Savonlinna

The heart of the Finnish Lakeland, where the medieval Olavinlinna Castle hosts an opera festival every summer, surrounded by the picturesque scenery of Lake Saimaa, its ringed-seal national parks and the winding Punkaharju esker.

Savonlinna lies in South Savo in southeastern Finland. Built across several islands and peninsulas in the Saimaa lake system, about 330 km from Helsinki, it is the most iconic holiday town of the Finnish Lakeland. Its name means "Castle of Savo": the town grew up around Olavinlinna Castle, built in 1475 on a small island in the rapids, and from the 19th century it became a spa and lakeside summer resort.

There are two main parts to a visit. In town, the hub is the Market Square, passenger harbour and Olavinlinna Castle, and a lakeside path links the Riihisaari Nature Centre, the islet of Sulosaari, the old wooden houses of Linnankatu and the cathedral—all easily done on foot. Outside town, about 25–35 km to the southeast, are the Punkaharju esker, the Lusto Finnish Forest Museum and the historic Punkaharju Hotel; about 25 km to the northeast is Kerimäki Church, the world's largest wooden church; and to the north, Linnansaari and Kolovesi National Parks are the places to see the endangered Saimaa ringed seal and go kayaking.

The best season is June–August: the days are long, the lakes are warm enough to swim, and in July the Savonlinna Opera Festival is held in the castle courtyard, when accommodation must be booked months ahead. September brings lovely autumn colours. In winter the lakes freeze over and you can walk and skate on the ice and try a smoke sauna, but many cruises and attractions close. Getting there: the train from Helsinki takes about 4–4.5 hours (usually changing at Parikkala or Pieksämäki), long-distance buses about 4.5 hours, and there are also seasonal flights. The town centre is walkable; Punkaharju can be reached by train or car, while the national parks require a boat or a tour. Allow 2–3 days, adding 1–2 in summer to paddle on the lake or stay in a cottage. Local specialities are fried vendace (muikku) and the Savonian pastry lörtsy, both available at the Market Square.

Top sights

• Olavinlinna Castle – A medieval castle built in 1475 on a rocky island in a lake, one of the best-preserved medieval fortresses in northern Europe.
• Lake Saimaa Cruise – Take a vintage steamboat or sightseeing boat from the passenger harbour onto Lake Saimaa, either sailing around the castle or venturing fur…
• Savonlinna Market Square – A lakeside open-air market serving fried vendace (muikku) and Savo-style pies, in the city centre beside the harbour where the boat tours d…
• Riihisaari Lake Saimaa Nature Centre – A museum in a converted granary beside the castle, telling the story of Lake Saimaa's nature, the Saimaa ringed seal and the lake's shippin…
• Sulosaari – A wooded island reached by a wooden bridge, with a lakeside path and a summer café, and views of the castle and town.
• Savonlinna Cathedral – A red-brick neo-Gothic church from 1879, a landmark on the high ground of the western city, with a large pipe organ inside.
• Linnankatu Old Town – The street leading to the castle, lined with 19th-century painted wooden houses that now host craft workshops, galleries and guesthouses.
• Rauhalinna Villa – A lakeside villa from 1900 with romantic wood carvings, used in summer as a restaurant, café and small hotel, and reachable by boat.
• Punkaharju Ridge – A 7-kilometre-long narrow ridge of sand left by glaciers, with pines between two lakes, known as one of Finland's National Landscapes.
• Lusto Finnish Forest Museum – Finland's national forest museum, covering forestry, logging and forest culture, with forest trails nearby.
• Hotel Punkaharju – Said to be Finland's oldest hotel, a timber building that has welcomed visitors since 1845, set among the pines of the Punkaharju Ridge.
• Kerimäki Church – The world's largest wooden church, completed in 1847 with about 3,400 seats, an astonishing scale.
• Linnansaari National Park – An island national park in Lake Saimaa, offering kayaking, hiking and the chance to spot the endangered Saimaa ringed seal.
• Kolovesi National Park – A wilderness national park of cliffs and narrow channels, where you can paddle past prehistoric rock paintings and look for ringed seals.

Where to eat

• Kalastajan Koju – A summer restaurant by the water at the Market Square, serving Lake Saimaa vendace caught by their own fisherman, with…
• Ravintola Majakka – An established restaurant by the harbor operating for over fifty years, open year-round, using ingredients from local f…
• Sirkan Torikahvio – A coffee stall operating at the Market Square since 1978, serving home-baked lörtsy pastries with a wide choice of swee…

Itineraries

• Finnish Lakeland & North Karelia Self-Drive – A Lakeland loop starting from the southern shore of Lake Saimaa, passing through Savonlinna, Koli, Kuopio, and ending i…