Lahti’s Most Instagrammable walking tour
Where can you find the statue of Jari Litmanen, Finland’s most successful footballer? How about the most impressive mural in Lahti? An invigorating walking tour includes the most photogenic Lahti destinations and refueling spots along the way.
1. Radiomäki Hill
Radiomäki Hill is well worth the climb. From the top, you can capture great views across the city towards Lake Vesijärvi. The hill is also home to Lahti’s iconic 150-metre radio masts, which offer interesting photo opportunities both in bright daylight and when illuminated after dark.
At the foot of the masts, you will find the Radio and TV Museum Mastola, where you can explore the history of radio and television in Finland.
Mastola Museum2. Art and local flavors at Malski
Walk down from Radiomäki towards the Market Square. Continue uphill along Mariankatu, through the park surrounding the Church of the Cross and towards Päijänteenkatu. You have now reached Malski, a former brewery complex that is home to Lahti Museum of Visual Arts Malva.
Before entering the museum, turn onto Mallaskatu and step into Malski’s inner courtyard. Here you will find one of the city’s most impressive murals. The colourful Block Party mural by Laura Lehtinen and Maikki Rantala decorates Malva’s exterior wall and draws inspiration from Lahti’s industrial history.
At Malva, you can explore visual art, design and poster art through changing exhibitions. Remember to visit the museum shop, too.
After your museum visit, stop for lunch or dinner at Malskin Bistro. Kahiwa offers speciality coffees, wines and treats from its own bakery, while Ant Brew serves locally brewed craft beers.
Malva Museum3. Jari Litmanen at Kisapuisto Park and winter sports legends at the Sports Centre
Next, it is time to meet some of Lahti’s sporting legends. At Kisapuisto Park, you will find a statue of Lahti’s own football hero, Jari “Litti” Litmanen. Continue through Fellman Park towards the Lahti Sports Centre, where a statue honours legendary cross-country skier Siiri “Äitee” Rantanen.
Next, head towards the ski jumping stadium. Here, you can easily capture Lahti’s famous ski jumps and the ski jumper statue in the same photo. Before leaving the area, visit the statue of Lahti ice hockey legend Erkki Laine outside the nearby ice arena.
4. Lahti Harbour
As you reach the shore of Lake Vesijärvi and the Lahti Harbour promenade, you will see the large wooden Lahti letters. The installation is ten metres long and 2.5 metres high, showcasing local expertise in wood construction. Take a photo beside the letters and continue along the waterfront towards the harbour.
One of the harbour’s best-known places to visit is Café Kariranta, famous for its enormous cinnamon buns and other baked treats. The harbour is also home to Sibelius Hall, an impressive example of modern wooden architecture. Around it, the Wood Architecture Park presents a collection of distinctive buildings and artworks.
If you still have energy for another climb, head up Kariniemi Hill to Lanu Sculpture Park. The woodland park contains twelve monumental concrete sculptures by Finnish artist Olavi Lanu.
Lahti Harbour5. The Motorcycle Museum and the new Easy Rider mural
Continue north along the shore of Lake Vesijärvi towards Niemi Harbour and the Finnish Motorcycle Museum. Its collection includes carefully restored international rarities as well as Finnish racing and hobby motorcycles. Ace Cafe Lahti is located in the same building.
A striking Easy Rider mural covering approximately 50 square metres was completed on the museum’s exterior wall in summer 2026. Painted by Lahti-based artist Elina Marttila, the artwork is inspired by the iconic scene from the cult film featuring Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper riding their motorcycles across the American landscape.
There is a dedicated space in front of the mural where you can photograph yourself or your motorcycle against the artwork. The mural was created to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Motorcycle Museum and Ace Cafe Lahti.
Motorcycle MuseumExplore Lahti’s public art on a map
Lahti’s cityscape features more than one hundred public artworks and monuments. On the interactive map provided by Malva Museum of Visual Arts, you can search for works by title or artist, read about their backgrounds and find their exact locations. The map also makes it easy to plan your own public art walk around the city.
Public art on the map
Sightrunning in Lahti, 5 km
Combine sightseeing with exercise on this five-kilometre running route. The route takes you through places such as Lanu Sculpture Park, Fellman Park, Mariankatu and Eliel Saarinen Park. The easy route takes approximately 50 minutes.
Architecture walk in Lahti city centre, 2 km
Discover Lahti’s architecture on a self-guided walking route. Along the way, you will see highlights such as Lahti Historical Museum, the Church of the Cross, the ceremonial axis of Mariankatu and Lahti City Hall. Allow approximately one hour for this easy walk.
Lehmus Trail, 13.2 km
The Lehmus Trail connects Lahti’s city centre parks, forests, viewpoints and best-known attractions. It passes through Lahti Harbour, Lanu Sculpture Park, Radiomäki Hill and the Lahti Sports Centre. The entire route takes approximately four hours, but it can also be explored in shorter sections.
