Learn Hardcore Finnish: Tämä paikka on täydellinen rauhallista viikonloppua varten. - This place is perfect for a peaceful weekend.

In this sentence, the phrase rauhallista viikonloppua is governed by varten. The postposition varten (“for”) normally requires the partitive case:

lapsia varten – for (some) children
sinua varten – for you
matkaa varten – for the trip / for travelling
rauhallista viikonloppua varten – for a peaceful weekend

So rauhallista viikonloppua is in the partitive because varten demands it. The adjective (rauhallista) must agree in case with the noun (viikonloppua).

Why doesn’t the sentence say rauhallinen viikonloppu varten instead of rauhallista viikonloppua varten?

Rauhallinen viikonloppu is nominative; it would be the form you use for a subject or a basic object. After varten, you do not use nominative, but partitive:

nominative: rauhallinen viikonloppu
partitive: rauhallista viikonloppua

Since varten governs partitive, both the noun and its adjective must be in partitive:

❌ rauhallinen viikonloppu varten
✅ rauhallista viikonloppua varten

This matches the pattern:

tämä kirja on lapsia varten – this book is for children
tämä paikka on rauhallista viikonloppua varten – this place is for a peaceful weekend

What exactly does varten mean, and is it always used like English “for”?

Varten is a postposition that usually means “for (the purpose/benefit of)”. It goes after the noun phrase, which is in the partitive:

lapsia varten – for (the) children
sinua varten – for you
matkaa varten – for the trip / for travelling
rauhallista viikonloppua varten – for a peaceful weekend

It often implies intended purpose or suitability:

Tämä tuoli on lapsia varten. – This chair is meant for children.
Ostin tämän sinua varten. – I bought this for you.

English “for” is much broader than varten, so Finnish sometimes uses other structures:

kiitos ruoasta (not ruokaa varten) – thanks for the food
odotan bussia (not bussia varten) – I’m waiting for the bus

So: varten = “for (intended for / meant for)”, with a partitive complement.

Could I say Tämä on täydellinen paikka rauhallista viikonloppua varten instead? Is that more natural?

Yes, that is very natural, and many Finns might actually phrase it that way:

Tämä on täydellinen paikka rauhallista viikonloppua varten.
= This is a perfect place for a peaceful weekend.

Your original sentence:

Tämä paikka on täydellinen rauhallista viikonloppua varten.

literally: “This place is perfect for a peaceful weekend.”

They mean almost the same thing; the difference is in structure:

Tämä on täydellinen paikka ... – “This is a perfect place ...”
Tämä paikka on täydellinen ... – “This place is perfect ...”

Both are correct and idiomatic. The version with paikka right after täydellinen slightly emphasizes the place itself as being perfect.

Why is täydellinen in its basic form and not something like täydellistä?

Täydellinen is a predicative adjective describing the subject tämä paikka.

Subject: tämä paikka → nominative
Predicative adjective: täydellinen → also nominative

Compare:

Tämä paikka on täydellinen. – This place is perfect.
Auto on kallis. – The car is expensive.
Nämä talot ovat suuria. – These houses are big. (plural: talot → suuria)

The adjective agrees with the subject in number and case when it describes the subject.

We only get täydellistä if it’s used in some other grammatical role, for example as a partitive object or complement, not here.

Could I say Tämä paikka on rauhallinen viikonloppu like English “This place is a peaceful weekend”?

No, that would be incorrect in Finnish.

In English, “This place is a peaceful weekend” is a kind of metaphorical expression (the place is a weekend). Finnish generally doesn’t allow that kind of direct metaphor in this way.

In Finnish you need to keep the roles clear:

The place is perfect, suitable, etc.
The weekend is what you spend there.

Natural Finnish patterns:

Tämä paikka on täydellinen rauhallista viikonloppua varten.
Tämä paikka sopii rauhalliseen viikonloppuun. – This place suits a peaceful weekend.
Tämä paikka on täydellinen paikka rauhalliseen viikonloppuun.

But not:

❌ Tämä paikka on rauhallinen viikonloppu.

