Discover Saarijärvi

Saarijärvi combines experiences on the water with winter sports, culture and special insights into ways of life in earlier times. A canoe route passes through seven lakes around the centre; other attractions include a life-size Stone Age village, Finnish art and changing special exhibitions. This gives you plenty of ways to plan your stay around your interests and consider which aspects of the town should be a priority when searching for a holiday rental.

Discover seven lakes by canoe

The Seven Lakes Canoe Route runs around the centre of Saarijärvi and passes through Saarijärvi, Kallinjärvi, Summasjärvi, Kiimasjärvi, Pyhäjärvi, Iso-Lumperoinen and Pieni-Lumperoinen. If you would like to get to know Saarijärvi from the water, this is a specific route that follows seven lakes by name. There are several rest areas and rest shelters with overnight accommodation along the route. This makes the route an interesting option when planning a multi-day canoe trip: as you prepare, you can take into account the rest stops and overnight places along the way, rather than treating the sequence of lakes as just a single-day excursion.

Activities on land and water are also at the heart of Puuhapuisto Veijari. Options include canoeing, boat trips and swimming. If you would like to include water-based experiences in your stay, Saarijärvi offers several different possibilities: the canoe route across multiple lakes and the activities at Puuhapuisto Veijari. These examples give you specific points of reference for deciding which type of water activity best suits your plans.

Winter sports and Stone Age history

At Kusiaismäki in Saarijärvi, Paavonrinteet offers skiing and snowboarding on five illuminated runs. The facilities include two ski lifts; the lift on the children’s run is free of charge. There is also a tobogganing hill. Alongside the runs, there is therefore a separate tobogganing option and a specifically designated children’s run. If you are travelling with children, you can take these specific activities into account when deciding which experiences suit your planned stay. The illuminated runs, two lifts and tobogganing hill represent different parts of the winter sports offering.

Kivikauden kylä offers a very different experience: the life-size Stone Age village vividly depicts Stone Age ways of life, including dwellings, objects and tools. In the area designed to a child’s scale, children can explore life in the Stone Age through play. If you are interested in history or are travelling with children, this offers a tangible way to explore everyday life and homes in that period.

Art, museums and local tradition

At Toivi Järvisen taidekoti, you can see the house’s complete furnishings. It also displays the Finnish art collection assembled by Toivi and Osmo Järvinen. The works date from the 1880s to the 1980s. The furnishings and art collection offer two different perspectives on the place: you can explore both the house’s furnishings and art spanning several decades.

The Saarijärvi Museum hosts changing special exhibitions in its main building throughout the year. If you are planning a museum visit, you will find a programme of changing special exhibitions rather than a single permanent exhibition title. Another local tradition is associated with the Paavo statue: each year on the eve of Midsummer, the Saarijärven Paavo is announced at its foot. This recurring annual occasion has a clear place in the Saarijärvi calendar.

Discover more places

Uurainen, Viitasaari, Pihtipudas, Kivijärvi, Joutsa, Muurame, Kannonkoski, Vahanka.

For the broader travel overview: Central Finland.