoo, right by the Turuntie road. The district currently has more than 5,500 residents. This neighbourhood with a warm atmosphere entices the nature-loving urban dweller and offers ample opportunities for outdoor exercise and culture just steps from your front door. There are good transport connections for easy access from Karakallio by car or bus to destinations all over the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. The Kera and Kilo train stations are only a few kilometres away.

Peaceful neighbourhood

Karakallio’s history dates back to the 1960s, which is when the first apartment buildings were constructed in the area. Karakallio has been constructed in harmony with nature, ensuring a spacious feel in the housing stock. This means nature is part of the landscape of the grounds of the residential buildings, too. Karakallio is an evolving district, with complementary building planned in the next few years. Karakallio’s old shopping centre was demolished in 2023 and will be replaced by a new complex of residential buildings and shopping and other business units.

More than 100 new non-subsidised SATO rental homes were completed in Kotkatie 6, Karakallio, in summer 2023. These new homes enjoy leafy views next to a small woodland area dotted with lilies-of-the-valley. Sustainable choices were favoured in construction, and the Kotkatie 6 home building features a solar power system providing renewable energy.

Read more about the Kotkatie 6 apartments and apply for a new home!

Glorious nature offers excellent opportunities for exercise

The best-known recreational route in Karakallio is the Karakallio nature trail in the Rastaalanmetsä forest area. The trail takes you to local nature sites such as the protected hazel woodland area with diverse and lush vegetation spanning over almost one hectare. The 1.5-km trail passes through easy terrain and is suitable for walkers of all ages.

Located a few kilometres away, Leppävaara Sports Park offers a broad range of opportunities from football to skateboarding. The Leppävaara indoor swimming pool is also near for swims around the year. In the summer, the Leppävaara outdoor swimming pool is a great place to spend hot days. This is where to take your entire family for a splash!

In Karakallio culture is a local service

Karakallio has for a long time provided a setting for public art installations and is known for its numerous magnificent murals and other public artworks. This residential neighbourhood also has a very special hidden gem: the Karakallio art area with programme from art walks to a variety of workshops every year.

So get together with friends or family and go take a look at Karakallio’s works of art. For their locations, see this map.

Karakallio’s shops and services

You will find all the basic services you need very close to the SATO home buildings in Karakallio: the school, children’s day care centre and grocery store. Karakallio also has the Karatalo venue for culture and youth services where you can also take classes provided by the Espoo School of Art and Espoo Adult Education Centre.

For children and young people, the area offers a lot of meaningful activities at the sports parks, playgrounds and nature trails. Karakallio is a very family-friendly neighbourhood with things to do for the entire family. There is the Karakallio youth centre, a place with a focus on games for young people to spend time in. Karakallio residents’ park in turn provides the youngest members of the family and their parents with a place to meet other local families.

It is not far for food shopping, either, as there is grocery store in Karakallio: Lidl. It is also only a stone’s throw to an S-market and a K-market.

Located next door to Karakallio, Leppävaara offers a diverse range of services, several restaurants and a busy train station. Sello shopping centre is around 15 minutes from Karakallio. Sello features more than 170 shops and services, a cinema and a concert hall, so you will not need to venture far to experience some culture.

A lovely blend of diverse urban features and leafy nature, Karakallio may come as a surprise to you – might this be the place to find the home of your life?