Finnish design: the eco approach takes over Helsinki’s Cable FactoryThe Recycling Factory, held May 7-8^th in Helsinki, is an event promoting two central trends of contemporary Finnish lifestyle: ecological and sustainability issues together with innovative design. The family friendly event consists of a sales market and a free-of-charge market along with workshops and shows.The sales market features some 50 pioneering Finnish companies presenting clothes, jewellery, bags and interior design items made of recycled materials. Organic food products are available and ecological approaches to energy, beauty and nutrition will also be represented.The free-of-charge market operates on a “bring & take” principle; throughout the weekend, you can bring clothes, toys, books and household goods that are fit for use. You can take with you anything you need.Do-it-yourself workshops engage both adults and children in creative activities, offering a chance for making jewellery, clothes and other items out of recycled materials.Fashion shows and demonstrations of handicraft and other small works from recycled materials will be held.The Recycling Factory, held now for the fourth consecutive year, attracted 7 500 visitors last year. With eco issues and awareness on the rise globally, many more are expected to attend this year’s event at the Cable Factory in Ruoholahti, central Helsinki. The venue is nationally known for hosting a range of cultural events.The Recycling Factory is open on Saturday May7^th and Sunday 8^th from 10am to 5pm with free admission. Please note that only cash is accepted as a payment method.Exhibitors include:Ainokainen,  a Finnish ecological design company specializing in clothes and jewellery. http://www.aino-kainen.com/english/index_eng.htmlMifuko, makers of sandals and bags, who spice Scandinavian design with an African twist, and cooperate with African artisans on a Fair Trade basis. http://www.mifuko.fi/en/Punainen Norsu (“Red Elephant”) designs retro-styled clothes for kids out of recycled and ecological materials. http://www.punainennorsu.com/en_index.htmlFor more information on the event, please visit: http://www.kierratystehdas.fi/front-page/A complete list of exhibitors: http://www.kierratystehdas.fi/sales-market-2/Accommodation in Helsinki: http://www.helsinki.fi/en/index/matkailu/majoitus.htmlFor information about travel in Finland, go to www.visitfinland.com Contact:Helena NiskanenVisit Finland USATel. +1-917-863-5484helena.niskanen@visitfinland.com   

                                                                                                                           NEWSLETTER    FEBRUARY 2011            Fresh in Finland in 2011Tour and taste Helsinki with Food Sightseeing

Combining both flavours and architecture from East and West, Food Sightseeing offers a unique way to explore the capital of Finland. Take a guided tour on one of the city’s iconic trams with stops at major sights or see them at your own pace following a specially tailored route, both eventually leading to restaurants offering true local tastes often missed by visitors. Famed Finnish design blends smoothly with Northern delicacies while exploring one of Europe’s coziest cities in this innovative fashion. A range of tours and menus are available for groups and individuals, starting summer 2011.

For more details please visit www.foodsightseeing.fi

Accommodation in Helsinki: http://www.helsinki.fi/en/index/matkailu/majoitus.htmlCruise the Baltic for two Capitals of Culture

Separated by the Baltic Sea, brought together by art – Finland’s Turku and Estonia’s Tallinn are European Capitals of Culture in 2011. Why not see the offerings of both and to top it all, visit another two capitals, Helsinki and Stockholm, through a cruise on the Baltic? Viada offers a week-long itinerary for a healthy portion of Baltic life, arts and culture. All routes are cruised on TallinkSilja vessels.

For prices and itinerary, please see the attached pdf.

www.viada.com, www.turku2011.fi/en, www.tallinn2011.ee/eng

Trek through REAL Lapland in northernmost Finland

Home to some of the biggest wilderness areas in Europe, true Lapland can only be discovered through hiking in the wild. Experience the midnight sun, visit the border between three states (Finland, Sweden, Norway), learn about local fishing traditions, see countless fells and take many deep breaths as the air is the cleanest in all of Europe.

Region Arctica’s six-day guided tour in the wildernesses around Muonio and Kilpisjärvi will make sure you get the Nordic summer experience of a lifetime, and return home safe and sound to tell about it.

Please find more information on prices and itinerary at:

http://www.regionarctica.com/eng/travel_offers/summer_hiking_in_lapland/

New spa hotel at Lake Saimaa – revitalize at the shores of Finland’s grand lake

A major new hotel development in Finland, Holiday Club Saimaa, is set to open its doors in October 2011. The complex features 221 rooms in three separate hotels: Club Saimaa is designed for families, Castle for couples and others seeking retreat from the daily grind, while Wellness is aimed for those after some pampering. Several restaurants, an ice arena, a recreational spa, a wellness section with a range of saunas and, in the summer of 2012, an 18 hole golf course provide guests with relaxing activities on the grounds.

Situated in the town of Imatra in the Lake District, the hotel, located on the shores of of Lake Saimaa, the largest lake in Finland.

