Discover Elomäki

The area around Elomäki is home to historic farmsteads, traces of rural building traditions and the Kalliokoski rapids. This makes it an interesting destination for trips that combine cultural history with time outdoors. When choosing a holiday rental in Elomäki, you can decide whether you would rather focus on farmsteads and museums or on landscapes and outdoor activities.

Farmstead history at Murtovaara

The Murtovaara House Museum is located on a former Crown Forest Ranger’s farmstead and offers an insight into the life of a forest ranger’s family. It is Finland’s only museum of a Vaara settlement. The farmstead comprises 16 traditionally built wooden buildings. Their roofs are made of birch bark—a material that was commonly used until the 19th century. The buildings illustrate not only the size of the farmstead but also a historical building tradition.

A walking trail about half a kilometre long leads through the forest to the farmstead, where views open up over the surrounding meadows. The trail and landscape offer a different way to experience the history than the buildings themselves. Museum opening times vary by season. Check the latest information before making a firm plan to visit.

Yläpihan Tila: building traditions and farmstead life

Yläpihan Tila, also in the Valtimo area, combines farmstead history with a local heritage museum. The buildings date from four different centuries. The Häkkinen family officially took over the farmstead in 1754. Visitors can learn about rural building traditions dating back to the 18th century, giving the visit a specific architectural focus. The farmstead also includes a local heritage museum, a flea market and a farm shop.

Yläpihan Tila’s summer café serves coffee, tea, cocoa, non-alcoholic refreshments and homemade pastries. As it is a seasonal offering, check the latest opening dates if you are planning to stop by. This lets you treat the café visit as an addition to the farmstead and museum experience, without making it a fixed part of your day.

The Visit Karelia cycling route from Peurajärvi to Ylä-Valtimo also passes through the farmstead. If you plan to include this route in your itinerary, check the latest information on trail maintenance and signposting beforehand. This means your route choice can be based on the specific information available for your planned visit.

Rapids and trails in the Valtimo area

Kalliokoski is a two-part rapid that rushes steeply over a rock ledge. It is a well-known rapids attraction and considered Valtimo’s most beautiful rapid. The lively waterscape contrasts sharply with the farmsteads, where history can be read in the buildings, materials and rural building traditions.

The Valtimo area has a variety of multi-use trails for different fitness levels. In summer, they can be used on foot or by bicycle. Together with the cycling route through the Yläpihan Tila farmstead, they offer several ways to explore the area actively. Which option interests you depends on whether you prefer walking or cycling and how important farmstead history is to your trip.

Historical traces in Elomäki

Elomäki itself also has a historical connection: Puukari School was built in 1924. The nearby Orthodox Chapel of St John the Baptist, also known as Elomäen tsasouna, is associated with Valtimo. Along with the farmsteads and the Vaara settlement, the chapel broadens the cultural-historical picture beyond individual buildings.

You can choose a holiday rental in Elomäki based on which of these aspects will be most important for your trip to the Valtimo area.

Discover more destinations: Tolosenmäki, Koli, Outokumpu, Ilomantsi, Rokua, Kitee, Tohmajärvi, Karhunmäki.

See the broader travel overview: North Karelia.