Pirunkurun ponnistus When I arrive in Äkäslompolo, a beautiful summer day that started sunny, but windy, turns rainy. The rain continues when I park my car in the carpark of Kesänkijärvi. So, I decide to eat my lunch in the car, while staring at the raindrops running down the windscreen. While enjoying a tasty baguette, […]
In commercial cooperation with Visit Puolanka, Municipality of Puolanka, Paljakka, UVM project, co-funded by the European Union Hepoköngäs in Puolanka, Kainuu is one of Finland’s largest waterfalls — and one of the few that is accessible to almost everyone, thanks to an accessible trail leading all the way to the falls. You can experience the […]
In commercial collaboration with Visit Puolanka, Puolanka municipality, Paljakka, UVM project, co-funded by the European Union Paljakka Strict Nature Reserve in Puolanka, Kainuu, protects one of the largest contiguous old-growth forests in the southern half of Finland. A peaceful loop trail winds through the reserve, introducing visitors to the extraordinary world of spruce giants up […]
Sapokka Water Garden spreads across the area surrounding Sapokka Bay in Kotka. It’s a beautiful park where water features play a central role. My memory had long held onto an image of a tall waterfall in Sapokka, so when I arrived in Kotka for an entirely different reason and that very waterfall happened to catch […]
Haapasaari island is one of those wonderful destinations you can reach for free by a scheduled commuter ferry service. The M/S Otava operates from Kuusinen harbour, and the crossing takes two hours each way — long enough to let the sea breeze blow away the everyday worries while getting a taste of the Eastern Gulf […]
In commercial collaboration with Visit Raseborg Brimming with small-town charm and celebrating its 700th anniversary, Karjaa (Karis) is home to a delightful collection of day-trip destinations: there’s something for everyone, whether you’re a laid-back sun-seeker, an adventurer yearning for the peace of a forest lake, or a history enthusiast. Karjaa, located in Raasepori (Raseborg), is […]
First-timer’s guide: what to expect, what to bring, and how to avoid the most common mistakes on one of Finland’s most beautiful lakeshore trails. Iso-Melkutin is the kind of lake that stops you mid-step. The water is exceptionally clear: the sort of clarity that makes you want to stop, stare, and eventually wade in with […]
Earlier this week we told you about the wonderful summer town of Hanko, located at the tip of the Hanko Peninsula far out in the embrace of the Baltic Sea, about a two-hour drive or train ride from Helsinki. When you travel to Hanko, make sure you set aside time to stop for a good […]
Hanko is a remarkably exotic city: grand old ornate villas, long beautiful sandy beaches with changing cabins, and the scent and breeze of the Baltic sea coming from almost every direction are all hallmarks of this southernmost corner of mainland Finland, which stretches far out into the sea in western Uusimaa. Many Finns cherish Hanko […]
One of those spring Sundays that remind you why you bother going outside. Sun out, a gentle breeze in the trees, and Lake Iso-Valkee looking exactly as good as ever: clear water, forest all around, not a building in sight. Iso-Valkee trail info It was one of the first properly warm spring days when I […]
Retkipaikka/Auli Packalén
