LakeDistrict Saimaa
3
Day Itinerary •
Finland
Three days in the Finnish Lake District and Saimaa delivers the most extraordinary lake archipelago experience in Europe, from the remarkable medieval Olavinlinna Castle rising from the lake, the extraordinary Lake Saimaa boat tour in search of the world's rarest freshwater seal to the fine Punkaharju glacial ridge national landscape and the most extraordinary Finnish cultural experience: the smoke sauna on the lake shore. This focused route covers the essential Saimaa experience. The extraordinary Olavinlinna Castle and Savonlinna Opera Festival setting, the remarkable lake archipelago boat tour and Saimaa ringed seal habitat, the fine Punkaharju ridge, the extraordinary Linnansaari National Park kayaking, the remarkable Kerimaki world's largest wooden church and the fine Lappeenranta fortress and Imatra rapids.
Best Time To Visit
June to August for lake activities and seal watching
Getting There
Train or bus from Helsinki to Savonlinna, approx 4 hours
Getting Around
Hired car essential for the lake district. Local buses limited.
Budget Per Day
Approx 80 to 180 EUR per person per day
Difficulity
Easy to moderate, optional kayaking
DAY 1
SAVONLINNA
MORNING
SAVONLINNA AND OLAVINLINNA CASTLE
The extraordinary Olavinlinna Castle in Savonlinna, the finest medieval castle in Finland, rising from a rocky island in Lake Saimaa where the remarkable 15th-century stone towers and the extraordinary curtain walls are surrounded entirely by water. Founded in 1475 by Erik Axelsson Tott to protect the eastern border of the Swedish realm, the remarkable castle is the best-preserved medieval fortress in northern Europe. Entry approx 10 EUR. The extraordinary Savonlinna Opera Festival held inside the castle in July is the finest outdoor opera in the world. 15 min walk
MIDDAY
LAKE SAIMAA ARCHIPELAGO BOAT TOUR
The extraordinary Lake Saimaa archipelago boat tour, navigating the remarkable labyrinth of forested islands, fine bays and the outstanding rock outcrops of the largest lake system in Finland and the fourth largest in Europe. The remarkable Saimaa ringed seal, one of the rarest freshwater seals in the world found only in Lake Saimaa, is occasionally visible on the extraordinary granite rocks. The fine 2-hour boat tour from Savonlinna gives the finest lake panorama in Finland. Tours approx 25 EUR. 30 min drive
AFTERNOON
PUNKAHARJU RIDGE AND NATIONAL LANDSCAPE
The extraordinary Punkaharju ridge, a narrow 7km glacial esker between the lakes of Puruvesi and Pihlajavesi, the finest natural landscape in Finland and the first ever landscape declared a national landscape by Finnish royal decree in 1803. The remarkable pine forest on the extraordinary narrow sand ridge between two lakes, with the fine road running along the crest, creates the most extraordinary Finnish lake landscape accessible by car.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Saimaa ringed seal, a remarkable Ice Age relic species found only in Lake Saimaa, is one of the rarest freshwater seals in the world with only approximately 400 individuals remaining. The remarkable Linnansaari National Park in the central Saimaa archipelago is the finest place to see the extraordinary seal in its natural habitat. Guided seal-watching boat tours from Oravi approx 40 EUR. The finest wildlife experience in the Finnish Lake District. ourhiddenearth.com
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Savonlinna cafe Outstanding traditional Finnish breakfast in Savonlinna. Fine rye bread and remarkable Finnish kahvi before the castle. | Lunch: Savonlinna market Outstanding fresh vendace lake fish and remarkable Finnish crayfish at the extraordinary Savonlinna harbour market in summer. | Dinner: Majakka Restaurant, Savonlinna Outstanding traditional Finnish restaurant. Extraordinary Saimaa pike-perch and fine Finnish forest mushroom dishes.
