Tuusulan Rantatie

Introducing Tuusulan Rantatie

The Tuusulan Rantatie (Tuusula Lake Rd; www.tuusulanrantatie.com) is a narrow road along Tuusulanjärvi (Tuusula Lake), about a 30-minute drive north of Helsinki. The region attracted a number of artists during the National Romantic era of the early 20th century. Sibelius, as well as the Nobel Prize-winning novelist FE Sillanpää and the painter Pekka Halonen, worked here. A major stop along the 'museum road' is Halosenniemi (8718 3461; admission €5.50; 11am-5pm Tue-Sun, 11am-7pm May-Aug), the Karelian-inspired, log-built National Romantic studio of Halonen, with a walking trail through his lakeside garden.

Sibelius' home Ainola (287 322; www.ainola.fi; adult/child €5/1; 10am-5pm Tue-Sun May-Sep) is east of the lake near Järvenpää and is another popular stop with tour groups. The family home, designed by Lars Sonck and built on this beautiful forested site in 1904, contains original furniture, paintings, books and a piano owned by the Sibelius family. The graves of Jean Sibelius and his wife Aino are in the garden.

The main town in the area, Järvenpää, is a modern service centre with numerous restaurants and cafés but little to attract the traveller.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009