Welcome to the place where Finland was born. Turku is located on the southwestern coast of Finland, only less than 2 hours’ drive from Helsinki. Here you’ll also find a true unique hidden gem; the world’s largest archipelago of 40 000 islands. Our region is a year-around destination, perfect for a holiday combining exciting urban cultural and culinary experiences with carefree island-hopping adventures through idyllic island villages and outdoor activities in the beautiful archipelago settings.

Welcome to explore the flavors of our region and find the secret to islander happiness!

Espoo is a part of the metropolitan area and second biggest city in Finland. It is easily accessible from Helsinki City Centre and Helsinki Airport.

Espoo is like Finland in miniature. In the south of the city, you can enjoy the delights of the coast and archipelago, cultural and other events, and shopping. In North of Espoo, you can experience the countryside, lakes, and the wilderness in Nuuksio National Park. 

Sustainable Espoo

During the days in Espoo, you will meet happy Finns, get to experience unique experiences and for example have a chance to talk about sustainable tourism. Sustainability is important for travel companies in Espoo and the entire city. Espoo is an innovative actor within sustainable development. Espoo’s travel companies have been pioneers of eco-friendly tourism. As a visitor, you can act in a sustainable and eco-friendly manner as well. 

Get to know Espoo before your visit by visiting our website visitespoo.fi or you can familiarize yourself with one of our gem areas Nuuksio National Park by reading an article “how to find your happiness in Nuuksio”.

Awarded with ‘City of Design’ status by Unesco, Helsinki is a modern city that offers functional design, unique gastronomy and maritime appeal. The capital of Finland is filled with lively events all year round, but the peaceful archipelago and green forests are only a stone’s throw away and can be easily reached by the efficient public transportation system.

Flights to Helsinki.

Meet your VF host Tarja Koivisto at the Helsinki-Vantaa airport.

Approx. 15.30 Transfer with private bus from Helsinki to Turku.

17.30/18.00 Arrival in Turku. A hostess from Visit Turku Archipelago will meet the group by arrival and will accompany the guests during the pre tour.

Check-in at Solo Sokos Hotel Turun Seurahuone.

18.30 Pre-dinner drinks at WALO Rooftop bar.

19.30 Welcome dinner at Restaurant Gunnar hosted by Sokos Hotels

Breakfast at the hotel.

9.00 Guided walking tour in Turku with Magni Mundi along the Aura Riverbanks, as well as a visit at the indoor Market Hall, including a small tasting tour there. We will also visit Turku Cathedral and Luostarinmäki

12.00 Lunch at Restaurant Oobu
Turku Music Festival / Sales and Marketing Manager Eveliina Salminen will join for lunch

13.30 Hotel inspection at Scandic Hamburger Börs

14.00 with bus towards Ruissalo island

14.15 Visit at Ruissalo Boatyard. Small afternoon cruise with the saloon yacht Airawata (NB! if weather permits)

With bus back to the city centre

16.30 A bit of free time in town/time to relax

17.45 With bus towards Kakolanmäki Hill

18.00 Visit at Kakolanmäki Hill:

18:00-18.30 Brief beer tasting at Kakola Brewing Company.

18:30-19:40 Short guided walking tour through Kakola area (via Kakola Spa) to Hotel Kakola for a hotel inspection

Walk downhills to the restaurant

20.00 Dinner at Restaurant Nooa.

Breakfast & check-out.

09.45-10.30 Trying the Afternoon Tea Finnish style (before noon) at Cafe Owensel

10.30 Transfer with bus towards Kuusisto island

11-12.30 Site inspection and lunch at Villa Wolax

13.15 Visiting charming archipelago town Naantali and its guest harbour & old wooden town. Guided walking tour through the old town.

A bit of free time in Naantali

15.30 Visit at Tammiston Kuulas (winner of Finnish Food Tourism award 2023) / afternoon coffee break and refreshments

16.30 Check-in at Naantali Spa Hotel.

Time to relax and enjoy the spa department.

