The small town of Riihimäki stands roughly in the centre of southern Finland, about 45 miles north of Helsinki. If you hire a car in Riihimaki, you'll soon find that it has become a local transportation hub, with important road and rail links to the capital and the rest of the country. The surrounding countryside, meanwhile, is a mix of farmland and thick forest. The nearby Häme lakes and hills are one of the best areas for outdoor sports and recreation. Perhaps the most popular local attraction however is the Puuhamaa theme park, which specialises in non-powered activities for children, like slides, bouncy castles and mini-golf.
This modern leafy town grew up around its railway station, an undistinguished building, which serves rail links to Helsinki, St Peterburg, Tempere and Lahti. Unusually for Finland, this town doesn't stand on any lakes or rivers - so it's easiest to explore if you hire a car in Riihimäki. The places to look out for here include the acclaimed Art Museum, which houses a collection bequeathed by a wealthy local art dealer. Other town museums that are worth exploring are the Finnish Glass Museum, the Hunting Museum of Finland and the National Workers' Housing Museum. Look out too for the series of locally-renowned classical concerts throughout the summer.
