Day trip to Iittala on the local train – sights to see and things to do during the tour on foot
Iittala is located in the northernmost part of Hämeenlinna, which is brimming with history. For example, there are historical settlements that reach far back into the mythical Iron Age, the glass factory that was founded at the end of the 19th century and the stone church built after the Civil War. Good-humoured naive art meets the dignified and glamorous history of glass at Arts and Crafts Quarter, which is an area that grew and developed next to the glass factory. Iittala Village is a travel destination you do not want to miss, and you can easily get there on the local train.
The local train is a sustainable mode of transport to get to Iittala Village, the heart of glass design. The train is an excellent choice also due to the fact that the Iittala art experience begins right at the railway station. Visitors are greeted by naive artist Maija Kanerva’s Cats on the window, and you can also find four other pieces in the station area, courtesy of the Iittala Centre of Naive Art. The station was renovated into the Naive Art Railway Station in 2018.
If you follow the signs for visitors from the railway station, you will arrive at Iittala’s iconic glass factory. At the Iittala Glass Factory you can follow the production of all kinds of glass artefacts, as talented glassblowers create Aalto vases as well as Oiva Toikka birds from molten glass.
From the glass factory, the tour on foot continues to the historical Arts and Crafts Quarter and the Iittala Glass Museum. You can also book a guided tour including the museum exhibitions and a visit at the glass factory. Tours are available in Finnish, Swedish, English and Japanese.
At the Arts and Crafts Quarter, visitors will be delighted to find the modern and luminous Iittala Outlet, where you can purchase lasting gifts and souvenirs for yourself and friends and family, as well as Kultasuklaa factory shop, where you get to see for yourself how chocolate is made. There are also unique and inviting entrepreneur boutiques at the Arts and Crafts Quarter, many of which allow you to see artisans at work. The restaurant is a good place to stop for lunch or refreshments.
The Arts and Crafts Quarter ends at the old wooden schoolhouse, where the naive art winter exhibition opened recently. The exhibition will be open from November 13th to March 13 th during the weekends. Naive art is gentle feel-good art that people of all ages can enjoy. You will find it hard to resist buying cards of the uplifting pieces from AulaShop.
You can return to the railway station either along the same route (700 m) or through the village, which is a slightly longer trip, but you will find organic cosmetics at Hyvän olon aitta. This route also goes through the village centre via the roundabout, which gives you the opportunity to admire the landmark, Circulation, of the 140th anniversary of Iittala Glass from up close. You can buy snacks for the trip from the village grocery store.
Welcome to Iittala! Structure the programme, find the current exhibitions and schedule for your personal day trip, www.iittalavillage.fi
