Delightful Karelia – Nature and Traditions
Delightful Karelia
Prices from £895 per person
Period: June, July, August
What would be a better way to get to know this land and its people than by driving through woods and villages, staying at farmhouses and participating in the everyday life of the host family? The tour program is also ideal for families with children!
Example itinerary
Day 1 – Helsinki
Arrive at Helsinki-Vantaa airport and make your way to the city centre. Check into your hotel and explore the summer in Helsinki.
Day 2 – Helsinki – Joensuu ( train journey 4-5 hours) – Polvijärvi
In the morning, make your way to Helsinki train station. During the very comfortable train journey you can watch the beautiful lakeland Finland going by. Families with children – do not fear the length of the journey as the Finnish Intercity trains provide playrooms for children! When arriving in Joensuu, you will pick up your hired car. In Joensuu, you can visit Carelicum right in the centre of Joensuu, next to the colourful open-air market. While the children roam around in the “Kids Street” in the Carelicum, the grown-ups will get acquainted with the exhibition of Karelia – the crossroads between East and West.
Continue to Polvijärvi, a short drive (app. 25 miles / 40 km) northwest of Joensuu.
The village is located on the shores of Lake Höytiäinen, excellent for fishing and boating. The typical Karelian landscape of rolling hills amidst the lake scenery could tell its story of habitation from the Stone Age.
Welcome dinner – a delicious home-cooked dinner – at Saarila Farmhouse. Accommodation in the main building’s guestrooms or in storehouses turned into cosy rooms.
Day 3 – Polvijärvi
After a hearty farmhouse breakfast you can participate in the everyday life on the farm, get acquainted with the house animals, try angling from a rowing boat or just enjoy the peace and tranquillity.
Suggestion for the day: Outokumpu copper mines and Valamo Monastery (app.130 km)
In Outokumpu, you can visit to the old copper mines and for children there is an adventure park. Continue to Heinävesi and see the 100-year-old Varistaipale Canal. Valamo Monastery is an active centre for the Orthodox spiritual life and culture. You are free to attend all the daily church services, look around the churches and examine their icons, and it is also possible to view the treasuresof the Orthdox Church in the monastery’s own permanent and seasonal exhibitions. The monastery even has its own berry wine which can be bought in the monastery shop. Other shopping in Heinävesi include Kermansavi – high quality ceramic pots and platters for your kitchen, local handicrafts and locally grown herbs.
Dinner and accommodation at Saarila Farmhouse.
Day 4 – Polvijärvi – Koli – Lake Pielinen – Lieksa -Vuonislahti (app. 50 miles/80 km + 1h 40min car ferry)
Koli is considered as essential part of the Finnish National Heritage, truly a national landscape. For more than 100 years, the travellers have admired the majestic scenery that opens up from the tops of Ukko-Koli and Akka-Koli hills over Lake Pielinen. Writers and painters used to come here for inspiration; the famous composer Jean Sibelius visited Lake Pielinen area during his honeymoon. In the Heritage Centre Ukko, next to Hotel Koli, one can learn about the geological history of Koli as well as stories about the famous visitors. There are also explanations about the unique nature of Koli National Park, which has numerous hiking paths.
The small Koli Village at the foot of the hill has an Arts and Crafts House with a museum of local old tools and handicraft.
In late afternoon, move across Lake Pielinen onboard the car-ferry M/F Pielinen from Koli dock to Lieksa. There is a restaurant onboard as well as panorama decks.
Accommodation is in Vuonislahti village (30 km from Lieksa harbour) at traditional Herranniemi Country Inn (rooms in main building or lofts), where dinner is served as well.
Day 5 – Vuonislahti
In Vuonislahti village, visitors get warm and sincere welcome from the locals. You can either relax, hire a rowing boat or be more active.
Suggested program for the day
The fascinating world of woodcarving can be seen in Paateri, in the atelier-studio of Eva Ryynänen (1915-2001), whose wooden sculptures have motives of children and animals, of farmers in their everyday work and of nature. Her major and most beautiful work is the unique wooden church of Paateri. Families can visit PikkuKili (”KidGoat”) Farm which hosts more than 200 domestic and wild animals in the well-kept yards of the farm.
Dinner and accommodation at Herranniemi Country Inn.
Day 6 – Vuonislahti – Ruunaa – Vuonislahti (app. 100 km driving + 4 hours white water rafting)
The 31-km long Lieksa waterway in Ruunaa has five wild rapids. The best way to get for an unforgettable adventure is to participate in a white-water rafting excursion in a traditional wooden riverboat, which is always accompanied by an experienced wilderness guide. A picnic with Karelian delicacies around a campfire in the middle of the untouched nature is part of the program.
Accommodation at Herranniemi Country Inn.
Day 7 – Lieksa – Ilomantsi – Joensuu ( app. 200 km) – Helsinki (train journey)
Follow the Eastern route close to theRussian border towards Ilomantsi over Hattuvaara , the easternmost village in Finland – and in the European Union.
In Ilomantsi the Karelian lifestyle is at its best, and the runes of Kalevala – the Finnish national epic – are still alive. In the Rune Singe’rs Cottage you will find an exhibition about Kalevala and you might even hear a recital of “kantele” players or rune singers.
Ilomantsi has the largest wooden Orthodox Church in Finland, St Elias Church (1891) which stands next to the old Lutheran church (1796). Mantsin Makie is a factory shop where one can purchase marmalades and jams made from local wild berries. You might also be tempted to try another local product: liqueurs of PeltoHermanni. Local handicrafts and textiles with traditional motives, as well as delicious traditional pies and cakes can be can be found in local shops.
From Ilomantsi return to Joensuu. Leave your hired car and board the train back to Helsinki. Check into hotel.
Day 8 – Helsinki
If you are not taking the early return flight you will have the opportunity to further explore the delights of Helsinki. Please note that additional nights in Helsinki are available.
Package prices
From London Heathrow:
£895 /adult (sharing a twin room)
£389 /child (when travelling with two adults)
£619 /child (when travelling with one adult)
Child prices are for children from 2 to 12 years old.
What is included in the price?
- Accommodation (7 nights) at farmhouses, double rooms or family rooms. In eastern Finland, the rooms do not have private facilities.
- Scheduled Blue 1 return flight between London Heathrow and Helsinki
- Second class train tickets Helsinki – Joensuu – Helsinki with seat reservation
- Car hire (Group B Ford Fiesta or similar)
- Half board from day 2 to day 7 (breakfast and lunch or dinner)
- Use of Finnish sauna at the farmhouses
- Entrance to Carelicum in Joensuu, Heritage Center Ukko in Koli and Rune singers house in Ilomantsi.
- Car ferry from Koli to Lieksa
- White water rafting and wilderness lunch at Ruunaa
- Road map and detailed route description
