Discover Nokia: Culture and Nature Trails

In Nokia, city history, cultural events and nature trails offer a variety of themes for a stay. Hinttala and Virta each have their own cultural focus; on the nature trails, you can encounter, among other things, brown trout habitats, marshland and traces of the First World War.

Local History and Culture in Nokia

The Hinttala Local History Museum is located in the city centre and presents local life and culture in the 19th century. In summer, Hinttala hosts activities that are mostly free and open to everyone. These include concerts, workshops, family activities, literary events and guided tours. As the programme is seasonal, check the current dates in advance.

A café in Hinttala’s Pytinki building serves sweet and savoury food. It is open seasonally, with outdoor seating available in summer. Check the current opening dates before your visit.

The Virta Library and Cultural Centre invites you to discover Nokia’s history, visit art exhibitions and enjoy a variety of events. The permanent exhibition showcases the city’s industrial past and highlights from the art collection of Matti and Sirkka-Liisa Helin. The cultural programme thus focuses on both local life in the 19th century and the city’s industrial history and art.

Nature Trails and Their Different Themes

The Laajanoja Nature Trail offers a chance to explore the habitat of the endangered brown trout. The easy, marked trail is 3.4 kilometres each way; the round trip is given as approximately five kilometres. The Ruutana Nature Trail is listed as four kilometres long. This trail is also easy and well marked. A well-maintained campfire site sits on the shore of Ruutanajärvi, where there is also a 27-hectare nature reserve.

The two trails therefore offer different points of interest: the Laajanoja trail focuses on the brown trout’s habitat, while Ruutana’s features include the lake, the nature reserve and the campfire site on the shore. When planning your route, note that the distance descriptions are not equivalent: for Laajanoja, both a one-way distance and an approximate round-trip distance are given, while Ruutana is listed as a four-kilometre trail.

Kivikesku is part of the Kaakkurijärvet Natura area, an important breeding ground for black-throated divers. Seasonal restrictions apply there to protect nesting birds. A marked trail of about one kilometre leads to the lakeshore through swamp forest and marshland. Some sections may be wet after rain; waterproof shoes are recommended. At Maatialanharju, a marked nature trail runs from the shore of Lake Vihnusjärvi for about five kilometres, climbing up onto the ridge. Trenches from the First World War lie along the trail.

In Siuro, Hakavuori is a slate cliff with views of Lake Kulovesi and the Nokianvirta River. The easy Hakavuori Nature Trail is 0.8 kilometres long and has five information boards about the area’s nature and geology. Its length and information boards give the trail a different focus from the longer trails at Laajanoja and Maatialanharju.

Siuro: Church, Sculptures and Rapids

Siuro Church is a wooden Art Nouveau church. It was originally built as a prayer house in 1910 and consecrated in 1938. In Siuro, Ossi Somma’s former schoolyard has become a sculpture park featuring dozens of sculptures. The Siuronkoski rapids are popular for fishing and paddling; there are also old power plant buildings and stone bridges. These places bring together architectural history, sculptures and activities on the water, though they are not all the same kind of excursion.

A Destination Nearby

Outside the municipality of Nokia, in the village of Pinsiö in the municipality of Hämeenkyrö, Nancy Holt’s 1998 earth sculpture Up and Under stands on land owned by the City of Nokia. The area also serves as an artwork, a recreation and hiking area, and an event venue. Use the designated paths on slopes and in areas affected by erosion.

Travelling by Train

You can reach Tampere from Nokia by local train in about 15 minutes. All long-distance trains between Tampere and Pori also stop at Nokia railway station. Check the current timetable before travelling.

Discover More Destinations

Orivesi, Ikaalinen, Vammala, Laitikkala, Pälkäne, Parkano, Pirkkala, Punkalaidun

For the overview of the wider region: Pirkanmaa.