Kuva: Tero Takalo-Eskola

3h 20min

Säynätsalo and Muuratsalo scenic tour

This beautiful route goes through the archipelago landscapes of Jyväskylä in Säynätsalo and Muuratsalo.

See route

Information
Map
Schedule

Vehicle

By car
By bike
Walking

Duration

3h 20min

Length

13.1 km

The Säynätsalo and Muuratsalo scenic tour is a great choice for a rider, who is looking for a more challenging route – the length of the hilly route is 35–40 kilometres, depending on whether you will bike up to Muuratsalo. During your trip, you can see lake sceneries dotted with numerous islands and you will bike over a magnificent suspension bridge, which combines Säynätsalo and Lehtisaari.

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Route description

1

View to Päijänne Lake
Kinkovuorentie 64, 40900 Jyväskylä, Suomi
2

Säynätsalo Town Hall
Parviaisentie 9, 40900 Säynätsalo
3

Säynätsalo Church
Saarnatie 1, 40900 Jyväskylä
4

Louhunsalmi suspension bridge
Saaritie, 40900 Jyväskylä
5

Haikan kärki Point
Haikan pohjoiskärki, 40900 Jyväskylä
6

Satasarvinen
40900 Jyväskylä
7

The Paljaspää lookout point and nature trails
Paljaspään luontopolku, Vuorelantie, Säynätsalo
8

Table en Bois
Vuorenlahdenkatu 38, 40900 Säynätsalo

Attractions

View to Päijänne Lake

The viewpoint is located at the intersection of Kinkovuorentie and Kinkomaantie.
Säynätsalo Town Hall

Säynätsalo Town Hall is one of Aalto’s most significant works. It was designed and constructed between 1949 and 1952. This unique building attracted attention even during its construction. It is a truly multipurpose building: as well as local administration offices and the local library, it houses flats, commercial facilities and guest rooms. Aalto wanted the town hall’s architecture to highlight its functionality. Säynätsalo Town Hall was designed for the people while also serving as an administrative centre.

Kuva: Tero Takalo-Eskola
Attractions

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Alvar Aalto

Säynätsalo Town Hall (1949–52)

Constructed between 1949 and 1952, Säynätsalo Town Hall is among Alvar Aalto’s most significant works. It holds a special status... Read more from destination Säynätsalo Town Hall (1949–52)
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Säynätsalo Church

Säynätsalo Church is designed by two architects Armas Lindgren and Bertel Liljeqvist. The church was opened in 1927.
Attractions

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Churches

Säynätsalo Church (Armas Lindgren 1926)

Read more from destination Säynätsalo Church (Armas Lindgren 1926)
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Louhunsalmi suspension bridge

Louhusalmi suspension bridge connects Säynätsalo and Lehtisaari areas. The bridge was opened in 1957 and it is 178 meters long.
Haikan kärki Point

From the shores of Haikka in Säynätsalo, stunning views of Lake Päijänne open up. At its tip, there is a charming small white lighthouse that crowns the mystique of the cape.
Satasarvinen

Satasarvinen is a popular nature destination, featuring a magnificent viewpoint on a rocky hill. It rises about 70 meters above the surface of Lake Päijänne. Here, you can admire the stunning lake view.
The Paljaspää lookout point and nature trails

Paljaspää is located in Muuratsalo, Jyväskylä. The trail to Paljaspää is not much longer than half a kilometer round trip. The trail is also easy enough to navigate that you can venture there without special hiking gear. From the top of the Silokallio, a magnificent view opens up towards the east and the famous open waters of Northern Päijänne. On a summer day, you can witness a rather stunning sunrise from this spot. Directly in front of you is Hauhonselkä. After admiring the scenery for a while, it’s easy to notice the network of several other trails starting from the top of Paljaspää. These trails take the traveler around the nature of Muuratsalo. However, the trails are not well-marked, so for a longer trip, it’s advisable to bring a map or navigation device.

photo: Jussi Judin
Attractions

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Places with scenic views

Paljaspää

There is one island in Lake Päijänne, a bit further from Jyväskylä than the rest, that stands the tallest. This... Read more from destination Paljaspää
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Table en Bois

Table en Bois café-kiosk is the living room of the locals. The café is located in Muuratsalo, where the stunning nature of Muuratsalo is also present.
Attractions

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Cafés

Table en Bois

Read more from destination Table en Bois
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Säynätsalo and Muuratsalo scenic tour

This beautiful route goes through the archipelago landscapes of Jyväskylä in Säynätsalo and Muuratsalo.

