Somevaari

HAIKKO MANOR – EXPERIENCES FOR ALL THE SENSES The summer holiday was about to end and the weather had not exactly pampered holiday makers. We needed a small break from everyday life. We turned our eyes to Haikko Manor in Porvoo, less than an hour´s drive from the capital. Haikko manor.  The combination of a beautiful, historic environment and a modern spa was just what we needed. The present manor house dates from 1913 and stands as a majestic crown in a scenery of parks and seashore. Inside you find old-world charm: it is easy to imagine the refined ladies with their long dresses going in the stairs and girls gracefully holding their parasols while strolling in the park. For art-lovers there is plenty to look at in the manor, and if you want more, the atelier of the famous Finnish painter Albert Edelfelt is nearby. He painted here for 24 summers in late 19 th and early 20 th century. You can find big posters made of his most iconic paintings here and there in the pa...

All the older generations of Finns have probably heard the Saarenmaa walse, which praises the white nights and the beauty of summer nights in Saarenmaa.  We headed there, too, for a week in June, not so much attracted by the white nights, but by the very reasonable prices of spa holidays. We had been planning to stay in our home country and were counting the costs of accommodation when we noticed a newspaper ad of one week spa holiday for a much cheaper price. We made a quick decision and were on our way just a few days later. We were met in Tallinna harbour by our Estonian guide, Anneli. During the bus ride she told us what to expect in our destination. After about two hours bus trip we boarded a ferry to the island of Muhu and from there to Saaremaa island and its capital, Kuressaare. Our hotel, spa hotel R üütli, was in a wonderful place on the seafront, next to the medieval Bishop´s Castle, just a short walk from the centre of Kuressaare. We indulged in spa life: ...

Kaikki vanhemman polven suomalaiset ovat varmaan kuulleet Saarenmaan valssin, jossa ylistetään valoisia öitä ja Saarenmaan kesäisen yön kauneutta.  Piispanlinna sijaitsee kylpylähotellien läheisyydessä kävelymatkan päässä. Saarenmaalle suuntasimme mekin viikoksi, ei ehkä niinkään valoisten öiden houkuttelemana, vaan kylpyläloman edullisuuden vuoksi. Olimme suunnittelemassa lomareissua kotimaassa ja laskemassa, paljonko majoitukset tulisivat maksamaan, kun huomasimme lehti-ilmoituksen viikosta kylpylässä, joka tulisi huomattavasti edullisemmaksi. Teimme nopean päätöksen ja jo parin päivän päästä olimme matkalla. Tallinnan satamassa oli vastassa bussi ja opas Anneli, joka kertoili matkan aikana tietoa kohteestamme. Parin tunnin bussimatkan jälkeen menimme lautalla Muhun saarelle, sieltä pengertietä Saarenmaalle ja siellä pääkaupunkiin Kuressaareen. Meidän hotellimme, kylpylähotelli Ruutli, sijaitsi hienolla paikalla meren rannassa, aivan piispanlinnan vieressä, lyh...