For more information visit www.hcsaimaa.com (English site under construction, please contact hannele.eskelinen@hcresorts.com for the time being)

Architect’s illustration photos at http://www2.emmi.fi/hcresorts/?cart=109-lejebglegf&language=EN

Get to Imatra: Fly to Helsinki. Train from Helsinki to Imatra takes three hours, tickets from $ 54 (EUR 40) to $ 67 (EUR 50) for adults. Several departures daily.

VR Limited, Finnish State Railways http://www.vr.fi/en/index.html

Spectacular ice sculptures and sunny ski days guarantee fun for all in Levi’s spring

Icium, a wonderworld of ice, graces the foot of Finland’s most popular ski resort Levi in the municipality of Kittilä, Lapland. Built by expert Chinese ice sculptors, Icium features many Finnish and international landmarks including the Helsinki Cathedral and the Great Wall of China, chiseled out of ice with astonishing precision. Icium is expected to stay intact until April.

April 16^th-17^th sees a new event in Levi. Leviloppet is a cross-country skiing competition that anyone can enter. Rather than a win, rosy cheeks are the desired outcome of this day out in Finland’s sunny spring.

Levi, along with close-by resorts Ylläs, Pallas and Olos, offer a unique skiing experience for visitors until the start of May. Standing on top of a fell, watching untouched nature stretch as far as the eye can see before heading down the hill is something you can never get too much of.

For further information please visit www.icium.fi

www.leviloppet.fi (sorry, in Finnish only, please contact mikko.saarinen@levi.fi for more info)

Accommodation in Levi: http://www.levi.fi/en/accommodation/central-booking/accommodation-providers.html

General info on Levi: www.levi.fi/en/home.html

Ski resorts in Finland: http://www.ski.fi/ski_resorts

Helsinki-Kittilä flights:http://www.finnair.fi/finnaircom/wps/portal/travel/en_FI?locale=en_FI&intro=truehttp://www.blue1.com/en/fi/http://www.airbaltic.com/public/index.htmlNew National Park to be founded on the west coast of Finland

Barely off the coast of the city of Rauma, a picturesque archipelago presents itself with numerous small islands scattered in the Bothnian Sea. During spring 2011, the Finnish government will officially grant the area the status of National Park.

 The Bothnian Sea National Park bustles with wildlife both under and above sea level, and provides beautiful terrain for hiking, cycling, canoeing and boating. The Kylmäpihlaja Lighthouse Island, Kuuskajaskari Fortress Island and Reksaari Nature Island all lay close to the city centre, yet in a world outside this one.

For more information please visit:

http://www.visitrauma.fi/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=13&dir=DESC&order=name&Itemid=1&limit=5&limitstart=0 (“Raumanmeri” .pdf for tourist info in English)

Information on the Bothnian Sea, the Lighthouse & Fortress Islands etc: http://www.selkameri.fi/en/bothnian_sea/bothnian_sea_-_information.html

Accommodation in Rauma: http://www.rauma.fi/english/accomoda.htm

General information on Rauma: http://www.visitrauma.fi/?lang=english

Get to Rauma: Fly to Helsinki. Several buses depart to Rauma daily from Helsinki Central Bus Station. Journey time is 4 hours. Tickets cost around $ 47-67 (EUR 35-50) per adult.

Turku 2011 – European Capital of Culture top picks:“Eurocultured”

The “Eurocultured” street culture event series will reach its conclusion with a grand festival on the banks of the River Aura in Turku. The free public event will introduce as many as 300 artists from over 10 different European countries.
The festival celebrates European street culture through live visual art, urban dance, live music, DJ sets, hip hop theatre and various action sports. Additionally, the festival features great food, local arts and crafts and free workshops. Led by top artists, the workshops will allow the participants to test their skills in a range of activities from graffiti art to break dance.

May 21^st – 22^nd. Free admission. http://www.turku2011.fi/en/ohjelmahanke/568/info

Photos from previous years’ events: http://www.eurocultured.com/

Tom of FinlandMany will be surprised to learn that arguably the most internationally acclaimed Finnish artist comes from Kaarina, a neighboring town to Turku. Now, Tom of Finland alias Touko Laaksonen (1920-1991) is returning home! Famous for his blazingly homoerotic illustrations, the works of Tom of Finland have become stereotypical icons for masculine gay men all over the world. Held at Logomo, an old engineering works turned into a cultural space in central Turku, the exhibition is constructed with the help of Los Angeles based Tom of Finland Foundation.

Open every day until December 18^th. Tickets cost $16 (EUR 12) per adult. More information:

http://www.turku2011.fi/en/tom-finland_en

www.tomoffinlandfoundation.org/

http://www.turku2011.fi/en/blog/aboman/spending-day-tom_en

Get to Turku: Fly to Helsinki. Trains to Turku depart hourly from Helsinki Central Railway Station. Journey time is 2 hours. Tickets cost around $ 40 (EUR 30) per adult.

