Mietwagenrundreise "Finnlands Süden"

About the destination: Helsinki is situated on a little peninsula on the southern tip of Finland. Approach Helsinki from the sea and you’ll see neoclassical buildings of elegant lines and pastel colours, and a marketplace overflowing with strawberries and salmon. The city has grown with attention to harmony. In summer many residents abandon urban tranquillity for their country cottages, but in winter the capital comes alive with theatre, political institutes and over 20,000 university students. Architecture buffs will love Helsinki. The handsome neoclassical buildings surrounding Senate Square were designed almost singlehandedly by German architect Carl Ludwig Engel in the early 19th century, just after Helsinki replaced Turku as Finland’s capital. The crowning piece is the Lutheran Cathedral, which has recently been refurbished and looks better than ever, with the 12 apostles on the roof once again looking down at the world below. Elsewhere in the city, the bold, simple creations of the city’s great 20th century architects, notably Aalto and Saarinen, blend with the clean neoclassical lines. The stunning Jean Sibelius Monument, dedicated to Finland’s most famous composer, consists of hundreds of steel pipes sculpted by Elia Hiltunen. The monument is in Sibelius Park. The Kansallimuseo, National Museum, has wonderful displays of Finnish culture. The exhibits of the City Museum illustrates the history of the city. The islands surrounding Helsinki make excellent daytrips. The sandy beaches and smooth rocks of Pihlajasaari make it a popular summer spot for tanning Finns. Every summer there are many free outdoor concerts in one of the city’s numerous parks. Afternoons, all kinds of music resound on the leafy Esplanadi. Helsinki is a small city if you compare it to those gigantic cities around the world but the spirit is still quite cosmopolitan. Helsinki is a beautiful city, especially in the summer. The streets are clean and you can always find a peaceful spot, in case you need one. Some say that Helsinki is "the biggest village in the world" and it is a great place for tourism, history, museums, galleries, theatre, music, shopping, restaurants, clubs, etc. all environmentally friendly, free of pollution and traffic congestion.

About the destination: Turku is a city in the Southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of Aura River. The oldest of all Finland's cities, Turku was actually once the Finnish capital, although is now actually the country's fifth-largest city. Although very few medieval attractions remain in Turku, the city has successfully managed to retain a strong historical character and various archaeological exhibits are to be found within its museums. Few sights in the city are more impressive and eye-catching than Turku Castle itself, which boasts no less than two dungeons and dates from the latter part of the 13th century. Equally famous is Turku Cathedral, which ranks amongst Finland's most significant churches and contains many interesting side chapels. Considered to be a suburb of the city, the island of Ruissalon is easy to reach and home to a zoo, University Botanical Gardens and a renowned golf course.

About the destination: Vaasa is in Ostrobothnia, Western Finland. With almost 20 museums, numerous art galleries and a city orchestra, Vaasa can lay claim to being the cultural heart of Ostrobothnia. A visit to Vaasa is always a rewarding experience, especially when you arrive during the Vaasa Choir Festival, the Korsholm Music Festival, the prestigious Jorma Panula Conducting Competition, or on Vaasa's popular Night of the Arts. Nature lovers know Vaasa for Terranova, which introduces the wonderful Kvarken Archipelago, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and will delight in the Nature Trail at Öjberget which takes in the Öjbergsmossen bog, a giant's pot hole, a 'devil's field' and a dwarf pine-covered meteorite crater.

About the destination: Kuopio is the largest city of North Savonia. Founded in 1775, Kuopio is a thriving, modern city, where science and technology blends into the verdant natural beauty of the local environment. Surrounded by Lake Kallavesi, much of Kuopio has been developed on islands. Kuopio is also a hugely popular holiday destination for sports enthusiasts, with three highly recommended ski centres in Tahko, Kasurila and Puijo for winter sports, as well as providing plenty of water based alternatives in the summer, such as sailing, wind-surfing, jet-skiing, and water-skiing.

About the destination: Jyvaskyla is the largest city in the province of Central Finland. This university town is surrounded by hills, forests and hundreds of lakes. It is a pleasant and happening town that offers a wide range of events and it is home to significant museums. The main campus of the university located on Seminaarinmäki is a place worth checking out. There are many buildings by the famous architect Alvar Aalto, as well as by a couple of other renowned architects. The campus is also a botanical garden, serving as a conservation unit of plants used in research. Other interesting building by Alvar Aalto around the city are the Kaupunginteatteri, the town theatre, and the Alvar Aalto Museum, which is specialised in architecture and design and functions as the national and international centre on all things Aalto. It is located in a building designed by Aalto himself. Another building worth visiting is the Petäjävesi Old Church, a UNESCO’s world heritage site and a prime example of Nordic wooden architecture. As a university city, Jyvaskyla has a lively nightlife. Nightlife is centred in the downtown part of Kauppakatu and cross streets, some also in the uptown part of Kauppakatu, near the University. As most of the bars are situated on Kauppakatu or very close to it, pub crawls can be easily arranged in Jyvaskyla. Start from Yläkaupunki and work your way down to the clubs in Alakaupunki. The heart of the city, the pedestrian street, runs through the stone compass pattern at the junction of Asemakatu and Kauppakatu. The compass is the most popular meeting place in the centre. The centre of Jyvaskyla provides a pleasant setting for shopping, wandering around and enjoying a relaxing cup of coffee or tea.

