First things first: Finnish place names get me each time. At the latest it takes two syllables before I give up: Petä-the-what-not? Frankly, the wild and indiscernible combinations of seemingly random letters ... Finish is stunning.

Lucky me, most Finnish speak English and you don’t have to deal with the Finnish language all that much. So, after a chaotic train ride from Kouvola, I arrived in Petäjävesi in the afternoon to visit the old church. Side note: Old is the only Finnish word I know by now (Vanha).

The church is on the outskirts of the village. It’s entirely built of wood, including the interiors and decorations. Don't expect a stellar cathedral. It's a simple work of vernacular art by the local population. But personally, I like these better than yet another grandiose cathedral. So it's a nice site and a welcome stop on a trip through Finland.

Getting There

To get to Petäjävesi, you probably will pass through Jyväskylä (copy pasted, otherwise I would not have managed to spell this). From there, you can take a train or a bus taking you to Petäjävesi. These do not run frequently and even less so during the weekend, but they run. So it seems feasible to visit the site all year long by public transport.

The bus station in Petäjävesi is close to the site near the gas station and the roundabout. The train station is north of town. Everything is within walking distance.

In my case, I came from Kouvola (Verla) by train and stayed overnight. While there are few (if any) hotels, you can stay at a local farm. Several offer rooms and quite nice rooms at that.

I left the next day, taking three different buses to get to Rauma in the evening. All buses had WiFi, so the time passed quickly.

While You Are There

Petäjävesi is embedded in the archetypical Finnish landscape of forests, lakes, and islands. I could not find a dedicated hiking trail, but the area should offer plenty of opportunities if you prepare. The best option, though, would be to rent a kayak and explore all the lakes and islands.