Summer Adventure in Finnish Lakeland

Day by day itinerary

• Day 1 » Arrive in Helsinki

  After your flight from the UK to Helsinki, collect your hire car and head to your hotel for the next three days in the form of a cosy log cabin either by beautiful Lake Vesijarvi or Lake Paijanne – the second largest lake in Finland. After settling in, there's the chance to enjoy that oh-so-Finnish pastime of a sauna or, naturally, an invigorating lake swim, after which we recommend heading for dinner at the cosy onsite restaurant.

  Stay: Aurinkoranta Holiday Cabins or Lehmonkarki Resort
  

• Day 2 » Activity day or free day to explore Lahti

  After breakfast, you've got a full day to explore. We recommend taking full advantage of your surroundings and heading out lake swimming, kayaking or fishing – or, back on land, there's bike riding, hiking and even forest foraging. Alternatively, head to nearby Lahti and explore its charming city harbour that's bursting with snug cafes and design boutiques. You might even want to visit a husky and reindeer farm, a winery producing local berry wines and beers or even a local Finnish home where you'll enjoy a lunch of local Finnish sausages and homemade blueberry pie. Whichever you choose, we recommend finishing the day with a Finnish sauna experience and traditional whisking massage.

  Stay: Aurinkoranta Holiday Cabins or Lehmonkarki Resort
  

  Meals: Breakfast

• Day 3 » Private island boat trip

  After breakfast today, head to the harbour for your included boat trip to one of the region's private, untouched islands, surrounded by boreal forests. It's a chance to truly relax with rocky sunbathing, lake swims and fishing before a fireside picnic lunch with your guide, later returning to the resort in time for dinner.

  Stay: Aurinkoranta Holiday Cabins or Lehmonkarki Resort

  Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

• Day 4 » Kuusa

  After breakfast your adventure continues as you drive to Kuusa and the Varjola Guesthouse, a former 19th-century farmhouse perched on the banks of a river that connects the region's lakes. Settle in to your stylish villa, taking full advantage of the panoramic lake views and wood-clad Scandi interior before more adventures this afternoon, from fishing to whitewater rafting. The day is finished off nicely with a visit to nearby Spa Hotel Peurunka, featuring a lakeside smoke sauna, before heading to Varjola's cosy barn restaurant for seasonal, ultra-fresh menus.

  Stay: Varjola Guesthouse
  

  Meals: Breakfast

• Day 5 » Jyvaskyla

  Today your road trip continues as you drive on to the rolling hills of Jyvaskyla. Head to the charming Old Toivola courtyard for a browse among the arts and crafts shops, cosy cafes and boutiques – or even enjoy a lake cruise on the beautiful Lake Paijanne. The city is perhaps most famous, though, for housing the works of world-renowned architect Alvar Aalto and the largest number of buildings in the world he designed, such as the Alvar Aalto Museum, Muurame Church and Saynatsalo Town Hall. Finally, check in at the stylish Hotel Verso, with ultra-contemporary rooms – some with saunas – and delicious, modern dinner menus.

  Stay: Hotel Verso
  

• Days 6-7 » Tampere

  After a made-to-order breakfast it's time to head to Tampere for a two-night stay. All leafy cobbled streets and sculpture parks, Tampere is sandwiched between two great lakes, with cobbled avenues, historic red brick buildings and world-class galleries, including the Art Museum of Tampere, Hiekka Art Gallery and Sara Hildén Art Museum. There’s even the Moomin Museum – the only one in the world – that takes visitors deep into the magical world of Tove Jansson's enchanting stories set in the ‘Mumindalen’. You'll return each night to the Hotel Lillan, a Scandi-chic boutique hotel of wood-clad interiors with complimentary use of bikes alongside a charming garden, terrace and homely café.

  Stay: Hotel Lillan
  

  Meals: Breakfast

• Day 8 » Tampere to UK

  Drive back to Helsinki today – via, if you wish, Iittala village, home to a fascinating glass museum and factory and the medieval Hameenlinna castle. Then, drop off your hire car and head to the airport in time for your flight home.
  

  Meals: Breakfast