Finnish Happiness, Telva Magazine

Finnair Flights
10:15-15:25 Finnair flight (AY1662) to Helsinki from Madrid
10:05-15:10 Finnair flight (AY1654 to Helsinki from Barcelona 

Transfer to Helsinki city centre by train
The trains I and P run to the city centre, taking about 30 minutes. Use provided HSL ticket codes in HSL App for transfer.

Check in at Hobo Hotel Helsinki
Address: Kluuvikatu 4, 00100 Helsinki / Tel: +358 50 545 3070

Hobo Helsinki is a boutique hotel situated on Kluuvikatu in the city centre. From minimalistic mastery to grand design. At Hobo Helsinki, you’ll find rooms in six different categories across their eight floors. The hotel’s bar and restaurant are open to everyone, where you can drop in whenever you like, regardless of whether you’re a hotel guest, a local or a visitor. The restaurant’s food philosophy is based on fresh, seasonal and local produce, and you can enjoy delicious food all day long. One floor up, they can also host a variety of events including exhibitions, seminars, celebrations and more.

17:00 Lobby call
Meet your host Gideon Hagström (Tel: +358 40 190 3994), Specialist at Helsinki Partners, at the hotel lobby.

Short walk to Amos Rex Museum
Address: Mannerheimintie 22–24, 00100 Helsinki / Tel: +358 9 6844 460

17:15 Visit to Amos Rex Museum and interview
Meet Maarit Heikkilä, CCO at JKMM Architects (Tel +358 40 828 1019) at the museum entrance. 

Amos Rex is a new type of museum, a space dedicated to art, that is easy to reach and a cool place to hang out; a protean space that can readily take on various forms, is open to experimentation and new forms of collaboration. The new museum, designed by architectural firm JKMM, connects to a functional style building from 1930’s called Lasipalatsi. The old “Glass Palace” will retain its distinctive character while the adjacent Lasipalatsi square will undergo considerable modernization. In connection with the construction of the art museum, the protected building has been gently renovated to its original glory.

18:30 Transfer to Löyly by walking or tram nr 6
Check the directions here.

19:00 Sauna at Löyly
Address: Hernesaarenranta 4, 00150 Helsinki / Tel. +358 9 6128 6550

Meet Katja Pantzar, a Helsinki-based writer and journalist who introduces you to sauna and happiness (Tel. +358 400 514 585) at the entrance of Löyly.

The impressive Löyly design sauna opened in spring 2016 on the southern tip of the Helsinki peninsula. In addition to a smoke sauna, traditional sauna and private sauna for groups, visitors will be able to enjoy Finnish food culture while admiring the stunning views from the large terrace that stretches out over the sea. Enjoy the sauna and refreshing drink on the Löyly terraces!

NB! Remember to take your swimsuit with you! Towels, seat covers and shampoo and soap are offered by Löyly.

21:00 Dinner at Restaurant Löyly
Enjoy a tasty lunch at Löyly restaurant. At Löyly, their environmentally conscious approach also extends to the kitchen. All the fish is caught in line with WWF recommendations. Wherever possible, they make use of vegetables and organic produce. All the meat is either free-range or game, including the chef’s particular favourite, reindeer from northern Finland.

Breakfast at the hotel and check out

Short walk to Helsinki railway station

11:14 Departure from Helsinki to Mikkeli by train

14:04 Arrival to Mikkeli train station
Meet your host and continue towards Juva/Joroinen 

14:30 Late lunch at TeaHouse of Wehmais | @teahousewehmais
TeaHouse of Wehmais is a quietly charming stop in the countryside, known for its tea, beautiful setting and carefully prepared food. It has an old-fashioned sense of calm in the best possible way. The house, the garden and the atmosphere make it feel like a place where people still know how to take their time.

15:45 Departure from TeaHouse of Wehmais

16:00 Arrival at PihlasResort, check in and a moment to relax | @pihlasresort
PihlasResort is a peaceful lakeside resort surrounded by forest and water. It offers modern accommodation in a quiet setting, where nature is always close and the pace is slower than in everyday life. It is a good place to settle in, breathe a little deeper and experience the Finnish lake landscape in comfort but with a bit of luxury.

17:00 Lakeside sauna Henki, swimming in Lake Pihlas and enjoying the jacuzzies
Henki is a lakeside sauna at PihlasResort, right by the water. Here, the idea is simple: enjoy the sauna, good service and views. 

19:00 Dinner at Restaurant Siimes | @siimesrestaurant
Restaurant Siimes serves gourmet food and culinary classics with Finnish touch.

08:30 Breakfast

11:00 Check-out and departure for Punkaharju

12:30 Arrival to Punkaharju to Art Mansion of Johanna Oras and interview | @johannaoras
Johanna Oras’s Art Mansion in Punkaharju is both a gallery and a personal summer place shaped by art. It offers a chance to see her work in a setting that feels relaxed, colourful and very much its own. There is something distinctly summery about it – art, garden, old house and the feeling that creative life is close at hand.

