2.00/2.15 pm   Arrival in Helsinki

                        Check-in to The Hotel Maria

In December 2023, the Hotel Maria opens in Helsinki. heralding a new era in luxury Nordic hospitality, with a level of refinement and excellence that is a first for the region. 

Exquisite, luxurious, and always welcoming, The Hotel Maria is in one of the city’s most prestigious addresses, near the Presidential Palace and Senate Square. Steeped in tradition and reimagined to create a sophisticated escape for discerning guests, the hotel features 117 unique guest rooms including 38 majestic suites. The Hotel Maria is a destination within a destination. 

                        Lobby call

Meet your host from Finnair, Ms. Päivyt Tallqvist (SVP, Communications) at the hotel lobby.

                        Short walk to the restaurant

                        Dinner at Kuurna, hosted by Finnair

Enjoy dinner in a small and cosy restaurant Kuurna that offers delicious modern Finnish food made of fresh and local ingredients. The menu changes every other week and there are some daily portions as well.

                          Breakfast The Hotel Maria

                          Lobby call

9.30-11.30 am   REDRIB Helsinki Experience

Welcome to an unforgettable adventure! Enjoy the nature on a private cruise by RIB (rigid inflatable boat) around Helsinki’s archipelago! Step onto a cutting-edge RIB with an experienced captain at the controls, and cruise by top Helsinki sights. 

Hear the story of the landmarks from your guide, and thrill as the throttle opens and your craft bounces over the waves. Watch for seals in the Baltic waters and visit an island on route for complimentary drinks and snacks.

The program always includes equipment for all the participants and when it comes to safety we never compromise. Welcome to an unforgettable adventure!

12-1.30 pm       Lunch at the ROOM by Kozeen Shiwan (TBC)

The ROOM is an intimate 14-seat immersive sensory dining experience based around the life of Kozeen Shiwan. The restaurant’s name, “The ROOM”, refers to a mysterious and gloomy space, where all guests are gathered around the same table, and simultaneously get to follow Kozeen Shiwan’s work & creative process up close. Everyone is welcome to the ROOM - as long as you find your way through the curtains within restaurant Lulu’s. The restaurant gained a MICHELIN star in May 2024, having opened its doors only five months prior.

The food philosophy of The ROOM is based around high-quality and seasonal produce, but also around challenging dominating conventions in the gastro-world. The 8-course tasting menu is inspired by Kozeen’s personal background in the Middle East, combined with Nordic cooking techniques. Carefully curated wines selected from the best biodynamic wineries, and hand-made non-alcoholic options complement the menu seamlessly. The menu is also available fully vegan.

1.30-2.30 pm    GuIded city tour by walking

The tour will cover the main sights and attractions of Helsinki, e.g. the beautiful harbor area with the legendary Market Square and the Old Market Hall, both Helsinki’s Art Nouveau and modern architecture such as the Kamppi Chapel of Silence. You’ll also get to know what Finnish everyday design is all about by visiting the Design District Helsinki, one of Helsinki’s most characteristic features that differs it from the other Nordic capitals! 

2.30-3.30 pm    Visit to Amos Rex Museum

Amos Rex is an art museum where the past, present and future meet. Located within the functionalist landmark of Lasipalatsi, the newly built domed exhibition spaces lie under the distinctively undulating Lasipalatsi square. Amos Rex presents site-sensitive, experiential, and often technologically experimental exhibitions by contemporary artists and their Modernist predecessors. A permanent exhibition with Sigurd Frosterus's post-impressionist art collection is also on display. 

4-4.30 pm         Drinks at the restaurant Toppa terrace

Toppa is in the top floor of the historic and outstanding Sugar Cube designed by famous Alvar Aalto. The atmosphere of the restaurant seamlessly blends modern elegance with respect for historical dignity. Toppa is a place where every detail is carefully considered – from modern furniture to evoking nostalgia with old Artek classics.

Toppa is divided into several spaces, including the dining hall, bar, various-sized private rooms, and terrace. The dining hall can accommodate up to a hundred guests. In the bar, you can enjoy exquisite cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks on weekends accompanied by music from a DJ. There are three differently sized private rooms providing privacy.

