Kay2

This year I will go to Helsinki for several weeks in June. In the past you guys helped me see most of the sights in Helsinki and take a daytrip to Tallinn. This time I expect to have a free weekend or two and can venture further. Where would you suggest for a 50-year-old female with interests in local culture, crafts, history, architecture, nature, easy hiking and biking?

Poorvu seems the easiest to reach for day trip to see wooden houses. If I go there, would the other towns with wooden houses be similar?

I've seen references to several castles. I must research and learn more about them. Any recommendations?

Depending on prices, I could fly north for a couple of days in Lapland. Any recommendations for cultural center, outdoors activities?

I also haven't checked prices for boat or flight to Stockholm for a weekend.

St. Petersburg for the weekend? How best to do this?

I checked for discount airlines from Helsinki and saw Blue1 and AirBerlin, but the prices didn't seem very low when putting in June dates.

I'd like to make the most of my Helsinki base.

KESinMN

The Savonlinna Opera Festival is a big deal. I think there are cruises to or around there in the summer. The Retretti art museum is in the area. It has underground caves for exhibits and performances.

Porvoo was interesting but the train/boat combination isn't enough time to see the town. A weekend would be good.

I liked Tampere. I went for the Fabrege exhibit at the Variikki museum but I also enjoyed the shoe and Finland history exhibits. The art nouveau church was great.

I thought I saw in the Finnish tourism info something about biking the King's Road.

I talked to someone who spent time in Lapland in summer. She said is was great but nature was the highlight so that's really all there was.

I really liked St. Petersburg. The week I was there wasn't really enough time so I know I would be disappointed with just a weekend. The cost of time and money for a Russian visa also makes it a very expensive weekend. The prices of ferries to Tallinn seemed reasonable.

elina

Porvoo is nice, and since it is June, daylight goes on and on, so you can make a long Porvoo-day. Take a boat from Helsinki central market. Takes about 4 hours, but you can eat a leasurely lunch and enjoy sea and islands. And then stroll around and take a bus back when you are done. Or if you are in a hurry, take a bus both ways.

Rauma (UNECO World Heritage listed) is not like Porvoo. It has the biggest preserved wooden area in all of Scandinavia. And not like in many other places, they are not museums, but people actually live in the houses, just like in Porvoo. Also Kokkola has a big old wooden center.

There are medieval castles in Turku, Hämeenlimma and Savonlinna. The are not royal palaces, but built for military purposes. My favourite is Savonlinna. You can see the castle here: http://www.nba.fi/en/olavinlinna_castle

The opera festival in Savonlinna is huge, and lasts a month, but it does not start till July. But the area is beutiful, and there are many cruises on the lakes, and to the towns around the lakes.

You can easily make a weekend trip to Stockholm, but like KESinMN said, St.Ptersburg is not as easy because you need a visa.

I donīt know about Lapland in June, lots of mosquitos. But for a hard-core hiker it is just great. You find lots of nature right next to Helsinki. For example Nuuksio National Park is less than 30 kilometres from Helsinki, and there you are like in north-eastern Finland. Here:
http://www.luontoon.fi/page.asp?Section=5131

I, too, like the Tampere chuch, specially the murals.