Accommodation in Turku: http://www.turku.fi/Public/Default.aspx?nodeid=8121&culture=en-US&contentlan=2                         

Turku 2011: http://www.turku2011.fi/en

 For more information about travel in Finland, go to www.visitfinland.com.Contact:Helena NiskanenVisit Finland USATel. +1-917-863-5484helena.niskanen@visitfinland.com   

Visit the iconic buildings of Alvar Aalto in 2012, Helsinki’s year as World Design CapitalFew figures have been as instrumental to Finland’s design heritage as Alvar Aalto. What better time to get to know the works of the famed architect and designer than in 2012, when Helsinki reigns as World Design Capital?Alvar Aalto (1898-1976) is referred to as the father of modern Scandinavian design. He has become immortalized by his furniture and glassware creations, several of which remain in production and take pride of place in Finnish households to the present day. This same enduring quality is shown by many of Aalto’s architectural works, which continue to hold the esteem of both design experts and laypeople throughout the globe. Come to Helsinki in its year as World Design Capital in 2012 and see some of Aalto’s key architectural masterpieces for yourself. Right on the capital city’s harbor front is Aalto’s Enso-Gutzeit Headquarters (1962), a box-shaped modernist office building with a white marble façade. The structure is a marked contrast to the Eastern Orthodox Uspenski Cathedral on the hillside behind it – no wonder that city dwellers have nicknamed it the Sugar Cube. While similar to more mundane office blocks at first glance, the building’s details and materials set it apart. As the building still serves as an office, it is viewable only from the outside.Just a minute’s stroll away on the Esplanade is the Academic Bookstore (1969), whose dark copper façade leads into a warm and bright atrium in white marble lit from above by geometric skylights. Café Aalto on the far balcony is a welcoming place to stop for a snack. The bookstore is open during regular store hours.Finlandia Hall, not far from the Central Railway Station, is one of the city’s best-known landmarks. With a marble-clad exterior and a copper roof, the building is composed of cubic forms and a tower, making up a whole that is both functional and pleasing to the eye. The concert hall was completed in 1971 and its congress wing in 1975. Over the years, some design flaws emerged which were resolved in a restoration project that began in 1998. Nevertheless, Aalto’s experience and mastery are evident in the external structure as well as in its interiors. From furniture and lighting fixtures to moldings, panels and flooring materials, minute details were especially designed by Aalto for the building – testament to the architect’s attention to detail.Visits to Finlandia Hall are possible through guided tours, which last about one hour and cost € 10.50 ($14) for adults and € 8.50 ($11) for senior citizens, students and children. The latest information on tours can be found at http://www.finlandiatalo.fi/en/architecture/guided-tours/. You can also contact the service point, open from Monday to Friday, 7.30 am to 5pm, by phone at +358 (0)9 40241 or by email at servicepoint@finlandiatalo.fi. An earlier project, the Riihitie House (1936) is a more intimate peek into Aalto’s life. Built by young architects, Alvar and his wife Aino Aalto, the family home in Munkkiniemi, a suburb of Helsinki also housed the offices of Alvar Aalto, Architects until 1955. The modest home demonstrates Aalto’s design principles in the use of natural light, the blurred distinction between indoor and outdoor space, the orientation of the rooms and the importance given to scale and circulation. It is possible to visit the home, which has been turned into a museum, during limited opening hours or by appointment. Riihitie 20 can be reached in about 25 minutes by tram from the city center. For more information, visit http://www.alvaraalto.fi/open.htm#aaltohouse, call +358 (0)9 481 350 or email riihitie@alvaraalto.fiA short walk from Riihitie is Studio Aalto, at Tiilimäki 20 in Munkkiniemi, which Aalto designed as his own workplace in 1955. Studio Aalto is where the architect held office until his death in 1976. Considered one of the best of Aalto’s 1950s buildings, the structure has a white, wall-like façade, which conceals a garden shaped like an amphitheatre in its inner courtyard. Here, the staff could sit on the steps, listen to lectures or watch projections on the white wall. Studio Aalto now houses the Alvar Aalto Foundation and the Alvar Aalto Museum of Architectural Heritage. It is open only at 11.30 am from Tuesday-Friday with the exception of August, when it is open at 11.30 amfrom Monday-Sunday. The admission fee includes a guided tour and costs € 17 ($22) or € 7 ($ 9) for students and senior citizens and € 10 ($13) per person for groups of over 10 persons. For more information and reservations email riihitie@alvaraalto.fiAalto designed the campus for the Otaniemi Technical University in Espoo, between 1949 and 1966. Located within the greater Helsinki Metropolitan Area, Aalto designed the campus’s library, shopping centre and water tower, which are built around the landmark form of the amphitheatre shaped main auditorium. In 2010, the University was renamed Aalto University in recognition of the architect’s achievements in technology, economics and art. The campus is connected to the center of Helsinki by a 15-minute bus ride. For more information, visit http://www.aalto.fi/en/for/visitor/ or call +358 (0)9 47001.There are many more of Aalto’s architectural gems dotted around Helsinki and throughout the country. For a comprehensive guide, visit http://www.alvaraalto.fi/info/guide/index.htm and download the map found on the site. To find out more about World Design Capital Helsinki 2012, visit http://www.wdc2012helsinki.fi/en.For information about travel in Finland, go to www.visitfinland.com