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The "Why" Behind Finnish Happiness
September 1-14, 2023
Immersive experiences with locals in Helsinki & the Lakeland
Private Hosted Small Group Tour
Credit: Visit Finland/Kari Ylitalo
Dates
September 1-14, 2023
Duration
14days/13 nights
Suitable
For curious souls who love learning for life.
Price
From EUR 4695
Step into the world of Finland, where happiness isn't just a concept—it's a way of life rooted in genuine contentment and security. Discover why Finland consistently tops the charts as the world's happiest country, as recognised by the World Happiness Report.
Nestled amidst vast forests and serene lakes, Finland offers more than just natural beauty. It's a land celebrated for its well-functioning public services, strong social support systems, and an unwavering trust in authority.
Join us on an exclusive journey curated by our founder, Leila Myllymäki-Hay, a Finn who remains deeply connected to Finnish culture despite having lived abroad for many years. This intimate tour promises not just a visit, but a profound immersion into the heart of Finland's soulful landscape. September beckons with autumn hues and bountiful harvests of berries, mushrooms, and fresh vegetables—a feast for both the senses and the soul.
Immerse yourself in authentic local experiences, where each moment is tailored to showcase Finland's unique charm and warmth. With a limited group size of 11 guests, this is your opportunity to secure a place on a journey that promises depth, authenticity, and the chance to uncover the secrets of Finland's enduring happiness.
Don't miss out on this extraordinary adventure. Reserve your place today and discover firsthand why Finland's happiness is more than just a statistic—it's a profound, enriching experience waiting to be embraced.
Tour Highlights
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Accommodation in charming boutique hotels in Helsinki, Joensuu & Kuopio
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Three nights' accommodation in cosy private cottages by the lake - all equipped with saunas & fireplaces
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Amazing seasonal food prepared by great local chefs including a wild food experience on a island
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Private Karelian Pie workshop and a local drink & food cooking class for farewell dinner
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Tasting experiences in distilleries in Fiskars & Kuopio and wine tasting at Valamo Monastery
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Visit to Fiskars Artisan Village
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Visit to a private home to experience how Finns live
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Visit to Iittala & Arabia Design Centre to learn about Finnish glass & ceramics design
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Visit to Lusto Forest Museum to find out about Finnish forestry & our deep connection to forest
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Learn about Russian Orthodox Church & the Brotherhood at Valamo Monastery
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Learn about conservation during a private lunch session with Mr Mr Juha Taskinen, renown Saimaa Ringed Seal expert
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Private 'kannel' workshop with renown Finnish folk musician, Ms Sari Hyytinen
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Experience amazing natural beauty in a region dotted by lakes and tall forests
Tour Itinerary
DAY 1: September 1, 2023 Friday: Welcome to Helsinki
Tonight we gather for a welcome drink & dinner at Restaurant Nolla. Nolla offers creative dishes guided by the best local and organic seasonal ingredients. Nolla is Finnish for 'zero' and the idea of Nolla was born out of a desire to serve great food without compromising sustainability.
Meals included: dinner
DAY 2: September 2, 2023 Saturday: Explore Helsinki
After breakfast we meet our local guide for a walking tour around the City Center. We learn about the eclectic mixture of architectural styles that have influenced the creation of this liveable city. We pay visit to Oodi Library that has become a second living room for the locals. Rest of the day free to explore the many interesting sights in Helsinki.
Meals included: breakfast
DAY 3: September 3, 2023 Sunday: Artisan Crafts & Creations
This morning we head out to the countryside and visit the Fiskars Artisan Village. We have a guided tour with visits to artisans' studios with some free time for you to explore and shop. We enjoy a delicious lunch at a restaurant housed in an old copper smithy that captures the spirit of the Fiskars Village - contemporary style and design against a historical backdrop. After lunch we pay a visit to the former knife factory that now houses Fiskars Brewery, Noita Winery and Ägräs Distillery. After a short tour we enjoy a guided tasting experience. Return to Helsinki in late afternoon. Rest of the day free.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch
DAY 4: September 4, 2023 Monday: Urban Living
After breakfast we visit a private home to find out how everyday Finns live. We then walk to a near-by allotment garden to experience a green oasis amongst the apartment buildings. We continue our tour to Kalasatama district to learn about the Smart City -program. City of Helsinki has transformed one of its previous industrial districts, Kalasatama, into a smart city with sustainable urban infrastructure and services.
