Päijät-Häme between lakes and culture

A marked hiking trail runs across the island of Kelvenne in Päijänne National Park. The Kelvenne Trail is 10.3 kilometres long and has toilets, cooking shelters, campfire sites and campsites. This lets you consider trail length and facilities together when planning. Outside restricted areas, you can hike, ski, row and canoe in the national park. At the same time, most of the park can only be reached by water—a key distinction when planning activities and access.

Two routes also show how differently you can explore the landscape: the Päijänne–Ilves connecting trail starts at the guest harbour in Padasjoki and joins the Ilvesvaellus Trail in the Evo hiking area. The Kymenkäänne paddling route, by contrast, starts at Lake Kymijärvi in Lahti and passes through a series of small lakes and streams to the Kymijoki River on the Iitti side.

Lakes, ridges and canals

The UNESCO-recognised Salpausselkä UNESCO Global Geopark is in the Lahti region and tells the story of Finland’s best-known geological formation. Its area includes hundreds of lakes, ranging from small kettle lakes to Päijänne, Finland’s second-largest lake. The narrow Pulkkilanharju ridge runs across Päijänne. It is part of a nationally significant landscape area and is one of the important sites of the Salpausselkä UNESCO Global Geopark.

At Vääksy, Lakes Vesijärvi and Päijänne meet. The Vääksy Canal served as a historic waterway connection between them. The area around the canal is a significant cultural landscape, with places offering activities and experiences throughout the year. Landscape, waterways and history come together here in a distinctive setting.

Hiking, cycling and nature

In Asikkala, Aurinkovuori Hill lies along the Aurinko-Ilves hiking trail. It has illuminated outdoor trails of three and seven kilometres, as well as cross-country ski trails in winter. Two shelters with campfire sites and a lookout platform with sweeping views over Päijänne round out the facilities on the hill.

The Salpausselkä UNESCO Global Geopark has cycling routes on city streets, country roads and off-road trails. Along the Lahti–Hollola corridor, easygoing cycling routes pass through the rural landscape, with lake views and rolling roads. Another specific ride is the 12-kilometre Vääksy–Pasolanharju route, which starts at the Vääksy Canal and leads to the Pasolanharju ridge.

Kutajärvi is a distinct destination for nature observation in the Päijät-Häme region. The nature reserve includes lush waterside forests and floodplains. During the spring migration, numerous waterbirds gather there—a seasonal feature that connects the reserve’s protected status with the changing seasons.

Winter sports around Lahti and Hollola

The Salpausselkä trail network includes dozens of kilometres of groomed and illuminated ski trails in the Lahti and Hollola areas. In Hollola, the Messilä ski resort has ten slopes and nine ski lifts. The Lahti Ski Games in Salpausselkä, also known as the Salpausselkä Games, are an international winter sports event held annually since the 1920s. If you want to plan your trip around the event, check the dates for the relevant year.

Museums and regional culture

In Lahti, Malva is dedicated to art, design, posters and culture. The museum is housed in the old Malski brewery building. Also in Lahti, the Radio and TV Museum presents the history of Finland’s radio and television industry. It is located on Radiomäki Hill, next to Lahti’s 150-metre-high radio towers. These two museums offer different perspectives: Malva brings together several creative fields, while the Radio and TV Museum explores a chapter of Finnish media history.

The Ski Museum at the Lahti Sports Centre covers the history of skiing in its exhibitions, including the Lahti Ski Games and the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships held in Lahti. Near the Vääksy Canal, Päijännetalo houses Finland’s recreational fishing museum, alongside changing art exhibitions on the region’s fishing culture. Päijännetalo is open year-round. Still, check the latest opening information before your trip.

Breweries and local specialities

The Teerenpeli Brewery & Distillery Visitor Centre is in Lotila, Lahti, and offers guided tours and tasting events. For current visitor information about tours and tastings, bookings and confirmation from the operator are authoritative. In the Lahti region, the Brewery Route combines visits to breweries and distilleries with opportunities to sample award-winning beers, wines and whiskies.

Another regional speciality is Hartola Sahti, a Finnish farmhouse beer made from malted and unmalted grain. It has been sold at Krouvi since 1996. Alongside the museums, waterways and hiking destinations, it adds a culinary tradition to the picture of Päijät-Häme.

Discover more destinations: Auttoinen, Lahti, Asikkala, Vierumäki, Heinola, Nyystölä, Sysmä, Padasjoki, Hollola, Hartola, Orimattila, Hämeenkoski.

For the main travel overview: Finland.