Special Offer at Stadion Hostel in Helsinki - also your last chance to experience a hostel stay in Helsinki Olympic Stadium

Time is running out! Stadion Hostel at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium will close its doors for good at the end of September due to extensive renovations at the stadium. If you still wish to experience this unique location and traditional hostel atmosphere, we have a great offer for you.

With a Hostelling International membership, you get a 20% discount
when mentioning the code LAST CHANCE.

Bookings must be made directly to Stadion Hostel, either by phone +358 9 477 8480 or email info@stadionhostel.fi

Conditions:

• Bookings directly to the hostel
• The offer is valid with a valid Hostelling International membership. Membership will be checked on arrival.
• The offer is valid for stays that take place by 30 April 2015.
• The offer is only valid for new bookings.
• The discount is calculated from normal rates and it cannot be combined with any other offer.

Lapland, true winter wonderland destination: outdoor activities in Saariselkä

After visiting Lapland's 'capital' Rovaniemi and busy skiing resort Levi, we'll head for peaceful location in Saariselkä.

 

Hostel Ahopää, Saariselkä

Located at the root of one of the most loved national parks in Finland, Hostel Ahopää is a heaven for outdoor fans. The unique wilderness of Lapland is just one step away and beautiful fells invite you to go explore the magic of polar nights…

This area is suitable for a wide range of outdoor activities and the hostel has excellent selection of outdoor activities equipment, including GPS devices, available for hire. The accommodation price includes during the season participation in weekly hikes in the Kiilopää area. You can also choose from the many clearly signposted trails and go exploring your own. And why not try a refreshing dip in a fell brook after the sauna!

Hostel Ahopää has rooms and dorms sleeping 2–6 people. The dorms for male and female guests are separate, with shared toilet facilities just outside the dorms. All guests are welcomed to use the shared kitchen, a bathroom, and sauna facilities in the main building.

Did you know? Urho Kekkonen National Park is named after famous and longest-serving Finnish president, Urho Kekkonen. He was known for his sincere admiration for Lapland’s nature and often chose to spend his holidays in the wilderness. Urho Kekkonen also has been one of the protectors of Hostelling International Finland!

Lapland, true winter wonderland destination: ski and après-ski in Levi

We started our 3-part series of having a look at what Lapland has to offer during winter-time from Rovaniemi, the biggest town in Finnish Lapland. Now we are off to the biggest skiing resort in Finland: Levi.

Levi is a popular holiday destination is bursting with interesting activities such as husky and reindeer sledging, snow mobile safaris, ice karting and ice galleries. From the reception you can rent snowshoes and wonder around in serene beauty. After a day spent in nature you can relax by taking a massage or trying out several delicious restaurants in the area.

Hostel Hullu Poro, Levi

Hostel Hullu Poro is located two kilometres from Levi centre. You can easily arrive to Levi centre from Kittilä airport only in 15 minutes. Hostel has twin bed room apartments, where you have kitchen, common room and a bathroom. One apartment can host four people. You can also book a dorm bed.


National symbol of Lapland: Every year Levi hosts World Cup of Alpine skiing in the most Northern competition location in the world. Starting from 2013 winners are awarded with their very own reindeer and you might see these famous reindeers while visiting Levi!

In the footsteps of Finnish artists: an unforgettable trip to Eastern Finland - Part 3

Finn Kamilla Billiers decided to spend her holiday in Finland instead of travelling abroad. Her destination was Eastern Finland, an area renowned for its rugged landscapes. She let some of the most famous Finnish artists guide her on her journey. The trip was a journey into the heart of Finnish culture. 

This is the final part of the 3 part post. Before this Kamilla has visited the Koli National Park and North Karelian town Joensuu.

Just like granny’s house 

I travelled to Lieksa on the car ferry Pielinen. I was the only passenger on board and took in the beautiful scenery from the comfort of a rather retro-looking orange velvet couch. A tattooed deck boy came in to water the flowers on the windowsill and laughed when I asked about things to do in Lieksa. In the early evening, the small town was quiet and empty.

I walked past a small Orthodox chapel on my way to my accommodation. The Timitra Hostel is located in the Functionalist-style Timitra Castle, which was formerly occupied by a Finnish Border Guard training centre. The hostel is run by an architect who is also a keen collector of Finnish design works, and the interior and decor of the hostel reflects the personal taste of its proprietor. It is not very often that you see Artek furniture or Arabia dishes in a hostel.

