Car & Van Hire - Hyvinkaa

Want a break from the city? The charming Finnish town of Hyvinkaa offers just that. It's just an hour's drive from the centre of Helsinki, but it's a different world altogether, with lush greenery everywhere. In summer, you'll be able to go on hiking trails through the forests. Come when the snow has fallen for a winter wonderland, with the entire landscape covered in a carpet of white. Whenever you visit Hyvinkaa, you're sure to be enchanted.

If you come with your family, you'll find a wealth of child-friendly activities to explore. This is the ideal destination for encouraging youngsters to love the great outdoors. Use car hire in Hyvinkaa to head to the SeikkaluSveitsi Adventure Park, complete with a dizzying mega zipline and a number of different courses set high in the treetops. You can also just head out into the forest to discover nature. Hiking, mountain biking, horse riding, canoeing and stand-up paddle boarding are all popular summer activities here.

The town itself has some fun attractions, too. One of its most popular sites is the Finnish Railway Museum, which will delight anyone who grew up with Thomas the Tank Engine! Inside, you can admire an impressive collection of vintage trains. The nearby Valvilla Mill Museum is dedicated to the history of wool in the area. Check out the fascinating spinning process that turns raw fleece into yarn. The town also boasts a striking, unusual modernist church in a building that takes the form of a pyramid.

In winter, car or van hire in Hyvinkaa offers entirely different possibilities. When the snow falls, this town is transformed into a skier's heaven. There are slopes for skiing and snowboarding, with something suitable for all levels. You'll also find gentle slopes where children can try skiing for the first time. As well as this, you can try cross-country skiing, ice skating, curling and more. Whatever winter sport you're into, you're sure to find it in Hyvinkaa.

Your trip to Hyvinkaa also gives you the chance to sample the local cuisine. Try lohikeitto, a hearty salmon soup enriched with cream, potatoes and vegetables. It goes down a treat, especially accompanied by the local rye bread. After a day on the slopes, you'll need something to warm you up - and Karelian pasties, a buttery pastry filled with mashed potato, is sure to hit the spot. Finland is also known for its game meat, so if you've never tried reindeer or moose, now's your chance!

There is not much traffic around Hyvinkaa, and you'll find plenty of parking spaces. Paid spaces often require the use of a parking disc, which can be bought in petrol stations. You'll need to leave it on your dashboard, showing the time that you parked your car. Roads in Hyvinkaa are very well-maintained. In fact, you'll find that they are in good condition all over Finland, making driving in this country a real pleasure.

Driving in the Finnish summer can be a strange experience, as the sun never fully sets. Instead, you'll have several hours of twilight before the next day begins. This can feel very strange for visitors from other countries. It's also potentially dangerous, as it can cause problems for your body clock when adjusting. You are likely to feel more tired than usual, particularly in the first few days. If you feel fatigued when driving, always take a break. Share the driving responsibilities with other members of your group if you can.

Finns are used to harsh winters, so the roads are well-prepared. Winter tyres must be used from 1 November to 31 March if snow falls. The roads here are not treated with grit. Instead, snow ploughs clear them regularly. You're generally better off sticking to main routes in winter, as country roads will not be cleared so often.

When driving in the Finnish winter, you'll need to be prepared for extremely low temperatures. You may need to heat your car's engine before starting to drive. In the mornings, you shouldn't be surprised to find that your windscreen has frozen over. If this happens, don't be tempted to use boiling water to melt the ice - this may damage your vehicle or even crack the windscreen. Instead, use an ice scraper to carefully clear it.

This far south, you probably won't see that much wildlife. However, it's always worth keeping an eye out for elks and reindeer, just in case. They are at their most active at dusk and dawn, so it's best to avoid driving at this time. Reindeer are generally placid and will not cause problems, but elks are extremely unpredictable. You can drive carefully around reindeer, but in the event that you come across an elk, it's better to sit still and wait for the animal to move on. Don't get out of your car to take pictures, as it may charge.