When you think of Finland, what comes to mind? Endless forests, pristine lakes, and the serene beauty of nature. For many of our guests, this idyllic image becomes a reality when they visit Pinecrest Villa.
In 2024, we’ve been delighted to welcome more international visitors who’ve embraced many Finland's most cherished traditions: berry and wild mushroom picking
Guided by Lumin, our guests ventured at our land, baskets in hand, to uncover nature’s hidden treasures—wild berries and mushrooms. Just walking 5 minutes, the thrill of spotting boletes under the Scots pine trees was an experience in itself. Under careful guidance, they learned to identify and safely collect mushrooms, connecting with the land in a way that’s deeply rooted in Finnish culture.
But the adventure didn’t end in the woods. Back at the house, the real magic began. Guests teamed up to prepare, cook, and taste their harvest, creating dishes that celebrated the fresh, earthy flavors of Porcini (Picture 1, 2). Our guests wrote to us when they retuned back to their home country that it wasn’t just a accommodation—it was a journey of discovery, bonding, and joy
We’ve heard it time and again from our visitors: their stay with us was unforgettable. Many have already shared plans to return next summer, bringing their families along to experience the same magic. This is our aim in running Pinecrest villa, to share the gifts of nature to together!
This growing enthusiasm for experiences tied to Finnish nature reminds us of how much it has to offer. From mushroom foraging to simply breathing in the fresh forest air, Finland’s natural beauty is an irresistible draw. It’s no surprise that Finnish nature is becoming a globally recognized brand —one that represents purity, tranquility, and authentic experiences.
If you’re looking for a getaway that’s more than just a vacation, we invite you to join us next season. Whether you’re an experienced forager or a curious beginner, our mushroom-picking and cooking experiences promise memories you’ll treasure for a lifetime.
In the end of 2024, we would also like to thank all our guests for choosing Pinecrest Villa for your special events and special days. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and a happy 2025
After three years of different kinds of renovations, we finally have time to take more care of our yards’ plants. Also, thanks to the good weather this year, the plants and flowers in the garden are growing very well.
Every time we have new guests, we offer floral arrangements made from the blooms right outside our doors. They are hand-picked, locally grown, and artfully arranged to create a sense of place and tranquility. This also creates a personalized touch, as the flowers reflect the local landscape and the changing seasons. Using own yard material for flower arrangements supports a more eco-friendly and sustainable practice, which we know our environmentally conscious guests appreciate.
Using garden plants for flower arrangements not only elevates the guest experience but also enhances our connection to the natural world. These locally grown bouquets are a beautiful way to welcome guests, share a piece of our garden with them, and offer a sustainable, creative touch that sets the perfect tone for a restful stay.
In May of 2022, we had the opportunity to host our villa for the filming of a TV show. EXIT (2022) is a Finnish TV drama, and was first released in October 2022. Now the TV show is back on MTV3. If you watch the show, you may find scenes with familliar locations!
Content warning: the show features mature themes.
Last month, we tried to make handmade paper from paper waste materials and to explore its use. We found that the eggs cartons in various supermarkets in Finland were of different colors and basically pure monochrome, and we were interested in whether it was possible to reuse such paper fibers to make some handmade artworks. We tried to add a paper mulberry fiber to increase the strength of the handmade paper first, and then used the rougher paper to make small flowers that were closer to the natural unevenness and had a more natural charm.
Creating beautiful papercrafts from recycled materials like egg cartons is a wonderful way to repurpose materials and unleash your creativity! We love this idea, can have both environmental and social impacts, which contribute positively to sustainability and community engagement.
If you are interested in this workshop, you can contact us at info@pinecrest.fi or calling us at +358406283113. We can arrange handmade paper and paper flowers workshops for 2 to 8 people.
The first cultural baking workshop was hosted by Ecoyard (Ecoyard.fi) and held at Pinecrest Villa on 24.03.2024. Bringing the forest in to our kitchen is one of the missions of Ecoyard. We utilized forest berries, sea buckthorn, and cranberry powders from Natural Nordic (Naturalnordic.fi), and created a receipe for a Forest Berry Terrine. The participants from Emäsalo, Mäntsälä, Riihimäki, and Helsinki all gathered to share their favorite nature fragrances and their uses. Then they followed along with the recipe to create this special dessert. Enjoy and taste NATURE, What a great experiment for all of us!