Timitra Hostel in Lieksa is furnished with Finnish design.

When it was time for dinner, the atmosphere in the shared kitchen was relaxed. There was an older couple who were on their way to Pankakoski because the wife, a former pianist, once used to play a song by that name. I sipped my tea and watched steaming hot focaccia being lifted out of the oven.

On the final day of my trip, I explored the sights in and around Lieksa. The Pielinen Museum is Finland’s second-largest open-air museum, and its oldest buildings date from the 17th century. There are so many types of houses, barns, and saunas that you do not know where to look. The houses reminded me of my granny’s house, with all sorts of old tools and dishes hanging on the wall. Among other things, I saw a sledge and an old butter churn. When I reached the old shed, I took a deep breath to enjoy the lovely smell of tar.

After visiting the museum, I would have liked to see sculptor Eeva Ryynänen’s most famous creation – the Paateri timber church, with its magnificent wooden decorations. Unfortunately, it was 50 kilometres away, and I did not have a car. There is next to no public transport in that part of the country. As a keen cyclist, Inha would, no doubt, have cycled to Paateri in no time, but I had to settle for a walk to the railway station.

TEXT & PHOTOS: KAMILLA BILLIERS

Read the previous articles of the 3-part post: 
1. Visiting the North Karelian town Joensuu
2. Visiting the Koli National Park

Lapland, true winter wonderland destination: start from Rovaniemi

Often claimed as the last place of true wilderness in Europe, Lapland is the destination for all winter lovers. Starting from Rovaniemi, Finnish Lapland continues all the way up close to Arctic Sea. The harsh and unique conditions of the North have shaped Lapland into a magical place: polar nights and northern lights make you feel all the troubles of the world are far away.

Magic of Lapland can’t be described by words - you just have to experience it!

Good place to start your winter adventure in Finland is Rovaniemi, the hometown of Santa Claus. Most places can only dream of such a combination Rovaniemi has: tucked in a nature of Lapland and having all the amenities of a bubbling university town!

Rovaniemi is the home of Santa Claus, don't forget to visit him!
Picture by Visit Finland Media Bank

To be warned, Rovaniemi might not charm you with its architecture but it offers more than a decent compensation: museums, Santa Park, cafes, location in the Arctic Circle and husky farms make a visit to Rovaniemi worth it.

Surrounding areas also have plenty to offer, for example Ranua Zoo with its arctic animals (polar bears!) is only one hour drive away.

Santa’s Hostel Rudolf, Rovaniemi

Santa’s Hostel Rudolf has a central location and offers a good base to explore Rovaniemi. All the rooms have their own bathrooms and room size varies from single rooms to dormitories. Santa’s Hostel Rudolf has been recently granted a HI-Q quality certificate!


Psst! Let your creativity flow while crossing the Arctic Circle! This has become a ritual for those from the South, since after all Arctic Circle is the place where all magic of Lapland begins. The most popular place for crossing is Santa Park and some visitors might be even rewarded a certificate.

In the footsteps of Finnish artists: an unforgettable trip to Eastern Finland - Part 2

Finn Kamilla Billiers decided to spend her holiday in Finland instead of travelling abroad. Her destination was Eastern Finland, an area renowned for its rugged landscapes. She let some of the most famous Finnish artists guide her on her journey. The trip was a journey into the heart of Finnish culture. 

This is part 2 of the 3 part post. Before this new destination Kamilla visited the North Karelian town Joensuu.

In good company 

I took a taxi from Joensuu to Koli. An hour later and I was walking toward one of the most famous landscapes in Finland with a newly purchased map in hand. After a few kilometres, I reached the summit of the Mäkrä hill. The views over Lake Pielinen have been said to embody the essence of Finnish identity better than anything else, and now that I have been there, I have to agree.

The pine trees and hills could have been from a Järnefelt painting, and I could hear echoes of Sibelius’s Fourth Symphony. It is easy to see why artists inspired by Karelianism and National Romanticism flocked to Eastern Finland, especially Karelia, in search of a national identity. The breathtaking view was like a painting. Landscape photography is great in that nature is perfect in itself, without any gimmicks. The orange tree trunks, dappled with summer sunshine, were crying out to be sketched and painted. But I am no Järnefelt, so I got up and left.

As I was walking down the hillside, I saw a red squirrel. We stared at each other for a moment before the squirrel let out an un-squirrel-like roar and hurled itself up a spruce. Have you ever heard a squirrel growl? Me neither, until then.