19.00 Farewell dinner at restaurant Snickari

Breakfast & check-out

8.00 Transfer with private bus from Naantali Spa Hotel to Helsinki

A warm thank you fo your visit and hope to see you soon again! Safe travels to Rovaniemi!

12.20 Flight from Helsinki to Rovaniemi AY533 HEL-RVN

13.35 Arrival in Rovaniemi

Transfer to Rovaniemi

Lunch at Santa Claus village and meeting Santa Claus

Check-in to Arctic TreeHouse Hotel

19.30 Dinner at igloo village restaurant

Overnight

Breakfast

9.15 Check-out & Gathering together at hotel lobby. Take your luggage to the bus.
Rovaniemi Minitour groups will be revealed & everyone joins his/her tour

10.00 – 14.00 Experience Rovaniemi in Summer
Lunch included

14.30 Arrival & Check-in Arctic Light Hotel

17.00 – 20.00 Get-together evening event at Korundi House of Culture for both suppliers and buyers hosted by Visit Finland, Finnair and Visit Rovaniemi 

Breakfast

Workshop at Lappia House - short walk to Lappia House
 
09.30-10.00 Morning coffee 

10.00-12.30 Workshop meetings 

12.30-13.30 Buffet lunch 
  
13.30-17.00 Workshop meetings 

19.30 Dinner à la Lapland at Valdemari (Dress code: Marimekko T-shirt) - short walk to Valdemari

21.00 Party Like a Finn – midsummer celebration 

01.30 – Good nightless night! Short walk to hotel

Breakfast and check-out

7.30 Transfer to the airport

9.20 Flight from Rovaniemi to Helsinki AY532 RVN-HEL 
(pls note! Flights to Europe: your transfer will leave at 12.30 and RVN-HEL flight will departure at 14.15) 

10.35 Arrival in Helsinki

11.00 Pick up from the airport
Meet your Visit Espoo host Paula Lappalainen

Bus transfers in Espoo are operated by Visit Espoo partner Åbergin Linja bus travel company. This is the first bus company in Finland to receive Sustainable Travel Finland label. The friendly service is a natural part of company´s ISO 9001 certificate, and as a part of the ISO 14001 environmental management system Åbergin Linja invests in environmentally friendly busses.

11.30 Departure for Nuuksio National Park area

Nuuksio National Park is the place to enjoy typical Finnish lake, forest and rugged crags sceneries. The park is a green oasis in the capital area with about 70 km of marked hiking trails and lots of outdoor activities to experience. The rocky lake upland is home to many species that thrive in old-growth forests, vibrant meadows, valleys, and ponds. This park, loved by capital area citizens, celebrate its 30 years as a National Park in year 2024, which will be a joyful celebration of both preserving the nature and recreating in these calming and energizing surroundings.

12.30 Hotel Inspection/Site Visit at Hawkhill Resort and lunch in a Forest Restaurant Korpelan laavu

Hawkhill is a family-owned company offering accommodation and experiences in high-end log cottages. Their forest restaurant Korpelan Laavu is among Southern Finland’s most breathtaking. It functions as dining hall, get-together spot or even cocktail party venue. Nestled among the trees on the side of a rocky outcrop, the shelter offers a magical atmosphere with perfect meals for the occasion.

14.15 Departure with rowboats across the lake

Live like a true Finn and let’s row across the pristine Kaitlampi lake in traditional rowboats. There are almost 190 000 lakes in Finland, so lakes are truly part of the Finnish national landscape. After short adventure on the lake, we continue further with bus transfer. (Option to choose a bus transfer instead of rowboat transfer as well.)

15.15 Hotel Inspection at Haltia Lake Lodge

Haltia Lake Lodge is the place to nest up in a nature boutique lodge and enjoy the good life. Take a step back from busy everyday life and reconnect with nature by the enchanting fjord-like Pitkäjärvi lake – just 30 minutes from Helsinki. In addition to lodging, Haltia Lake Lodge provides the perfect outdoor experiences to make a stay both inspiring and invigorating. Everything done here, is built on nature conservation, sustainable development, and local sourcing.

