Photo: Julia Kivelä
Photo: Julia Kivelä
Photo: Julia Kivela
Photo: Julia Kivelä
Photo: Julia Kivelä
Photo: Kuokkala Manor/Visual Friday Oy

3 days

e-Car Adventures: Best of Finnish culture in Jyväskylä Region

The Jyväskylä Region is renowned for its rich cultural heritage and natural beauty. It boasts the largest collection of Alvar Aalto’s architecture in the world and features the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Petäjävesi Old Church.

Take the time and will to experience destinations at your own pace. This is not a guided trip, so you can drive where and when you want to. All destinations are located within an hour drive from Jyväskylä which allows you to visit them separately, if you wish.

See route

Vehicle

  • By car

Duration

3 days

Length

215 km

General information

  • Total length of the route: 215 km when departing and returning in Jyväskylä
  • Time needed: 3 days is our recommendation for the full roadtrip. You can also pick separate destinations or just a part of the route and alter it according to your taste.
  • Charging stations: Most gas stations alongside the route, Keuruu supermarkets, parking halls in Jyväskylä. See all charging stations on a map.
  • Who the route is for: All those who want to experience the traditional Finnish culture at its most genuine. In this roadtrip, you will see impressive examples of Finnish arts and traditions from the 17th century wood artisans to 20th century designers and architects representing the world-known Finnish and Nordic design and figures.

Car rental

E-cars can be rented from Avis

E-car charging stations

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Route description

Navigate on a specific date

  • Day 1

    Start by exploring Keuruu’s historical center, the charming wooden buildings and craftspeople of Old Keuruu. Old Keuruu attracts visitors with its rich cultural heritage and interesting attractions. The area’s churches, museums and exhibitions tell stories from past times to the present day, and they are worth exploring on foot. You can leave your car at the Old Keuruu parking area (Kangasmannilantie 2-4, 42700 Keuruu)

    In the Old Keuruu area you will find, among other things, Keuruu Museum, which is located in an old stone barn and displays works by local artists, among other things. The museum also has a museum shop where you can get diverse souvenirs. Keuruu Local History Museum, on the other hand, presents the courtyard and lifestyle of the late 1800s. Decorated with wood carvings and designed by architect Bruno Granholm, Keuruu railway station has been chosen as Finland’s most beautiful station. In its chambers you can explore charming collections from bygone eras (requires advance notice).

    Keuruu’s two churches create the right period atmosphere for museum visits. Keuruu Old Church (1758) is a magnificent wooden church surrounded by a churchyard bordered by stone walls and gate houses. The church’s abundant painted decorations tell the story of past generations’ faith, hopes and fears. Explore the old church on a guided tour. Keuruu New Church also dates back to 1892. The two-part altarpiece of the neo-Gothic red brick church designed by architect Teodor Granstedt was painted by Eero Järnefelt.

    After the museum tour, lunch would certainly be appealing. Explore the dining places in Keuruu center. You can find coffee, tea and delicious savory or sweet food next to the new church at Iida’s Dream Café, which bakes its products locally. You can also buy local producers’ delicacies to take away from Maalaisvakka shop in Keuruu center (Keuruuntie 19, Keuruu).

    Walk back after this. You may have already admired the blue-glowing lake and the old paddle steamer in the harbor on your way there. Head to the harbor (Kangasmannilantie 18, 42700 Keuruu) and embark on a traditional cruise aboard M/S Elias Lönnrot to Keurusselkä. In the Finnish way, the lake landscape is a mixture of wider open waters and narrows broken by islands: this lake also has room for over 500 islands!

    You can find accommodation on the western shore of the lake at Hotel Keurusselkä (Keurusseläntie 134, 42700 Keuruu). The hotel located on the lake shore will delight you with spa services and various outdoor activities. You can, among other things, play beach volleyball or rent a SUP board for your own exploration trip. On weekend evenings, the hotel organizes traditional dances that attract people to the dance floor, especially during summer. How well might you manage the tango or bounce the polka?

    Day 1 route on Google Maps

     

    A person is standing on the steps of an old railway station.
    Photo: Julia Kivelä

    Attractions

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    Majoitus

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  • Day 2

    Say goodbye to Keuruu and continue east on road 23. About halfway to Jyväskylä, stop to visit Petäjävesi Old Church (Vanhankirkontie 9, 41900 Petäjävesi). The old wooden church, standing in a beautiful location on the shore of a lake strait, was built in 1763–65 and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a unique example of the long Nordic wooden church architecture and log construction tradition.

