DAY TWO MUSEUMS, ART & RELAXATION

Morning

Walk to the Finnish Forest Museum Lusto, housed in a striking building with a cylindrically shaped core designed to mimic the ring of a tree. From Hotelli Punkaharju, it can be reached via a path that crosses the Pususilta, a wooden kissing bridge built in the 1930s. The museum explores the Finns’ relationship with the forest, which revolves around berry-picking, hunting and hiking, and plays an important role in the country’s green building revolution, which champions wood and other renewable materials. Not to be missed is the fascinating mythology exhibit, celebrating forest lore, mysticism and the powerful creatures that inhabit the forest depths, in particular the bear. lusto.fi

Afternoon

After a lunch of rieska (Finnish flatbread) with smoked fish or mushroom toppings at the Finnish Forest Museum restaurant, cross the road for a visit to the Aseman Taidelaiture gallery in Lusto train station. This eccentric art house is the private home of two Finnish collectors. Wander through rooms bursting with colour and expressive paintings by contemporary Finnish artists, including rock musician Andy McCoy, who’s said to use his own blood in his paintings. A 30-minute walk from here is the Johanna Oras Gallery in a charming manor house surrounded by spacious grounds. Nature is a major inspiration for the Finnish contemporary artist’s works. asemantaidelaituri.fi johannaoras.com

Evening

Join a guided ‘Wine in the Woods’ sensory experience. It begins with a 30-minute stroll through the woods near the north shore of Laukansaari, in the Punkaharju Research Park area — home to the tallest tree in Finland,a European larch. The walk segues into a delicious Finnish-style tapas and wine-tasting. This takes place next to a log shelter at Karjalankallio lookout point, overlooking the waters of Lake Puruvesi, with small bites starring local seasonal ingredients and wild herbs, and wine from the Finnish Noita

Winery. Alternatively, spend the early evening on a canoe, kayak or SUP board, paddling around Lake Saimaa to explore little bays. You may hear the splash of pike or even spot a seal. hotellipunkaharju.fi