
R23 Jalasjarvi to Turku

This route was brought to you by:
RouteXpert Arno van Lochem - Senior RX
Last edit: 16-05-2021
The routes are easy for everyone to ride and are on well-paved roads. There may be a single hairpin bend to be taken, but these are easy to do.
If there is a piece of gravel in the route, a warning will be given and, if possible, a detour will be indicated.
The route starts in Jalasjarvi, located in South Ostrobotnie. Along the way fantastic landscapes, lots of water, forest and beautiful views through which the road winds wonderfully. Nice to drive. After every turn a different fantastic view. Beautiful and interesting sights include local culture museum in Huittinen, St. Michael's Church and the SA-INT National Defense Museum. Due to the possible time pressure of the ferry to Stockholm, it was decided to include the sights most of the time at the end of the route, in Turku.
Beautiful rugged landscape, beautiful scenic views, tight roads and beautiful sights, hence the 4-star rating.
Animation
Verdict
Duration
7h 24m
Mode of travel
Car or motorcycle
Distance
279.03 km
Countries


Nearby Hirvonmäki
Of all western European countries, the Scandinavian countries probably have the most more or less untouched nature. In addition, they are countries that are easily accessible from the Netherlands. Norway is characterized by, among other things, the fjords and the Trollstigen known to many motorcyclists. And where Sweden is known as wide and peaceful, everyone knows Finland as the land of 1000 lakes. All in all, legitimate reasons to traverse this beautiful nature in the north of Europe by means of a number of routes.
The route starts in Jalasjarvi and will take you through southeastern Finland to Turku. It is also the last route in Finland, in Turku you will go by boat to Stockholm, where you pick up the route again.
Not many sights along the way, due to the departure of the ferry most sights are indicated in Turku. From there it is only a few kilometers to the port where the ferry departs. In fact, one of the sights is on the harbor.
Shortly after Jalasjarvi you will pass a gas station where you can refuel if necessary and possibly stock up on some provisions for the road. Although there are plenty of catering establishments along the way, if you do not opt for the diversion, you will still pass through less populated areas, then it is useful to have something with you.
Shortly below Ilvesjoki you leave the 273 to go off-road for a bit, or gravel. Doable, adjust your speed and there is little to worry about. The gravel roads in Scandinavia are particularly easy to drive, they usually consist of well-ground gravel.
If you do not want to drive on gravel roads, you can simply keep following the 273 and you will automatically get back on the route.
Shortly after the coffee stop in Niinisalo (also walk to the lake near the restaurant!) You will pass a neatly landscaped park in Kankaanpää where you should actually stop to enjoy the beautiful view. You are offered a beautiful view over Lake Ruokojärvi.
In Huittinen you will pass the Huittinen Museum, a cultural historical local museum with an extensive art collection. The museum takes you into the daily lives of the people of the region through a series of exhibitions, lets you study sculptures and reflect on Finland's local history in the Ryti department. The museum is located in the center of Huittinen and is easy to reach.
The exhibitions on offer include the art collection of the sculptor Lauri Leppänen, a knife exhibition of 600 knives and the region in prehistoric times.
The route takes you further through beautiful landscape, in which forests, meadows and water alternate. Here and there some houses, where it is noticeable that you are in a somewhat busier area. Eventually you will reach Turku.
Turku is a city in southwestern Finland, located at the mouth of the Aura River in the Baltic Sea, and is the capital of the Varsinais-Suomi region. With about 175,000 inhabitants, Turku is the fifth largest municipality in Finland, but the urban area is the third most important in the country after Helsinki and Tampere.
Turku is a bilingual municipality with Finnish as the majority language (± 89%) and Swedish as the minority language. Turku was the capital of the province of Western Finland until the provinces of Finland were dissolved in 2010. In the city, the Finnish 'Christmas peace' is proclaimed at Christmas. The summer residence of the Finnish president is located in the suburb of Naantali. Off the coast of Turku is the Finnish archipelago, a major tourist destination. Regular ferries (in all sizes) depart from Turku to the islands, but also to Stockholm in Sweden; the latter also calls at Åland. Turku also has an international airport.
