Ähtäri is a small town surrounded by beautiful forests and lake scenery. Whilst on holiday in Ähtäri, you will see a range of forest animals, including bears and snowy owls, and you will be able to get up close to farm animals and reindeer. There is a spa beside Ähtäri Zoo, where you can relax at the end of the day. In the town centre, you can admire the mixture of wooden houses and explore the Ähtäri Museum.
Start your trip by exploring the wooden houses around the Ähtäri Church, which is an area of cultural and historical importance. The Ähtäri Museum has rooms decorated in the style of different decades. No matter what your age, you will surely enjoy the thousands of toys at the nostalgic toys exhibition.
The most popular reason for a holiday in Ähtäri is Ähtäri Zoo. Here you will find more than 50 different species, most of which are iconic to the Finnish landscape. In addition to native species like wolves, Ähtäri Zoo has more exotic creatures, such as snow leopards and red pandas.
The animals at the zoo live as freely as possible, but you might also want to see more familiar creatures. The domesticated animals section at the zoo includes endangered Finnish species such as the Eastern Finncattle and the Finnish landrace pigs. Rabbits, sheep and horses thrive at the Valkeinen Farm, where you can also even feed the reindeer by hand.
After meeting the animals, add some action to your holiday by visiting the Flowpark adventure park, suitable for climbers of all ages and skill levels. You can plan an inexpensive nature-oriented trip to Ähtäri by visiting the Arpainen hiking route and perhaps spending the night in a forest lodge.
Once in Finland, Ähtäri is easily accessible with motorway 18 and road 68 meeting near the town centre, but you can also reach Ähtäri by train. It is only a short drive from the town centre to the zoo, and shoppers will also want to visit the Tuuri village shops located nearby.
