Activities

Ecological holiday in the lake district of Finland, 9 days

Experience the Lakeland, in Finland, Ecologically by bicycle.

CARBON FOOTPRINT: 26.73kg CO2 eq / person / day*

Hämeenlinna is a small town by lake Vanajavesi. Hämeenlinna has a long history dating back to the middle age, so we can well start from historical point of view. You will cycle to the medieval Häme Castle, where you will spend a few hours to learn about the middle ages in Finland.

Tampere used to be the centre of the textile industry in Finland. Today it is the 3rd biggest city in Finland with its 230 000 inhabitants. It is located between two lakes, Näsijärvi and Pyhäjärvi. Almost 1/4 of its geographical area is lake. The best way to see the lakes is to get up in towers. Our local guide will take you on a tour visiting three of them, the picturesque old tower of Pyynikki, the newest hotel tower with a lunch bar on top and Näsineula, the sightseeing tower or if wanted, the Moomin museum. If possible, we'll also take you on water paddling by a giant canoe.

Jyväskylä is the home of the Alvar Aalto Museum. You will have time to cycle around the city on a self-guided Alvar Aalto architecture tour where you will be able to see the many works of the famous Finnish architect. A good idea is to visit the museum first and then have the architecture tour. Here you'll spend the night in a eco hotel. Next morning you try out Stand Up Paddling and then head towards your next destination by train.

Mikkeli is the city, where the Finnish lake district is considered to start. It is a geographically centrally located small town, which during the II world war served as the command center of the Finnish army. You will arrive here in the evening. Once you reach your B&B you'll have some time for a short walk and dinner giving you a taste of local cuisine. On the next day you'll visit the Kenkävero vicarage and continue your tour in the Lakeland by bike.

On your self-guided cycling to the small town of Ristiina you will pass by lakes and forests - the Finnish landscapes. There's no rush to anywhere so take your time wandering around the country roads and stop if you feel like stopping. In the afternoon you will reach your destination and get sorted before leaving for dinner in the town of Ristiina. After dinner you'll have sauna at your adorable B&B and on Sunday evenings you might be able to go for a local open-air dance event. Lavatanssit are a way of enjoying the never ending summer nights to the fullest. People gather around and on the dance "floor" while a local band plays the best Finnish folk songs. On your way back - who knows - you might want to take a dip in a lake before having a good night sleep.

* Carbon footprint calculation process is found here

What's included?

Accommodation:

Day 1 Holiday resort, superior room LEPAA
Days 2-3 Hotel TAMPERE
Day 4 Hotel JYVÄSKYLÄ
Day 5 Apartment Hotel MIKKELI
Day 6 granary at Tuukkala farm
Days 7-8 room or granary at B&B, MÄNTYHARJU

Meals: dinnerx2, lunch x3, breakfast daily

Transfers: train and bicycle (you have a road or mountain bicycle with a saddle bag in usage for the whole tour)

Other activities: visiting Häme Castle , smoke sauna and hot tub in Petäys, city sightseeing (by bicycle) in Tampere, stand-up paddling in Jyväskylä, sauna at Tuukkala farm and a nature walk or a paddling trip in Mäntyharju

Visits (no entrance fee): Lepaa Wine and Gardens, Kenkävero in Mikkeli.

Guidance: basic version self-guided, as extra: guidance

Please note

This tour is part of our Low Carbon Tours .

In this tour sustainability is taken in account by:

Human-powered activities(walking, cycling, kayaking, etc.)
Ecological transportation(train, bus, cycling, etc.)
Sustainable restaurants and cafés recommended(vegetarian, vegan, local ingredients, etc.)
Sustainable and certified accommodation(ecological, social or other certification)
Authentic local culture(local arts, history and cultural sights, etc.)
Professional local guides for a better and safer experience
Every activity, accommodation and sight is tested and audited by us and meets our Sustainable Criteria

To learn more about our sustainability and what you can do on your holiday see our Sustainability plan and Social Responsibility Strategy .

What to bring

On this tour your luggage will travel with you all the time, in other words there is no additional transfers for your luggage. This is done in order to keep the carbon emissions as low as possible. It also means that you have to pack efficiently so that you can carry everything with you while cycling. On the bikes you will have two (large) saddle bags and optional (small) saddle bag. Cycling is slow tempo, so you can also carry a backpack easily with you.

The weather in Finland can vary rapidly, which means that in addition to basic summer wear it is necessary to bring a good gear of weather proof clothing: