The best traffic-free bike rides around Kaarina

The Aura River (Aurajoki in Finnish) is one of Southwest Finland’s most iconic waterways, flowing from Oripää to Turku, where it empties into the Baltic Sea. It’s a great companion route for cyclists, offering scenic rural views, historic sites, and charming villages along its banks. Paths and roads near the river are well-suited to trekking and cross bikes, especially around the Aura and Pöytyä areas. Highlights along the river include old mills, bridges, and churches, making it ideal for relaxed day rides with cultural stops.

Turuntie is a key regional road running through Southwest Finland, historically connecting Turku with inland towns like Loimaa and further to Tampere. For cyclists, especially those with trekking or cross bikes, it's a practical route with varied scenery - fields, forests, and traditional villages. While parts of the road are busier near larger towns, many stretches are quieter and suitable for touring. If you're heading to places like Reppuniemi Open-Air Museum in Pöytyä, Turuntie offers direct access, but it's best to wear high-visibility clothing and stay alert, particularly on sections without a separate cycle lane.

Koskipirtti and Museotalo in Aura offer an immersive historical experience into rural Finnish life and craftsmanship. Located just off Highway 9 between Turku and Tampere, the site is easily reachable by bike, especially from the centre of Aura, only 1.5 km away. Koskipirtti, a sturdy 1860s manor outbuilding, and the former dairy-turned-Museotalo showcase authentic architecture and a wide collection of artefacts and interiors from the early 20th century. This attraction is suitable for all ages and provides a well-preserved glimpse into past everyday life. A trekking or cross bike is ideal for exploring the quiet surrounding countryside.

Lieto is a small town in south-western Finland. It is mostly famous because of its medieval stone church, intitled to St. Peter, that dates back to the XVI century.

This is an excellent spot to have a break, feel the sand between your toes and use the picknick facilities!

Every Wednesday: Market in Kyrö

...Erland Kuuskoski was known as a successful farmer in both Pöytyä and Vampula. In addition to managing his farms, he founded and managed his own sawmill, mill, and dairy. He also established a brickworks in Kyrö in 1890. After Erland Kuuskoski's death, his son-in-law, Oskar Mauri Lindström, continued to manage the farm. The farm is still owned by his descendants. Pirttirivi, now Koskipirtti, was built as a manor house in the 1860s and expanded in the late 1890s. Initially, the house was used for both work and living. However, over time, it remained empty and fell into severe disrepair. Demolition was avoided when Leena Jäntti, the daughter of the Kuuskoski manor, together with her husband Lauri Jäntti, repurchased the manor house and its outbuildings, as well as land, in 1963. The renovation work lasted until 1967, when the house opened. https://www.koskipirtti.fi

www.koskipirtti.fi Translated with Google Translate The History of Kuuskoski Manor From the 18th Century to the Present Kuuskoski Manor was originally a horse farm, acquired as an inheritance in 1757. In connection with the Great Partition, it was divided into four farms. The main building of the cattle farm, owned by two merchants from Turku, stood on the site of today's Kuuskoski. At that time, the farm included two moon-flower farms and two tarragon farms. The grain mill, established in the 1720s, and the sawmill, built in the 1770s, were located near the other farm buildings. As early as 1898, the mill also provided electricity for the farm's needs. The farm was owned by Erland Kuuskoski and his wife Maria between 1889 and 1915. The main building of Kuuskoski Manor was built around the turn of the 20th century. Erland Kuuskoski was known as a model builder in both Pöytyä and Vampula. See https://www.koskipirtti.fi/kartanon