Littoistenjärvi is a spectacular little lake near Turku, Finland. There are lovely nature trails, public saunas, many species of birds, and birdwatching towers to see and visit in the area. Littoistenjärvi is a small and shallow lake, the average depth of the lake is only 2,2 meters. It is located within close proximity to Turku centre in Lieto and Kaarina municipalities, and it can be easily reached by public transport.
Littoistenjärvi lake was separated from the sea around 5600 years ago. The condition of the lake has been getting worse since 2010. The lake has been well covered in the news in recent years due to a chemical cleaning treatment that transformed the water into a turquoise oasis in 2017. Unfortunately that didn’t last for long, but the lake is again suitable for swimming and other recreational use. In summer there might be blue-green algae, so always check the conditions before swimming.
We headed to the Littoistenjärvi in early October. On an autumn day like this we didn’t miss that turqouise oasis at all. It was fun to explore the trails around the lake and see how trees had beautiful fall foliage. We becan our walk from Kuoviluoto, which is a nature reserve located on a little peninsula on the eastern shore of the lake. Kuoviluoto is a grove with some maple and oak trees, so well worth visiting in the autumn.
From Kuoviluoto we walked north by the eastern shore of the lake. The nature trail on the area is not very well marked and maintained, but it is pretty easy to follow. There were many people birdwatching, fishing, and canoeing. The trail around the lake is around 6 kilometers long, but on the western shore the trail turns into roads.
The birds on the lake were noisy – we spotted at least a common coot, a common goldeneye, and flocks of Canada geese and whooper swans. We ventured to a Järvelä birdwatching tower located on the north of the lake, overlooking a Järvelä wetland area. But the birds seemed to prefer the lake at this time. We found also another smaller birdwatching tower by the lake, but it was in poor condition and we didn’t dare to climb there.
It was also nice to see blueberries and many mushrooms such as rufous milkcaps or hooded false morels in the forest. The nature around Littoistenjärvi has a lot to offer, and we will be back here for sure.
Directions to Littoistenjärvi
Addresses:
Kuoviluoto
Kuoviluodonkuja
20660 Littoinen
Littoinen beach
Littoistenjärventie 153
20660 Littoinen
Ristikallio beach
Nipsikatu
20660 Littoinen
Järvelä
Järveläntie 133
20540 Lieto
How to get there:
- Car: If you are arriving by car, there are several possible parking areas, see the addresses above.
- Bicycle: Littoistenjärvi is located only about 9 kilometers from the center of Turku so it can easily be reached by bicycle.
- Public transport: For example buses 2B and 2C from Turku go to Littoinen and close to the lake. See the public transport timetables at Föli website.
More information
- Trail maps (in Finnish)
- Littoistenjärvi birds (in Finnish)
- Järvelä sauna and ice-swimming (in Finnish)
- Blue-green algae situation by Järvi-meriwiki (in Finnish)
Also visit in the area
- Vanhalinna in Lieto is an ancient castle site in Finland. The hill rises 55 meters above the sea level and provides stunning views to all directions. You can enjoy short nature trails in the area, have a cup of coffee in Vanhalinna manor’s summer terrazas, visit the museum on site, or pet summer sheeps in the yard.
