Lomamäki Pet Park manager Mikko Auri (right) - with his boa - met a local Mikko Lagerström, who specializes in flowers and butterflies. Photo: LikeFinland.com
There are plenty of nice summer destinations in Southern Finland. Here we'll present you some of those, which are not so presumable.
Most of them are LikeFinland / KivaaTekemistä Star Destinations, where we have visited, and which are our customers.
Our media is currently a Booking.com Affiliate Partner. So, it is easy for you to book and compare accommodations through the Booking-links and map views on our sites LikeFinland.com and KivaaTekemista.fi, when planning the holiday trip!
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Book your accommodation in Finland by zooming the Booking.com map here
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You may know Linnanmäki Amusement Park and Korkeasaari Zoo, but did you know that there is a very special Mini Zoo Lomamäki (www) in Western Uusimaa, Inkoo's countryside, 2 km from the Road 51.
Kids favourites were the foxes and small dogs. There was also a big turtle walking freely as well as a turkey, who was friendly - luckily!
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Another traditional animal park is the Orimattila Domestic Animal Park (www), founded in 1990, located in Orimattila municipality, east of Lahti. In both those parks there is much to do for kids such as bouncy castles and playgrounds. It was interesting to hear that also young couples and seniors from nursing homes have been visiting the Orimattila zoo.
Pony ride by the personnel keeping the pony is one of the favorites of small kids. Photos: LikeFinland.com
Are you interested in statues and fountains?
In May we visited in Muurla, which is a part of Salo town, in Southwestern Finland. It takes just over one hour’s drive from Helsinki to Muurla. However, you can also take a bus or train to many destinations presented here.
Art Bouffant Muurla (www) is a statue and fountain exhibition, open by reservation only. You can explore many kind of statues like animals as well as Egypt, Buddha and musician themes.
If you want some regular opening hours, take your direction to Art Bouffant Mäntsälä (www). That's another exhibtion of the same company, and there is also a garden shop Kivapiha (www) with flowers, bushes, trees, mold and soil materials as well as stones and yard tiles and fertilizers, in the same place. Mäntsälä is located 50 km north of Helsinki by the Highway 4.
What a great summer day you can spend in Kivapiha - ‘Nice garden’ in Finnish - and Art Bouffant in Mäntsälä. Not forget the flowing water and fountains, a break with a cup of tea or coffee!
Art Bouffant and Kivapiha consist of statue and gardening exhibition and sales. Photo: LikeFinland.com
Suomenlinna Sea Fortress
A historical Sea Fortress Suomenlinna (www) in front of Helsinki is achievable both by HSL ferries and JT-Line water buses. HSL is operating throughout the year.
Remember to both enjoy the fortress and sea, as well as respect the history and rocks of this unique island, one of the Finland's World Heritage Sites.
You may find idyllic cafés, restaurants and museums in Suomenlinna – or take part in a guided tour! Some people are also living in Suomenlinna, which is a former military base.
Take a closer look at Suomenlinna on their English website here.
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Heinola – what a pearl on the north side of Lahti!
We visited also this summer in Heinola (www). It’s a historical town in Päijät-Häme province.
Did you know that Heinola has been a valuable spa destination in the early 1900s with foreign tourists enjoying and relax?
Heinola has been a residence of the former Kymenkartano province. You can find even a police commander Aschan's House from the end of 1700s in the Centre of Heinola. It has been renovated during last decades, and belongs to the town's museum attractions.
You’ll find idyllic cafés in historical places such as Harjupaviljonki (in photos) as well as Café Kailas. Photos: LikeFinland.com
Heinola is located on the border of ‘Häme’ and ‘Savo’ regions, and it is also the first stop from Helsinki to north, where you can see and feel the water, the flowing Kymijoki river with its clean and fresh waves. There are are plenty of good beaches in Heinola, starting from the Centre, Kylpylä Beach 'Kylpylän uimaranta', near RantaCasino Restaurant.
There is an interesting exhibition of Finnish - could I say kitchen - design from Arabia in 1936-1950, going on in the Heinola City Museum until early September.
Or take a visit to Bird Park ‘Heinolan Lintuhoitola'. It’s free of charge as well as parking places in Heinola.
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Tree top adventure in Espoo and lakes of Lohja
Let’s go back to Western Uusimaa. In Leppävaara, Espoo, there is one of the most popular adventure parks in Finland, Treetop Adventure Huippu (www). You can choose the route based on your own level, or enjoy the beautiful adventure minigolf.
Treetop Adventure Huippu & Adventure Golf Huippu is a beautiful summer destination in Leppävaara, Espoo. Photos: LikeFinland.com
The Finnish Housing Fair will is held in Lohja (www) between July 9th and August 8th, 2021. A special attraction in Lohja is Tytyri Mine Experience (www). You'll get a cool experience also in a hot summer day!
Different parts of the mine are still in use as a limestone mine and an elevator test center of Kone Corporation.
Not forget the Aurlahti Beach and activites in the Centre of Lohja!
Lohja Aurlahti Beach is enjoyable and located close to the Centre, not so far from the new Housing Fair area either! Photo: LikeFinland.com
New activities in Sipoo
Sipoo (www) is located east of Helsinki. There are many frisbeegolf as well as golf courses in Sipoo - and one of the Finland's newest national parks, Sipoonkorpi.
In Talma village, western Sipoo, you can find Talma Active Park (www), and challenge yourself to treetop adventure - like in Huippu - but also play paintball, minigolf, frisbeegolf, and since 2020 enjoy the Bike Park (downhill cycling, E-fatbike rental).
In southern Sipoo, Söderkulla, one can enjoy Villa Sibbe / Joensuun Tila area’s activities such as frisbeegolf, nature path, a small lake for swimming and SUP boarding, kayaking on the Sipoonjoki river. Or play minigolf on a brandnew cource, and enjoy a tasty meal in the new Restaurant of Villa Sibbe!
An art experience is waiting for you in Gumbostrand Konst & Form by the seaside, near Söderkulla. Many cafés and restaurants are serving you in Sipoo such as N´avetta by the road between East Helsinki and Söderkulla and Restaurant Tila close to Sipoonkorpi National Park.
Willa Fantti Elephant Exhibition (www) consist of more than 23.000 elephants. It's located in Nastola countryside, east of Lahti. Photo: LikeFinland.com
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See more LikeFinland Star Destinations here
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Text: Henri Elo
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LikeFinland.com is a nationwide leisure time media and search service of Finnish destinations. You can like us on Facebook or follow on Twitter and Instagram. Our main website in Finnish is KivaaTekemista.fi.