Hidden Treasures of Finland and Beyond

Day 1: Arrival in Stockholm

Flight to Stockholm. At the airport a local guide awaits the group. Before checking into the hotel, there will be a short orientation drive through the Swedish capital.

Day 2: Stockholm

Today a roundtrip through Stockholm awaits. Located on 14 islands, the Swedish capital is often called the most beautiful city in Europe. Guided tour will take the group around the Swedish capital, to some of the best photo stops and most important sights, such as City Hall, and the well-preserved medieval Old Town with its cobbled streets. Free time in the afternoon to explore more of what Stockholm has to offer.

Day 3: Stockholm to Turku

In the morning there will be an excursion to Drottningholm Palace. The royal residence is still lived in by the royal family for part of the year, and is surrounded by a magnificent, geometrically arranged baroque garden. In the evening there is a transfer to the harbour of Stockholm and embarkation on a modern Baltic Sea ferry. The travellers can enjoy the ride through the beautiful Stockholm archipelago.

Day 4: Turku to Tampere

Upon the morning arrival in Turku, the travellers explore the marketplace and the historical city centre on a sightseeing tour. Afterwards the journey continues to Rauma, whose old town with well-maintained wooden houses from the 18th century is an of UNESCO World Heritage site. The journey continues to Tampere, where the group visits the Tampere Cathedral, with unconventional church art by Hugo Simberg and impressive architecture by Lars Sonck, as well as the Finlayson area, where the industrial history of the town started with the founding of the Finlayson textile factory on the rapids.

Day 5: Tampere to Jyväskylä

The day starts with a drive south to the Rönnvik Winery. After an interesting presentation about viticulture in Finland and a small wine tasting, the journey continues to Gösta where the group visits the Serlachius museum. Here travellers will be able to dive into the fascinating world of contemporary art embedded in Finnish nature. Onward journey to Jyväskylä, a town known for its architecture and educational institutions. There the travellers will visit Alvar Aalto Experimental House, a unique building showcasing innovative ideas and experiments.

Day 6: Jyväskylä to Lappeenranta

Today the group will leave Jyväskylä and drive to Savonlinna, which was founded in 1639 under the protection of the castle Olavinlinna. The enormous Olavinlinna Castle in the heart of Saimaa Lake district was built in 1475 at the then disputed border between Sweden and Russia and is especially worth seeing. The drive continues to Kerimäki, located at the Western shore of Puruvesi Lake. Here the travellers visit the largest wooden church in the world with 3300 seats. Following a short stop in Imatra the journey of the day ends in Lappeenranta.

Day 7: Lappeenranta to Helsinki

From Lappeenranta continue to Porvoo, the second oldest city in Finland. The cobblestones and idyllic courtyards give the old town a unique historic atmosphere. Afterwards the journey continues to Järvenpää. During the turn of the century Järvenpää attracted numerous artists. The composer Jean Sibelius lived in the Villa Ainola two kilometres south of the city centre from 1904 until his death in 1957, and he composed five symphonies while living there. Afterward the visit at the museum in the villa, the drive continues to the destination of the day: Helsinki.

Day 8: Helsinki

This day is dedicated entirely to the Finnish capital. On a city tour the travellers will learn a wealth of interesting facts about the city, see key parts of Helsinki, such as the historic centre and diplomatic quarter, the City Hall and Finlandia Hall, and stop at Senate Square and the Sibelius Monument. The afternoon is at leisure for further exploration.

Day 9: Helsinki to Tallinn

The day starts with a transfer to the ferry port in Helsinki and a ferry ride to Tallinn (approx. 2 hours). The Estonian capital is a modern capital with medieval flair. Tallinn’s old town is an ensemble of winding cobblestone streets and old buildings from the 11th to 15th centuries. After a sightseeing tour, travellers can enjoy some free time before a farewell dinner is served in a restaurant in the old town of Tallinn.

Day 10: Departure from Tallinn

A transfer takes the group to Tallinn Airport, from where they catch the flight home.