Loimaa

Loimaa is in the inland of Finland Proper. Alastaro, Mellilä and Metsämaa have been merged with the city and are included below. Virttaa is a village in Alastaro.

Understand


Loimaa is in the north-east of the inland of Finland Proper, bordering Satakunta and Tavastia Proper.

Loimaa was originally a small church village on the vaguely defined border of the Swedish kingdom, and it was an important stopping point for merchants and other travellers on their way from the inland to Turku. It remained on the road from Tavastia when the Swedish influence spread inland, reaching Savo and even Karelia.

Loimaa continued to develop in the 19th century, when it was granted town rights in 1869. The town's population grew rapidly as a number of factories and other businesses were established there. For example, the Loimaa Juustola, now known as part of Valio, was established in Loimaa in 1905.

After the Second World War, Loimaa continued to grow, with the establishment of textile and construction companies, among others. The city also has a large agricultural sector, and the importance of the countryside has remained strong to this day.

The climate resembles that of southern Finland in general, but is somewhat more continental than on the coast, with more reliable snow cover in winter.

Get in
Loimaa has a station on the Turku–Tampere railway, with a train most hours in daytime. Coaches between Tampere and Turku stop at Loimaa junction of road 9. Some coach services to Loimaa depart also from Forssa and Huittinen. If you come from Helsinki, you can come by train either via Toijala or Turku, or come by bus with transfer in Forssa.

Highway 9 between Turku and Tampere passes through Loimaa, as does road 231 between Ypäjä (near road 10 from Hämeenlinna via Forssa), and Säkylä and Eura, the latter on road 12 and 43. Road 12 comes to Eura from Raumo on the west coast. If you drive from Helsinki, you can drive through roads 1, 2 and 213 or use the alternative route with less traffic which consists of roads 1, 110, 280, 52, 10 and 213.

By bus
During the weekdays of school year there is a network of bus lines connecting the villages of Loimaa to the centre a few times per day. In weekends and in summer the services are more limited. You can find these lines in the Matka.fi and Matkahuolto Reittiopas route planners. Vuorisen Liikenne operates most of the routes.

Taxi and call-a-ride
The call-a-ride service is scheduled taxi service priced as buses. The routes are flexible and depends on passengers needs; they have to be ordered the previous day, by calling the driver for the specific route. They drive from the surrounding villages to the centre, allows 2–2½ hr for handling one's tasks and return. Most routes are serviced Tuesdays and Fridays, some only Fridays.

Alastaro's transports are combined in the centre of Alastaro. One taxi continues to Loimaa and the other returns.

See

 * Church

In Loimaa
There are a number of grill, pizza and kebab places, some with budget, some with mid-range prices. There is one Chinese restaurant. The Sarka museum and the Tuulensuu senior home also offer lunch.
 * Seurahuone, see below. Lunch €12.
 * Seurahuone, see below. Lunch €12.

Drink
For nightlife the seurahuone is probably your best bet, unless there is a suitable festival.

Go next

 * Inland of Finland Proper, the countryside to the north-west, west and south.
 * Oripää, a small municipality in the inland area.
 * A bigger town, such as Hämeenlinna, or a city such as Turku.