Jyväskylä rises from the shore of a lake in the middle of Finland's lakeland, a student town of about eighty-five thousand people with a surprisingly big architectural reputation. The great Finnish architect Alvar Aalto grew up and studied in the region and left his mark all over the place: the university campus, the museum devoted to his work, the Workers' Club and the little town hall in Säynätsalo, on an island in the lake a few kilometres to the south, are all his. Even if you know nothing of architecture, the red brick, the long windows and the way the buildings fit into the woodland make an impression. It is that kind of town, quietly proud of its design.
The country around is a wide patchwork of lakes and low forested ridges, shaped by the last ice age. Long, narrow ridges called eskers run between the lakes, and in several places roads follow their crests, so you ride with water glinting on both sides. Birch and pine fill the slopes, the air smells of resin, and in autumn the colours are superb. Jyväskylä is also the home of Finland's round of the World Rally Championship, and during the event in summer the forest roads are thrilling to watch. For motorcyclists this means the roads are well maintained, wide and fast, with fine surfaces.
Out of the city, the day's riding tends to be gentle: broad, easy curves, little traffic and the occasional dip down to a lake shore. Speed limits are strictly enforced, with automatic cameras on many main roads, so watch the signs, and keep an eye out for elk at dusk. Fuel is no problem. The city and its neighbours Muurame and Säynätsalo have petrol stations, supermarkets and cafés, and bakeries sell fresh cinnamon buns by the dozen.
Evenings are the best time. In June and July the light lasts until midnight, and the lakes turn silver and then pink. It is a good place to finish a day, with a sauna to go with it, as nearly every Finn will tell you.