Discover Peräseinäjoki: Kalajärvi, Trails and Culture

In Peräseinäjoki, Kalajärvi, marked trails and unusual insights into Finnish and international history come together. A cycling route runs around the lake, while houses and collections in the museums tell stories of very different ways of life. The architecture of the local church adds its own distinctive touch. Which of these discoveries you want to shape your trip can help guide you in choosing suitable accommodation.

Peräseinäjoki at a glance

• A marked 22-kilometre cycling route runs around Kalajärvi.
• Maailman Raitti is a three-hectare open-air museum on the shore of the lake.
• The signposted Seinäjoki hiking trail is about 170 kilometres long and runs from Ylistaro to Peräseinäjoki.
• Siirtolaisuusmuseo tells stories of migration in four residential buildings from different parts of the world.
• The present-day Pyhän Paavalin kirkko was completed in 1892.

Kalajärvi: cycling route and winter activities

Kalajärvi combines picturesque lakeside scenery with nature and opportunities for outdoor activities. A marked, 22-kilometre cycling route runs around the lake on gravel and paved roads.

In winter, a lit ice-skating track is created in the forest near Kalajärvi. Cycling along the route and ice skating are seasonal activities, with the lakeside scenery as their shared setting. Whether you would rather spend your visit cycling a loop or ice skating in winter gives your trip planning a different focus.

Museum buildings with stories from Finland and around the world

On the shore of Kalajärvi lies Maailman Raitti, a three-hectare open-air museum and a destination in Peräseinäjoki. One of its distinctive buildings is the Unkuri House: Matti Unkuri, who had been deported to Siberia, built the log house from aspen in 1879 for his family in Bugene. Today, it is presented in its original appearance. The house’s story thus spans its construction and family life to its present-day display at the open-air museum.

Another building there tells of work far from Finland. The corrugated-iron accommodation housed workers on a sugarcane farm and originally stood in Ingham, Queensland, Australia. It was built in the 1920s and was still in use in the 1960s. Together with the Unkuri House, it highlights the diversity of the building histories brought together at the museum: a Finnish log house and accommodation from an Australian work setting stand side by side, each with its own story.

Siirtolaisuusmuseo in Peräseinäjoki focuses on migration. Its open-air museum tells stories of migration through four residential buildings from different parts of the world. The Knuuttila House offers a closer look at a particular chapter of this history: it was brought to Finland from the village of New Finland in Saskatchewan. Its oldest section dates from 1893, and the interior furnishings have been preserved in their original state. The buildings of Siirtolaisuusmuseo can be entered during the museum’s opening hours.

Hiking trail and church architecture

The signposted Seinäjoki hiking trail stretches for about 170 kilometres from Ylistaro to Peräseinäjoki. It has no designated starting or endpoint; you can start anywhere along the route. This flexibility is useful when planning your own stages, while the stated total distance describes the trail’s full length.

Peräseinäjoki’s present-day church also combines a specific building history with distinctive details. It is the parish’s second church and was completed in 1892. Provincial architect Ivar Aminoff designed Pyhän Paavalin kirkko, and the building was constructed by Juho Karjalahti of Haapajärvi. The wooden cruciform church has three galleries. Its sacristy also houses a votive ship—a donated model sailing ship—made in the late 19th century. Such votive ships are rare in an inland church.

Peräseinäjoen Riihimuseo explores the development of the area from the past to the present, but is currently closed. Its collection includes items related to traditional grain processing, as well as old tools and agricultural machinery. The collection thus offers a different historical perspective from the migration stories of Siirtolaisuusmuseo or the individual buildings at Maailman Raitti.

Which highlights suit your trip?

To start planning, you can decide which experience you would like to focus on: a loop around Kalajärvi, the longer hiking trail, or the buildings and collections of the museums. If you would like to combine different themes, the lakeside scenery, historic houses and church architecture offer specific ways to do so. When looking for a hotel in Peräseinäjoki, this priority can help you organise what you want from your stay; it does not, however, tell you anything about the facilities or location of individual accommodations.

Discover more destinations: Länsikylä, Karijoki, Töysä, Jalasjärvi, Ähtäri, Lehtimäki, Myllykangas, Ilmajoki.

Frequently asked questions about Peräseinäjoki

How long is the cycling route at Kalajärvi?

The marked route is 22 kilometres long and runs around Kalajärvi on gravel and paved roads.

Where can you join a hiking trail in Peräseinäjoki?

The approximately 170-kilometre Seinäjoki hiking trail has no designated starting or endpoint. You can join it anywhere along the route.

Is Peräseinäjoen Riihimuseo open?

The museum is currently closed. Its collection includes items related to grain processing in the old threshing barn, old tools and agricultural machinery.

What is special about the Knuuttila House?

The house belonging to Siirtolaisuusmuseo was brought to Finland from the village of New Finland in Saskatchewan. Its oldest section dates from 1893, and the interior furnishings have been preserved in their original state.

Go to the broader travel guide: South Ostrobothnia.