Turku has a large number of attractions, including the Sa-Int National Defense Museum. A great place for young and old who want to see and learn about Finnish history from 1910 onwards. There is an insane amount of things to see, in many ways, and the nice thing is that everything is allowed to be touched and explored. The owner will tell you with much love about anything and everything. Also about the things he has displayed in his museum ...
You can also visit the Turku Cathedral. This is the former Catholic Cathedral of Finland, now the Mother Church of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. It is the central church of the Lutheran Archdiocese of Turku and the seat of the Lutheran Archbishop of Finland, Tapio Luoma. It is also considered one of the most important archives of Finnish architectural history.
Considered the most important religious building in Finland, the cathedral has witnessed many significant events in the country's history and has become one of the city's most recognizable symbols. The cathedral is located in the heart of Turku, next to the Old Great Square, on the Aura River. Its presence extends beyond the local district through the sound of its bells broadcast on national radio in the afternoon. It is also central to Finland's annual Christmas celebrations.
Originally built of wood in the late 13th century, the cathedral was consecrated in 1300 as Finland's main cathedral, the seat of the Catholic Bishop of Turku. It was significantly expanded in the 14th and 15th centuries, mainly using stone as a construction material. The cathedral was badly damaged in the Great Fire of Turku in 1827 and was largely rebuilt afterwards.
In addition to the cathedral, more religious buildings can be found in Turku, including St. Michael's Church. This is a church located in the center of Turku. Named after the Archangel Michael, it was completed in 1905. It dominates the western skyline of the city of Turku and was designed by Professor Lars Sonck and is one of the most popular wedding churches in Turku with a capacity of 1,800 people. When Sonck won the competition for the church in 1894, he was just a 23-year-old architecture student. Michael's Church is older than Michael's parish. The parish only dates back to 1921.
In the middle of both churches you will find the Turku Art Museum. The Turku Art Museum's diverse and high-quality exhibitions introduce the fascinating world of art, from classics to the latest contemporary art. In addition to the varied exhibition program, the museum offers many other events and the wonderful atmosphere to meet and relax. In the cozy Café Victor you can stop for a cup of coffee or a light lunch and in the summer enjoy one of the most fantastic views of the city. Also visit the museum shop for delicate items, beautiful gifts and supplies.
In the harbor where the ferry to Stockholm can be found, you can visit the Forum Marinum. Forum Marinum is a maritime museum on the Aura in the Finnish city of Turku. The museum has an indoor and outdoor museum consisting of a harbor with several museum boats. The museum was created by a merger in 1999 between the Maritime Museum of Turku and the Maritime History Museum of the University of Turku. The indoor and outdoor museum are within walking distance of each other.
The boats that have been moored include a steam tug, a gunboat, a minelayer, a motor torpedo boat and a cruise ship.
Have fun driving this route!

Turku Cathedral

Turku Forum Marinum
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Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.
Changes may nevertheless have occurred due to changed circumstances, road diversions or seasonal closures. We therefore recommend checking each route before use.
Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.

Zuud Ostrobotnie
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6500 kilometers through Scandinavia with the highlights of the Lofoten and the North Cape
The Arctic Challenge Tour, on which this 26-part tour is partly based, is not a speed race. It's a tour. It comes down to agility, good navigation and anticipation. The participants are obliged to adhere to the speed limit of the country concerned. The participants must find the ideal route with the shortest possible distance by complying 100% with the locally applicable traffic rules. Of course, also take maximum speeds into account. The organization checks for violations of the speed limit. In case of gross or repeated exceeding of the maximum speed, disqualification for the relevant stage and for the final classification will follow. Control of the route and speeds is done by means of a track and trace system. This equipment is installed in every vehicle. You can then follow each team accurately in the Back Office. Those staying at home, interested parties and participants can also see the performances of the teams, because you can be followed live via the Internet. The Back Office takes action when a team gets into trouble. (source: website The Arctic Challenge)
That's quite a luxury, having a back office behind you that keeps an eye on you. Most of us will not have that and are on our own or the fellow traveler(s). The only agreement you have with the participants is that you also have to abide by the rules. Fortunately, you don't have to complete this tour in 9 days, like the participants, but you can take it a little longer.
