Wednesday June 4th, 2008
The first day we stop in Frankfurt (Hahn) to reach Tampere (same return, cost much less). In Tampere we arrive around 5pm (there is an hour different time zone).
Tampere is nice, it’s along the river and is in particular because in the center There are some ex-factory with smokestacks, which are now offices, restaurants, … Not much … the cathedral, the main square … all young people in the evening sit on the grass along the river to drink beer.
Thursday June 5th, 2008
The next day we go to see the Muurame sauna museum. It is in a forest and there are a lot of saunas (although it seemed to us all the same), some were even on. Not far from Muurame there is Petajavesi, where there is a wooden church (part of UNESCO).
The nearest town to these two towns is Jyvaskyla, where I should meet with a girl of the place, but we have problems with the phones and we faile to meet … we will meet again … As the city there is nothing except the Aalto museum that we visite. In the evening we arrive in Kuopio (the most northern point of our trip). The town is pretty small but is located between two lakes.
Friday June 6th, 2008
On the third day, before leaving Kuopio we climb up a tower and effectively from the air, lakes and forests, the landscape is beautiful.
However, the main destination of the day was Savonlinna where there is a fortress. The visit is very interesting even if the main courtyard, we cannot see it, as they are mounting the stage for a concert.
At about 30 km from Savonlinna we see the church of Kerimaki, which is the largest wooden church in the world. Frankly I liked more Petajavesi. But the best thing of our trip should have to be Imatra to see the waterfalls. There is a dam which is open every day for 20 minutes and they say that the show is amazing … Unfortunately, the dam opens on 16/6…sadly we have to give up.
Before stopping for the night, we arrive at the fortress of Lappenranta (but still only few minutes) and we finally stop in Kouvola, where we look for a hotel (it was the only hotel that we had not booked).
Saturday June 7th, 2008
The next day, near Kouvola, we see the paper of Verla. Unfortunately the tour is in Finnish, but with a sheet with a translation into English, we are more or less able to follow the explanation.
Then we head to Helsinki, but first we stop in Porvoo, which is a typical village with wooden houses. Then we arrive in Helsinki, we leave the car at our hotel and begin to walk through the center, starting to think about dinner.
Sunday June 8th, 2008
The fifth day, as the first thing we try a parking lot for the car, the day is only for those with permission, and we leave it in the area of the Olympic Stadium and will use the opportunity to climb the tower.
Then we go to Suomenlinna, an island not far from Helsinki, where there is a fortress. Walking through the island is pleasant even if in the most exposed area there is much wind.
Back in Helsinki we visit the cathedral and the Orthodox Temppeliaukion Kirkko, a church built into the rock. While we return to the car we stop at the National Museum of Finland. We take a break at the hotel, before returning to the center for dinner.
Monday June 9th, 2008
Next day yet in Helsinki, we visit the cathedral (less than what we would expect seeing it externally) and then we see the church of Espoo.
We are now near the end of our trip … The last city is Turku. The church is beautiful, then we head to Luostarinmaki, a neighborhood museum with wooden houses and some figures that show the ancient works.
We have the time to visit another museum, the Aboa Vetus. In the evening we go to Naantali, on the seashore. It is almost the sunset, now the shops are all closed, then after seeing some of the streets with wooden houses, we enter a restaurant (quite busy) to eat a good fish soup.
Tuesday June 10th, 2008
The last day of our trip in Finland, we go to Rauma, even here wooden houses, then Sammallahdenmaki, a prehistoric burial site and we return to Tampere, where we take the flight to return home.
