Inland of Finland Proper

The Inland of Finland Proper is a mostly rural region, with the large lake Pyhäjärvi (of Säkylä, not to be confused with Pyhäjärvi of Tampere) in the north. Askainen, Lemu and Mietoinen have shores of sea bays. It can be a nice sidetrip from Turku, for biking or activities such as canoeing or horseback riding. Sights include the manor of Louhisaari and stops of the St. Henrik pilgrimage route.

Towns

Municipal office building of Loimaa.

• 🌍 Loimaa (in the north-east). 
• 🌍 Somero (in the east). 

Villages

Most of the important villages are or were formerly municipal centres, and still have their parish churches.

• Alastaro, with a motor sports centre
• Askainen (Villnäs), with the Louhisaari castle
• Aura, with popular dances in the winter season
• Koski
• Lemu (Lemo)
• Lieto (Lundo)
• Marttila (S:t Mårtens)
• Masku (Masko)
• Mellilä
• Mynämäki (Virmo)
• Nousiainen (Nousis), which had the bishop seat of Finland until 1229
• Oripää
• Pöytyä (Pöytis)
• Rusko
• Säkylä, by the Pyhäjärvi lake
• Yläne, with Luontokapinetti nature exhibition and hiking services

Other destinations

Cottongrass in Kurjenrahka National Park. Lake Savojärvi in the background.

• 🌍 Kurjenrahka National Park and Vaskijärvi Nature Reserve
  • 🌍 Kurjenrahka. 
  • 🌍 Vaskijärvi. 

Understand

This is mostly an agricultural region, with much of the Finnish grain crop. Most of the villages are quite small, with some hundred to some thousand inhabitants for the above mentioned parish villages.

In contrast to the southern coast, the region is monolingually Finnish. English is spoken as elsewhere in Finland.

The climate resembles that of southern Finland in general, but is somewhat more continental than on the coast, with more reliable snow cover in winter.

The region borders (clockwise) Satakunta in the north, Tavastia Proper in the east, and Salo, Turku and the Vakka-Suomi region (with Uusikaupunki) of Finland Proper.

Get in

Section of Hämeen härkätie.

By train

Loimaa has a station on the Turku–Tampere railway, with a train most hours in daytime. For much of the region Turku or Salo are usable starting points.

By bus

Buses between Turku and Tampere, Hämeenlinna, Pori and Uusikaupunki pass through the region, which means it has quite good connections. Many of these buses are express services, not necessarily stopping exactly where you are going, unless you are visiting the main villages. There are also some other services.

By car

National road 8 (E8) passes through Masku, Nousiainen and Mynämäki, continuing through Vakka-Suomi towards Rauma, Pori and Vaasa. Highway 9 between Turku and Tampere passes by Lieto and through Aura, Kyrö (near Pöytyä), Mellilä and Loimaa. Highway 10 between Turku and Hämeenlinna passes through Lieto, by Tarvasjoki and through Marttila and Koski. The Hämeen härkätie, partly following the same route, was along with the King's Road by the southern coast the main road of medieval Finland, with quite much history preserved.

Highway 2 between Helsinki and Pori passes north of Loimaa.

Other important roads include national road 41 from Aura via Pöytyä and Oripää towards Virttaa and Huittinen, regional road 204 from Lieto via Kurjenrahka national park and Yläne towards Säkylä and Eura, regional road 213 from highway 10 and Ypäjä via Loimaa and Alastaro to Säkylä, and road 192 (Kustavintie) via Lemu and Mietoinen to Kustavi, with a fork to Askainen.

By bicycle

There are older roads running more or less in parallel with the main roads, in decent condition but with much less traffic (and usually more interesting surroundings). Also some connecting roads offer similar connections. Thus reaching points of interest by bike is often easy, if you have a decent map. Hämeen härkätie is one such recommended route. The main roads are best avoided, especially in the dark, in rain and in winter, except sections with separate biking lanes. Those with terrain bikes might want to use the terrain bike route from Turku to the national park (much harder than the other routes, but you have the choice).

There may be a biking map available.

Get around

Matkahuolto coaches travel along the main highways and sparsely along some other roads. The main villages are decently served, but many places rely on own car, bike, taxi or school buses. Matka.fi national route planner is available.

• Taksi Länsi-Suomi, ☏ [phone] (shared cost number). One company active in the region. 
• Valopilkku (national app by Taxi Helsinki)
• 02 Taksi (national app)

See

Yläne church.

• Old churches and cultural landscapes
• 🌍 Finnish museum of agriculture (Sarka), Vanhankirkontie 383, Loimaa, ✉ [e-mail]. (updated Feb 2017)
• 🌍 Reppuniemi open air museum (Reppuniemi ulkomueoalue), Turuntie 1047, Pöytyä, ☏ [phone]. By agreement. (updated Feb 2017)
• 🌍 Koskipirtti, Riihikoskentie 36, Aura, ✉ [e-mail]. (updated Feb 2017)
• 🌍 Vesikoski museum mill, Hirvikoskentie, Loimaa. (updated Feb 2017)
• 🌍 Louhisaari manor (Villnäs slott), Louhisaarentie, Masku (in Askainen). Manor from 1655 with English landscape garden. The property belonged to the mighty Fleming family 1450–1791, to the Mannerheim family 1795–1903. Birthplace of Gustaf Mannerheim. Now a museum. 
• 🌍 Vanhalinna, Vanha Härkätie, Lieto (by a museum road section of Hämeen Härkätie, easily reachable by bike from Turku). Manor and castle hill. The hill, used as fortress in the Iron Age, is a popular picnic destination, with nice views. There is a café (and a museum?). Amateur theatre in summer. 
• Local history museums in Alastaro, Loimaa, Marttila, Oripää, Pöytyä, Tarvasjoki and Yläne

