Discover nature, lakes and culture in Viitasaari

Explore nature, outdoor activities and culture on a trip to Viitasaari, using specific places as your guide. Savivuori is a varied recreational area within the town, where you can enjoy nature and take part in a range of leisure and sports activities. The area also includes the lake landscape around the town and the nearby island of Vanha Kirkkosaari. These places are quite different: Savivuori offers several activities, while the largely undeveloped island has a character of its own.

Activities at Savivuori

The nature trail at Savivuori offers two options: Rannan lumo is the shorter route, and Metsän tuulahdus is the longer one. This lets you choose between the two route lengths on offer. There is an extensive network of mountain biking trails with elevation changes. As trail conditions and route availability may vary by season, it is a good idea to check conditions before setting out. Berry and mushroom picking is also possible in the recreational area and, as a seasonal activity, depends particularly on the time of year.

The 18-hole disc golf course is suitable for both beginners and experienced players. Savivuori also has a MOBO orienteering course that you can use with a smartphone; download the app to your device from an app store. Since availability may change, it is best to check in advance. If you are interested in winter sports, Sahis Ski Centre has three downhill runs, a platter lift and a conveyor-belt lift for beginners. Operating details may vary by season, so check current operating information in advance.

Other places to visit add to what the area offers: The fitness stairs by Lummeniemi Leirikeskus, built in 2019, are 160 metres long, and offer views from the top. By the shore of Lake Keitele at Paniaisniemi, there is a shelter with a fire pit. A MOBO course at Savivuori, which can be used with a smartphone, offers another way to explore the area; for activity on the trails, the nature trails and mountain biking network are the main options.

Island, lakeshore and winter trails

Vanha Kirkkosaari is a large, almost entirely undeveloped island close to the centre of Viitasaari and Highway 4. On its southern shore is the shelter known as Kirkkosaaren laavu. The Hiekkalahti shelter on the island has a woodshed, a toilet and a landing. In winter, ski trails are laid around the island and through its interior, weather permitting. This condition is important: whether the trails can be laid depends on the ice.

Hiekan uimala is also located on the shore of Lake Keitele. The facility includes a sandy beach, a swimming area enclosed by piers and a diving tower on a separate floating platform. This makes this stretch of shore different from the shelters on Vanha Kirkkosaari: here, the focus is on the described swimming facilities, while the island offers shelters and winter ski trails that are laid when conditions allow.

The observation tower on Savivuori offers a different perspective, with views over Viitasaari’s built-up area and the surrounding lake landscape. Together with largely undeveloped Vanha Kirkkosaari, it shows that the landscape can be experienced from different viewpoints, although each place offers a different kind of outing.

Culture and getting your bearings in town

Lyhty Viitasaari is a distinctive, renovated log school in the town centre, next to Highway 4. On Savivuori, the staggered buildings of the Metsätyömuseo form a group that can be viewed from outside year-round. A separate schedule applies to the interiors in summer; check it before your visit. This makes it possible to consider viewing the exterior and visiting the interiors as two different options.

Another cultural event is Viitasaaren Elokuvaviikko, a Finnish film festival. It takes place in spring, in March and April, at the youth centre theatre at Koulukuja 8. The exact dates may vary, so it is worth checking the dates for your trip.

Nature in the surrounding area

Near Viitasaari is Heinä-Suvanto, a protected bird wetland of regional, national and international importance. A marked nature trail leads to a birdwatching tower. Water conditions may affect access at different times of year. The area adds another perspective on the region’s nature to the places described in town and on the island.

Discover more destinations: Keihärinkoski, Sumiainen, Lannevesi, Jämsä, Juokslahti, Toivakka, Kannonkoski, Karstula.

For the overview of the wider region: Central Finland.