The big, knobbly roots of the spruce trees made me want to curl up between them, lie still, and listen to the sighs and whispers of the woods. Unfortunately, a huge swarm of mosquitoes also decided to stop for a while at the same spot, and the mosquitoes made it clear what they thought of me being there, so I had to carry on toward the most famous summits of the Koli range. The rocks at the summit of Ukko-Koli are worn smooth. I wonder how many hands have touched them over the years. A metal plaque had some letters engraved in it: ‘Ripa, Anu, and Veka were here.’ It is said that Järnefelt himself carved his name into the wall of a cave known locally as the Devil’s Church.

I rounded off the day with a visit to the village of Koli. On my way there, I came across an environmental art exhibition in the middle of the woods. Some of the pieces are apparent to only the perceptive visitor. A few birches have had some of their bark removed. When you look at these trees from the right angle, the areas where the bark has been notched out form a small circle, like a pale winter sun. I popped into the gallery of an English artist, and we talked for a while about the intricate lines of Japanese wood carvings.


TEXT & PHOTOS: KAMILLA BILLIERS


Next Kamilla travelled to Lieksa. 

In the footsteps of Finnish artists: an unforgettable trip to Eastern Finland - Part 1

Finn Kamilla Billiers decided to spend her holiday in Finland instead of travelling abroad. Her destination was Eastern Finland, an area renowned for its rugged landscapes. She let some of the most famous Finnish artists guide her on her journey. The trip was a journey into the heart of Finnish culture. 

This is part 1 of the 3 part post.

Kamilla enjoying the evening sun.

While he was staying in Italy in the late 19th century, author Juhani Aho wrote about his longing for his native Finland, especially its majestic trees and lake landscapes.

Indeed, the desire to travel to Eastern Finland, to see the deep blue lakes and pine trees reaching for the sky from the summits of the many hills, is nothing new. In addition to Aho, composer Jean Sibelius, painter Eero Järnefelt, and photographer I.K. Inha all spent time in the area about a century ago. You can still see the breathtaking views from the Koli hill toward Lake Pielinen in your mind’s eye when you listen to the music of Sibelius, for example.

So, I put on some music by Sibelius and set off on my summer trip to Eastern Finland. When I arrived in Joensuu, I bought a Karelian pasty with butter and wandered around the town, soaking up the atmosphere of North Karelia. Someone was playing the kantele nearby.

I stopped by the North Karelian Provincial Museum and was told that I had just missed a guided tour led by a singing lady in a traditional Karelian costume. Elias Lönnrot passed through these parts when he was collecting material for the Kalevala, the Finnish national epic.

I found a bed at the nearest hostel, the Scouts’ Youth Hostel. I hired a creaky old bicycle and made my way to the Linnunlahti arboretum. However, the exotic trees there did not satisfy my yearning for quintessential Finnish landscapes, and I decided to go to the nearby beach, set against a backdrop of comfortingly familiar, solid Finnish pine trees. The water in Lake Pyhäselkä was lovely and warm.

As I watched cumulus clouds sail across the blue sky, I found myself humming Jukka Kuoppamäki’s ‘Sininen ja valkoinen’, as much of a cliché as that may seem. Well, I am not the first visitor to have found inspiration there over the years. I went back to the hostel and ended up admiring the impressively well-organised recycling system: there were separate, large bins for each type of waste, all clearly labelled in three languages.

The next morning, I woke up to a sunny day. I had morning coffee in a green patio area and chatted with one of the other guests, a middle-aged librarian, about Finland’s mediaeval stone churches. After breakfast, I was back on my trusty bike to visit the Noljakanmäki Natura area and the nature reserve on the estuary of the Höytiäinen canal. The bird-watching tower on the Höytiäinen estuary was voted the best in Finland in 2002, and it offers a commanding view over the lush landscape.

On the way to the bird-watching tower.

I tried in vain to capture all the different shades of green with my camera. Inha did not have this problem – he was taking black-and-white pictures and could concentrate on the sweeping landscape itself. At least my pocket camera does fit in my pocket, whereas Inha needed three assistants to help with his equipment. When I was leaving, something flew past me, letting out a screech and disappearing from view before I got a good look at it. I think I might have seen a curlew, but I am not sure.

TEXT & PHOTOS: KAMILLA BILLIERS


Next Kamilla travelled to Koli National Park. 

