Spend a holiday in Kauniainen, which, despite its location, is like an undiscovered paradise – a garden that everyone knows about but few have visited.
One of Kauniainen's advantages is its location in Greater Helsinki, with good transport connections. It is easy to take a city break in Kauniainen from anywhere in the world.
You will step into a unique atmosphere and culture when you cross the border from Espoo into Kauniainen. There is something timeless about Kauniainen, something reminiscent of fairy-tale settings like Moomin Valley, and yet something modern and surprising.
Start your trip at Kauniainen church, which is one of the town's most important attractions by virtue of its streamlined form. The church was designed by Kristian Gullichsen and built in 1983.
Kauniainen railway station started out as a simple train halt that the girls from the local Glims farm used to get to school. A wooden station building was constructed in 1908. It later gained protected status but was almost completely destroyed by a major fire in 2008. However, Kauniainen is not in the habit of giving in: the station building was reconstructed and renovated – by hand.
Among Kauniainen's highlights are the buildings designed by Lars Sonck, including the Kauniala military hospital and Vallmogård. Kauniala was originally built as the Bad Grankulla spa. It later became a sport hotel and, after the war, a military hospital.
Make sure you also pay a visit to artist Heikki Häiväoja's sculpture, "Through the Fire", which stands in front of Kauniainen town hall. The artist has explained that he designed the sculpture thinking about viewers walking through the flame-like structure. The sculpture was completed in 1981 and is dedicated to all of the people who were injured in Finland's wars.
If you would like to do more on your holiday in Kauniainen than simply tour the attractions, you can make the most of the town's superb opportunities for outdoor activities. The Kauniainen downhill skiing slope, known as Grani hill, is the oldest in Finland. It has three slopes and an excellent ski school. Remember to bring your own skis and boots.
The Kauniainen fitness track serves runners and walkers in the summer and cross-country skiers in the winter. Kauniainen also has a swimming pool, tennis courts, ice rink, centre for indoor ball games and several types of activity with instructors, including fun for the whole family.
It is also fun to spend an evening at the pictures in the traditional Bio Grani cinema, which screens all of the latest and most popular films. The cinema has been updated to feature modern technology and comfortable seats, which all have a table for snacks.
Kauniainen offers active holidays and convenient transport links.