The highlight of the Arctic Challenge in 2020 was the Lofoten, an island group northwest of Norway. The Lofoten archipelago is located in the middle of the wild Norwegian Sea, well above the Arctic Circle. This special region offers a beautiful landscape with imposing mountains, deep fjords and long, wild sandy beaches where the sound of the seabird colonies can always be heard.
The archipelago is best known for its rich fishing tradition. The Lofoten makes a prosperous impression despite their isolated location. The entire economy revolves above all around fishing. The image of the Lofoten is mainly dominated by wooden racks with cod, which hangs to dry. Lofoten fishing has been a household name for centuries. In the middle of winter, the ships set out to catch the fish in just a few months. The rich fishing grounds are due to the North Atlantic Warm Gulf Stream around the islands, in which the fish have their spawning grounds. Oil drilling is not permitted around Lofoten and the cod spawning grounds there.
The next destination for the participants was Sirkka, also known as Levi, a winter sports resort in Finnish Lapland. They stayed there for a few days to go ice-karting and to enjoy the snow by going on a snowmobile or skiing trip. This tour also takes you to Sirkka, but instead of staying there for a few days, you have the option to continue to the North Cape, the second highlight of this trip.
Imagine a place in the far north, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the icy waters of the Arctic Ocean. This place is the North Cape in Western Finnmark in Northern Norway. From here, only the archipelago of Spitsbergen lies between you and the North Pole and the sun shines for 2.5 months at a time; from mid-May to the end of July. Many visitors admire the midnight sun or the sunset over the Barents Sea from the North Cape plateau.
With each route you will find a review with a description of the route, where you pass and what to see along the way. It is also briefly described how the participants in the Arctic Challenge in 2020 had to drive it anyway, from which point to which point. Along the way, markings (route points) have been included that indicate the end points of the stages that the participants had to complete. As mentioned, they covered the distance in 9 days, stages of more than 1000 kilometers were no exception.
Each route ends at a hotel. It is of course not an obligation to use these hotels, you can always find another place to stay in the area, that decision is up to you. My experience, however, is that they are all simple but good hotels for a very reasonable price. They are known and can be booked at booking.com.
The routes of these collections:
R01 - Puttgarden to Angelholm, 280km
R02 - Angelholm to Alingsas, 281km
R03 - Alingsas to Mysen, 261km
R04 - Mysen to Rena, 312km
R05 - Rena to Orkanger, 306km
R06 - Orkanger to Grong, 292km
R07 - Grong to Mo i Rana, 290km
R08 - Mo i Rana to Bodo, 231km
R09 - Roundtour Bodo to Lofoten part 1, 314km
R10 - Roundtour Bodo to Lofoten part 2, 250km
R11 - Roundtour Bodo to Lofoten part 3, 291km
R12 - Bodo to Arjeplog, 295km
R13 - Arjeplog to Jokkmokk, 244km
R14 - Jokkmokk to Pajala, 239km
R15 - Roundtour Sirkka to North Cape part 1, 257km
R16 - Roundtour Sirkka to North Cape part 2, 300km
R17 - Roundtour Sirkka to North Cape part 3, 244km
R18 - Roundtour Sirkka to North Cape part 4, 275km
R19 - Roundtour Sirkka to North Cape part 5, 332km
R20 - Sirkka to Kemi, 299km
R21 - Kemi to Ylivieska, 251km
R22 - Ylivieska to Jalasjarvi, 236km
R23 - Jalasjarvi to Turku, 279km
R24 - Stockholm to Askersund, 271km
R25 - Askersund to Varnamo, 224
R26 - Varnamo to Trelleborg, 259km
Have fun driving these routes!
