Päijät-Häme: Discover lakes, trails and culture

In Päijät-Häme, marked hiking trails and waterscapes meet museums, winter sports and the distinctive cultural landscape around the Vääksy Canal. The region can be explored according to a wide range of interests: for example, on a hike in Päijänne National Park, with a visit to Lahti’s museums, or along a paddling route. When choosing where to stay, it is therefore worth first focusing on the experiences you want to shape your trip.

Päijät-Häme at a glance

• A marked hiking trail runs across Kelvenne in Päijänne National Park.
• The Kelvenne Trail is 10.3 kilometres long.
• The Salpausselkä UNESCO Global Geopark encompasses hundreds of lakes.
• Lahti brings museums, winter sports and city life together.
• Vääksy is where Lakes Vesijärvi and Päijänne meet.

Lakes, geology and nature

Päijänne National Park is one of the region’s defining natural areas. Most of the park can only be reached by water—a key difference to bear in mind when planning, compared with destinations accessible via hiking trails. A marked trail crosses the island of Kelvenne in the national park. The 10.3-kilometre Kelvenne Trail has toilets, cooking shelters, campfire sites and campsites. This means the stated trail length comes with several facilities along the route.

Geology is closely linked to lakes in the wider region, too. The UNESCO-recognised Salpausselkä Geopark is located in the Lahti region and 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. The narrow Pulkkilanharju ridge crosses Lake Päijänne and is part of both a nationally significant landscape area and the Geopark’s important sites.

The Kutajärvi Nature Reserve in Päijät-Häme offers a different perspective on nature. Lush shore forests and floodplains define the habitat; many waterbirds gather there during the spring migration. For visitors who want to experience nature beyond trails and ridges, it offers a clear seasonal destination for observing migratory birds.

Hiking trails and waterways for active days

In Päijänne National Park, you can hike, ski, row and canoe freely outside restricted areas. This limitation is important to bear in mind: these activities are not permitted within restricted areas. Access to most of the park by water and the designated hiking destinations are therefore two distinct considerations to keep separate when choosing your outings.

For a hike with a specified distance, the Aurinkovuori hill in Asikkala is another option alongside Kelvenne. There are illuminated outdoor trails of three and seven kilometres along the Aurinko-Ilves Trail, with ski tracks available in winter. Two lean-to shelters with campfire sites and an observation platform add to the facilities. From the platform, the view extends far across Lake Päijänne. The two distances give you a basis for choosing, without implying a specific walking time.

Starting at a different point, the Päijänne–Ilves connecting trail runs from the guest harbour in Padasjoki to the Ilvesvaellus Trail in the Evo hiking area. For visitors who prefer being on the water, the Kymenkäänne paddling route leads from Lake Kymijärvi in Lahti through smaller lakes and streams to the Kymijoki River on the Iitti side. Hiking and paddling offer clearly distinct ways to make your stay active.

Cycling and winter sports in Lahti and Hollola

The cycling routes in the Salpausselkä Geopark run along city streets, country roads and off-road trails. Along the Lahti–Hollola axis, lakeside views and hilly roads through the countryside are characteristic of the routes. This information helps you gauge the setting you prefer: city streets, country roads and trails away from roads offer different backdrops for a day of cycling.

The Lahti and Hollola area has a distinctive winter profile. Its ski trail network includes dozens of kilometres of groomed, illuminated trails. The Messilä ski resort in Hollola has ten slopes and nine ski lifts. The Lahti Ski Games, also known as the Salpausselkä Games, are another highlight: this international winter sports event has been held annually since the 1920s. Winter sports enthusiasts can thus choose between cross-country ski trails, downhill skiing and an international sporting event.

Museums, canal history and local specialities

Lahti offers several different options for culture lovers. Malva is dedicated to art, design, posters and culture, and is housed in the old Malski brewery building. 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. At the Ski Museum in the sports centre, the exhibitions focus on the history of skiing, the Lahti Ski Games and the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships held in Lahti.

In Vääksy, the waterside setting and cultural landscape come together: the town lies where Lakes Vesijärvi and Päijänne meet, and the Vääksy Canal historically served as a waterway link between the two lakes. The area around the canal is a significant cultural landscape with destinations offering activities and experiences year-round. Nearby Päijännetalo houses Finland’s Recreational Fishing Museum and rotating art exhibitions on the region’s fishing culture.

Local drinks and how they are made are also among the things to discover. Hartola Sahti is a Finnish farmhouse ale made from malted and unmalted grain and has been sold at Krouvi since 1996. Guided tours and tasting events are offered at the Teerenpeli Brewery & Distillery Visitor Centre in Lotila, Lahti; bookings and confirmation by the operator are required.

Choose the right base

If Kelvenne and the national park are your main focus, access to most of the park by water is an important factor in planning. For city museums, winter sports and the annual Lahti Ski Games, consider Lahti and Hollola. Vääksy combines its location between two lakes with canal history and cultural attractions; cyclists can also enjoy varied landscapes along the Lahti–Hollola axis and in the Geopark.

For more information about the region, explore the destinations of Auttoinen, Lahti, Asikkala, Hämeenkoski, Vierumäki, Heinola, Nyystölä, Sysmä, Padasjoki, Hollola, Hartola and Orimattila, and narrow your search for a suitable hotel to the places that interest you.

Frequently asked questions about Päijät-Häme

Which hiking trails have a specified length?

The Kelvenne Trail is 10.3 kilometres long. At Aurinkovuori in Asikkala, there are illuminated outdoor trails of three and seven kilometres; these two places therefore offer different distances to help with planning.

What should I bear in mind when visiting Päijänne National Park?

Most of the park can only be reached by water. Hiking, skiing, rowing and canoeing are permitted outside restricted areas. Kelvenne is an island in the national park with a marked hiking trail.

What cultural attractions are there in Lahti?

Malva is dedicated to art, design, posters and culture. The Radio and TV Museum covers the history of Finnish broadcasting; the Ski Museum covers the history of skiing, including the Lahti Ski Games and the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships held in Lahti.

How is Vääksy connected to the lakes?

Vääksy lies where Lakes Vesijärvi and Päijänne meet. The Vääksy Canal historically served water traffic between the two lakes; the surrounding area is a significant cultural landscape.

What winter sports options are there?

Lahti and Hollola have a ski trail network with dozens of kilometres of groomed, illuminated trails. Messilä in Hollola has ten slopes and nine ski lifts; the Lahti Ski Games are held annually in Salpausselkä.