A journey to Kankaanpää, a town in the Finnish province of Satakunta, combines art, history, nature and exciting outdoor activities in a charming way.
For your next holiday, plot a course for Kankaanpää, Finland's only art town, and take a stroll among works of art, visit a beautiful 19th century church, explore Finland's lakeside landscapes and forests or hop aboard a snowmobile. The town is located in the northern part of Satakunta province and, despite the low-lying terrain in the area, there is real diversity in the town's natural environment, varying from beautiful marshlands and coniferous swamps to blue lakes and verdant forests.
A holiday in Kankaanpää combines culture and sport in an unprecedented way. Strap on your running shoes or get on a bike and head for the Art Circle, a beautiful footpath encircling the centre of Kankaanpää and taking in more than 100 modern artworks. Set off on a trip of your own and discover artworks standing proud in prominent locations as well as pieces that blend in with their environments, relax in art cafés or stop off in art galleries. If your trip coincides with Kankaanpää's summer art events, you can also take part in a guided walking or cycling tour of the Art Circle.
Kankaanpää, Finland's art town, is naturally also the organiser and holder of the North Satakunta Art Week. The Art Week has been held in late August every year since 1977, offering a variety of experiences ranging from concerts and theatrical performances to sports events and art exhibitions. If you come for a city break just for the weekend during Art Week, don't forget to go and have a look round the charming stalls of the old market and buy some local delicacies and handicrafts.
In addition to art, Kankaanpää has plenty of other cultural experiences on offer to suit every taste. Visit the Kankaanpää Town Museum, located in a former school building, with exhibitions and events to guide you through the material and spiritual cultural heritage of the area and the history of the Niinisalo Barracks. In the summer, you could watch one of the plays performed at the Veneskoski Summer Theatre.
Viidentienristeys, a crossroads where five roads meet, is well-known for its role in the Cudgel War, the Great Northern War and Finland's other wars. This historical crossroads is located about three miles from the centre of Kankaanpää and just over a mile from the Niinisalo barracks. The crossroads connects three smaller roads in addition to the Kivistönkankaantie road leading to the centre of Kankaanpää and the Kyrönkankaantie road, which was first documented in the medieval period. Nowadays, the area has a much more peaceful character: it contains an illuminated fitness trail, several lean-tos and a Disc Golf course.
If you are looking for relaxation and invigoration during your holiday in Kankaanpää, take the whole family to Kuninkaanlähde (the King's Spring). The area was named after a spring where King Adolf Fredrik stopped to enjoy the abundant clear waters in 1752. It is nowadays a major leisure and tourist destination, boasting tracks for cross-country skiing and snowmobiling, as well as routes for jogging and horse riding. There is also a well-known, award-winning caravan site in Kuninkaanlähde.
Come to Kankaanpää and travel to the heart of Finnish culture, nature and history!
