Akaa - city in the region of Pirkanmaa in Finland

Akaa is a municipality with three town centres in Pirkanmaa, Finland, as Toijala, Viiala and Kylmäkoski were consolidated in 2007–2011.

Understand

The history of Akaa begins in 1483, when it was separated from the parish of Sääksmäki and became a church parish. Municipality status was granted in 1870. Later on, Akaa was divided as Urjala and Kylmäkoski were split off it. In 1932 the town of Viiala, a part of modern-day Akaa, was established and areas of municipalities of Akaa, Vesilahti and Lempäälä were added to it. The municipality of Akaa ceased to exist in 1946 and a new town called Toijala was formed containing the area of Akaa's old church village and its surroundings.

In 2007 Toijala and Viiala were joined as the modern-day municipality of Akaa. Kylmäkoski was incorporated in 2011. As of 2017, there are 16 892 inhabitants.

There are three town centres in Akaa, called Toijala, Viiala and Kylmäkoski. Toijala has been a major railway junction since 1876. The main track from Helsinki to the north goes through the town, and a track from Turku joins it here. In 1903, a wallpaper factory was founded. There are two operating wallpaper factories in the town, as well as metal and machinery works.

Viiala is a historic industrial town. The first steam sawmill was founded in 1873 and for most of 20th century there were a plywood factory, a leather factory and a file factory. However, by 2004 globalization had closed these all; the buildings remain.

Get in

By train

Toijala and Viiala have railway stations. Most long-distance trains between Helsinki and Tampere and between Tampere and Turku, and all "regional" trains between Helsinki and Tampere stop in Toijala, whereas only regional trains stop in Viiala. Timetables are available from the VR website. By long-distance train Helsinki–Toijala and Turku–Toijala take about 1 hr 20 min, while Tampere–Toijala takes about 25 min.

By bus

Coaches between Helsinki and Tampere stop at the Toijala junction on highway 3, stop name in Matkahuolto search is Toijala liittymä 31, but there's a 3-km walk from there to Toijala. Coaches between Tampere and Turku stop at the Viiala th junction 2 km from Viiala centre and the Kylmäkoski th junction near Kylmäkoski centre. There are regional buses from Urjala and Valkeakoski with a couple of departures per day. For timetables, see Matkahuolto.

Train is the prime option.

By car

Toijala has its own junction on highway 3 and Viiala on highway 9. Kylmäkoski is along highway 9.

By ship

During summer there are scheduled cruises on the lake Vanajavesi from Tampere and Hämeenlinna, operated by Hopealinjat.

Get around

Internal bus lines link the three centres together, but there are only a few departures per day. Matkahuolto Reittiopas route planner includes some countryside traffic towards Valkeakoski and Urjala, which can be used also for travelling inside Akaa.

The most practical ways would be a car or a bicycle, as public transportation is basically non-existent, as is often the case in Finnish towns. The main sights in Toijala are close enough to each other to be visited by foot.

By dial-a-ride

Akaakyyti is a dial-a-ride service that operates according to the customers' own routes and schedules between Viiala and Toijala and Kylmäkoski and Toijala from August 10, 2022.

Akaakyyti is mainly driven by invitation with two minibuses. You must always order the ride in advance, even if you board the ride at a scheduled stop.

Order Akaakyyti with Matkahuolto's Routes & Tickets application or by calling +358 20-614-4400 (M–F 07:00–17:00).

You can order a ride from address to address within the service area. You can also order from/to the stop. Routes are created based on customer orders. There are a few scheduled stops in the centre of Viiala, the centre of Toijala, the harbour and the train station.

You can place an order for an immediate need or in advance. The schedule is announced as a flexible interval (15 min) so that passengers travelling in the same direction can be combined on the same routes.

By taxi

The main taxi rank is at the railway station. The number for booking a taxi is +358 600-551-111 (extra charge).