Destination 1 : View to Päijänne Lake

The viewpoint is located at the intersection of Kinkovuorentie and Kinkomaantie.
Destination 2 : Säynätsalo Town Hall

Säynätsalo Town Hall is one of Aalto’s most significant works. It was designed and constructed between 1949 and 1952. This unique building attracted attention even during its construction. It is a truly multipurpose building: as well as local administration offices and the local library, it houses flats, commercial facilities and guest rooms. Aalto wanted the town hall’s architecture to highlight its functionality. Säynätsalo Town Hall was designed for the people while also serving as an administrative centre.
Attractions
- Säynätsalo Town Hall (1949–52)
  
  Constructed between 1949 and 1952, Säynätsalo Town Hall is among Alvar Aalto’s most significant works. It holds a special status in the history of twentieth-century architecture. This unique building attracted attention even at the construction stage. Since completion, the building has attracted visitors from all over the world: groups of students and architects as well as individual visitors. Today, about 3,000–4,000 people visit the site every year. Some say that the town hall has made Säynätsalo the best-known island in Finland internationally.
  
  An invitational competition was held for the design of Säynätsalo Town Hall in 1949. Aalto created a distinctive monument for the small municipality of Säynätsalo. This castle-like red brick building has an elevated courtyard with entrances to the administrative offices and the library. Located higher than the rest of the building, the council chamber dominates the area. The building also has apartments and commercial facilities, some of which have been converted for other purposes. Aalto monitored the construction of the town hall with great care. It is regarded as one of his main works. Source: Alvar Aalto Museum
  
  Pricing and opening times:
  
  Entrance fee 10 €/ 6 € (students, seniors, unemployed). Scheduled general guides are included in the entrance fee.
  
  Please make a reservation by sending email [email protected] or call +358 46 582 1060 or buy an entrance ticket or private guidance from the web store.
  
  More information of pricing and the opening times: www.tavolobianco.com/
  
  Read more information of accommodation in Säynätsalo Town Hall.
  
  Arriving with a charter bus:
  
  Arriving to the new charter bus stop is easy by driving along Parviaisentie clockwise to the new stop. This way there is no need to reverse at the town hall.
  
  Bus connections:
  
  Buses 16, 16M and 21 from local transport terminal at Asemakatu 4 to Säynätsalo every half an hour.
  
  Taxi:
  
  Säynätsalo town hall can be easily reached by taxi. Ask JYTAKSI for more information.
Destination 3 : Säynätsalo Church

Säynätsalo Church is designed by two architects Armas Lindgren and Bertel Liljeqvist. The church was opened in 1927.
Attractions
- Säynätsalo Church (Armas Lindgren 1926)
Destination 4 : Louhunsalmi suspension bridge

Louhusalmi suspension bridge connects Säynätsalo and Lehtisaari areas. The bridge was opened in 1957 and it is 178 meters long.
Destination 5 : Haikan kärki Point

From the shores of Haikka in Säynätsalo, stunning views of Lake Päijänne open up. At its tip, there is a charming small white lighthouse that crowns the mystique of the cape.
Destination 6 : Satasarvinen

Satasarvinen is a popular nature destination, featuring a magnificent viewpoint on a rocky hill. It rises about 70 meters above the surface of Lake Päijänne. Here, you can admire the stunning lake view.
Destination 7 : The Paljaspää lookout point and nature trails

Paljaspää is located in Muuratsalo, Jyväskylä. The trail to Paljaspää is not much longer than half a kilometer round trip. The trail is also easy enough to navigate that you can venture there without special hiking gear. From the top of the Silokallio, a magnificent view opens up towards the east and the famous open waters of Northern Päijänne. On a summer day, you can witness a rather stunning sunrise from this spot. Directly in front of you is Hauhonselkä. After admiring the scenery for a while, it’s easy to notice the network of several other trails starting from the top of Paljaspää. These trails take the traveler around the nature of Muuratsalo. However, the trails are not well-marked, so for a longer trip, it’s advisable to bring a map or navigation device.
Attractions
- Paljaspää
  
  There is one island in Lake Päijänne, a bit further from Jyväskylä than the rest, that stands the tallest. This unusual little island is dotted with high hills in a way that must have been an endless source of inspiration for local artists. And indeed, this is an island on which many artists have lived, including architect Alvar Aalto.
  
