← Finlandia Marathon·Day trip

Petäjävesi: The Old Church and a Slow Lunch

A UNESCO-listed wooden church in the countryside west of Jyväskylä, followed by a buffet lunch and a craft shop café.

DurationDay trip
TransitCar, about 30 minutes; limited public transport via Matkahuolto and Linkki
DepartsJyväskylä

After the Finlandia Marathon: Petäjävesi

The Route: Jyväskylä → Petäjävesi → Jyväskylä Logistics: About 26 to 30 kilometres by road, best by car. Public transport exists but is thin, so hire a car or book a taxi in advance. Marathon Month: September Duration: Day trip

Jyväskylä ──(about 30 mins by car)──> Petäjävesi Old Church ──(short drive)──> village lunch
    ^                                                                               │
    └───────────────────────(about 30 mins by car)──────────────────────────────────┘

The Petäjävesi Old Church is a log church from the 1760s, and UNESCO lists it as a World Heritage site. It stands in open farmland west of Jyväskylä, and the trip is the one in this collection that most depends on the month.

September in Petäjävesi. The church is open daily in the summer season, from June to August. As the season ends it moves to reservation only. Visit Jyväskylä states that in the winter season the church is opened only by prior booking. A runner who finishes the marathon in early or mid September is therefore on the wrong side of the line, and has to arrange the visit before leaving the city. Ring +358 40 582 2461 or write to opas@petajavesi.fi well ahead, and ask for a visit on the Sunday or Monday after the race.

Getting there

The road from Jyväskylä is 26 to 30 kilometres, about half an hour in a car. Visit Jyväskylä notes that the trip is best made by car, and it lists Matkahuolto coaches, VR trains and the Linkki local buses as public options. Do not count on a convenient connection on a Sunday. Avis and Omago both rent electric cars in the city, according to the same tourism page, and charging points are mapped on latauskartta.fi. A taxi both ways is the simpler choice if you do not want to drive after a marathon.

The church

Allow an hour at the church. The building is small, timber and low-ceilinged, and the ground around it is level grass and gravel with a short walk from the car park. There is no climb and there are no stairs to speak of. Ask whether the guide's visit includes the interior, because that depends on the booking.

Lunch

Kyläseppä, in the same building as the Heinähattu craft shop, serves a buffet lunch with a salad bar, hot dishes, soup and dessert. It is open year-round and usually daily. Heinähattu itself is a café and shop that sells locally baked pastries, usually Tuesday to Saturday, so on a Sunday the buffet is the safer choice. Confirm both before you go.

Back to Jyväskylä

The drive back takes the same half hour. If you have booked a taxi, agree the return time with the driver at the start.