Stay in Nukula

Accommodations

For those seeking indoor lodging options, we offer the historical charm of the log house, the main building, the guesthouse, and the “little attic.” Alternatively, outdoor sleeping arrangements include the log shelter or the full forest experience in a hammock.

 

INSIDE

 

Historic Charm of the Log House

The historic log house was built between 1800 and 1850 using sturdy handcrafted logs. The building has been a cultural site for 200 years. In the early 2000s, it was renovated into year-round residential accommodation. Now, the house is called the Historic Charm House. The rooms are genuine spaces for rest, sleep, and self-reflection, whether you’re alone or with friends.

The rooms are not intended to be “micro-apartments,” where a bedroom, kitchen, living room, showers, and a hallway are enclosed within four walls, as in traditional hotels.

With walls made of logs, floors, and ceilings crafted from planks, the rooms emanate timeless energy and ensure a cool atmosphere. The warm water heating is gentle and keeps the air fresh with a woody scent.

No chemical-laden, unpleasant-smelling products are used in the rooms, and there are no televisions, resulting in relatively low electromagnetic radiation. Dry toilets help conserve drinking water, and rugs and wall hangings are handcrafted from natural materials.

What to Expect

Four rooms, each accommodating up to three people. Each room has a dry toilet with hot and cold running spring water in the historic building; candle lighting is not permitted.

Showers are available in the neighboring building along the Magdalena Nature Stone Path, adjacent to the sauna.

The Main Building 

The main building is a log artifact from the 1920s, available for all seasons. Situated at its highest elevation and warmest location, it overlooks the entire courtyard. Its windows serve as the property’s soulful eyes, observing and taking in its surroundings.

With affection, it invites you to spend the night and indulge in authentic Finnish cuisine. The spirit of the building envelops a sense of unity.

The main building has undergone significant renovations. It began in 2013 with the lower room, where thermal insulation was improved for the floor and walls. The main building’s living room underwent extensive renovation from 2014 to 2016, with all fireplaces and flooring redone. Finally, in 2022, the porch was also reconstructed. The entire process was done by hand, respecting the old building. Thus, the main building exudes the atmosphere of over a century ago.

The Ground Floor Room

Although the room features a beautiful and comfortable double bed, flowers near the window, and a fireplace, it was named “Empty” after the renovation. There is direct access to the room from the main building’s entrance hall, ensuring perfect privacy. The room accommodates one or two people. Guests use the eco-friendly communal dry toilets on the ground floor of the main building.

Showers are located in the neighboring building, about a 40-meter walk away, next to the sauna.

The Family Room

From the main building’s entrance hall, you access the upper floor to reach the family room. The window provides a view of the neighboring forest. The room features one double bed and two single beds. Occupants of the room utilize the eco-friendly communal dry toilets on the ground floor. The previous owner of the space renovated the room into something special, resembling a vaulted church. The family room can accommodate a maximum of 4 people. Guests use the eco-friendly communal dry toilets on the ground floor of the main building.

Showers are located in the neighboring building, about a 40-meter walk away, next to the sauna.

The Guesthouse

If you enjoy the scent of flowers, the morning song of birds, and the brightness of Finnish summer nights, then the guesthouse is perfect for you. This option is available when the outdoor temperature is above 5 degrees Celsius, from spring to autumn. The guesthouse can accommodate two people. Dry toilets with hot and cold running spring water are located in the old house. Showers are situated in the neighboring building.

The Small Granary

The Small Granary, with its back to the natural yard, is like a cat. Independent and proud in its own glory, it wraps you in a blanket of sustainability, even though it’s tiny. From spring to autumn, you’ll achieve undisturbed private sleep. Guests use the ecological, water-saving dry toilet in the Main Building. Book separately for breakfast; Porridge breakfast, Bun and coffee or Coffee.

INSIDE

The Log Lean-To

By the Log Lean-to you are between the earth and the sky! The spirit gives you unforgettable dreams, if only you could close your eyes in the glow of the open fire.

The surrounding of the Log Lean-to is filled with nature sounds. You enjoy the light, warmth, and sounds maintained by the campfire. The miraculous rocks and the presence of wilderness Lake Päijänne sparks mystical and mysterious stories in you and in the members of your group. Immediately in the captivating atmosphere, you won’t put your head on the pillow, because the nocturnal hum is something you want to hold on as long as possible.

The Log Leant-to was built by hand in the early 2000s from huge logs, so it works as a large carbon sink. Next to the lean-to there is a dry toilet, made of logs too.

The Log Lean-to accommodates maximum ten sleepers. The breakfast can be enjoyed, if purchased, at the log-lean to or at the Main Building.

In a Forest Hammock

Morning dew on your toes, hopping from one stone to another, throwing yourself back in the snow or the moss. The tree speaks if you dare to listen. This is how Mother Earth takes care of her child.