After visiting Kalastama we continue to another residential district, Arabianranta, filled with history, modern-day amenities, design, industry, science and art - all in sweet harmony with nature and outdoor activities. After lunch at a local cafe we visit Iittala & Arabia Design Centre to learn about the history of Finnish ceramic art and glass design. After the visit we hop on a tram and travel back to our hotel. Tonight we enjoy dinner at our hotel restaurant specialising in foods from Lapland made with the purest ingredients such as game, reindeer, mushrooms, lichen and birch leaves.
Meals included: breakfast, dinner
DAY 5: September 5, 2023 Tuesday: Journey to Lakeland
After breakfast transfer to Helsinki Railway Station for a 2.5-hour journey to the Finnish Lakeland district. Finland has about 188,000 lakes and you will be enjoying a few days by the largest of them all, Lake Saimaa. Upon arrival in Mikkeli we travel to Kenkävero, an old vicarage surrounded by beautiful gardens. We learn about the history of this unique place followed by lunch at the restaurant. You have time to visit a local artisan's studio/shop and Kenkävero's own store filled with local delicacies and design items before we continue our tour.
Our local guide takes us on a short guided walking tour in Mikkeli. During the Winter War and Continuation War in the 1940s Mikkeli was Field Marshal Mannerheim’s centre of operations, and consequently some of the finest military museums in Finland are located here. We will have guided visits to the Headquarters Museum and the Muisti Center of War & Peace.
We then continue by bus to Sahanlahti Resort for dinner. Sahanlahti is famous for its cuisine and is one of the 'Saimaa Gastronomy' destinations for authentic local food. After dinner a short drive to Puumala and across with a car ferry to Island of Niinisaari. We will spend the next three nights here in cosy private lakeside cottages complete with your own sauna & row boat.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
DAY 6: September 6, 2023 Wednesday: Wild Foods & Slow Boating
Enjoy breakfast at leisure in your cottage by the lake. After breakfast we head out to our Wild Food Experience. Our hosts, Asta & Ilkka, welcome us and transport us in an old fishing boat to their island location. Upon arrival we enjoy a short walk around the island and forage for some berries and mushrooms along the way. You can watch Ilkka prepare a delicious 4-course-lunch on the fire using best seasonal ingredients from the surrounding nature. Asta & Ilkka grow most of the ingredients themselves, pick mushrooms and berries in the forests; the fish is caught nearby and the rest of the ingredients come from local producers. After lunch a boat ride back to the mainland and bus transfer back to your cottage in late afternoon.
The rest of the day is for relaxing. Take your row boat out, cast a line or go for a walk around the island. You can also hire a bicycle should you want to explore further. Afterwards heat the sauna (with some assistance from locals) and have a refreshing swim in the clean waters of Lake Saimaa. Ingredients for dinner will be delivered to your cottage so you can grill some sausages and enjoy fresh salads - just like the Finns do at their summer houses. Savour the tranquility. We think you will be sleeping soundly tonight.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
DAY 7: September 7, 2023 Thursday: Pie Making & Local Delicacies
Wake up with the birds and enjoy your breakfast admiring the serene lake views. After breakfast we head to the main house where our hostess Paula will guide us through the art of baking Karelian Pies, a traditional delicacy made with her old family recipe. We enjoy lunch including your labour of love (self made Karelian pies) after the workshop.
Afternoon free for exploring the island, bicycle rides, fishing or just relaxing in your cottage. Time to heat that sauna again!