That's quite a luxury, having a back office behind you that keeps an eye on you. Most of us will not have that and are on our own or the fellow traveler(s). The only agreement you have with the participants is that you also have to abide by the rules. Fortunately, you don't have to complete this tour in 9 days, like the participants, but you can take it a little longer.
The highlight of the Arctic Challenge in 2020 was the Lofoten, an island group northwest of Norway. The Lofoten archipelago is located in the middle of the wild Norwegian Sea, well above the Arctic Circle. This special region offers a beautiful landscape with imposing mountains, deep fjords and long, wild sandy beaches where the sound of the seabird colonies can always be heard.
The archipelago is best known for its rich fishing tradition. The Lofoten makes a prosperous impression despite their isolated location. The entire economy revolves above all around fishing. The image of the Lofoten is mainly dominated by wooden racks with cod, which hangs to dry. Lofoten fishing has been a household name for centuries. In the middle of winter, the ships set out to catch the fish in just a few months. The rich fishing grounds are due to the North Atlantic Warm Gulf Stream around the islands, in which the fish have their spawning grounds. Oil drilling is not permitted around Lofoten and the cod spawning grounds there.
The next destination for the participants was Sirkka, also known as Levi, a winter sports resort in Finnish Lapland. They stayed there for a few days to go ice-karting and to enjoy the snow by going on a snowmobile or skiing trip. This tour also takes you to Sirkka, but instead of staying there for a few days, you have the option to continue to the North Cape, the second highlight of this trip.
Imagine a place in the far north, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the icy waters of the Arctic Ocean. This place is the North Cape in Western Finnmark in Northern Norway. From here, only the archipelago of Spitsbergen lies between you and the North Pole and the sun shines for 2.5 months at a time; from mid-May to the end of July. Many visitors admire the midnight sun or the sunset over the Barents Sea from the North Cape plateau.
With each route you will find a review with a description of the route, where you pass and what to see along the way. It is also briefly described how the participants in the Arctic Challenge in 2020 had to drive it anyway, from which point to which point. Along the way, markings (route points) have been included that indicate the end points of the stages that the participants had to complete. As mentioned, they covered the distance in 9 days, stages of more than 1000 kilometers were no exception.
Each route ends at a hotel. It is of course not an obligation to use these hotels, you can always find another place to stay in the area, that decision is up to you. My experience, however, is that they are all simple but good hotels for a very reasonable price. They are known and can be booked at booking.com.
The routes of these collections:
R01 - Puttgarden to Angelholm, 280km
R02 - Angelholm to Alingsas, 281km
R03 - Alingsas to Mysen, 261km
R04 - Mysen to Rena, 312km
R05 - Rena to Orkanger, 306km
R06 - Orkanger to Grong, 292km
R07 - Grong to Mo i Rana, 290km
R08 - Mo i Rana to Bodo, 231km
R09 - Roundtour Bodo to Lofoten part 1, 314km
R10 - Roundtour Bodo to Lofoten part 2, 250km
R11 - Roundtour Bodo to Lofoten part 3, 291km
R12 - Bodo to Arjeplog, 295km
R13 - Arjeplog to Jokkmokk, 244km
R14 - Jokkmokk to Pajala, 239km
R15 - Roundtour Sirkka to North Cape part 1, 257km
R16 - Roundtour Sirkka to North Cape part 2, 300km
R17 - Roundtour Sirkka to North Cape part 3, 244km
R18 - Roundtour Sirkka to North Cape part 4, 275km
R19 - Roundtour Sirkka to North Cape part 5, 332km
R20 - Sirkka to Kemi, 299km
R21 - Kemi to Ylivieska, 251km
R22 - Ylivieska to Jalasjarvi, 236km
R23 - Jalasjarvi to Turku, 279km
R24 - Stockholm to Askersund, 271km
R25 - Askersund to Varnamo, 224
R26 - Varnamo to Trelleborg, 259km
Have fun driving these routes!
View Route Collection
26 Routes
7121.41 km
199h 57m