Come and enjoy what Mother Earth has offered by meeting, refreshing, or staying in the forest. With your feet on the ground and the breeze tousling your hair, your mind will clear, and your thoughts will open—new ideas will begin to sprout and grow. The ambiance in the forest is created by the beautiful singing of birds, the rustling of animals, the starry sky, and perhaps even the moon, if you have the patience to listen and watch.

Choose your own spot to set up your hammock. In any case, when staying in the forest, your eco-friendly backpack is extremely light. Six hammocks are available. Protect yourself from insects with a net and a sleeping bag. Of course, you can also use insect repellent.

Food

Culinary Experience of Water and Earth’s Silence

It’s quiet on the shore, a mysterious mist dances above the water. The air is so fresh it even awakens the earliest risers. Along the shores of Lake Päijänne, a fisherman starts his boat and sets off to fish. Lake Päijänne, the magical lake where the fisherman’s boat navigates through the morning mist, is Finland’s deepest lake. For the fisherman, it’s a friend known for years. Here, the water god Ahti grants him fresh wild fish, which he brings to Nukula to be eaten immediately.

The lingering mist also caresses the earth, awakening all kinds of plants and trees in the new morning. The earth is imbued with Nordic power. Here, the earth is a living being that breathes, adapting to the four seasons. It has retained the warmth of summers, enjoyed the colors of autumn, rested under the snow, and finally awakened to the sound of small streams in spring. Careful hands pick vegetables, root vegetables, and berries to be served when the time comes. All the ingredients have absorbed the effects of the four seasons.

The land, water, and forest give of themselves. The gifts they offer are always received with joy and gratitude. In return, they gladly receive the care and respect we give them. This can be experienced by each of our guests. Every meal is cooked with the same reverence. The journey from ingredient to meal is short.

Nukula’s culinary experiences are crafted from the silence and wild Nordic nature. They consist of fish and vegetables. It’s local, unrefined, and clean food, directly from the water and land. It’s food prepared from start to finish with the utmost respect and love, to be enjoyed by you in the peace of Nukula.

Let’s dine outdoors

Let’s dine outdoors. In Finland, this typically means meals are enjoyed at restaurants or cafes. At Nukula, however, it truly means preparing meals and dining al fresco. Regardless of summer or winter, meals are primarily enjoyed by the fireside. Soups, pancakes, barbecues, smoked dishes… and coffee brewed over an open flame. In the old cottage and at Paamiska, meals are served indoors. However, no one would be offended if you slipped away to enjoy your meal outdoors.

Fresh Local Ingredients

The ingredients used in preparation are organic, locally sourced, harvested from nature, homemade, and slow food. Our water is fresh and comes from a local spring water well.

Sauna

The sauna is an integral part of Finnish culture

Traditionally in Finland, people go to the sauna once or twice a week with family or friends, without clothing. Wrapping oneself in a towel or wearing a swimsuit is also entirely acceptable. In the sauna, you can choose your preferred heat level by sitting on the higher or lower benches. The temperature in the steam sauna reaches around 70-75 degrees Celsius when water is thrown on the sauna stove. A sauna session can take a long time, as occasionally, you can wrap yourself in a towel and sit outside on the terrace to cool off and have a drink, or take a dip in the lake.

At Nukula, there are two different saunas:

• The Traditional Lakeside Sauna
• The Fairy Sauna, Haltiasauna

The Traditional Lakeside Sauna at Lake Päijänne

The sauna stove is heated with wood and produces steam in the traditional Finnish manner. The sauna building is constructed traditionally with logs. Take breaks and plunge into Lake Päijänne. The highlight of the sauna experience is the homemade birch whisk, with which you can gently strike your back. The sauna can accommodate up to six people, while the lake can accommodate many more.

In addition to having a sauna, you can also warm up a good rye bread sandwich and, at the end of summer, enjoy fresh blueberries directly from the forest. Furthermore, the sauna also offers accommodation for those who appreciate the night view. You can lie down in the sauna or on the benches of the dressing room after the sauna has cooled down. The traditional sauna is available during the open water season when the lake is not frozen, approximately from June to September.

The Fairy Sauna, Haltiasauna

Relax and get refreshed at the Fairy Sauna. The peace-loving Female genie takes care of the electric sauna stove getting the temperature up to 80 degrees Celsius to make you feel gently warm. Have breaks during the bathing indoors or outside at the terrace. Cleanse your body, mind and soul with the water rising from the ground spring. The sauna accommodates up to ten people simultaneously. The dry toilets are located behind a birch tree, just a peak and you are alright again.

Warm up the Sauna like a Finn !

When in spring lake Päijänne has left the ice and the winter behind and the water’s temperature is a little bit over plus four degrees. This period of the Nature calls you to clean yourself in the traditional Finnish sauna by the lake. Experience abundant physical, mental and spiritual wellness during your sauna-tour.

