dossier
Finland - The Turku Archipelago Islands
Season
On the followingSaturdays:
June 7 & 21
July 5, 12, 19, 26.
August 2 & 9.
Level of Difficulty
Easy to Moderate.You should be able to cycle between 15 km/9 mi and 65km/39 mi per day. It isgenerally easy, but with occasional rolling sections, and 3 days 50km+/30+mi.
The Bikes
On Day 2, in the morning, you will meet our local representative whowill deliver your bike to the hotel. You will be asked to give a credit cardimprint or 200 euros in cash at the time of renting the bikes, as a guarantee,which you will receive back on return of the bikes.
Bicycle and helmet are included in the price with repair kit, panniers, and24 hour emergency service. The bikes are 21-gear trekking/ hybrid bikes. 7 gearbikes are also available. Pleaselet us know your height and inside leg measurements so that we can request yourbikes before your arrival.
Baggage Transfers
Each day that you move on to new accommodation during the tour your baggage(normally up to 20kg / 44 pounds per person) will be transferred to await yourarrival at the next night’s accommodation.
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]-->
Maps & Route Notes
We provide specially written route descriptions foreach day's cycling, together with maps.
Accommodation & Meals
Accommodation is in small hotels and guesthouses including a manorhouse and a former barn converted into a guesthouse. Dinner, Bed and breakfastson 2 nights, remaining nights are bed and breakfast. Picnic lunches are not included, but materials for picnics can bepurchased in each of the towns and villages where you stay.
Night 1 and 7: Turku. Our 3 starcozy hotel is centrally located in Turku. (131 rooms). It is locatedwithin walking distance (approx 500m) from the railway station. Bed and breakfast accommodation. For dinner you will find a large selectionof restaurants in the center of Turku. The hotel has a restaurant and 3 saunas. Morning sauna is included in the room price.
Nights 2 & 3: Kustavi. Overnight in a formal residence ofarchipelago sea pilots who would guide ships through hazardous rocky waters tothe harbor. Guesthouse is located rightby the harbor with great views of the sea. There are 6 twin rooms, 2 single rooms and a suite, all with privatefacilities. All rooms have a seaview. There is a café where thebreakfast is served and a lounge with TV.
Night 4 & 5: Nauvo. Overnight and dinner in a former barn converted into aguesthouse located amongst a beautiful natural area near to the sea. All the 3 guest rooms have a phone andprivate facilities.
Night 6: Naantali. The guesthouse is located in the Old Town ofNaantali. Friendly and personnel roomswith private facilities.
Bedand Breakfast accommodation. Dinner isavailable nearby in the restaurant of your choice.
Arrival
Nearest airport: Helsinki. Once you arrive at the airport in Helsinki, take the bus to the cityterminal at the train station (Allow 5 Euros/US$6.50 per person), duration 30minutes.
Train to Turku. The journey takes 2 hours and the price is not included inthe tour. (Allow around 23 Euros/US$31).
From the train station inTurku, bus 32 or 42 will take you to the hotel. Departures every 15 minutes(cost is 1.80 Euros/US$2.40). From thetrain station in Turku, short walk to the hotel.
End of Tour
Tour ends on day 8 after breakfast in Turku. Train from Turku to Helsinki. Busfrom the rail station to the airport.
Extend your stay
Extra nights anywhere along the cycling tour route can be pre-booked includingHelsinki. Details and prices on request.
Included
7 nights in small hotels and guesthouses. 2 dinners are included. Hire of bikesis also included in the tour price, with helmet, repair kit, panniers, welcomeguide and 24 hour emergency service. Maps and route notes.
There are actually 3 kinds of ferries. Most of the ferrytrips are by small yellow ferryboats (lossi in Finnish) or by a bit larger ones(lautta in Finnish) and are free. Three of the trips are by bigger whitevessels and they charge small fee for the trip. This is however included in thepackage.
<!--[endif]-->Not Included
Sightseeing and entrance fees, lunches and 4 evening meals, expenses due tobike problems, road or bad weather conditions, use of bus and taxi, repairs...
Outline Itinerary
Day 1. Turku Arrive Helsinki, train to Turku.
Day 2. Turku – Kustavi –(65 km/39 mi) Pickup your bike from close to the hotel and continue by bike to the nearby town ofNaantali, an idyllic seaside village with cobbled streets and old wooden housesaround a bustling harbor. Naantali is a beautiful holiday town with its longtradition as a spa resort. Its special character stems from the history and thecharm for the sea and the archipelago. Soon after Naantali the island hopping begins, first with astunning ride across the bridge to Merimasku and then take a break frompedaling with a relaxing forty-five minute ferry journey. Continue on by bike to your over nightaccommodation.
Day 3. Kustavi Rest day or circularride on Kustavi. Take time to visit theold wooden church, the caves and Kustavi Museum.
Day 4. Kustavi – Inio – Houtskar – Korpoo –Nauvo – (60km/36 mi) Seven ferry journeys today as the real heart of thearchipelago is reached. First a 25 minutes ferry trip to Inio Island (constantconnection). Sights in Inio island: The church of Sophia Wilhemina and naturetrail of Norrby, which goes on top of the hill Kasberget – great view over thearchipelago!! Then by ferry into Island to Houtskar Island (one departure inevery 2 hours, week-ends more seldom, duration 1 hour). Sights in Houtskar: observationtower of Borgber, lookout spot of Trollberg and the church of Sangta Maria. OnHoutskar Island there are two very short ferry rides on the island itself (inBjorko and in Kivimo, constant ferry connection) which has some of the region’smost challenging cycling, but you can rest on the half hour ferry ride HoutskarIsland Korpoo Island (one departure every hour, duration 30 minutes). Sights inKorpoo Island are Korpo greystone church from 14th century andKorpoo gard – the center of Korpoo from early 19th century withunique architectural style. From Korpoo it is a short hop to Nauvo, (severaldeparture every hour, duration 5 minutes) where you overnight. Sights in Nauvo; the medieval greystone church and the Gyttja district museum.
Day 5. Nauva Island. Spending a second night on Nauvo Islandthere are several choices of circular cycling routes, plus the possibility togo canoeing or take a traditional seaside sauna.
Day6. Nauvo – Rymaltyla –Naantali (65km/40 mi) Take the ferry from Nauvo harbor back to the mainland and continue bybike via Rymattyla. Rymattyla has 400islands in the municipality. Cyclefurther to the Rymattyla village center. Visit St Jacobs church, several handicraft shops and even buy directlyfrom the farmers. From Rymattyla youcycle back to Naantali.
Day7: Naantali – Turku (14 km/8 mi) Ashort ride back to Turku, and enjoy a ride around the historic city of Turku.