Pielavesi: Art Walks, Kekkonen and Active Days

An art walk in the heart of the centre, stories about Urho Kekkonen and signposted ski trails: Pielavesi offers various ways to spend your stay. You may be interested in local history and art, exploring trails on foot or by bike, or planning activities for the summer and winter seasons. The experiences that appeal to you most can be a good guide when choosing your holiday accommodation in Pielavesi.

Art and Trails in Town

The Art Walk is about 3.4 kilometres long and runs through the centre of Pielavesi. Along the route, there are 25 works of nature art and art on electrical cabinets. Another route, the Bench Walk, is about 7 kilometres long. It features 35 benches with backrests; QR-code stories about local history can be found at 13 of them. The two routes have different focuses: one features nature art and decorated electrical cabinets, while the other offers places to sit and short stories about the area. Take the respective route lengths into account when planning your walks.

The Coastal Path runs for about 7.5 kilometres in each direction along the shoreline in the centre. It is suitable for joggers and cyclists. If you prefer to combine exercise with water activities, you can ride a jet ski or try stand-up paddleboarding during the summer season in Pielavesi. Jet skis and stand-up paddleboards can be rented from Nilakan Vuokrauspalvelu Oy. There is also a boat harbour at the end of Puustellintie.

Kekkonen’s Life and Local History

Several attractions explore the history of Urho Kekkonen. Croft of Lepikko is his birthplace and illustrates building traditions and living conditions in the early 20th century; the site is said to have the status of a national monument. The Urho Kekkonen AR Tour starts at Croft of Lepikko and continues into the centre of Pielavesi. Five panels present different periods or themes from Kekkonen’s life.

At Pielavesi Town Hall, Puustellintie 16, the Salon of Kekkonen displays Rococo furnishings that Kekkonen used at the Presidential Palace in the 1950s. The local heritage museum, meanwhile, consists of six buildings. The two attractions focus on different aspects of the past: the Salon displays specific furnishings associated with Kekkonen, while the museum is spread across several buildings. Rillankivi, a protected historic boundary stone associated with the Treaty of Nöteborg of 1323, is also located in the municipality.

Activities and Special Events

If you like to include longer routes in your travel plans, the municipality is home to the Trail of Urkki. It runs for about 25 kilometres from Lepikon Torppa to Korkeakoski and includes rest areas with fire pits and swimming facilities. A nature trail starts at Rillankivi, with a length of between 1.3 and 5 kilometres. There is a fire pit, a fireplace and a toilet at the trailhead. You can choose between these two routes according to your preferred distance, while keeping in mind that they start at different places.

For another active way to explore the area, there is Jautlandia, a geocaching adventure park in the municipality. The site has about 30 caches; Ari Jauhiainen has created 70 caches in total. In winter, 8 kilometres of signposted ski trails start at the Suojala sports field in Pielavesi, of which 6.5 kilometres are lit. If you are planning a stay during the cold season, you can take these distances into account when choosing your travel dates and accommodation.

An annual event is the Vendace Festival, also called “Muikkarit”: a free, family-friendly market and festival in the centre of Pielavesi. It takes place on the Saturday of the last weekend in June. In the municipality, Tuuren Sottiisi, an annual music event held in Pielavesi since 1978, also commemorates the player Tuure Niskanen and his musical tradition. Traditionally, it includes an evening concert at Laukkala Church and a pelimanni music evening at the Laukkala youth centre. If you would like to plan your trip around one of these events, note the date or annual schedule given for each one.

Discover More Places

For further travel planning, you can also explore Paakkila, Vesanto, Kauppilanmäki, Varpaisjärvi, Sonkajärvi, Nilsiä, Kuopio and Rautavaara.

For the broader travel overview: North Savo.