Villas in Päijat-Häme

Asikkala, Padasjoki and Sysmä put you on the southern end of Lake Päijänne, about 90 minutes from Helsinki airport. Expect cottages with saunas, not villas. Heinola and Hartola are quieter and further north-east, and Lahti, the only city, has ski jumps and a concert hall. Most cottages need a car.

Where

Villas: 77
From, per week: £344
Cheapest month: September
Nearest airports: Fly to Helsinki, about three hours from London, and hire a car at the airport. Lahti is around an hour's drive, Asikkala and Heinola around an hour and a half, and Hartola about two hours. Trains from Helsinki airport to Lahti take roughly an hour and a quarter with a change.

Where to stay in Päijat-Häme

Asikkala and Vääksy (between Päijänne and Vesijärvi)

This is where most of our Päijät-Häme cottages are. Vääksy, the main village, grew up around a canal linking Vesijärvi with Päijänne, and summer boat traffic through its lock draws a crowd to the cafes beside it. North of the village, the road runs along Pulkkilanharju, a narrow glacial ridge across Päijänne, into the national park. Lahti is about 25 minutes, Helsinki airport around an hour and a half.

Best for: Families who want two big lakes and a canal village nearby

Not for you if: You want total seclusion: this is the most popular cottage area in the region.

Padasjoki (west shore of Päijänne)

Padasjoki faces the widest open stretches of southern Päijänne, with the islands of Päijänne National Park offshore. Cottages here tend to sit on long, rocky shores with their own jetty. The village has a supermarket and a harbour. Lahti is around 45 minutes away and Helsinki airport roughly an hour and three quarters.

Best for: Boaters and anglers who want open water and island views

Not for you if: You want shops within walking distance: the village is small and cottages are spread out.

Sysmä and Hartola (east of Päijänne)

Sysmä sits on the eastern shore of Päijänne, with a medieval stone church and a chamber music festival, Suvisoitto, held in churches and manor houses in June. Hartola, further north-east on main road 4, is a farming village with manor houses and smaller forest lakes around it. Both are quieter and cheaper than the Asikkala shore. Shops are in the village centres, often a 15-minute drive.

Best for: Couples who want old manors, small lakes and very few neighbours

Not for you if: You want day trips every day: Lahti is an hour away and Helsinki two or more.

Heinola (north-east of Lahti)

Heinola is a small town where lakes meet at the Jyrängönvirta rapids, with a riverside park and a bird sanctuary that cares for injured birds. Vierumäki, south of town, is a national sports centre with golf and activity courses open to visitors. Cottages around Heinola are on smaller lakes and channels. Lahti is about half an hour, Helsinki airport around an hour and a half.

Best for: Families who want a small town with lakes and rapids around it

Not for you if: You want a cottage on Päijänne itself: Heinola's lakes belong to a different, smaller system.

Lahti, Hollola and Nastola

Lahti sits on the southern shore of Vesijärvi, with a harbour where summer lake boats leave, the Sibelius Hall concert venue and the ski jumps of the Salpausselkä ridge, which you can ride up in summer for the view. Hollola, just west, has a medieval stone church and ski slopes at Messilä and Tiirismaa. Nastola is now part of Lahti. Trains reach Helsinki in about an hour.

Best for: First-timers who want a city, ski slopes and lakes in one base

Not for you if: You want a large choice: we have only a few cottages here.

When to go to Päijat-Häme

Summer is the main season, from Midsummer in late June to mid-August, when Finns head for their own cottages and the lakes are warmest. Mosquitoes are worst in June and early July. Late August and September are quieter, with berries and mushrooms in the forest and cooler evenings. Winters are cold and dark, but Lahti and Hollola have downhill and cross-country skiing, usually from December into March, and the frozen lakes are used for skating and ice fishing.