In the evening we enjoy dinner prepared by our hostess in the main restaurant. Restaurant Niinipuu is located in an old stone barn and is known for its delicious food prepared with local seasonal ingredients. Enjoy your last night in the lakeside cottage.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
DAY 8: September 8, 2023 Friday: Forests, Wildlife & History
Early morning departure for a full day of exploration! Our tour takes us first to one of the most scenic regions of Finland. Punkaharju esker ridge has attracted visitors for over two hundred years due to the beauty of its landscape. It is one of Finland's national landscapes and the beautiful lake views seen between its majestic pines are still the biggest attraction of the area.
Our first visit is to Finnish Forest Museum Lusto. The Lusto building is a representative of Finnish 20th century modern architecture. The original Lusto building is, as its Finnish name implies, round like a tree’s annual growth ring. Lusto’s exhibitions and collections provide an interesting insight into the significance of forests in the life of Finns. The relationship between man and the forest in Finland is unique – the forest lives in us. After a guided visit at the museum we head out to explore the esker ridge area with our guide. We learn about the cultural and natural history of the area while admiring the stunningly beautiful views over lakes Puruvesi and Pihlajavesi.
Our tour continues to Savonlinna where we enjoy lunch. Mr Juha 'Norppa' Taskinen will join us for lunch and share his passion (and a presentation) for the endangered Saimaa Ringed Seal which only lives in Lake Saimaa in Finland. With only about 420–430 individuals now in the wild, the Saimaa Ringed Seal is one of the most endangered seals in the world. Juha first spotted a Saimaa Ringed Seal in 1979 when it was thought to be extinct. This was the beginning of his lifelong work to save the species. His work and documentation of the seals' life have made him the ultimate Saimaa Ringed Seal expert in the World. After lunch we continue by foot to Olavinlinna Castle, a 15th-century three-tower castle and the origin of a thousand stories and the site of numerous battles.
We continue our tour to Joensuu and check-in at a cosy boutique hotel, our home for the next three nights. Joensuu is located in the North Karelia province, a unique melting point of eastern and western cultures and religions. The originality and distinctiveness of Karelian culture can be seen here in everyday life. Dinner tonight will be enjoyed at Restaurant Kielo. Chefs in Kielo Restaurant cherish traditional Karelian cooking methods bringing them into the modern life. They use the best local seasonal ingredients and believe that by favouring traditions and local food they can offer their guests the best possible culinary experience.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
DAY 9: September 9, 2023 Saturday: Handicrafts & Traditions
Today we enjoy a guided walking tour around Joensuu followed by a visit to the local museum of cultural history. Karelians are known for their beautiful handicrafts and after a guided museum tour we will try our hands on weaving a traditional ribbon. We end our tour at Taitokortteli, a cultural centre for craft enthusiasts. This is your free time to visit their beautiful shop filled with local crafts and enjoy lunch at the cafe on the premises.
In late afternoon our driver takes us to the art residence of Sari Kaasinen, founder of the internationally renowned Finnish folk ensemble, “Värttinä”. During our visit our hostess Sari tells us about Finnish and Karelian folk music and teaches us the basics of playing the five-string kantele. A kantele or kannel is a traditional Finnish and Karelian plucked string instrument (chordophone) that belongs to the south east Baltic box zither family. After our lesson we enjoy dinner with Sari and then head back to our hotel.
Meals included: breakfast, dinner
DAY 10: September 10, 2023 Sunday: Finnish Soul Landscape
After breakfast we travel to Koli National Park where we have a guided walk. The view over Lake Pielinen from the top of Ukko-Koli hill in the national park is Finland’s most loved national landscape, and has inspired many Finnish artists. The era of national romanticism particularly highlighted the importance of this landscape. Painters such as Akseli Gallen-Kallela and Eero Järnefelt traveled, with great effort, throughout the country and brought these landscapes into the national consciousness. Finnish writers like Runeberg and Topelius enthused about the beauty of the region in their works. After our walk we enjoy lunch with beautiful views over Lake Pielinen. We return to our hotel in the afternoon. Hotel sauna is reserved for us so how about a relaxing sauna before heading out for dinner in town (free time).