Is there a difference between rauhallinen and hiljainen here? Could I say hiljaista viikonloppua varten?

Yes, you can say hiljaista viikonloppua varten, but the nuance changes:

rauhallinen – peaceful, calm (not stressful, relaxing)
hiljainen – quiet (not much noise)

So:

rauhallinen viikonloppu – a weekend that is calm and relaxing
hiljainen viikonloppu – a weekend that is quiet (maybe few people, little noise)

Many times they overlap, but rauhallinen emphasizes mental calm / lack of stress, whereas hiljainen emphasizes low volume / little activity.

Could I use another case instead of varten, like rauhalliseen viikonloppuun or rauhalliselle viikonlopulle?

Yes, you’ll hear other structures, but the meaning and nuance shift slightly.

Illative (-Vn): rauhalliseen viikonloppuun
- Tämä paikka on täydellinen rauhalliseen viikonloppuun.
  Literally: “perfect into a peaceful weekend,” idiomatically “perfect for a peaceful weekend.”
  This uses the illative, which often expresses goal / to-wards. It’s understandable and not wrong, but varten is more straightforward and common for “meant for”.
Allative (-lle): rauhalliselle viikonlopulle
- Tämä paikka on täydellinen tälle rauhalliselle viikonlopulle.
  That would usually refer to this particular weekend (e.g., this one we’re about to have), and is less common; it can sound a bit more specific or stylistic.

The most textbook-like, neutral version for “perfect for a peaceful weekend” is with varten:

täydellinen rauhallista viikonloppua varten

If I want to say “perfect for peaceful weekends (in general)”, how would I change the sentence?

Then you’d put the noun in plural partitive:

Tämä paikka on täydellinen rauhallisia viikonloppuja varten.
= This place is perfect for peaceful weekends.

Change:

singular: rauhallista viikonloppua varten – for a peaceful weekend
plural: rauhallisia viikonloppuja varten – for peaceful weekends

Both rauhallisia and viikonloppuja are plural partitive, still governed by varten.

Why is it Tämä paikka on täydellinen rauhallista viikonloppua varten and not Täydellinen paikka on tämä ...? How free is the word order?

Finnish word order is freer than English, but it still affects focus/emphasis.

Your original:

Tämä paikka on täydellinen rauhallista viikonloppua varten.
Neutral focus: “This place is perfect for a peaceful weekend.”

Other options:

Tämä on täydellinen paikka rauhallista viikonloppua varten.
– Focus a bit more on this (thing) is a perfect place.
Täydellinen paikka rauhallista viikonloppua varten on tämä.
– Sounds more contrastive or explanatory: “The place that is perfect for a peaceful weekend is this one (as opposed to others).”

So yes, you can move things around, but the given sentence is the most natural neutral order for simply stating the fact.

Could I replace täydellinen ... varten with sopii? For example: Tämä paikka sopii rauhalliseen viikonloppuun?

Yes, that’s a very natural alternative:

Tämä paikka sopii rauhalliseen viikonloppuun.
= This place is suitable for / fits a peaceful weekend.

Differences:

täydellinen rauhallista viikonloppua varten – stronger: “perfect for”, emphasizes ideal suitability.
sopii rauhalliseen viikonloppuun – softer: “suits / is suitable for”.

Also notice the grammar change:

with varten: rauhallista viikonloppua → partitive
with sopia johonkin: rauhalliseen viikonloppuun → illative

Both structures are good to know and very common.

What’s the difference between tämä paikka and just tämä here?

Both are grammatically fine, but slightly different in style:

Tämä paikka on täydellinen rauhallista viikonloppua varten.
– “This place is perfect ...” (explicitly mentions place)
Tämä on täydellinen paikka rauhallista viikonloppua varten.
– “This is a perfect place ...” (first identifies this, then calls it a place)

If the context already makes it clear you’re talking about a place (you’re standing there, pointing, etc.), Tämä on täydellinen paikka ... is especially natural.

The version with tämä paikka is also perfectly fine and maybe a bit more explicit/neutral in written style.