16.15 Site Inspection at Finnish Nature Centre Haltia, afternoon coffee break with a savory treat

Finnish Nature Centre Haltia is a fascinating nature, visitor, exhibition, and events center that will give the visitor the feel of Finnish pristine nature and a chance to experience spectacular nature destinations under one roof. Haltia has committed to the sustainable development in all its operations. The building is highly ecological, and the services have been built around the surrounding nature. Haltia’s exhibitions, guided tours, and events help visitors deepen their relationship with nature and increase their environmental awareness.

17.45 Check-in to Original Sokos Hotel Tapiola Garden

Sokos Hotel Tapiola Garden is the green pearl of Tapiola district. It’s a meeting place for both locals and visitors, close to good public transportation connections, services, and culture. At Tapiola Garden you will feel comfortable regardless of whether you are on vacation or on a business trip. Almost all rooms have a balcony. Some of the balconies are directed to a beautiful backyard, Tapiola's central pool, where you can watch or try out SUP-boarding in the summer and ice-skating in the winter! The hotel also has a gym, sauna, and swimming pool.

19.00 Lobby call for dinner at Lucy in the Sky restaurant

Lucy in the Sky is a rooftop restaurant and bar. Lucy serves contemporary bistro food along with a unique view on top of Accountor Tower, the historical landmark building towering over Espoo. Lucy's glass walls provide views to all directions showcasing the best of the Helsinki region from diverse urban landscapes to natural parks. If you move your gaze to the south, you'll find the glistening quintessential Finnish archipelago.

We will travel with a metro from the hotel to the restaurant and back and get to enjoy the beautiful and bright summer nights of Finland.

21.30 Good night!

07.00 - 09.00 Breakfast is served at the hotel’s restaurant. Check out by 9 a clock.

09.00 Lobby call for an introduction to Sokos Hotels chain

When you, over a period of 50 years, have grown into one of the largest hotel chains in Finland, you have encountered a fair amount of people. Experience has shown that each guest is different. Their service is therefore personalized and each guest always a priority. Sokos Hotels’ ambition is to be a forerunner in sustainability. In addition to being sustainable, their heartfelt mission is to provide the framework for as diverse as possible memories, from adventures to staycations and from business trips to the most important celebrations in life.

09.45 Bus transfer leaves for day no. 2 adventures in Espoo - let’s enjoy a cruise at the Baltic Sea!

On this two-hour cruise we will explore the amazing seaside and experience the beautiful Espoo archipelago. JT-Line cruise company will host us on this cruise. JT-Line is a shipping company focused on waterbuses, based in Southern Finland, and they own 9 different vessels, ranging from quaint and atmospheric wooden waterbuses to larger iron ones. Their mission is to make Helsinki’s and Espoo’s archipelago accessible to all, whilst being considerate of the environment.

During the cruise professional guide from Evenio will guide us through the past and present of Espoo archipelago, tell stories from the seaside and the rich cultural heritage while we are enjoying stunning natural landscapes. Evenio is certified for sustainable travel services, offering a blend of local luxury and environmental consciousness, authentic cultural encounters, personalized attention, and a genuine sense of happiness.

12.15 Hotel Inspection at Hotel Matts and lunch at restaurant Freja

Hotel Matts in Espoo charms with its Scandinavian style and great location. Matts has hotel rooms as well as apartments for a more extended stay. The hotel’s Restaurant Freja offers taste sensations made from fresh ingredients. Freja Rooftop Bar and rooftop saunas provide perfect relaxation after a busy day.

14.15 Hotel Inspection at Hotel Hanaholmen and afternoon coffee break

Hotel Hanaholmen offers visitors top modern Scandinavian style hotel rooms in the beautiful archipelago of Espoo. The hotel pays attention to the environmental impact of our choices, from the big picture to the most miniature details. Restaurant PLATS’s food concept utilizes organic products as well as Finnish mushrooms and berries and involves cooperation with local producers. The hotel has even an own fisherman who brings fresh fish to the restaurant from the surrounding waters.