Meals included: breakfast, lunch
DAY 11: September 11, 2023 Monday: Monks & Mindfulness
Our tour continues today to Kuopio. On the way we make a stop in Heinävesi and visit Valamo Monastery and its Orthodox Brotherhood. The monastery was established in its present location in 1940 however the tradition of the Valamo monastery dates back to 1717. The monastery is a haven not only for wildlife including moose, but also for visitors seeking solitude. We have a guided tour and hear about the history of the monastery and the present day followed by buffet lunch at Restaurant Trapesa on site. After lunch we can (respectfully) observe an Orthodox church service prior to having a tour of the winery where we get acquainted with wine making and taste the monastery's own products in a cozy wine-tasting room. We have a short walk around the cemetery and finish our monastery experience with an afternoon tea. Our journey then continues to Kuopio where we check-in at our hotel in late afternoon. Rest of the day free.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch
DAY 12: September 12, 2023 Tuesday: Local Characters & Culinary Delights
Kuopio, the capital of Northern Savo province is surrounded almost everywhere by Lake Kallavesi combining urban living with beautiful nature. Kuopio was named The Capital of European Gastronomy in 2020-21 so be assured the food here will also be amazing. Our local guide will pick us up from our hotel and take us to the heart of the City, the Market Square. This time of the year the market stalls are brimming with seasonal produce: berries, mushrooms and vegetables. We drop in at the Market Hall before continuing our walk to the Korttelimuseo which consists of a block of eleven old wooden houses. The oldest buildings on the block are from the late 1700s and the youngest from the late 1800s. Their interiors represent living conditions and living styles of different families from the 1800s to the 1930s.
At the museum there is also a room dedicated to the renowned local author Minna Canth who was also a social activist. She was a formidable figure and an eloquent advocate for women's rights. After her husband's death, Minna became a businesswoman, taking over a draper’s shop in Kuopio. This allowed her the financial independence to provide for her family while also participating in the literary and social activities; her home became a place where intellectuals and artists gathered. Her legacy continues today; Minna Canth Day is celebrated annually in Finland on her birthday, the 19th of March.
After the museum visit we continue by bus to Saana for lunch with magnificent views of Lake Kallavesi. We then continue by foot to one of the oldest family businesses in Finland, the Lignell & Piispanen liqueur manufacturers. On this distillery tour you hear how liqueur and other drinks are made and learn about the history of Kuopio's oldest commercial house. The tour is followed by a guided tasting where you learn about the history and character of the drinks in more detail. Return to hotel by bus.
Tonight we enjoy dinner high up in the sky (over 200m above the Lake Kallavesi), at the Puijo Tower Restaurant, a rotating restaurant with scenic lake views. It takes about 30 minutes to rotate 360 degrees so you are sure to get a good view from all sides.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
DAY 13: September 13, 2023 Wednesday: Farewell with Cooking School
Free day to explore Kuopio. Visit interesting museums and galleries, shop for gifts or hire a bike or take a boat cruise.
In late afternoon our driver takes us to a local Manor House for our Farewell Dinner with a twist. On this 'Local Food and Drink Culture' cooking school, everyone can prepare something on the given menu. You will learn how to make drinks using the high-quality products of the Lignell & Piispanen distillery and get a glimpse of the secrets of the manor's kitchen. The group will be divided in two - one making aperitifs for the group under guidance, the other preparing the entrees. The main course is prepared by the manor's chefs. Afterwards one of the groups will take part in preparing the dessert while the others make drinks to go with it. After dinner transfer back to our hotel.
Meals included: breakfast, dinner
DAY 14: September 14, 2023 Thursday: Welcome to Helsinki
Our time together on this tour has come to an end. After breakfast a short walk to Kuopio Railway Station for your train ride back to Helsinki.
Alternatively if you want to continue our Finland exploration, you could book one of these tours that take you further North.
Meals included: breakfast