    Continue your journey towards Jyväskylä and stop at the Petäjävesi roundabout at Kyläseppä service station to recharge both yourself and your car’s batteries.

    Upon arriving in Jyväskylä, park your car, for example, along the edges of Kirkkopuisto, where there are usually good street parking spots (city center parking map). Remember to check parking conditions and fees! The atmospheric Kirkkopuisto is one of Jyväskylä’s oldest parks, whose construction began in the early 1800s. In its center rises a narrow-lined brick church built in 1880, which displays Romanesque and Gothic features characteristic of the period’s revival style.

    At the corner of Kirkkopuisto is located the Craft Museum of Finland and National Costume Center (Kauppakatu 25, 40100 Jyväskylä). The permanent exhibition delving into Finnish handcraft tradition brings forth touching handicrafts and stories of handcrafted Finnish life from generations past to the present day. Another permanent exhibition presents Finnish folk festive costume tradition and handicraft skills that can be seen today in our national costumes. The museum shop offers a diverse selection of craftspeople’s products.

    From the museum, continue your journey on foot or by car to Jyväskylä Harbour (Satamakatu 8, 40100 Jyväskylä), just over a kilometer away. The harbour is the citizens’ common living room, where you can, among other things, go cruising on the lake, rent a floating sauna raft, or enjoy good food and drinks. You can also sauna and dine firmly on dry land at Sataman Viilu restaurant.

    At the harbour you’ll also find a boat designed by Alvar Aalto. Alvar and Elissa Aalto designed in 1952-54 a summer villa named Koetalo for Muuratsalo island, which belongs to the Säynätsalo island community, on the shores of North Päijänne. At that time there was no road connection to the island yet, so acquiring their own boat was necessary. Aalto wanted to design the boat himself and approached the task with great passion. After many design and construction phases, a large, wooden-hulled motorboat named Nemo propheta in patria was created, which is now on display at the harbor.

    For culture enthusiasts, we recommend staying overnight at boutique hotel Yöpuu (Yliopistonkatu 23, 40100 Jyväskylä). Each of the hotel’s 26 rooms is decorated according to different styles and named after Finnish notable figures and themes. At the hotel you can also charge your electric car overnight.

    Second day’s route on Google Maps

     

    Two people kiss in front of the Petäjävesi Old Church
    Photo: Anne Kalliola

    Attractions

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    Majoitus

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  • Day 3

    Jyväskylä has the most building complexes designed by Alvar Aalto than anywhere else in the world. Therefore, the city is just the right place to follow in Aalto’s footsteps.

    Head first in the morning to Aalto2 museum center (Alvar Aallon katu 7, 40600 Jyväskylä). In two adjacent buildings designed by Aalto, you’ll find both the Alvar Aalto Museum and the Museum of Central Finland. At the same time, you can rest at Aalto2 Café, do design shopping at Aalto2 Shop and explore the museums’ impressive exhibitions.

    After Aalto’s functionalism, you can step back into the past again at Toivola’s old courtyard (Cygnaeuksenkatu 2, 40100 Jyväskylä). It’s a fascinating 19th-century craftsman’s courtyard that still serves as a cozy meeting place. You can linger in Toivola’s pleasant courtyard area and enjoy the high-quality services of the courtyard operators. In the courtyard you’ll find, among other things, a café, restaurant, yarn shop and museum shop. The idyllic courtyard consists of old buildings from the 1800s and early 1900s. Some of them are in museum use and showcase the family life, work and leisure time of craftsmen from bygone days.

    Jump back in your car and head outside the city center towards Säynätsalo via roads E63 and 6110. Säynätsalo Town Hall (Parviaisentie 9, 40900 Jyväskylä) is one of the most notable buildings designed by Aalto. It was implemented based on an invited competition held in 1949. Aalto won the competition with his proposal ‘Curia’ and immediately received the commission to design the building. Today the building houses exhibition spaces, a restaurant and accommodation facilities.

    For dining, we recommend you drive a few kilometers outside the city center to the beautiful Kuokkala Manor (Hämeenpohjantie 50, 40520 Jyväskylä). It’s a Art Nouveau-style stone house built by commercial counselor Julius Johnson and designed by Finland’s first female architect Wivi Lönn, which was completed in 1904. Today the historical building houses a high-quality restaurant and café.

    Third day route in Google Maps

     

    Aalto2 museum center in Jyväskylä.
    Photo: Maija Holma

    Attractions

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