The town of Salo sits in the southwest of Finland, between the cities of Helsinki and Turku. This market town has grown up at the point where the main east-west 'King's Road' crossed the Salo River just before it reached an inlet to the sea. Visitors who hire a car in Salo will find it is the centre of an ancient farming region with some of Finland's oldest prehistoric remains at Rikalanmäki Hill and the Ox Road of Häme, an old scenic route through two National Parks. Other highlights of the area include the craft galleries and workshops at the coastal Fiskars Village and the old restored ironworking villages around Tiejo.
Salo is the base of the multinational Nokia Company. If you hire a car in Salo you'll find there's a mix of classic old wooden low-rise buildings and hyper-modern architecture. The attractions include the Halikko district, where you'll find old traditional manor houses and a small museum. Elsewhere, the Salo Art Museum is housed in an old railway shed, it's noted for its collection of modern Finnish art. There's a lively shopping centre and opportunities for rewarding wandering around the old market square. The best drive is across the causeway from the town to the wooded island of Satamakatu in the Salo inlet.