Do

Lake Pyhäjärvi

• Hike to and in Kurjenrahka National Park or along the Heikola trail from Marttila
• Fish in lake Pyhäjärvi, through the ice in winter. With some timing and luck you could join a group ice fishing with a huge dragnet (seine) under the ice, traditionally with the help of horses, now tractors
• Camp and swim by the shores of Elijärvi, Pyhäjärvi or some other lake
• Follow Saint Henry's Way , a modern pilgrimage trail. St. Henry is regarded the national saint of Finland, although not formally recognized by the catholic church. The trail is marked and can be walked at any time, but there are also organized pilgrimages yearly, with a pilgrimage covering all the 140 km every third year.
  • 2017 pilgrimage, ✉ [e-mail]. Probably 12 June–18 June. A pilgrimage along all the 140 km, by foot. Simple accommodation and food provided. Probably about €240/120 for all the week. (updated Feb 2017)
• Agritourism
  • Kaiturin tila, Nälkänummentie 19, Masku, ☏ [phone]. from Midsummer to early August regularly or by agreement; check hours. Farm, café. Shop with own produce and local handicraft. Tours around the farm, which has landrace chicken, pigs, cows and sheep, including perhaps feeding and caressing some of the animals. tours €50/10 persons. 
• Dance at Valasranta (Yläne/Pöytyä), Pappisten lava (Loimaa) or Auran nuortentalo (Aura)
  • 🌍 Valasranta, Valasrannantie 363, ☏ [phone] (best reached W–Su). 6 May–1 Oct Sa 20:30–01:30; courses all day 21–29 Jul. Dance pavilion by a beach of Pyhäjärvi. Social dancing in the summer since 1955. Ice swimming Saturdays in the winter (to 29 April). Caravan camping with sauna on dancing weekends (also by the month). Caravan €15, dances €15–20. (updated Feb 2017)
  • 🌍 Pappisten lava, Pap­pis­ten­jär­ven­tie 42 (9 km west-south-west from Loimaa, 1.5 km south-west from Pappinen). June–August F 20:00/21:00–01:00, July also Tu 20–24. Dance pavilion by the lake Pappistenjärvi. Most Fridays a course of some dance an hour before the dancing proper is included in the price. €14, $8 for those under 25 in June and August. Cash only. (updated Apr 2018)
  • 🌍 Auran nuortentalo, Kirkkotie 254, Aura, ☏ [phone], ✉ [e-mail]. Oct–Apr Sat 19:00/20:00–01:00. Dances popular among young and old alike, with much of the dancers coming from Turku. The ticket price includes a one hour dance course on one dance (varying by week), before the real dancing begins. €16+1. (updated Oct 2017)
• Canoe along Paimionjoki river or to Turku along Aurajoki river (few whitewater thrills, but nice landscapes)
  • 🌍 Silver river, Heinojantie 69, Prunkila, ☏ [phone], ✉ [e-mail]. Cottages, rooms; canoeing, bow and arrow or paintball shooting, sumo wrestling and other activities. lodging €30–70; 2-hour canoeing trip with guide €150/6 pers, canoe two hours €16, one day €30. (updated Feb 2017)
• Go horse riding
  • 🌍 Kylämäki farm (Kylämäen hevostila), Hallintie 31, Marttila, ☏ [phone], ✉ [e-mail]. Lodging and horse riding, including overnight tours (Finn horses or your own) (updated Feb 2017)
  • 🌍 Varjo-talli, Ojalantie 10 (Vahto), ☏ [phone] (14:00–17:00 or SMS), ✉ [e-mail]. Terrain tours by request. €25/1h, €35/2h. (updated Feb 2017)

Buy

Eat and drink

Most food is found at lodgings, see below and check whether advance booking is needed. There are a few independent restaurants in Loimaa and some cafés with meals there and along the main roads. For nightlife the seurahuone of Loimaa is probably your best bet, unless you find a suitable festival.

Sleep

One of the regions where variants of bed and breakfast, cottages and camping are the main options.

Loimaa

• Loimaan seurahuone, Satakunnantie 24–26, ☏ [phone], fax: [phone], ✉ [e-mail]. Hotel in central Loimaa. Restaurant and night club. €110; lunch €10, à la carte €20–30. (updated Feb 2017)
• Hotel Aliisa, Oijalantie 17 (4 km from Loimaa centre along Lännentie, road 213), ☏ [phone], ✉ [e-mail]. Calm environment, no alcohol. €80 (€90 from 1.6.2017). (updated Feb 2017)

Alastaro

• Kannisto farm, Kannistontie 172, ☏ [phone], ✉ [e-mail]. Agritourism farm. Food largely local produce (to be ordered in advance). Rabbits, horses, cattle, deer etc. €92–104, full board €116–128, B&B €76–88 (children 2–14 1/4 or 1/2 price); visit €5, lunch or diner weekdays €9, Su €14. (updated Feb 2017)

Yläne

• Eskola's cabins, ☏ [phone], ✉ [e-mail]. Cottages near Elijärvenkulma and Vaskijärvi (updated Feb 2017)
• Kurala manor, Kuralantie 11, ☏ [phone], ✉ [e-mail]. €80–95. (updated Feb 2017)

Connect

Stay safe

The area is safe.

Go next

Routes through Inland of Finland Proper

Sodankylä ← Akaa ←

N  S

→ Turku → END