Pre-tour to Hämeenlinna, Lahti, Jyväskylä and Midnight Sun Event 06.-12.06.2026

Häme, in the heart of Southern Finland, offers stunning nature, rich history, and authentic Finnish culture – all within an hour’s drive from Helsinki, Tampere, and Turku. Explore Häme Castle, the iconic Iittala glass factory, and the Finnish Glass Museum in Riihimäki. Nature lovers can enjoy lakes, forests, hiking trails, and the two national parks near Forssa. From captivating museums to authentic Finnish sauna and cuisine, Häme promises memorable experiences for independent travelers and groups alike. Everything is just a stone’s throw away – making Häme ideal for seamless and authentic Finnish adventures.

Lahti, the European Green Capital is the first real lakeside city you come to after departing from the capital Helsinki. The Lahti region offers a wide range of nature activities and urban events in the surroundings of the unique Salpausselkä UNESCO Global Geopark area where the whole landscape is created by water. The Lahti region offers a range of unique accommodations, including lakeside cottages, wonderful nature activities and genuine tastes to make your visit unforgettable. The Lahti region has been awarded the Sustainable Travel Finland destination label.

The Lakeland Finland – Jyväskylä Region is an undiscovered gem. Architecture, holiday resorts, nature and history make it a destination that must be experienced. You’ll reach the region in 2-3½ hours from Helsinki by car or train, and 40 minutes by airplane.

The capital city of our area is Jyväskylä, with its 150 000 inhabitants. It offers a compact city break with its museums, hotels, restaurants, shopping possibilities, public saunas, lake cruises as well as many other activities in walking distance from all the hotels.

The region is also known about the most famous Finnish architect Alvar Aalto, the Sauna Region of the World, beautiful two UNESCO sites e.g. the Petäjävesi Old Church, year around Holiday Resorts like Himos, Varjola and Revontuli, 4 unique National Parks, 3700 lakes and about 5000 events including the Secto Rally Finland.

Flights to Finland

Afternoon arrivals

Meet your Finnair host Jan Pellinen at airport arrival hall

15:30 Meet your Hämeenlinna host at the airport

Transfer to Riihimäki

17.45 Finnish Glass museum

The Finnish Glass Museum presents the history of glass dating back over 4,000 years and the 300-year history of Finland's glass industry. The collections consist mostly of Finnish household, design and art glass from the 18th-21th centuries.

The Finnish Glass Museum is situated near the old Riihimäki Glassworks (1919-1990). After the plant was closed, new firms and companies moved into the premises, including Lasismi Glass Studio and Mafka&Alakoski Glass Studio. Less than a kilometre from the Museum is Hyttikortteli, a housing area built for the glass workers in the 1910s.

18.30 Drive to Hämeenlinna

19.00 Dinner at Vanajanlinna

Vanajanlinna is a luxurious and historic hotel in Hämeenlinna, Finland, offering a perfect blend of tradition and modern comfort. Located just outside the city, the award-winning hotel provides a tranquil setting with 200 beds, cozy rooms, and top-tier service for individual travelers, conferences, and events. Guests can enjoy exquisite dining at Restaurant Carl Wilhelm, a high-quality gym, and relaxing sauna experiences either in the castle or by Lake Katuma. Surrounded by beautiful nature, Vanajanlinna guarantees a unique and unforgettable stay in a refined, castle-like atmosphere.

21.00 Check in to the Sokos hotel Vaakuna

The happiest lake hotel in Finland. Immerse yourself in the experience of Finland’s happiest lakeside hotel and Hämeenlinna’s history, brought to life in a modern way at Sokos Hotel Vaakuna.

The hotel is next to the railway station. Nearby attractions include 13th-century Häme Castle, Aulanko nature reserve, the birthplace of composer Jean Sibelius, and various museums in the town centre. Vanajavesi offers excellent opportunities for a range of activities, and the surrounding nature is a delight for canoeists, cyclists and walkers alike.

Breakfast

Check out

8.45 Drive from Vaakuna to Aulanko

9.00 Aulanko Nature Reserve area and guided bike tour

The forest park of Aulanko, its sights, and the view from the scenic lookout tower of Aulangonvuori Hill over the national landscape attract more than 400 000 visitors every year. The area is best suitable for day trips. The English-style park, which forms a part of the nature reserve, was constructed in 1883 - 1938 and, with its buildings and cultural history, it is a nationally valuable site.

10.00 Häme Castle

Häme Castle is a medieval castle in Hämeenlinna, Finland. The Castle was most likely built during the late 13th century to serve as military base in the border zone between Sweden and Novgorod. The castle is one of the main tourist attractions of southern Finland, being the centerpiece of the city and a popular venue for events, including renaissance fairs.

