Taikasaari weekend

Build Your Own Taikasaari Weekend

Plan your own Taikasaari weekend in the vibrant city of Hämeenlinna and make the most of the special offers from our local partners! Whether you're joining us from afar or a resident of Hämeenlinna, we have recommendations for activities, treats, and useful tips to enjoy throughout the weekend. Discover these delightful Taikasaari Festival partners and grab the best deals and tips to make your weekend unforgettable!

What else can you do in Hämeenlinna?

Check out all the current sights, activities, top restaurants and cafés, and shopping opportunities in Hämeenlinna at www.visithameenlinna.fi, and enjoy an unforgettable holiday in Hämeenlinna!

5 Top Tips for Hämeenlinna in the Spirit of Taikasaari!

1. Be charmed by history at the Linnanniemi museum area

Standing as the crown jewel of the city, the magnificent Häme Castle, over 700 years old, is the best-preserved stone castle in the Nordic countries. On guided tours, you can peek into the Middle Ages and explore both the castle's days of splendor and its times of decline! Finland's largest prison museum, Vankila, offers an authentic look into the history of prison life. The exhibition showcases spaces, cells, and objects that speak starkly of everyday prison life while raising fundamental questions about humanity.

Museo Militaria provides an extensive overview of Finland's military history, presenting weaponry, the development of artillery, engineering, and communications units, along with stories from Finland's history from the Middle Ages to the present. Tip! With an affordable area ticket, you can visit all three attractions!

2. Be enchanted by the national landscapes at Aulanko

The Aulanko area is a gem of Hämeenlinna, offering visitors unique nature experiences, breathtaking outdoor trails, and numerous opportunities for active recreation, from golf to horseback riding. In Aulanko's park forest, you can descend into the Bear Cave or climb the observation tower to admire the national landscape that is said to have inspired Sibelius himself to compose Finlandia!

3. Explore the experiential Rantareitti (Shoreline Trail)

Dubbed one of Finland's most beautiful outdoor trails, the Rantareitti is a roughly 6 km route that circles the city along the stunning shores of Lake Vanajavesi. Along the way, you can admire the medieval castle, take a swim, enjoy a picnic at Sairionranta's campfire spot, fish by the railway bridge, hug Finland's largest tsar poplars, row a free city boat, or stop by lakeside terraces for a meal, a drink, or to watch the sunset.

Tip! You can reach the boardwalks of Rantareitti in just five minutes from the railway station!

4. Hämeenlinna Art Museum: Jukka Korkeila – Darkness Full of Light, 5.6.–19.10.2025

A must-see art exhibition for summer and autumn 2025! The exhibition presents the extensive and diverse artistic output of Jukka Korkeila (b. 1968), a visual artist born and raised in Hämeenlinna, in a retrospective format from his early career in the 1990s to the present. The works often feature a nude male figure and openly and boldly address themes of sexuality, particularly homosexuality, and issues related to sexual minorities. At the same time, spirituality and religious perspectives, especially Orthodox beliefs, play a strong role in Korkeila's art.

Tip! Also check out Henki ja hekuma – Väristyksiä kokoelmista, 6.5.–21.9.2025

5. Head to the Glass Route in Iittala

Founded in 1881, the Iittala glass factory is unique in Finland, and today its skilled artisans still create internationally renowned glass objects from molten glass. The Iittala Glass Museum's permanent exhibition showcases the history of Iittala glass, internationally recognized art pieces, and significant series products from the 1880s to the present. The summer special exhibition Kattaus kesään – lasiastioita vuosikymmenien varrelta, runs 2.5.–14.9.2025.