Beauty of Finland – Landscape of Koli

The view from the top of the Koli hill to Lake Pielinen is probably the best known national landscape of Finland. And with these images, it’s easy to see why it is so musch loved and appreciated by the Finns…

The landscape of Koli is probably the best known national landscape of Finland.
When you climb to the top of the Ukko-Koli hill and enjoy the view opening up to the Lake Pielinen, it is easy to see why this landscape is so loved and highly valued by the Finns…

View from Ukko-Koli hill
View from Ukko-Koli hill to Lake Pielinen
View from Koli towards south

Nature Destination: Koli National Park

Koli National Park is best known for it’s hills and breathtaking views. But the hills aren’t the only thing Koli has to offer.

Koli National Park is located in North Karelia, in eastern Finland. This national park is best known for it’s hills and breathtaking views. The view from the top of Ukko-Koli hill to Lake Pielinen is one of the best known landscapes in Finland. And is therefore also a very popular tourist attraction. Koli is one of the Finland’s national landscapes and has been inspiring both artists and tourists who have captured this amazing view in numerous paintings and photographs.

Facts About Koli National Park

Things to See in Koli National Park

As Koli is known for it’s hills, visiting Koli National Park requires a bit of climbing to. But let me assure, it will be worth it. The views from the peaks are amazing!

The best known of the Koli’s many hills is the Ukko-Koli. From the peak of Ukko-Koli opens up a amazing view to Lake Pielinen. The peak of Ukko-Koli reaches 354 metres above sea level and is 253 metres above the surface of Lake Pielinen. Ukko-Koli isn’t the only hill at Koli. There are also many others peaks worth visiting. For example Paha-Koli, Akka-Koli, Vesivaara and Mäkrävaara.

Although the breathtaking views are the best of Koli, they aren’t the only reason to visit. There is a Koli Nature Center Ukko, which is located close by the peak of Ukko-Koli hill. Koli National Park is located on the shores of beautiful Lake Pielinen, which is the fourth largest lake in Finland. And as this this a national park, it perhaps goes without saying that Koli has also many hiking trails to enjoy.

One of which is the Sataman polku (Koli harbour) nature trail. If you like climbing, this is the one for you. It is known to be the oldest marked nature trail in Finland and takes you from the shores of Pielinen up to the peak of Ukko-Koli.

Other interesting places to visit are the small waterfall called Tarhapuro, 33 metre long Z-shaped boulder cave named Pirunkirkko (Devil’s Church) and an ancient sacrificial site named Uhrihalkeama (Sacrifice Cleft).

Places to Visit in Koli

  • Breathtaking views from the peaks of the hills Ukko-Koli, Akka-Koli, Paha-Koli, Vesivaara, Mäkrävaara, Paimenenvaara, Jauholanvaara, Hirvivaara
  • Koli Nature Center Ukko
  • Tarhapuro waterfall
  • Uhrihalkeama (Sacrifice Cleft) ancient sacrificial site
  • Pirunkirkko (Devil’s Church) boulder cave
  • Lake Pielinen
  • Sataman polku (Koli harbour) nature trail

For more info visit Koli National Park website

These are the 27 National Landscapes of Finland

Finland is full of beautiful and interesting places. But what if you want to find places which represent Finland at its best. Then this list of 27 national landscapes of Finland might come in handy.

Finland is full of beautiful and interesting places. No matter where you travel in Finland, you will surely see something memorable. But what if you want to find places which represent Finland at its best. Places which Finns themselves value a lot. Then this list of 27 national landscapes of Finland might come in handy.

National landscapes were selected by the Ministry of the Environment in 1992. The selected 27 landscapes include popular nature attractions likes lakes, rivers and rapids, but also cultural and historical sites. All of these places have great symbolic value and widely recognised significance for the finns.

So now it’s the time to find out what Finland really looks like? Just pick your first destination from the list and start your adventure!

National Landscapes of Finland

  1. Helsinki Seascape
  2. Porvoonjoki River Valley and Old Porvoo
  3. Tapiola
  4. Snappertuna and Fagervik
  5. Antskog, Billnäs and Fiskars Ironworks
  6. Aura River Valley
  7. Archipelago Sea
  8. Sund, Åland
  9. Lake Köyliö
  10. Vanajavesi Lake Valley
  11. Lake Rautavesi   
  12. Tammerkoski Rapids
  13. Hämeenkyrö
  14. Imatrankoski Rapids
  15. Olavinlinna Castle and Lake Pihlajavesi
  16. Punkaharju Ridge
  17. Heinävesi Route
  18. Väisälänmäki
  19. Koli
  20. North Karelia Villages
  21. Kyrönjoki River
  22. Kvarken archipelago
  23. Hailuoto Island
  24. Oulankajoki River
  25. Aavasaksa ja Tornionjoki River Valley
  26. Pallastunturi
  27. Utsjoki River Valley
Map by Ymparisto.fi

Sources:
www.ymparisto.fi – National Landscapes of Finland