11.00 Drive to Lahti Drive to the Lahti region. 

The Lahti region offers a wide range of nature activities and urban events in the surroundings of the unique Salpausselkä UNESCO Global Geopark area where the whole landscape is created by water. The Lahti region offers a range of unique accommodations, including lakeside cottages, wonderful nature activities and genuine tastes to make your visit unforgettable. Lahti was the first Finnish city to be nominated European Green Capital. In 2025 Lahti region was awarded the Sustainable Travel Finland destination label.

12.00 Arrival at Messilä ski centre. Short stop and introduction of the centre and its services.

Messilä is the largest ski resort in Southern Lakeland located only 15 minutes from Lahti city centre. Messilä offers fun for the whole family, with 10 slopes, a park and playground for freestyle skiers. Messilä has a variety of accommodation options, three restaurants, a ski rental, maintenance shop and the LHS Ski School.

13.00 Lunch in EnjoyNature Resort followed by site inspection

EnjoyNature Resort is a nature-based accommodation and activity destination in Hollola near Lahti. The accessible and cyclist-friendly resort offers international guests and Finnish sauna, guided Forest Bathing and cultural programmes year-round.

15.00 Old Hollola Village. Short visit in the Medieval Stone Church

Hollola Church is the landmark of the village of Hollola. The culture-historical milieu of the village of Hollola is dominated by the Church of Saint Mary built in 1495-1510, and a belfry built in 1829-1931 according to the designs of C.L. Engel. Hollola Church is known for its richly decorated west gable end and the well-preserved wooden sculpture of the interior. 

16.00 Lahti sightseeing

During the sightseeing tour we will visit the sports centre and the observation deck of the highest ski jumping tower with a stunning view over the city of Lahti and Lake Vesijärvi. We will see two public saunas (Nosturi & Teivaan Hehku) and make a short stop by Sibelius Hall in the harbour area of Lahti. 

17.30 Site inspection in Solo Sokos Hotel Lahden Seurahuone

The history of the Solo Sokos Hotel Lahden Seurahuone begins in the 1890’s. This centrally located hotel is constantly renewing and paying high attention to sustainability. The hotel has the Green Key certificate and was rewarded with the Sustainable Travel Finland certificate in 2020. In October 2022 the hotel was selected as the most sustainable hotel of Europe in the competition World Luxury Hotel Awards. Fifty new individually designed rooms in Seurahuone Loft House guarantee an exclusive hotel experience.

18.00 Drive to Iitti

19.00 Arrival at Radalla Resort, accommodation, site inspection, sauna, dinner with local beverages

Radalla Resort, located in Iitti by the beautiful Lake Urajärvi offers perfect lakeside holiday in manor house rooms or new lakeside cottages. The resort is located between the cities Lahti and Kouvola which enables to create an excellent combination of nature and culture holidays.

Breakfast

8.15 Departure from Radalla resort

9.30 Lehmonkärki resort site inspection

Lehmonkärki is a high-quality resort on the shores of South Lake Päijänne, in Asikkala. In addition to rental cottages, high-quality villas and meeting and banquet facilities, Lehmonkärki offers a wide range of auxiliary programs, from snowmobile safaris to boat trips to Päijänne National Park. Lehmonkärki is paying high attention to sustainablity

Haasi Mirror Houses offers something truly unique even for the experienced traveler. The walls of the accommodation room are full-height mirrored glass and the accommodation buildings are built on top of the pier structure on the lake. As you enter the room, a magnificent lake view opens to Lake Päijänne.

11.00 Drive to Jyväskylä along the route number 314, the most scenic route of Finland.

In the southern end of the route we drive through the iconic Pulkkilanharju esker, cutting across Lake Päijänne, one of the best known and most instagrammable sites of Salpausselkä UNESCO Global Geopark. The narrow 8-kilometre-long esker belongs partly to Päijänne National Park, which protects the valuable archipelago nature of Finland’s second largest lake. 

13.00 Arrival at Jyväskylä, and having lunch at Hotel Alba 

This privately owned, STF-labelled, cozy hotel is by the lake Jyväsjärvi and next to the Aalto2 Museum Centre as well as the University campus area. The unique panoramic view restaurant offers a three-course lunch menu from local ingredients.

14:30 Drive to Varjola Resort (abt. 30 minutes)

15:15 Arrival to Varjola Resort. Whitewater rafting and site inspection

Varjola is a family-owned countryside destination by the majestic Kuusaankoski rapids in Laukaa. This is probably the only place where you will start and end rafting to the same spot. This rafting offers good amount of excitement and a unique canal lock experience. Varjola Resort provides all the gears for the activity. The accommodation in Riihi Villas has a beautiful view to the lake and rapids.