Reflection Cycling Suomi

Where were the Monsters? ( 14 April 2014)

Looking back on this trip, what did it get us?
In the introduction  I wrote that this trip is all about fighting our Monsters.
Looking and reading back on this trip, I wonder if they were even there?

Although it almost one year ago, we still get filled with positivity when looking back at this adventure. Remembering the people we met, the stories we heard, the nature we enjoyed and the distances we concurred makes us feel alive and kicking again. Not because all went well, although you might get that impression when reading the previous post's, it was not all fun at all. There were moment's we really got annoyed by each other and the situations we end up in ( getting lost, getting on boring highways with rude car drivers, dealing with body ordure)

But I think it is how we dealt with the struggles/confrontations we had, that makes us feel good about ourselves.

The biggest struggle for me was to give up the plan to cycle on my own. I really looked forward to that, because I knew that would have been a big struggle, since there is really no escape from myself when being alone. 

Finland is a nice country to cycle in, I would advice everybody who wants to cycle in Finland to cycle the archipalog trail.

Tampere seemed to be the final destination for me (or atleast a new starting point to leave from). In January I moved to Tampere for real, to live with my boyfriend ( read more about that here ). Therefore I really am glad that Marcia has seen the city and the people here, because it is my new home now.(  If you want to know my first impression of Tampere you can see the short animation I made here!)

Did we meet the monsters? I think we did, but not the ones we knew. I wrote to my boyfriend Michel during the trip that there were not a lot of Monsters, but that I had some confrontations with myself. Learning to let go and be flexible and be there for Marcia in any way she would need me.

I found a nice old text which explanes that the monsters are only there, when you bring take them with you when you leave. 

Ithaka

As you set out for Ithaka hope the voyage is a long one, full of adventure, full of discovery. Laistrygonians and Cyclops, angry Poseidon—don’t be afraid of them: you’ll never find things like that on your way as long as you keep your thoughts raised high, as long as a rare excitement stirs your spirit and your body. Laistrygonians and Cyclops, wild Poseidon—you won’t encounter them unless you bring them along inside your soul, unless your soul sets them up in front of you. Hope the voyage is a long one. May there be many a summer morning when, with what pleasure, what joy, you come into harbors seen for the first time; may you stop at Phoenician trading stations to buy fine things, mother of pearl and coral, amber and ebony, sensual perfume of every kind— as many sensual perfumes as you can; and may you visit many Egyptian cities to gather stores of knowledge from their scholars. Keep Ithaka always in your mind. Arriving there is what you are destined for. But do not hurry the journey at all. Better if it lasts for years, so you are old by the time you reach the island, wealthy with all you have gained on the way, not expecting Ithaka to make you rich. Ithaka gave you the marvelous journey. Without her you would not have set out. She has nothing left to give you now. And if you find her poor, Ithaka won’t have fooled you. Wise as you will have become, so full of experience, you will have understood by then what these Ithakas mean.

K.P. Kafavis (1863 – 1933)

Apparently I left them at home.They were welcoming me home after my return. But I couldn't live without them, if they do not block me, they inspire me to live the fullest!

This was the last post about this adventure!

If you want to stay updated of the live in Tampere, you can always go to the Dirtycars&Millioncows webblog.

Warm regards!			Loes van Dorp & Marcia Zaal

Pori has one of the liveliest local culture scenes in Finland

Pori, on Finland’s west coast, has the charm of an old industrial city. The city’s port has always been a major employer, and that hasn’t changed. However, Pori is famous today for its summertime jazz festival, the venues of which are found all over the city.

River Kokemäenjoki runs through Pori.
Picture: VisitFinland Media Bank/Matti Kolho.

This is only one example showing that Pori is much more than smokestacks and old red-brick factory buildings. The river running through the city dominates the cityscape and also provides the setting for the charming Kirjurinluoto park. Pori’s attractions also include the Yyteri beach with its rolling sand dunes, just outside the city centre. In summer, the six-kilometre beach attracts locals and tourists alike.

And near Yyteri is the district of Reposaari, with its nostalgic wooden houses. This was one of Finland’s key ports in the days when majestic sailing ships plied the seas in the 17th to 19th century. Though those ships are no more, Reposaari remains an important outer harbour. Reposaari also is home to a recently restored complex of trenches and dugouts from the Second World War.

