Päijät-Häme: Lakes, Trails and Culture

Discover Päijät-Häme on the water, on foot and by bike—and explore cultural attractions in Lahti and the towns around the Vääksy Canal. In Päijänne National Park, a marked hiking trail crosses the island of Kelvenne. The Kelvenne Trail is 10.3 kilometres long; along the way, there are toilets, cooking shelters, fire pits and campsites. If you’re planning your trip around this island hike, remember to consider accessibility: most of the national park can only be reached by water.

Hiking and paddling on Lake Päijänne

Outside restricted areas, you can hike, ski, row and canoe freely in Päijänne National Park. Another route for hikers is the Päijänne–Ilves Trail: it starts at the guest harbour in Padasjoki and meets the Ilvesvaellus Trail in the Evo hiking area. For a trip focused on water and exercise, there is also the Kymenkäänne paddling route. It runs from Lake Kymijärvi in Lahti through a series of small lakes and streams to the Kymijoki River on the Iitti side.

At Aurinkovuori Hill in Asikkala, there are also several ways to enjoy the outdoors. The hill is on the Aurinko-Ilves hiking trail; it has illuminated outdoor routes of three and seven kilometres, as well as cross-country ski trails in winter. Two shelters with fire pits and a viewing platform offering wide-ranging views over Lake Päijänne round out the options.

Cycling routes and landscapes

Cycling options range from city streets and country roads to off-road trails in the Salpausselkä UNESCO Global Geopark. Along the Lahti–Hollola corridor, easy-going cycling routes with lake views wind along hilly roads through the countryside. A shorter, specifically named route is Vääksy–Pasolanharju: it is twelve kilometres long, starts at the Vääksy Canal and leads to the Pasolanharju ridge. The narrow Pulkkilanharju ridge runs across Lake Päijänne, is part of a nationally significant landscape area and is one of the important sites in the Salpausselkä UNESCO Global Geopark.

The Salpausselkä UNESCO Global Geopark is recognised by UNESCO and is located in the Lahti region. It tells the story of Finland’s best-known geological formation. Its area includes hundreds of lakes—from small kettle lakes to Päijänne, Finland’s second-largest lake—and offers opportunities for recreation. Kutajärvi offers a different kind of nature experience. This nature reserve in Päijät-Häme has lush shore-side forests and floodplains. Many waterbirds gather there during their spring migration.

Culture in Lahti and at the Vääksy Canal

In Lahti, Malva is dedicated to art, design, posters and culture. The museum is housed in the old Malski brewery building. The Radio and TV Museum on Radiomäki Hill tells the story of Finland’s radio and television industry; the 150-metre-high Lahti radio towers stand next door. At the sports centre, the Ski Museum covers the history of skiing, as well as the history of the Lahti Ski Games and the Nordic World Ski Championships held in Lahti. The Lahti Ski Games, also known as the Salpausselkä Games, are an international winter sports event that has been held annually since the 1920s.

Vääksy is where Lakes Vesijärvi and Päijänne meet. The Vääksy Canal is a historic waterway connecting the two lakes; the area around the canal is a significant cultural landscape with attractions offering activities and experiences year-round. Nearby Päijännetalo is home to Finland’s Recreational Fishing Museum and changing art exhibitions on the region’s fishing culture.

More places to discover in Päijät-Häme

For a broader introduction to the region, explore the breweries and distilleries on the Brewery Route in the Lahti region, where you can sample award-winning beers, wines and whiskies. The Teerenpeli Brewery & Distillery Visitor Centre in Lotila, Lahti, offers guided tours and tasting events. Another local speciality is Hartola Sahti: this Finnish farmhouse ale is made from malted and unmalted grain and has been sold at Krouvi since 1996.

If you’d like to explore more towns and subregions, find more destinations here: Auttoinen, Lahti, Asikkala, Vierumäki, Heinola, Nyystölä, Sysmä, Padasjoki, Hollola, Hartola, Orimattila and Hämeenkoski.

For the main travel overview: Finland.