15.30 Site Visit at Laguuni water sports centre

Laguuni is a floating watersports center that offers e.g. a giant water park, two wake cables, kayaking, stand up paddling and electrical bikes for outdoor and water sports fans. Laguuni’s restaurant Blägä serves fresh meals and their floating sauna guarantees gentle steams with a seaview. Laguuni has one of its centers in Espoo and two in Helsinki and they are open during summer months.

16.30 Bus transfer to your Helsinki hotel: Grand Hansa

Thank you for visiting Espoo!

17.00 Check in to your hotel NH Collection Helsinki Grand Hansa

This brand-new hotel is situated in the heart of Helsinki and is located within two historic buildings that stand as a testament to Helsinki’s heritage and contains 224 spacious and luxurious guest rooms and suites of various sizes. Guests at the hotel can make use of the    world-class facilities and amenities available, including a 24-hour fitness center, a spa and a range of meeting and event spaces.

19.15 Lobby call
Meet you Helsinki Partners host Antti Lumiainen in the lobby

Short walk to the restaurant

19.30 Welcome dinner Alexanderplats
Brasserie & Pub Alexanderplats is an easy-going restaurant located in Eteläesplanadi where you can enjoy staying at the terrace as well as restaurant side. The concept of a brasserie means that you will get dishes from the best ingredients inspired by the greatest European classic kitchen, no need to add any extra decoration. The atmosphere is pure and elegant. 

Breakfast

9.30 Lobby call
Meet you Helsinki Partners host Antti Lumiainen in the lobby

9.45 Guided city sightseeing tour by bus
Meet your guide Kristina Kajaani Kurki

This tour focuses on the fresh and surprising character of Helsinki. During the tour you will be introduced to the main attractions of Helsinki as well as some of the hot spots of local design scene and explore different types of urban phenomena and venues.

12.00 - 14.30 Helsinki food tour experience
Meet you host

Happy Guide Helsinki offers responsible travel design for Helsinki and its surroundings. They aim to offer everything in eco-friendly sustainable way and Visit Finland and Green key has certified them as one of the local Green Activities and Sustainable Travel Finland provider in association with the City of Helsinki and Helsinki Tourism Foundation in 2022. With Happy Guide Helsinki you can experience the main attractions but also the real Helsinki along with its many secrets.

Short walk to hotel Torni

14.45 - 15.45 Site visit in Sokos Hotel Torni

Meet your host Johanna Santala
Hotel manager of Solo Sokos hotel Pier 4 will give
a presentation about the hotel which will be completed in August 2024.

15.45 - 17.15 Free time

Transfer to Löyly from the hotel NH collection Grand Hansa

17.30 - 19.30 Summer sauna experience Löyly

Their public saunas, a traditional smoke sauna and a wood-burning sauna, are open every day.  The smoke sauna has a total area of 18m2, while the wood-fired sauna is slightly larger at 22m2. Both can accommodate around 20 bathers at any one time. After a good steam, when you feel like cooling off, both saunas offer direct access to their outdoor seating area and the sea, where you can enjoy a refreshing swim, all year round.

19.45 Short transfer to the restaurant

20:00-22:30 Dinner at restaurant Shelter

A fun night out is guaranteed at this converted warehouse in a corner of Katajanokka Harbour, close to Uspenskin Cathedral. The serving team are enthusiatic, the the athmosphere is contagious, and from the open kitchen come meticulously prepared and appealingly presented dishes that deliver on flavour.

Short walk back to hotel

Breakfast and check-out

10.00 Lobby call
Meet you Helsinki Partners host Antti Lumiainen in the lobby

10.15 Transfer to the hotel Maria, take your luggage with

10.30 Site visit to The Hotel Maria
Meet your host: SioSen Ang, Sales Executive (tel. +338 9 8860 0170) 

The Hotel Maria aims to offer the best hotel experience in the Nordics. A major new player joined Helsinki's hotel selection when The Hotel Maria opened in December 2023. The Hotel Maria will take Nordic hospitality and the modern luxury hotel experience to a whole new level. 

11.30 Lunch at Restaurant Garden Terrace

12.30 Transfer to Helsinki Airport

Flights to home