DAY 2
LINNANSAARI
MORNING
LINNANSAARI NATIONAL PARK KAYAKING
The extraordinary Linnansaari National Park in the heart of Lake Saimaa, the finest kayaking destination in Finland, where the remarkable granite island archipelago, the outstanding old-growth forest and the extraordinary clarity of the lake water create the finest paddling experience in northern Europe. The remarkable osprey nests on the islands, the fine white-tailed eagles soaring above the lake and the outstanding possibility of seeing the extraordinary Saimaa ringed seal on a rock are the finest wildlife encounters in the park. Kayak hire approx 35 EUR. 30 min drive
MIDDAY
KERIMAKI CHURCH AND COUNTRYSIDE
The extraordinary Kerimaki Church, the largest wooden church in the world built in 1847 with a remarkable capacity of 3,300 worshippers, in the fine East Finnish countryside 20km from Savonlinna. The remarkable scale of the extraordinary wooden construction, the fine 27-metre dome rising above the flat lake landscape and the outstanding interior with its gallery seating are unlike any wooden building in Finland. Entry free. 30 min drive
AFTERNOON
LAKE SAUNA AND SWIMMING EXPERIENCE
The extraordinary Finnish smoke sauna experience on the shore of Lake Saimaa, the finest cultural institution in Finland, where the remarkable ancient smoke sauna heated for 6 hours with no chimney fills the extraordinary wooden cabin with fine heat before the sauna stones are cleared. The outstanding tradition of the whisking with birch branches, the remarkable lake plunge and the fine beer and sausage grilled over the sauna fire create the most extraordinary Finnish cultural experience.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Retretti Art Centre in the remarkable underground cavern carved into the granite at Punkaharju, a fine art museum in a natural limestone cave system, is the finest underground art gallery in Finland. The remarkable combination of the extraordinary cave acoustics, the fine light filtering through the granite and the outstanding contemporary Finnish art makes this the most unusual museum experience in the Lake District.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Cottage breakfast Outstanding Finnish breakfast at the remarkable lake cottage. Fine rye crispbread, remarkable quark and excellent Finnish coffee. | Lunch: Oravi village Simple fine lunch near the extraordinary Linnansaari park. Fresh lake fish and remarkable Finnish summer soup. | Dinner: Lake cottage sauna dinner Extraordinary traditional Finnish sauna sausages grilled over the fire with remarkable Finnish beer at the lake shore.
DAY 3
SOUTH KARELIA
MORNING
LAPPEENRANTA FORTRESS AND SAIMAA CANAL
The extraordinary Lappeenranta, the finest fortified city on the western shore of Lake Saimaa, with the remarkable 18th-century Linnoitus fortress containing the fine South Karelian Museum, the outstanding Orthodox church and the remarkable craft workshops of the oldest working fortress in Finland. The extraordinary Saimaa Canal from Lappeenranta to Vyborg on the Russian border, dug in 1856, is the finest historic waterway in Finland. 30 min drive
MIDDAY
IMATRA WATERFALL AND RAPIDS
The extraordinary Imatrankoski rapids in Imatra, the most powerful rapids in Finland and one of the finest natural spectacles in the country, where the remarkable Vuoksi River was historically uncontrolled but is now released in a spectacular daily torrent for visitors in summer. The fine Art Nouveau Imatran Valtionhotelli on the rapids shore is the finest hotel building in Finland. Daily water release in summer approx 30 minutes, check local timetable. 1 hour drive
AFTERNOON
RETURN TO SAVONLINNA OR ONWARD
The extraordinary final drive through the remarkable South Karelian landscape of pine forests, fine lake reflections and the outstanding hayfields of the Finnish summer countryside. The remarkable straight Finnish forest roads through the extraordinary lake district are the finest driving in Finland.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Lusto Forest Museum 10km from Savonlinna at Punkaharju, the finest forest and forestry museum in Finland, tells the remarkable story of the extraordinary Finnish relationship with the forest from hunter-gatherer times to the present. The fine building in the remarkable pine forest, the outstanding scale model of the Lake District and the extraordinary diorama of Finnish forest history are the finest in any Finnish regional museum. Entry approx 12 EUR.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Lappeenranta cafe Good breakfast near the extraordinary Lappeenranta fortress. | Lunch: Imatra riverside Outstanding fresh lake fish at a fine Imatra riverside restaurant. Extraordinary Vuoksi pikeperch. | Dinner: Savonlinna return dinner Fine farewell Finnish dinner at Majakka or Paviljonki in the remarkable Savonlinna harbour.
DAY 4
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
DAY 5
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Where To Stay
Savonlinna Hotel Casino or Hernesaari Cottages. Lake views. Approx 80 to 200 EUR per night. Lake Cottage Traditional Finnish cottage on the Saimaa lake shore. Approx 100 to 300 EUR per night. Budget Guesthouses in Savonlinna. Approx 50 to 90 EUR per night.
Top Tips
1. Book the Savonlinna Opera Festival tickets months ahead if visiting in July. Extraordinary experience.
2. Hire a car. The Saimaa lake district is entirely inaccessible by public transport.
3. Book a traditional smoke sauna experience in advance through a local operator or lake cottage.
4. Seal watching tours are seasonal (May to August). Book through the Oravi nature centre.
5. The Kerimaki church is finest in summer Sunday morning service when the extraordinary scale fills with music.
6. Lake Saimaa vendace and pikeperch are the finest freshwater fish in Finland. Eat them at every opportunity.
Total Budget
115 to 470 EUR/day