You will learn to tie the whisk and heat up the authentic traditional Finnish sauna.

Join us on a Nature’s herb garden, forest. In silence, the trees will beacon you, sway to the rhythm of your deepest thoughts. When collecting branches to be your company in the sauna enjoy and feel the Nature’s and the forest’s healing impacts.

Bundle your whisk. To get an authentic, deep experience in our traditional Finnish sauna, light the fire and heat up the sauna. Allow the steam to envelope you, relax you or stay close to the lake scenery and mediate on the sauna bench. Cleanse yourself with your own whisk. Take a dip once in while into the cool water of lake Päijänne, to let the cold-hot treatment pamper you. As a clean and reborn human being, now listen, stay quiet because as you close the sauna door, the gnomes are peering behind the trees awaiting their invitation.

The Sauna Treatments

In Nukula we also offer different sauna treatments or wellness services, where we use peat from the bogs for various skin treatments, (The Peat Treatment) or birch (or other) whisks (The Whisk Treatment) where you get gently treated by hitting your body with the whisk. The Cleansing Sauna (Mesilöylyn terveyttä) activity is available between late spring and early autumn,  when you can collect your own herbs and plants from the forest  for your treatments. The modern alternative is the Rose Sauna, where there are fresh roses which release a lovely scent in the sauna.

Rose Sauna

Get to experience moisturizing and softening effects of rose petals in a sauna. Give your skin a healthy glow! Rose treatment is the leader in anti-aging treatments due to natural healing properties of rose. Regardless of age, Rose Sauna is a perfect treatment for both men and women. So woman, the eternal bride of your life, take care and pamper yourself and please take your groom with you!

Our national epic poetry, The Kalevala, has this saying, “Water is the oldest medicine” and “Sauna is a poor man’s pharmacy”.

Sauna has been the holy place for Finns, turning to this ritual on Midsummer Eve, and other turning points of life. Our ancestors have been born in the sauna, and they have been washed in the sauna of hereafter, for their last trip.

Finns have always been looking not only for purification, but also wellbeing and health from the sauna.

Sauna session continues with a special sauna dinner, which is prepared from ecological products.

Whisking

The whisk, especially the birch whisk, is an integral part of the Finnish sauna tradition. Combining healing substances from a wide variety of herbs and trees along with steam makes whisking therapeutic and energizing. For instance, birch leaves contain saponins, which provide a mild soap that gently cleanses your skin. The fragrance of birch comes from aromatic oil, which prevents infections, relaxes the muscles and relieves aching joints. In the old times, nettle whisks were used to ease symptoms of rheumatism.

Warm up in the steam until you start to sweat and then you are ready to be whisked. In the hands of a trained whisker, the experience is especially relaxing and healing.

The Cleansing Sauna (Mesilöylyn terveyttä)

Let the heat from the sauna stove hit you into relaxation, into being responsive and energetic. The birch freshens you and gives you strength. As well you should not forget the alder that does good to your skin, nor the rapid spruce or willow. Violets especially are one fine enhancer of love!

Within bathing the sauna you relax, absorb the restorative energy of the plants and get cleansed. Out of the plants you have intuitively chosen you will tie a whisk, and with it you will hit yourself gently in order to get every muscle group to relax. A quick swim in the cold waters of the lake Päijänne helps the cleansing process of the sauna. After having bathed in the sauna, your feet might need a herb bath. Having had the time to relax and get cleansed, you can enjoy a nice cup of herbal tea and a tasty vegetable pie by the fire before hitting the hay.

The day’s program

• Arrival to Nukula after noon
• Checking in to room, welcoming coffee or tea and discussions about the sauna and plants
• Gathering the plants for the sauna whisk
• Making the whisks out the plants and preparing a sauna dish
• Simultaneous heating process of the sauna
• Enjoying the sauna
• A cup of relaxing herbal tea and an evening snack after the sauna by the fire

Peat sauna

Experience the relaxing and cleansing effect of Finnish peat sauna.

Slip out of your clothes and jewelry, and step into the sauna. After washing your skin and hair, warm up in the sauna. This opens your pores to receive healing benefits of the peat. Rinse your skin and spread peat all over your body, even in your hair. And back to the sauna you go. Peat is kept moist by massaging the skin and being in the steam. Spend 20 minutes in the sauna and remember to drink plenty of water. The temperature of the sauna is a maximum of 60 degrees Celsius. At the end, just rinse the peat off with clean water.

Finnish peat is lifted from the bog from a depth of 2 to 4 meters, where various bioactive substances have accumulated in the peat over the course of several millenniums. When used for treatment, these substances can be absorbed deeply into the skin. In addition, peat contains an abundance of healthy minerals. Peat treatment boosts the metabolism, at which time bodily fluids and metabolic waste are eliminated from the body. The primary benefits of peat treatment are improved immunity and increased metabolism.