Joutsa lies on both sides of European route E75 in central Finland. It is the pearl of Lakeland Finland with an amazing 800 miles of shoreline. The Joutopäivät summer festival in Joutsa is naturally one way to get to know the traditional sahti beer from the area, the markets and the traditional log-floating competition. The festival is held on the first weekend in July during the traditional hay-making time.
Perhaps you have heard about Joutsa's motor sport affiliations and would like to visit for this reason? On the motor circuit you can try your hand at rally driving, motocross and other motor sports – or keep a safe distance and watch while others race around the track.
The centre of Joutsa has small bakeries, gift shops and other boutiques, as well as a summer marketplace and market events. Joutsa is well known for textile printing. Materials such as cotton and traditional Finnish linen are decorated with images such as wild rosemary, which is common in the marshes around Joutsa. Stop for a relaxing coffee on the village high street.
Joutsa's residents are an active bunch, so there are plenty of sporting options ranging from the swimming pool and Marjunlahti beaches to a skateboard park, frisbee golf course and a stable with Icelandic horses. In the summer, several different sports are adapted to suit an unusual local characteristic: the marsh. Have you ever tried marsh floorball? If you would like to take in the lake and marsh landscapes from above, you can visit the panoramic viewing towers on the Tammimäki or Kuhasenmäki hills.
The best way to get a real taste of the central Finnish landscape is to visit Leivonmäki National Park, which has trails and duckboard routes winding around lakes, marshes and hills. The Koskikara route is an excellent way to get to know the natural environment in the area, while the Luupää circuit, which is about a mile and a half long, shows off the area's geology and interesting features left behind by the Ice Age, such as glacial erratic boulders and potholes. You can stay the night in the national park in a cottage or camping area, and can naturally also visit the sauna. Kayaking is also on offer: a coastal route suitable for beginners begins at the Harjunlahti harbour to the campfire place in Joutsniemi. You can spend the night at the Lintuniemi lean-to shelter in a tent or at island lean-tos in Halttunen or Niinisaari. You could also try your hand at archery.
In the winter, Joutsa is a cross-country skiing town. There are cross-country skiing tracks on the ice of the frozen lake, as well as on the hills of the national park. Joutsa also has a separate "first-snow" cross-country skiing track for people who are eager to get out on the snow. There are also geocaches on the islands in Lake Suontee in Joutsa. In the summer, you can reach them by kayak or rowing boat, and in the winter you can ski or take a kicksled across the frozen lake.
A trip to Joutsa is an active and cultural holiday at its best. Book a trip to Joutsa now.
