Norama offers two itineraries to discover Hidden Finland: Elegantly Finnish and Along the King’s Road.
Elegantly Finnish: Hidden Finland
A 7-night itinerary, from Helsinki to the southern coast, blending vibrant art cities with the endless blue labyrinth of the lakes (including the vast Saimaa), dotted with islands, isthmuses, and forested promontories. Overnight stays are in three refined and very different manor houses.
It starts at the urban residence, Lilla Roberts in Helsinki – the latest addition among the city’s trendiest hotels, characterized by a distinct luxury and contemporary flair. Housed in a fully restored early 20th-century building with direct access to Helsinki’s design and business districts, it offers the peace of a residential area combined with proximity to main tourist and cultural sights, as well as top restaurants and bars.
The second stop is a stunning historic country manor in Mikkeli, in the heart of the Lakeland region. Its current noble appeal dates to the late 19th century: only a few rooms, all in traditional Swedish style. Highlights include a delightful in-house shop selling gourmet local specialties.
Finally, in the South, guests stay in a majestic residence near the medieval castle of Hämeenlinna, just outside the city. Its facade is striking, with red brick contrasting against lush climbing greenery. Classic-style elegant rooms, a golf course, fitness center, direct access to outdoor activities, several saunas, and a top-rated restaurant.
Along the King’s Road, Hidden Finland
The Norama Tour Operator proposal in the Lakeland region also includes stops in Helsinki, Mikkeli, Jyvaskyla, Imatra, and in the charming bilingual city of Porvoo. As always, overnights are in exquisite historic residences!
In Jyvaskyla – the Lakeland capital, known for much of its architecture by Alvar Aalto – you’ll stay in a mid-19th-century manor house with just thirteen rooms, each classically decorated, and of course, a traditional Finnish sauna.
In Imatra, you overnight in a castle, the Valtionhotelli, now a hotel with striking Art Nouveau design reminiscent of a manor. Built in 1903 near the famous falls that have long attracted visitors from the nearby Russian imperial capital, St Petersburg, it’s surrounded by greenery. Not to be missed nearby: Savonlinna, home to the renowned annual opera festival held in its enchanting medieval castle, and the world’s largest wooden church by capacity, in Kerimaki.
In Porvoo, Finland’s second oldest city, your journey ends with a stay in an empire-style manor house. The first stones for this building were laid as early as 1362, originally as a Dominican abbey! The elegant white facade, marked by a striking colonnade, shelters 27 refined rooms with mid-19th-century furnishings. The highlight: a vast garden surrounding the estate, perfect for long scenic strolls through lush greenery out to the Gulf of Finland.