The terrace, bustling with delicious food, refreshing drinks, and cheerful guests during the summer, also offers a stunning view of Helsinki’s landscapes.

5.30 pm            Transfer to Löyly

6 pm                 Sauna and swimming at Löyly

Löyly, an urban oasis occupying a stretch of beautiful Helsinki waterfront, offers a warm welcome and many delights for locals and visitors alike. On a beautiful summer’s day, our terrace is the place to be and our saunas are available daily.

There are three different saunas that are all heated with wood: a continuously heated sauna, a once heated sauna (that is heated in the morning before the sauna is open and stays warm all evening) and a traditional smoke sauna – a true rarity in an urban sauna. This is how you can experience all sorts of Finnish Löyly during a single visit. Between the saunas there is spa area and a fireplace room to relax in, between or after sauna bathing. You can swim in the sea and in the winter, there is an “avanto”, the hole in the ice for winter swimming – a popular hobby in Finland.

7.30 pm            Transfer to the hotel

8 pm                 Dinner at restaurant Lilja at Hotel Maria

Inspired by the traditions of French cuisine and sourcing the finest ingredients, with a focus on Finland and an exclusive selection from abroad, Lilja is sophisticated and immersive fine dining in an elegant and welcoming setting. Expect the very best of Nordic hospitality from a team with a deep knowledge of fine food and exceptional wine.

                         Overnight at The Hotel Maria

8 am          Breakfast at The Hotel Maria

9 am          Transfer to Mikkeli (c. 2,5 hr drive)

12 noon    Tour of the grounds and lunch at Tertti Manor   

A working farm with acres of eco-certified forest and beautiful herb and fruit gardens, Tertti Manor is a national treasure. Recently listed as one of the 21 top restaurants in the world by National Geographic (the only restaurant listed in the Nordics), this family-run resort is on everyone’s must-visit list.

2 pm          Transfer to Savonlinna (c. 1,5 hr drive)

3.30 pm     Check in at Original Sokos Hotel Seurahuone

Located in the centre of Savonlinna, Hotel Seurahuone is the ultimate spot to explore the beautiful city. You have the bustling marketplace and city cruises on your doorstep and the world’s northernmost medieval castle just a short walk away.

5 pm          Cruise around Savonlinna (1 hr)

6.15 pm     Pre-opera drinks and canapes at Olavinlinna Castle

7 pm          Opera Don Giovanni at Olavinlinna Castle (c. 3,5 hrs with interval, drinks and canapes at the interval)

11 pm        Light supper / snacks at the hotel rooftop bar

                Breakfast at the hotel

10 am     Transfer to Sahanlahti Resort and check in at Elsanranta SaimaaVillas (c. 1 hr drive)

Sahanlahti Resort is a small, family-run resort on the shores of Lake Saimaa. Built around an old sawmill, the resort is steeped in history and has accommodation options ranging from hotel to cottages to luxury villas. Quiant guest harbour and several different lakeside saunas offer a unique environment to enjoy a beautiful summer’s day at Lake Saimaa. Three restaurants on site serve authentic Saimaa cuisine with a different twist, but all is guaranteed to be tasty and made with local ingredients and love.

The newest addition to Sahanlahti Resort’s accommodation, sustainably and ecologically built Elsanranta SaimaaVillas are eco-luxury at its best. With lovely views over Lake Saimaa and drop-in pools on the terrace to enjoy them, you will be sleeping safe and sound in these beautifully decorated villas.

TBC          Nature activity (cycling, kayaking, stand up paddle boarding etc.)

1.30 pm    Lunch

                 Free time to explore the area or enjoy the villas

5 pm         Drinks and traditional Finnish lawn games

7 pm         Dinner

9 pm         Lakeside sauna

9 am         Breakfast at Restaurant Siimes in PihlasResort 

11 am       Transfer to Helsinki Airport (c. 3h drive)

4 pm         Flight to Chicago

5.20pm     Flight to New York