Lieto

Discover Lieto through a range of experiences: at Vanhalinna, the museum, archaeological history and cultural trails take centre stage; Nautelankoski brings together a museum complex and a protected river landscape. There are also nature trails of varying lengths and a historic church in the centre of Lieto. When choosing what to visit, consider whether you would like to include exhibitions and cultural heritage, outdoor trails, or both in your stay.

Cultural heritage and trails at Vanhalinna

Vanhalinna is home to a professionally managed museum with permanent and temporary exhibitions. The site lies along the historic routes of the Aurajoki River and Hämeen Härkätie. Iron Age artefacts have been found on the castle hill, which also offers sweeping views across the national cultural landscape of the Aurajoki Valley. If you are interested in the area's early history, you can explore the archaeological finds and the landscape as different aspects of a visit to Vanhalinna.

The cultural and nature trails pass through the manor grounds, along the riverbank, through the forest and up to a historic castle hill. The trail network includes a 0.8-kilometre Archaeology Trail, a 2-kilometre History Trail and a 1.5-kilometre Friendship Trail, as well as a 1-kilometre return route. These distances help you distinguish between the trails when planning your day; they do not indicate walking times. Vanhalinna also offers the escape game “Kultaisen joutsenen tapaus”.

Nautelankoski: Museum and protected river landscape

The Nautelankoski museum complex includes the Lauri Nautela Museum, a miller's house, a water mill, a sauna and a granary. At the museum, a permanent exhibition about Stone Age hunters and a diorama of the Aurajoki tell the story of the area's history and river landscape. The miller's house is a relocated semi-detached house furnished as a miller's home. It originally came from the Jonkari farm in the village of Hakula. The Lauri Nautela Museum also has a café and a museum shop.

Nautelankoski is the largest rapid on the Aurajoki. The total drop is 17 metres, and the rapid area extends for about 800 metres from the dam to the pool by the birdwatching tower. Nautelankoski and its banks are protected as a nature reserve and form part of the Natura programme. The landscape features diverse riverside forests, small rocky outcrops and meadows; some of the meadows are maintained by mowing. Here, river nature and the museum's themes come together in one place.

The nature reserve trails start from the Nautelankoski museum courtyard, where free parking is available. Fishing in the rapid area is subject to a clear restriction: only fly fishing is permitted, and a permit is required. Keep this rule in mind if you are planning to combine your visit with fishing.

Church and routes in Lieto

The Church of St Peter of Lieto is the parish's main church and stands in the centre of Lieto. According to recent research, it was built around the year 1500. The building is considered an especially plain granite church in the Finnish region of Varsinais-Suomi. Alongside the exhibitions and archaeological themes, it offers another way to explore the history of the area.

The Hämeen Härkätie route also provides a guide for active days: much of its route through Lieto follows paths for light traffic or quiet roads. A 33-kilometre section of the approximately 160-kilometre Hämeen Härkätie cycling route also runs through the municipality. These figures describe the route within the municipality; they do not refer to a particular stage or its duration.

At Parmaharju, nature trails of 6 and 9 kilometres begin, along with a short 1.6-kilometre circular route. When choosing a trail, note that the routes are marked on the terrain only in part. Using them with a map requires experience and navigation skills. This is an important way in which these routes differ from simply choosing a trail by distance.

More local pages in this overview: Dragsfjärd, Laitila, Raisio, Kaarina, Loimaa, Pargas, Marttila and Harjattula.

Return to the main travel overview: Varsinais-Suomi.