Ainola

Sibelius had Ainola built in 1904 to a design by Lars Sonck on a wooded slope above Lake Tuusula, north of Helsinki, and he lived there for the rest of his life, more than fifty years, composing most of his major work in the house. It is named for his wife Aino. The rooms are kept as the family used them, with the green fireplace, the dining room Aino painted, the library and the grand piano given to him on his fiftieth birthday, and the kitchen and garden that Aino ran. Both are buried in the garden under a plain stone. The lakeside around it was an artists' colony, and several other houses of the group can be visited.

What you actually see

• The house kept as the family left it - rooms unchanged since Sibelius lived there.
• The piano given on his fiftieth birthday - the instrument in the main room.
• Aino's garden and kitchen - the working side of the household.
• The graves in the garden - Jean and Aino under a plain stone.

When to go

May to September; the house closes for the winter, with limited exceptions. Half a day including travel. Book ahead in summer, as visitor numbers inside are limited.

Honest expectations

It closes for much of the year, which catches visitors out. Numbers inside are capped and there can be a wait. Photography inside is not permitted. It is a modest house, not a grand one, and expectations should match.

Nearby

Lake Tuusula artists' houses are nearby; Helsinki lies south.