17:00 Drive to Tupaswilla (abt. 5 minutes) and having a sauna and peat treatment 

Smoke sauna is the original sauna in Finland. The Tupaswilla smoke sauna is the biggest smoke sauna in the world. We will also have a full body peat treatment. Peat is 100% natural ingredient, which contains various nutrients and minerals. Peat used as a mask on your skin helps to clean and soften the skin as well as to clean metabolic waste from the body. Please bring your own swimming suits.

19:30 Drive to Revontuli Lakeland Village (abt. 50 minutes)

20:20 Check in to the Revontuli, accommodation in igloos

Revontuli Lakeland Village is a beautiful lakeside resort which offers relaxing sauna experiments, all kinds of activities eg. golf, and unique accommodation with a breath-taking lake view.

21:00   Dinner at the Loimu Restaurant

Loimu’s menus get their inspiration from Finland’s four seasons and the Nordic forests and lakes. Monthly changing Revontuli Menus serve season’s best ingredients, and bring the Finnish lakes and forest on your plate.

7:30 Check-out and breakfast

8:30 Drive to Jyväskylä

9:15  Guided tour of the Aalto2 Museum Centre

Aalto2 Museum Centre combines two museums together: the Alvar Aalto Museum and the Museum of Central Finland. We will have a guided tour and introduction to the most famous Finnish architects, Alvar Aalto’s, designs. The series of thirteen Aalto buildings and sites form a single thematic entity, which is being proposed as a World Heritage Site under the title “Aalto Works”. Three of these thirteen buildings are located in Jyväskylä: the Aalto University Campus, the Säynätsalo Town Hall, and the Muuratsalo Experimental House.

10:15   Coffee and snack at the Bistro Kirkkopuisto

The Bistro Kirkkopuisto locates at the main park of Jyväskylä, the Church Park (Kirkkopuisto). There has been a café since 1880 in the same spot. If you want to find the a trendy and tasty place to eat in the middle of the city this is the place. And of course there is also a sauna in the basement of the building. We will have a coffee and small snacks, cakes or sandwiches. The Bistro Kirkkopuisto is part of the family-owned Yöpuu group. They also have2 hotels: Boutique Hotel Yöpuu and Hotel Verso.

11:00   Drive to Ilmatar Airplane Lodge (abt. 40 minutes)

11:40   Site Inspection at Ilmatar Airplane Lodge

Have you ever slept in a cockpit? In the Ilmatar Airplane lodge it is possible! This accommodation suits people who are looking for unique places. There are beds for 8 people in a plane (SAAB 340B passenger airplane), in the Skyline Granary Room and in the Air Traffic Control Tower. You are in middle of the peaceful countryside, but only 30 minutes away from the Jyväskylä airport.

12:30 Drive to the Jyväskylä Airport (30 minutes)

14.04 Flight to Helsinki

14:50 Arrival in Helsinki

Transfer to Helsinki

Check in to hotel

Free time in Helsinki

Dinner start time at your hotel, hosted by the hotel, depending on your arrival time in Helsinki:

Hotel Grand Hansa: 19:00
Lapland Hotels Bulevardi: 19:00
Hotel Mestari: 18:00
Hotel Torni: 20:30 

Breakfast

08.00 -17:00 Helsinki – Espoo Destination Day 
Details sent via email by Helsinki Partners and Visit Espoo (sent on 2nd of June)

Program organized by Visit Espoo and Helsinki Partners

17:00-20:00 Get-together event in Temppeliaukio Church (Lutherinkatu 3, Helsinki)
and dinner at Restaurant Töölö (Runeberginkatu 14–16, Helsinki)

Evening hosted by Visit Finland, Finnair, Visit Espoo, and Helsinki Partners

Breakfast

9:00-17:00 Workshop day - see program here

18:30-00:30 Party Like a Finn - see program here

Breakfast

Optional Helsinki Day

Helsinki Day is an annual celebration in Finland, held on 12 June, to celebrate the city of Helsinki. 

Helsinki Partners offers the opportunity to participate in various events held in Helsinki: Explore and unwind the day after. This optional day offers a light, flexible program with a focus on summer vibes and memorable city experience during the birthday of Helsinki. Dip into depths of local sauna culture and enjoy a dinner experience under the open sky.

Expect:
• Slow morning & free time with tickets to Allas Sea Pool
• Casual lunch with Helsinki hosts and fellow guests
• Recreation and city experience in laid-back setting
• Relaxed dinner (under the sky if weather permits) to close the week

Flights back to home.

Thank you for visiting Finland!