About the destination: Tampere is the third largest city in Finland with around 213,000 inhabitants and a metro population of nearly half a million. Located between the two lakes of Näsijärvi and Pyhäjärvi, which are only connected by the narrow rapids of Tammerkoski, Tampere is truly pretty. The rapids were used for generating electricity and Tampere was the first industrial city in Finland when factories started to rise near the rapids that gave the city the moniker ‘Manchester of Finland’. Still a major industrial and business hub, the city has come a long way from its heavy industry roots and transformed into a pleasant and attractive town with wonderful sites, culture activities and nature to see around. Tampere Cathedral, known as Tuomiokirkko, is one of the city's best-known sites. Surrounded by a small park, this beautiful church looks just like a stone castle. Also the interior is well worth seeing with decorative paintings and stained glass windows. Another major religious building in Tampere is The Russian Orthodox Church. It is considered one of the most beautiful buildings in Tampere and the finest masterpiece of Byzantine-style architecture in the Nordic countries. Its seven domes represent the seven sacraments. Lake Näsijärvi and Lake Pyhäjärvi are great places for relaxing, swimming and sailing. Museums abound and most concentrate on Tampere’s industrial history. Amuri Museum of Workers' Housing is highly recommended to learn more about the history of Tampere. The kids and the kids at heart will enjoy the Moominvalley, a museum that outlines the history of the famous cartoon characters created by author Tove Jansson. With a nice city centre, a good night life, beautiful scenery and a good museums Tampere is a great place to unwind. Also worth exploring is the countryside around Tampere is amazing with rolling hills and stunning lakes with little cottages and saunas on their shores.

About the destination: City of Lappeenranta is the economic and cultural center of southeast Finland situated near the border of Russia and at the southern edge of the Saimaa, the largest lake (system) of Finland. Lappeenranta has had a long and colorful history, one dominated by its standing as a border town between two different cultures. Lappeenranta offers great places to visit and things to do all year round: Lake Saimaa, the Fortress, harbor, museums, spas, golf, fishing, cottages, shopping, and not to forget the famous Vety and Atomi meat pies, as well as its pride SaiPa ice hockey team.

About the destination: Helsinki is situated on a little peninsula on the southern tip of Finland. Approach Helsinki from the sea and you’ll see neoclassical buildings of elegant lines and pastel colours, and a marketplace overflowing with strawberries and salmon. The city has grown with attention to harmony. In summer many residents abandon urban tranquillity for their country cottages, but in winter the capital comes alive with theatre, political institutes and over 20,000 university students. Architecture buffs will love Helsinki. The handsome neoclassical buildings surrounding Senate Square were designed almost singlehandedly by German architect Carl Ludwig Engel in the early 19th century, just after Helsinki replaced Turku as Finland’s capital. The crowning piece is the Lutheran Cathedral, which has recently been refurbished and looks better than ever, with the 12 apostles on the roof once again looking down at the world below. Elsewhere in the city, the bold, simple creations of the city’s great 20th century architects, notably Aalto and Saarinen, blend with the clean neoclassical lines. The stunning Jean Sibelius Monument, dedicated to Finland’s most famous composer, consists of hundreds of steel pipes sculpted by Elia Hiltunen. The monument is in Sibelius Park. The Kansallimuseo, National Museum, has wonderful displays of Finnish culture. The exhibits of the City Museum illustrates the history of the city. The islands surrounding Helsinki make excellent daytrips. The sandy beaches and smooth rocks of Pihlajasaari make it a popular summer spot for tanning Finns. Every summer there are many free outdoor concerts in one of the city’s numerous parks. Afternoons, all kinds of music resound on the leafy Esplanadi. Helsinki is a small city if you compare it to those gigantic cities around the world but the spirit is still quite cosmopolitan. Helsinki is a beautiful city, especially in the summer. The streets are clean and you can always find a peaceful spot, in case you need one. Some say that Helsinki is "the biggest village in the world" and it is a great place for tourism, history, museums, galleries, theatre, music, shopping, restaurants, clubs, etc. all environmentally friendly, free of pollution and traffic congestion.