🇫🇮Lappeenranta | Discover this hidden gem of Northern Europe!
#JulyDestinations2025
🎈『🇫🇮Lappeenranta』
A hidden gem of Northern Europe, just 60 kilometers from Russia, half "Little Switzerland" with its picturesque lakes and mountains, and half a fairytale town with Russian charm...
🚂Transportation
✈️Direct Flights: Ryanair offers round-trip flights from Milan and Rome, and the airport is just a 10-minute drive from the city center.
🚄Train: Allegro trains reach Helsinki in 2 hours and St. Petersburg in 1.5 hours.
🚢Visa-free ferry: Available from June to August Saimaa Canal cruise direct to Vyborg, Russia (check schedules in advance)
🌞Best Travel Season
🔥Summer (June-August): Average temperatures above 20°C, perfect for boat tours, sand sculpture festivals, and forest hikes.
❄Winter (December-February): Around -5°C, perfect for ice fishing, husky sledding, and aurora viewing.
📸Buy-In Guide
1. Lappeenranta Fortress
Building a Swedish military fortress in 1721, it features a recreated dragoon patrol performance and panoramic views of Lake Saimaa from its ramparts.
2. Saimaa Canal Cruise The 43-kilometer waterway passes through eight locks and ends in Vyborg, Russia. A Chinese-language guide is available on board.
3. Sand Sculpture Art Park
This park features a fairytale castle and movie characters carved from 3 tons of sand each summer. The nighttime light show is truly captivating.
4. Church of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary
This Orthodox church, frequented by Marshal Suvorov, boasts 18th-century icons, murals, and silverware, all worth exploring.
5. Saimaa Seal Monument
A bronze seal in a small pond on the pedestrian street, representing a freshwater seal subspecies with only 310 remaining in the world.
🎒 Itinerary
Day 1: Fortress Museum → Cavalry Museum → Old Town Hall → Canal Cruise (Includes Dinner)
Day 2: Kayaking on Lake Saimaa → LUT University Observation Deck → South Karelia Art Museum
Day 3: Duty-Free Shop → Volkoff Russian Restaurant → Photographing Russian Street Scenes
Day 4: Winter Only (December-February)
Snowmobile → Ice Floating → Reindeer Farm → Sauna Cabin
Day 5: Karelia Aviation Museum → Art Museum → Free Market