Johanna Oras
Johanna Oras is a celebrated Finnish contemporary artist whose work is instantly recognisable for its bold colour, floral themes and strong emotional presence. Her Art Mansion in Punkaharju offers more than an exhibition space – it feels like an extension of her creative world, shaped by summer light, personal expression and the atmosphere of the surrounding lake landscape. It is both intimate and striking, much like the artist herself.

ca. 14:00 Late lunch in Inkeritalo waffle café | @kruunupuisto
Inkeritalo is a summer café with a light, nostalgic atmosphere that suits Punkaharju well. It is known especially for waffles, but the real appeal is also in the setting: an old wooden house, summer greenery and an unhurried feeling that invites people to stay a little longer.

16:00 Exploring the Punkaharju Ridge area and its unique natural and cultural attractions
Optional day sauna experience at Harjun Portti’s new Saunaranta.

18:00 Interview with Sari Helin at Hotel Punkaharju Ravintola Metsä

Sari Helin
Sari Helin is a Finnish journalist, writer and entrepreneur known for her sharp voice, warm honesty and ability to speak about life without unnecessary polish. Many Finns know her through the Huono Äiti brand, which became widely loved for its humour and refreshing realism. What makes her especially interesting in this context is the way she brings together food, storytelling and everyday life, always with a strong sense of personality and place.

19:00 Dinner in Restaurant Metsä | @ravintolametsa
Restaurant Metsä fits well into Punkaharju, where forest and lake are never far away. The food follows the season and the ingredients come close to home. It is a place where the surroundings matter, but nothing is overdone. The experience is based on good ingredients, a calm setting and the kind of meal that belongs naturally to this part of Finland.

21:00 Departure for Taipaleenniemi and time to relax | @taipaleenniemi
Taipaleenniemi is a small, peaceful adults-only place to stay, with a homely atmosphere and nature close by. It offers a quieter side of Finnish summer, where the main luxury is space, silence and time. It is easy to rest here, and just as easy to understand why many come to the lake region in search of exactly this kind of calm.

8:00-9:00 Breakfast Taipaleenniemi B&B and check out
Free morning to enjoy in Taipaleenniemi. Option to visit in Savonlinna city center, see the Olavinlinna castle, harbour and marketplace.

12:00 Interview with Saimi Hoyer at Putkinotko
Putkinotko is a historic farm in Savonlinna once owned by Finnish author and translator Joel Lehtonen. Today, the site is maintained by the Joel Lehtonen Society. The farm offers a glimpse into Finnish literary history and the rural landscape that inspired Lehtonen’s work.

Saimi Hoyer
Saimi Hoyer is one of Finland’s most recognisable lifestyle personalities, known for her work as a model, television host and writer. What makes her especially compelling is the way she connects beauty, food, nature and the art of living well without ever seeming forced. She is also one of the strongest voices championing the Lake Saimaa region, speaking about it with genuine warmth and helping to bring wider attention to its landscape, lifestyle and quiet appeal. In her, international polish and the calm, grounded values of the Finnish lake region come together in a very natural way.

13:00 Departure for Savonlinna Airport

13:30 Bag drop

14:00 Flight from Savonlinna to Helsinki with spectacular views

14:55 Arrival at Helsinki Airport
Collect your luggage, then proceed to check in for the Finnair flight.

Finnair Flights
16.40-20.05 Finnair flight (AY1661) to Madrid from Helsinki
17.05-20.05 Finnair flight (AY1654 to Barcelona from Helsinki

What to bring with you:

• layered clothing
• a light rain jacket or shell jacket
• a warm sweater or fleece for the evenings
• comfortable walking or outdoor shoes
• long trousers and a light long-sleeved top for nature trips
• swimwear
• sunglasses and sunscreen
• insect repellent
• a small daypack
• personal medication and, if needed, something to soothe insect bites

The weather in Finland in late June can be very warm or rather cool, and that is a normal part of the Finnish summer. It is best to pack for changing conditions.

Mosquito activity depends a lot on recent rainfall, location and time of day. If the weather has been rainy and you are spending time in the forest or other sheltered areas with little wind, there may be mosquitoes. They are usually more noticeable in the evenings, so it is a good idea to wear a light jacket and long trousers then. Packing insect repellent is recommended.

We are not planning to spend time in long grass, so ticks should not be a major concern. Still, it is good to know that ticks also occur in Finland, so a quick daily tick check is a sensible precaution.

This action is part of Eastern Finland Sustainable Tourism Growth Program and is funded by South Savo Regional Council from Appropriation for Sustainable Growth and Vitality in Regions (Finnish AKKE funding).