Visit the Pannssarimuseo with its collection of WWII and post war armoUred vehicles and uniforms. We spend the full day exploring Helsinki including the old city centre, the Mannerheim Museum, cathedral, the National History Museum, the old market and the waterfront. There is also the option to dine with your tour manager and historian at your own expense. Here we find the military museum (with its Winter War exhibits) and other museums of interest that trace the history of the islands, their fortification and contain a wealth of military equipment. Dinner is not included this evening and you are free to find your own restaurant.

We catch the 20 minute ferry to explore this magnificent UNESCO world heritage site, one of the largest maritime fortresses in the world.

Check-in to our central Helsinki hotel for three nights. This morning we visit the Kuhmo Winter War Museum and then head to the airport for our flight to Helsinki. This evening we enjoy an evening wild-life expedition where we may be lucky enough to see brown bears, wolves and wolverines. Start This article has been rated as Start-Class on the projects quality scale. We see sites of the Russian ‘mottis’ (encircled defensive positions), walk the Finnish defensive Kuusijoki Line, discuss the annihilation of the Russian Dolin Ski Brigade at Kesseli-Kalkanen. This article is within the scope of WikiProject Finland, a WikiProject related to the nation of Finland.If you would like to participate, you can edit the article attached to this page, or visit the project page, where you can join the project and/or contribute to the discussion. We examine the Russian 54th Division’s twin thrust towards Kuhmo.

Continue to Kuhmo and check-in to our hotel for two nights. We visit the Russo- Finnish frontier post on the border with its Winter War Museum, original and restored trench and bunker systems and monuments dedicated to both sides. We then follow the Finnish fighting withdrawal along the Palovaara to Suomussalmi and then see how the Finns surrounded and defeated the Russian 163 Division forcing it to retreat over frozen Lake Kiantajrvi.ĭrive to Raate where the Soviet 44th Division suffered entrapment and annihilation along the Raate road. Fly London to Helsinki from where we catch a domestic flight to Kajaani and transfer to our hotel in Suomussalmi for two nights.Īfter an introduction to the battles in the region we head for the border at Arola where the Russians crossed in November 1939 and discuss the subsequent fights around Ruhtinansalmi.

Battle of raate road