8 Days / 7 Nights - from £845 pp

Your cycling tour take you to the Turku archipelago, a series of 20 000 islands stretching out into the sea from the city of Turku in  south-west Finland. Cycling a circular route around the main islands is made easy, and exciting, by a system of local ferry services, constantly going back and forth acting like bridges. As well as the fun of the ferries, there are also picturesque harbour villages to visit, and the true peace of the nature.

The tour starts and ends in Turku – the formal capital of Finland, and a bustling, attractive market town.

2009 Departures: 

Departs	Returns		Departs	Returns
06 Jun	13 Jun		18 Jul	25 Jul
27 Jun	04 Jul		25 Jul *	01 Aug
04 Jul	11 Jul		01 Aug	08 Aug
11 Jul	18 Jul		09 Aug	16 Aug

* Price is £40 pp higher for this departure due to special sailing event in Turku at that time.

Package price is £845 per person sharing twin/double room when 2 persons travelling together. £220 single supplement.

Package includes:

• Direct flights to Helsinki from London Heathrow with Finnair or British Airways or London Gatwick with Easy Jet (Flights from other UK airports can be arranged upon request.)
• Airport transfers in Helsinki
• 1 night accommodation in a centrally located 4* hotel in Helsinki
• Return coach transfers from Helsinki to Turku
• 6nights accommodation with breakfast
• 2 dinners
• 21-speed hybrid bicycle with panniers, repair kit, pump, and helmet for 6 days
• All necessary island ferry fees
• Cycling road map (1 for up to 2 persons)
• Detailed route notes indicating suggested route and ferry timings
• 24 hour emergency phone service
• luggage transportation between hotels (maximum 1 piece of luggage per person)

Important Notes:

• Average cycling 45km per day
• Maximum day 65km
• Difficulty rating Easy-medium: generally easy, but with occasional rolling sections
• This is a self-guided cycling tour. Each guest will receive full details on the route, ferry timings, etc, but there is no guide included. 
• We reserve the right to change the route and overnight accommodations.

Island Hopping Itinerary

DAY 1 Arrival in Helsinki and transfer to centrally located 4* hotel.  Enjoy an afternoon of leisure in Finland's trendy capital city.

DAY 2 - Transfer by coach to Turku, Turku is a bustling summer town, on the south-west coast of Finland, with the River Aura cutting right through the heart of the town. There is plenty to see, including the medieval castle and cathedral, and a wide selection of excellent cafes, and restaurants
Overnight in Turku centre BB basis – lots of nearby restaurants to choose from for dinner.
 
DAY 3 Turku- Heponiemi (in Kustavi municipality) approx. 65km.  Your bicycles are brought to the hotel in the morning. Note : today’s one ferry ride departs at 15:00, approximately 45km from Turku (around 3 hours riding time) so you need to leave early enough from Turku in order to catch this ferry. Continue from Turku via nearby Naantali. Soon after Naantali the island-hopping begins, first with a stunning ride across the bridge to Merimasku and then take a break from peddling with a relaxing 45 minute ferry journey. Continue on by bike to your overnight hotel. Overnight in Kustavi region in a guest house. Dinner at nearby restaurant.

DAY 4 Heponiemi (Kustavi)-Iniö-Houtskär-Korpoo-Nauvo approx. 60km.  Today is the main island-hopping day with seven ferry journeys reaching the very heart of the archipelago region. The tiny peaceful island of Iniö is the remotest spot of the trip. Houtskär island has some of the region’s most challenging cycling, but you can rest on the half hour ferry ride to Korpoo! From Korpoo it’s a short ferry hop to Nauvo, where you overnight in a wonderful B&B, a former barn converted to a guest houselocated amongst beautiful nature.

DAY 5 Overnight with dinner on Nauvo island– cycling distance according to personal wishes.  Spending a second night on Nauvo island there are several choices of circular cycling routes, plus the possibility to go canoeing or take a traditional seaside sauna.  Overnight on Nauvo island.
 
DAY 6 Nauvo-Rymättylä-Naantali approx. 45 km Take the ferry north from Nauvo back to the mainland and continue by bike via Rymättylä to Naantali, an idyllic seaside village with cobbled
streets and old wooden houses around a bustling harbour. Overnight in a spa hotel in Naantali, with plenty of local restaurants to choose from for dinner.

DAY 7 Naantali-Turku 14 km Free time in Naantali, or in Turku according to your preference. Short ride back to Turku. Return your bicycles.
Overnight in Turku centre BB basis.
 
DAY 8 Return transfer by coach or train to Helsinki airport for your departure flight.