10.00 Arrival at Seinäjoki and check-in to hotel Sokos Hotel Lakeus
Sokos hotel Lakeus is located in the centre of Seinäjoki, approx. 300 m from the railway station and close to the Aalto Centre. The rooms offer views to the Aalto Centre and the city’s landmark Cross of the Plains Church.
11.00 Guided walking tour at the Seinäjoki Aalto Centre (FI, EN, SVE, DE, RU, JPN)
Alvar Aalto designed the cultural and administrative center of Seinäjoki. The unique centre consists of six buildings: the Cross of the Plains Church, Parish centre, City Hall, municipal library, governmental office building and City Theatre.
During the summer you can visit the 65-metre high church tower and enjoy the scenery. It is also recommended to go and see the new library Apila, which is connected to the Aalto Library by an underground passageway. Apila was designed by the Finnish office JKMM Architects. The largest private collection of Aalto glassware is on display at the Aalto Library.
12.30 Lunch: Äärellä Kuppi + Kattila
Äärellä is a lively urban restaurant. Enjoy a casual lunch made of local ingredients. The lunch menu has meat, fish and vegetarian options.
15.00 Brewery tour: Mallaskoski Brewery / Mallaskosken Panimo
A visit to the brewery with a guided tour and a possibility to taste the products.
The founder of the Mallaskoski Brewery, Johan Wallenius, started to brew beer in 1921 in an old washing house. In 1928 he decided to buy a plot by the raging rapids and build a mill, that would produce refreshers and beer. Today the beer is also exported abroad.
The beer is still produced using the same yeast, by the same foaming rapids, with the same persistent attitude, handmade and without preservatives. Within the brewery there is a restaurant, which offers a mighty view to the foaming rapids of the river Seinäjoki.
19.00 Dinner with an Aalto menu in restaurant Manor House of Uppala
Restaurant Uppala is located in a historical manor house. The estate is one of the oldest in Seinäjoki and its history has been traced to the 17th century. The Manor House of Uppala was opened in July 2009. The house has still the original construction dating back to the 18th century.
Alvar Aalto has visited Uppala. He was friends with the former owner Jussi Tala and he dined at Uppala during the construction of the Cross of the Plains Church, long before the restaurant opened.
You shall be served a menu à la Aalto, created by chef Miika Harju. He was inspired by Aalto’s design and the dishes are compilation of design and Finnish nature – which was the major source of inspiration for Alvar Aalto. The dishes have international twists, as Aalto himself was a cosmopolite. References to Italy, a country dear to Aalto, are visible in many of his buildings.
The Aalto menu of Uppala is made of beautiful and detailed dishes, fish from Finnish lakes, berries, mushroom and game from the forest, and a touch of European cuisine.
Accommodation in hotel Sokos Hotel Lakeus in Seinäjoki.