Travel Via Baltica Nordica - Via Finlandia

SUMMER 2005
Name of the tour: Art, history and nature along the Via Finlandia
Starting point: Valkeakoski
Ending point: Vaasa
Total length: 450 km
Suitable number of days for the tour: 3 days
Traveling by: The group will travel by it's own bus

Good to know:
For groups more than 16 but less than 50 persons

What you can experience:
Valkeakoski:Quided tour at Visavuori, the home and atelier of the famous Finnish sculptor Emil Wikström, situated on the shores of Lake Vanajavesi. The buildings, designed by Wikström himself in national romantic style, have been carefully preserved. In the atelier you can visit an exhibition presenting Wikström’s sculpture, a small winter garden and an observatory. The original interior of the residence has remaided intact.

In the Kari-pavilion, opened in 1990, you can enjoy pictures and paintings of Emil Wikström’s grandson Kari Suomalainen, one of the most famous Finnish cartoonist.Lunch at the restaurant in the beautiful landscape on the shore of Lake Vanajavesi.

Visit the old Sääksmäki stone church.

Hämeenkyrö: How a Finnish literature nobelist spent his days. Have a coffee the way he did, have a meal the way he did and learn a lot about the only Finnish nobelist.

Vaasa: The tour takes you via handicraft tradition, history and beautiful Archipelago.Tour starts from the Wasa town centre. Short presentation of Vaasa Town Hall and then start to Alskat (20km from Vaasa) and over the longest bridge of Finland. Sightseeing in Replot, visiting in the church from 1781 and in Björköby. In the old harbour Bodback, that today is on dry land, we can see the land upheaval with own eyes. Lunch at Restaurant Berny´s. The tour continues to Solf, about 20 km south of Vaasa. Visiting in Stundars handicraft village. Stundars is a genuine environment with cottage industries where craftsmen using traditional tools and equipment work as tinsmiths, potters, stone carvers, apothecaries, millers etc. There are almost 60 buildings in this museum village. Possibilities to buy souvenirs in the handicraft shop. The tour ends to Vaasa town centre where serving a coffee and tasty buns at pleasant surroundings in the House of crafts Loftet (100 m from Town Hall), a charming 19th century surroundings with a handcraft shop, chancing exhibitions and coffee room.

Where you can stay:
Hotels or cabins by the Via Finlandia (18 towns + countyside)

Where you can eat:
Enjoy the local cuisine!

For more information:

Valkeakoski
City of Valkeakoski, Tourist Office, PO Box 20, FIN-37601 Valkeakoski,
www.valkeakoski.fi/matkailu

Vaasa
Botnia Tourist, Vaasanpuistikko 22, FIN-65100 VAASA, Tel +358 (0)6 325 1125, Fax +358-(0)6 312 5833,
E-mail: office@botniatourist.com, www.botniatourist.com, www.travelostrobothnia.com

Hämeenkyrö
Town Hall, Cultural and Tourist Services, Härkikuja 7, FIN-39100 Hämeenkyrö,
E-mail: travel.info@hameenkyro.fi, Tel +358 (0)3 286 4390, operator 286 4111 Fax +358 (0)3 371 4182