CARBON FOOTPRINT: 29.46kg 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. Later you continue by train to reach your first accommodation.

You will spend your first night at a farm guesthouse on the way to Tampere. In the evening you can visit the local brewery and have dinner there. Next mornig you will meet the funny animals of the farm and participate in a dairy workshop.   

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. 

Rauma and its old town are definitely worth seeing. The Old Rauma is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and offers a good view into the history of the western coast of Finland. On your self-guided walking tour you can visit a few museums of your own choice and have a lunch in this picturesque setting. You'll stay in a functionalist style, environmentally friendly hotel in the city centre. You will also go for a two hour Paddling Tour to discover the Rauma archipelago and stay one night in a lighthouse hotel.

From Rauma you'll go by bus to Turku, the oldest town of Finland. Here you'll have lunch and start your self-guided archipelago cycling tour. First you head towards Naantali, the sunniest town of Finland. You can cycle to Naantali through inland or try another route by the sea shore. in Naantali you stay in a small B&B in the town centre from where you can go for an evening walk to Naantali guest harbour for dinner. 

Next day you leave Naantali behind and cycle through the archipelago. The Finnish archipelago is breathtakingly beautiful. Here you don´t really need to do anything but admire the scenery while cycling down the roads to Hanka, where you take a ferry to reach the island of Seili. After lunch on the island you can have a small walk around before leaving with the next ferry to Nauvo. The area of Nauvo is constructed of 3000 islands, islets and rocks. It has been a significant area, like all archipelago, during the history of Finland. Your hotel is located in an idyllic archipelago environment 4 km away from the Nauvo guest harbour.

After Nauvo you'll head back towards the mainland. On your cycle route you can stop anywhere and admire the views or just take a break in a café. You'll spend the next night in a high quality villa by the sea (groups of 6-8 people) or in a seaside hotel (4-5 people.)

On your last day in the archipelago you'll cycle from Parainen to Turku. When reaching Turku, you'll drop off the bikes and discover the city. You can visit the medieval castle of Turku or maybe just stroll around the riverside that runs through the city. Like earlier mentioned, Turku is the oldest town in Finland, founded in 1229. It offers a great variety of cultural and historical sights, such as the cathedral and the medieval castle. There are plenty of choices for a nice lunch in the city centre. In the afternoon you can find your way back to the railway station and head back to Helsinki. 

* Carbon footprint calculation process is found here