The World Heritage site may be visited and accommodation is available all year round. The Verla Mill Museum, lunch café, exhibitions and shops are open only in the summer – or for groups by reservation only at other times of year. Find out about what the area has to offer and plan a visit that’s just right for you.
The World Heritage site may be visited and accommodation is available all year round. The Verla Mill Museum, lunch café, exhibitions and shops are open only in the summer – or for groups by reservation only at other times of year. Find out about what the area has to offer and plan a visit that’s just right for you.
A trail marked with informative placards winds through the area around the mill, describing the history of the World Heritage Site, beginning with the prehistoric rock paintings and making its way through the entire mill area.
The history trail passes along the walking bridge constructed in 2015 between the end wall of the groundwood mill and the embankment on the edge of the power station canal, partially beneath the surface of the water. The dam protects the entire mill site against flooding.
Groups can book a guided walk along the trail in addition to the mill tour. The guided history trail walk for groups of more than 10 people costs EUR 8 per person. The history trail for groups is a special tour, and its availability is always confirmed separately with the booker.
Booking a group tour
Bookings and enquiries by email: museum.verla@upm.com or by phone: +358 2041 52170. The number is available during the museum’s opening hours in operating season.
| Kohde | Kouvola Verlantie 295,47850 Verla |
Visitors can explore the history- and forest-themed trails of the Verla World Heritage site on their own, as well as view the site’s prehistoric rock paintings. The Mill Museum’s gardener leads guided tours of the mill owner’s garden.
Admission to the site’s exhibitions is free. Downstairs from the customer service desk, you will find a small permanent exhibition, and opposite that, in the fire equipment shed, is information about the mill’s fire-fighting team. An exhibition about log driving is on display in the frame saw building, and the bale warehouse in the middle of the museum site houses temporary exhibitions. An exhibition at the Lippu Homestead depicts millworkers’ housing.
Local artisans display their wares in the small shops and workshops of the museum site. They offer a wide selection of goods, from organic bread to sweets, from knitwear to ceramics, glassware and handmade paper.
A café serving lunch operates in the Verla warehouse during the summer. There is also a wine shop that organises tastings.
There are many different activities to enjoy at Verla and in the surrounding area. You can easily take to the water at Verla in a rented canoe or rowing boat. After a busy day, take some private time in a lakeside sauna. Near the centre of Verla, a 2-kilometre nature trail winds around Kokkokallio hill.
The Verla World Heritage site is a memorable excursion destination where you can experience both history and nature. Museum tours for May should be reserved well in advance as May is a popular time for school groups to visit.
The Verla Mill Museum is not an accessible site. Should your group include individuals with reduced mobility, we ask that you notify us at the time of making your reservation. A tour designed for those with reduced mobility may also be reserved for an entire group.
In addition to the museum tour, groups can explore the area on their own on various themed trails and excursions.
Repovesi National Park, one of Finland’s most important natural sites, is half an hour’s drive away. Together, Repovesi and Verla comprise an exceptional part of the history and nature of the Finnish forest industry. Numerous stories about hunting, log driving, contracts and the felling of trees, as well as large-scale conservation and protection of biodiversity, create a colourful and intricate environment for visitors who enjoy nature and history.
Visitors from outside the region often also explore the other cultural attractions around Kouvola, such as the Vuohijärvi Nature and Culture House, the Poikilo Museums and Arboretum Mustila. In the summer, the Tykkimäki amusement park is a favourite among families with children.
The Repovesi National Park, one of Finland’s most important natural sites, is a half-hour drive away.
The Verla World Heritage site is located in the village of Verla, a 32-kilometre drive from the centre of Kouvola.
You can reach Verla by car or taxi from Kouvola train station. We recommend that groups charter a bus. On summer weekends there's also a bus connection.
Verla can also be reached from Repovesi National Park by water. Canoes can be rented from Seikkailuviikari in Repovesi.
The Verla Mill Museum is not an accessible site. However, visitors with reduced mobility can take part in a partial tour with the group. A disabled toilet is available in the old stable building where the other toilets are located.
Our safety instructions for visitors are here.
The Verla Mill Museum is committed to the principles of sustainable tourism. Read more here.
The closest train station is in Kouvola, from which a bus runs to Verla in the summer.
Bus nro 9 on Tuesday and Thursday from Kouvola
Bus nro 9 on Tuesday and Thursday from Verla