• Taksi Häme: see Tavastia Proper#By taxi
• iTaksi: see Tampere#By taxi
• Smartphone apps: Valopilkku, 02 Taksi

See

Museums

• Locomotive museum, Ryödintie 3, Toijala (at the old railway roundhouse visible east from Toijala railway station platforms), 61.1718°, 23.85975°, anttila.marko@kolumbus.fi. Jun–Aug: 10:00–16:00. A collection of Finnish state railways' rolling stock, including two operable steam locomotives and several operable diesel locomotives. Check the website for special events such as running days. Adults €6, children €3
• Wallpaper museum Pihlgren & Ritola, Satamatie 8, Toijala (if there is no-one onsite, call the number on the signboard at the end of the old magazine building), 61.17128°, 23.87234°, +358 3 542-1090, info@tapettitehdas.fi. Jun–Aug: Tu–F 09:00–16:00, Sa 10:00-14:00. An operational wallpaper factory doubling as a museum. Oldest machines from the 19th century. A factory outlet shop is open throughout the year.
• Kinnari home museum, Kinnarintie 42, 61.13759°, 23.79373°, +358 50-433-3140. Jun-Aug: W Su 13:0–20:00. A museum displaying traditional Finnish rural lifestyle and associated items. A highlight would be the collection of more than 40 different wooden shovels. The location link is correct, OpenStreetmap is just missing a road here.
• Baby carriage museum Mukelo, Riitiäläntie 202, 61.23867°, 23.74577°, +358 40-771-2093. Jun–Aug: W Su 13:00–18:00 or by appointment. A collection of more than 300 different baby carriages in the oldest surviving house of the town of Viiala: the Toorikka manor main building. Oldest carriages are from the 1870s.

Churches

• The church of Akaa, Sontulantie 2, Toijala, 61.16587°, 23.86521°, +358 40-725-7412. Only open during services, check the website. A large (by Finnish standards) neo-Gothic wooden church built in 1817. The tower was modified in the late 19th century. Altarpiece from 1881, ceiling paintings from 1935.
• The Church of Viiala, Nordintie 3, 61.21293°, 23.76257°, +358 40-839-5856. Only open during services, check the website. The first church built in Finland after World War II, opened in 1950. Built almost completely on donated money and materials. The concrete used was mixed with cement donated by American Lutheran congregations. Interesting altarpiece depicting Christ in Viiala town.
• The church of Kylmäkoski, Kylmäkoskentie 137, 61.16075°, 23.68836°, +358 40-594-8556. Only open during services, check the website. A brick church with national-romantic architectural style, construction finished in 1900.

Other

• 1918 civil war mass grave of reds, Riihiniemi, Toijala (Map link), 61.15689°, 23.87272°. A memorial at a site of a mass grave where more than 400 were buried following executions in the 1918 civil war. Finding it can be a bit hard, just walk through the residential area to the small forest patch until you see it.
• Näkymä, Nahkialanlampi, Toijala (walk around the lake), 61.1701°, 23.8789°. July–August. Annual environmental arts display, situated mostly around the lake Nahkialanlampi. Every year one of the works is left in place and those can be found around the lake and the town of Toijala. Free
• Laaksola culture house, Ryödintie 2, 61.17087°, 23.86516°. depending on exhibition. Laaksola culture house has varying art exhibitions. Opening hours depend on the exhibition so it is easiest to just walk there and see if it is open. 2018-04-07
• Haihunkoski rapids, Rautatienkatu, Viiala, 61.20798°, 23.77735°. The rapids are on the Tarpianjoki river with a picnic place and the ruins of an old mill. Also there's a beautiful stone arc bridge dating from 19th century. 2018-04-07
• Solar system scale model. There's a scale model of the Solar System in the Toijala centre. It is in 1:3.000.000.000 scale so all the planets are found in Toijala, but Voyager 1 has gotten as far as Viiala. It includes Proxima Centauri, which can be found in Yulara, Australia. 2018-11-08

Do

Festivals and fairs

• Toijalan markkinat. Early June. The traditional Toijala fair, organized by the local Lions club. Sales booths and a beer tent.
• Hunajahulinat. Late August. A more recent tradition, an annual honey-themed town fair with sales booths, live music and of course a beer tent.
• Vasenkätisten vestivaali. usually in early July. A one-day music festival organized by a local non-profit. Name translates to "festival of the left-handed".
• Paljujen yö, Toijalan Satama. A summer festival held in Toijala. The program consists of bathing in a special heated bathing barrel all night long. You either rent one or bring your own. 2020-06-23

