Lohja’s many faces
The guide joins the group and the trip begins at the museum Kaarteen kotisotamuseo. Teija and Kalervo Kaarre's home museum is a tribute to those who fought for our independence and a reminder of Finland's honourable history. The museum displays objects and weapons from the wars of 1939-45, a Lotta canteen, a trench, a dugout and voices of war.
At the Alitalo Winery, we learn about apple cultivation in Lohja and the worlds of apple wine and apple cider. The thousands of apple trees growing on the estate and the farm animals create a unique experience in the middle of nature. Lunch is served in the Winery's restaurant, and before we leave there is still time to do some shopping.
On the tour of Tytyri Mine Museum we listen to a description of Lohja's mining history and current activities and visit an excavated chamber that measures more than 100 metres wide and is located more than 100 metres below sea level.
Afternoon coffee is offered at Kahvila Liisa, inside old and comfortable log walls. The sales outlet for the Lohja District Handicraft Association is in the same location.
History and silence in Lohja region
This tour starts with a guided visit to the Church of Saint Lauri in Lohja, Finland's third-largest
greystone church. The building's unusually rich collection of wall paintings makes it the country's pre-eminent monument of church architecture from the Middle Ages.
We continue to the village of Sammatti to visit Paikkarin Torppa, the birthplace of Elias Lönnrot, compiler of the Kalevala, Finland's national epic.
Sammatti's beautiful church was built in 1755 and is one of the oldest wooden churches in Finland that is used all year round. We visit the Elias Lönnrot monument in the cemetery.
Lunch at Sammatin Kievari, a former wooden school building.
The Nordic countries' first Quiet Garden- both a retreat and a place for encounters - is located in Vivamo. We visit the Chapel of Saint Birgitta, built in 2003 in the Middle Ages greystone church style on a peninsula extending into Lohjanjärvi lake. The trip ends with afternoon coffee in Vivamo.
Manor houses and estates in Lohja
This guided tour starts with coffee at one of several fine cafés of Lohja city.
We visit Ojamo Manor, built in the Russian Empire style close to Lohjanjärvi lake. Ojamo is well known as the location of Finland's oldest iron-ore mine. In addition to the manor house, other buildings on the estate include accommodation for a farm labourer, a cowshed built in 1850 using spoil from the mine workings and a hut for the mine workers. There are also mineshafts, the deepest of which is 43 metres below the surface of the lake.
Located on the island of Lohjansaari, Martinpiha Estate's history dates back to 1571. The lady of the estate describes its fascinating history and how it is now thriving. We enjoy a tasty lunch in the verdant green landscape.
Thousands of apple trees at the Alitalo Winery create a unique experience in the middle of nature. We hear about the winery's history and the production of apple wine and apple cider, then enjoy afternoon coffee in the Alitalo café. And there is still time to visit the Winery's store.
Onwards to Virkkala and then back to Lohja along Vappulantie road. Your guide provides many interesting facts about local history and current activity throughout the trip, which ends in Lohja.