  One of the hilltops has become especially important to me. On Paljaspää (Finnish for ‘bare head’), just a few steps will raise you up above a rare landscape that will take your breath away. Paljaspää hill is on the southern end of Muuratsalo island in Jyväskylä. The easiest way to reach the nature trail is by car.
  
  The route to Paljaspää and back is less than 1 km. The terrain is easy, so no need to pack special hiking gear. I would say that the path is suitable even for people with moderate mobility issues, as it is short and not too steep or rocky. The site is a popular place to visit. The track is well beaten even in the winter, so your shoes should stay dry.
  
  Early on, the trail joins a gravel road, so keep your eyes pealed as the nature trail soon forks again out to the left. This is the path that will lead you to the top of Paljaspää. In fact, by now you are nearly there. When the trees start giving way to the sun shining above, you know you are getting close.
  
  Every time I step onto the granite hilltop I feel like I’m somewhere much further away than I really am. Is it the massive rock pushing through the soil that gives me a sense of grounding, and letting my eyes rest on the vast horizon that makes my worldly worries suddenly seem so small. Whatever the magic of the place is, it always gives me a blissful feeling of calm.
  
  The view opens towards the east and over the iconic wide open vista over Lake Päijänne. Seeing the sunrise in the height of the summer – very early! – or on a crisp winter morning are both well worth the effort. The open lake to the northeast, Hauhonselkä, takes several cold winter nights to freeze over. Facing south, an even larger lake area, Ristinselkä, opens up. A view doesn’t get much better than this.
  
  Once you’ve taken in all the beauty you can manage, you can choose any of the many other paths leading from the hilltop. These will take you around the island of Muuratsalo, including the caves of Lullivuori. These paths are not signposted, so if you are planning a longer walk, do bring a map or a GPS device. Muuratsalo island is approximately 5 km long, and the criss-crossing paths may otherwise prove too confusing.
  
  This time I choose to retrace my steps to where I left off, and this is the best part of the Paljaspää trail. It is an easy place to stop at to transport yourself to somewhere far away and back again in no time. It is perfect for a quick coffee picnic or a quick breather in the midst of nature as well as for a full day out.
  
  The nature trail can be found at the end of Vuorelantie. There are two public parking areas near Paljaspää: one at the crossroads of Melalammentie and Kontintie and another near Muuratsalo playground on Vuorenlahdenkatu 38.
  
  This article was produced in collaboration with Retkipaikka and it’s written by Jussi Judin.
Destination 8 : Table en Bois

Table en Bois café-kiosk is the living room of the locals. The café is located in Muuratsalo, where the stunning nature of Muuratsalo is also present.
Attractions
- Table en Bois

Säynätsalo and Muuratsalo scenic tour

Route description

Attractions

View to Päijänne Lake

Säynätsalo Town Hall

Attractions

Säynätsalo Church

Attractions

Louhunsalmi suspension bridge

Haikan kärki Point

Satasarvinen

The Paljaspää lookout point and nature trails

Attractions

Table en Bois

Attractions

More tours

Bike Journey to Alvar Aalto

The Flea Market Route

Best cafés in the Jyväskylä Region’s countryside

Day trip to Äänekoski

Statue tour on Jyväskylä Rantaraitti

Summertime route with children in the Jyväskylä Region

Beer Lover’s Tour in Jyväskylä

5-Day Finnish Lakeland Winter Itinerary

6 Day Finnish Lakeland Summer Itinerary – with public transport

City of Light Route

Säynätsalo and Muuratsalo scenic tour

Destination 1 : View to Päijänne Lake

Destination 2 : Säynätsalo Town Hall

Attractions

Destination 3 : Säynätsalo Church

Attractions

Destination 4 : Louhunsalmi suspension bridge

Destination 5 : Haikan kärki Point

Destination 6 : Satasarvinen

Destination 7 : The Paljaspää lookout point and nature trails

Attractions

Destination 8 : Table en Bois

Attractions

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