Other

• Lastumäki disc golf course, Köyvärintie (in the forest near the school), 61.163200°, 23.868500°. If you like disc golf, this is one of the two free courses available in Akaa. It is a nine-hole course in a slightly hilly forest. Bring your own discs, though – there is no shop for equipment anywhere nearby. Free
• Kylmäkoski disc golf park, Savikoskentie 983, 61.162200°, 23.647900°. A hilly 27-hole disc golf course next to Lumijoki river. Actively maintained by volunteers. Free
• Vauhtipuisto Karting, Riisikkalantie 179, 61.1183°, 23.8158°, +358 50-567-7787, ritva.liimatainen@pp.inet.fi. Go-kart racing track with length of 730 metres in the middle of a forest. Free
• Toijala harbour beach, Kangassaarentie 14, 61.19191°, 23.90328°. Jun–Aug: daily 12:00–21:00. A public swimming beach next to the harbour. Has a kiosk, WC, sauna, changing room and two beach volley fields. Sauna costs €2 per person or €5 per family. Free 2018-04-07
• Arajärvi recreational area, Arajärventie 603, 61.19693°, 23.64135°. The area has hiking paths and a beach with sauna, WC, kiosk and two rentable cottages. Complicated opening hours scheme. Generally open on summer evenings if weather is nice. 2018-04-07
• Wicked Violetta (Local burlesque performer), Tehtaantie 18 (from Toijala railroad station 1.5 km), info@wickedvioletta.fi. Local burlesque performer and teacher. You can reserve your own burlesque class for you or for your group. Pricing somewhere near €20/person with groups. She does perform also in events and private parties, pricing starts at €200. 2020-06-23

Buy

In 2009 Akaa has decided to brand itself as the "honey capital of Finland". As of 2017, there were over 20 million honey bees living in beehives around the municipality. The honey produced by these bees is available at least at the town hall.

• Toijala Recycling Centre (Toijalan Kierrätyskeskus), Hämeentie 41, 61.168128°, 23.873131°, +358 40-335-3231, toijalantyottomat@gmail.com. Home stuff from freezers to plush toys. Run by an association of the unemployed. Also products made in own workshop, e.g. carpets, woodwork, etc. 2022-06-15

Eat

• Ravintola AliBaba, Pätsiniementie 2, +358 3 531-6222. M–F 10:00–22:00, Sa 11:00–22:00, Su 12:00–22:00. A restaurant-bar serving pizza, kebab and other food. Not expensive. Located in an old round wooden building dating from the 1930s. 2018-04-07
• Ravintola Leskirouva, Valtatie 16, +358 40-596-9896, ravintola.leskirouva@gmail.com. Su–Th 09:00–22:00, F Sa 09:00–02:00. Bar and restaurant in a beautiful old stone building with a hideous extension. Happy hours 09:00–17:00, karaoke every F and Sa. Dishes with locally sourced ingredients on the menu. 2018-04-07
• Ravintola Oskari, Valtatie 7, 61.166876°, 23.868374°, +358 50-413-2483, info@ravintolaoskari.com. Finnish favourite dishes. The menu includes steaks, burgers, salads, wings, pizzas and kebabs. 2021-01-12

Drink

• Old Bronx, Hämeentie 69, +358 3 542-1846, posti@oldbronx.fi. Daily 11:00–02:00. A suburban pub a bit farther from Toijala centre. Karaoke every night. Free pool tables until 18:00.

Sleep

• Hotel Ackas, Pätsiniementie 5, +358 45-185-2230, info@hotelackas.fi. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. 24 hour self-service check-in. Located in the middle of Toijala town. €39 single, €49 double 2018-04-07
• Villi Ullakko, Onnelantie 6, +358 40-518-6176, ulla@villiullakko.fi. A bed-and-breakfast in a cosy residential area. Cash or pre-payment only. single €60, double €90 2018-06-23

Connect

The libraries in Toijala (Köyvärintie 1) and Viiala (Solmukatu 3) have public-access computers available. Opening hours vary as library budget is insufficient for normal operation, please check the website.

Go next

• Tampere has a lot of interesting sights and shared industrial history. In summertime, ships from Toijala harbour take you there along the waters of Vanajavesi.
• Hämeenlinna, the town built around one of the few remaining Finnish castles. Also accessible by ship in summer.
• Valkeakoski is right next to Akaa. For example, the castle hill of Rapola with medieval embankment ruins is only a few kilometres from the municipality border and accessible by bicycle, similarly to Visavuori art museum.
• Turku is the oldest city of Finland and well worth a visit.
• Lempäälä is the northern border neighbour of Akaa and has a lot of interesting sights.