Yyteri Beach attracts lots of visitors during sunny summer days.
Picture: Visit Finland Media Bank

Coffee and music

The streets of downtown Pori host many charming cafés. On the edge of the market square is the Sarpi bakery with its sea-buckthorn cakes, a speciality of Pori – sea buckthorn grows only on the coast. The Sarpi bakery café remains true to old traditions, with its sales staff wearing traditional bonnets and aprons.

Try this yourself next to these statues at Pori's Market Square.

In summertime, the terrace of Café Jazz is a lovely spot to catch the day’s last rays of sunlight, and Café Jazz is one of the key venues for events at the jazz festival.

Restaurant Kirjakauppa (‘Bookstore’), on Antinkatu street, has a down-to-earth atmosphere, lovely décor, and – on many days of the week – live music. Another good spot for live performances is Monttu (or ‘The Pit’), a small but legendary club that is well known on the band scene. Other live-music venues include Vaakuna and Amarillo. Concerts are occasionally held also in Valimo Hall. Kulttuurikulma (‘Culture Corner’), just off the market square, hosts many, diverse cultural events, including music and theatre performances.

A footbridge to the Kirjurinluoto Park from central Pori.

And the Pori Museum of Arts, located on the riverfront a little below City Hall, is always worth a visit. The backbone of the museum’s attraction for visitors is formed by a private collection that is supported by changing seasonal exhibitions. In the autumn, the city hosts the Pori International Puppetry Festival, with puppet shows that are great for all ages.

Hostel River – a home away from home

Only 10 minutes from the market square and a few hundred metres from the river lies a yellow wooden building that will bid you welcome: Hostel River. The renovated and tastefully decorated first-floor lobby defines the style and the atmosphere of the entire hostel: stylishly decorated but true to the history of the building, which dates back to the 1930s.

The hostel’s interior decoration is spiced with details in 1950s Nordic style. The building housed a large office from the 1950s to the 1970s – a piece of history that is still tangible in small details reminding us of the spirit of that time.

Hostel River welcomes you to stay
in Pori at address: Karjapiha 2

Hostel River was chosen as Hostel of the Year 2013 in Finland. Read more about Hostel River in a previous blog post; what makes Hostel River a special place.

How to get to Pori?

By train: From Helsinki (via Tampere) approximately 3 hours. From Tampere 1 hour 30 minutes.www.vr.fi
By bus: From Helsinki 4 hours. From Tampere 2 hours. From Turku 2 hours. www.matkahuolto.fi,  www.onnibus.fi 

Pori’s Hostel River is Hostel of the Year 2013

New player recognised in the accommodation field.

Hostel River of Pori, Finland, has convinced both customers and the executive board of Hostelling International Finland of its excellence as a hostel. The national hostel association nominated Hostel River as Hostel of the Year 2013. Pori is an industrial city on Finland’s western coast and known as a lively centre of culture.

Hostel River’s proprietor, Sirkka-Liisa Peni, opened the business near downtown Pori a little under two years ago in a wooden building dating back to the 1930s. The hostel was already a very functional whole when it opened, but it is the owner’s continuous work to develop it further that has impressed the association.

The hostel’s operations have been refined continuously, and Sirkka-Liisa’s partner, Kalevi Mäkinen, has renovated the premises, making it possible to extend the facilities gradually. The interior decoration of the hostel matches the spirit and history of the old building perfectly.

Hostel River has rooms with up to four beds.

In addition to the premises and that decoration, the hostel has been applauded for its enthusiastic customer service. Customers thank the owner for the hospitality and for home-like premises that always feel welcoming. In addition to travellers, Hostel River caters to the locals by providing facilities for hobbies, meetings, and celebrations.

Sirkka-Liisa and Kalevi were awarded at Finnish Hostel Managers' Meeting in Helsinki in January.

Hostelling International Finland wishes to thank Sirkka-Liisa and Kalevi for their efforts to maintain the genuine spirit of hostel culture. The couple decided to shape their business into a hostel after the owner’s son returned from an InterRail trip telling stories of Europe’s hostels. Sirkka-Liisa was immediately fascinated by the idea of a relaxed, free-form accommodation service. Her ideas crystallised into their final form on an excursion to Central Europe during which the enterprising couple stayed in hostels and collected ideas and inspiration that helped to develop Hostel River into what it is now.

Check out Hostel River website on www.hostelriver.fi.

Address:
Karjapiha 2, 28100 Pori, Finland
info(at)hostelriver.fi
Tel.: +358 2 534 0500
The hostel is open throughout the year. Weekdays from 7a.m. till 5p.m., other times on request.