Cycling in Lake Saimaa region - Discover Finland by Bike

Discover Lake Saimaa by bike and experience Finland’s stunning Lakeland at your own pace. Cycle along peaceful country roads, scenic lakeshores and forest trails, with charming towns, local flavours and unforgettable landscapes waiting along the way.

The region’s cycling routes invite you to slow down and experience a landscape where forests, lakeshores and charming local stops are naturally woven into the journey. The terrain is wonderfully varied: rolling hills and rewarding climbs alternate with gentler, flatter stretches, while quiet gravel roads wind through forests and countryside and along the shores of Lake Saimaa.

The shoreline is rarely far away, and there are plenty of reasons to pause along the way – for a coffee at a local café, a refreshing swim in the lake or simply a moment to enjoy the stillness of Finnish nature. Around every bend, the scenery changes, revealing quiet bays, island views, forested hills and open countryside stretching towards the horizon.

Cycling routes around Mikkeli and Puumala offer something for different interests and levels of experience, from relaxed rides to more adventurous journeys combining paved roads and gravel. The surrounding nature adds even more variety, with forests, viewpoints and magnificent Lake Saimaa scenery making cycling here as much about the journey as the destination.

Bring your own bike or rent one locally and set off to explore the beautiful landscapes of Lake Saimaa on two wheels.

Four-day cycling journey in Lake Saimaa region

This four-day cycling journey takes you through the best of the Lake Saimaa region. Discover the highlights of Mikkeli, cycle through peaceful countryside and charming lakeside villages and experience the ancient Astuvansalmi Rock Paintings on a memorable boat trip. Along the way, enjoy local flavours made with ingredients from the surrounding forests and fields and immerse yourself in the beautiful rural landscapes of Finnish Lakeland.

This itinerary is suitable for two persons but can be custom-designed also for small groups.

Cycling: approx. 40 km | Highlights: Lake Saimaa cruise, Astuvansalmi Rock Paintings, Finnish sauna & floating accommodation

Arrive in Mikkeli by train from Helsinki – the journey takes just 2.5 hours – or travel by car. Bring your own bike or rent one in Mikkeli before setting off on your Lake Saimaa adventure.

Lunch in Mikkeli & cycle to Ristiina village

Start your journey with lunch at Bistro Holvi in the heart of Mikkeli city. As D.O. Saimaa restaurant, Bistro Holvi showcases flavours of the region, using high-quality local and seasonal ingredients from trusted producers around Lake Saimaa region. After lunch, hop on your bike and cycle approximately 24 kilometre to the charming village of Ristiina and its harbour.

By boat to the Astuvansalmi Rock Paintings

At Ristiina harbour, board a RIB Saimaa boat with your bicycle and head out across Lake Saimaa towards Astuvansalmi Rock Paintings.

Astuvansalmi is one of Finland’s most remarkable prehistoric rock art sites. Painted on a steep lakeside cliff thousands of years ago, the figures of people, animals and boats tell stories of the people who once lived and travelled in Lake Saimaa region.

After exploring Astuvansalmi, continue by RIB Saimaa boat to Kallioniemi, where your cycling journey continues towards Uhkua.

Gravel roads to Uhkua

From Kallioniemi, cycle 14 kilometers to Uhkua along quiet gravel roads surrounded by forests, fields and peaceful rural scenery. This is a chance to experience another side of Lake Saimaa, far from busy roads and surrounded by nature.

Sauna, local flavours & night on the water

After a day of cycling and exploring, relax with a Finnish sauna experience in Uhkua. In the evening, enjoy a D.O. Saimaa dinner basket delivered to your floating raft, filled with local flavours and ingredients from the region.

Spend the night in unique floating raft accommodation on Lake Saimaa, surrounded by the peaceful nature.

Cycling: approx. 34 km | Optional Riimukivi Farm detour: +20 km | Highlights: rural landscapes, Anttola village & lakeside accommodation

Breakfast on the water

Wake up surrounded by the peaceful waters and nature of Lake Saimaa and start your morning with breakfast basket delivered to your floating raft. The route takes you through beautiful rural landscapes, with forests, fields and glimpses of Lake Saimaa along the way.

Optional detour to Riimukivi Farm

If you would like to add a café stop to your day, take an optional detour to Riimukivi Farm. The route via Road 62 adds approximately 20 kilometres to the day’s cycling, but rewards you with a relaxing break in a charming countryside setting. Stepping into Riimukivi Farm is like travelling back to the 1800s. Take a break from cycling to meet the farm’s friendly sheep, browse locally made products in the Craft Shop and taste local delicacies at the summer café. For an especially atmospheric experience, enjoy a cup of traditional soot pot coffee by the open fire, served by staff dressed in authentic historical clothing.

Hop back on your bike and make your way towards Anttola village.

Lunch by Lake Saimaa in Anttola village

Arrive in the charming lakeside village of Anttola and stop for lunch at Anttola harbour, surrounded by beautiful Lake Saimaa scenery. After lunch, continue cycling towards Saimaanranta Resort, your destination for the night.

A relaxing evening at Saimaanranta Resort

At Saimaanranta Resort, choose from different ways to stay: a beautiful lakeside villa with its own private pier, a modern hillside villa with lake views or a cosy hotel room in the main building.

Guests staying in the villas can relax in their own private sauna, or you can book a private lakeside sauna for a traditional Finnish sauna experience. Finish the day with dinner delivered directly to your villa or hotel room or enjoyed at the resort's restaurant.

Cycling: approx. 34 km | Highlights: Ollinmäki Winery, Tertti Manor, Finnish sauna & local flavours

From Saimaanranta Resort to Ollinmäki Winery

Start the morning with breakfast, either delivered to your room or enjoyed at the restaurant. Then get back on your bike and cycle approximately 6 kilometres to Ollinmäki Winery. Located in the countryside of Anttola, Ollinmäki is one of Finland’s pioneering wineries, with roots in berry growing and horticulture stretching back more than 100 years. The winery produces wines, sparkling wines and ciders using Finnish berries and brings together local ingredients and European winemaking traditions. Stop by the wine and gift shop and discover some of the flavours produced in the Lake Saimaa region.

Through countryside to beautiful Tertti Manor for a lunch

From Ollinmäki, continue along gravel roads through peaceful forests, fields and rural landscapes towards Tertti Manor. Tertti Manor is a functioning farm with its own herb garden and eco-certified forest, which has been owned by the same family since the late 1800’s. The stunning manor house serves as a delightful restaurant serving fresh, local food in historical surroundings. The culinary delights of Tertti Manor are regionally and nationally renowned. Their food philosophy is based on clean, local ingredients, mostly grown on their own land. You will get a peek of their delicious farming cellar full of produce from the summer and autumn gone and hear fascinating stories of life at the manor house from years gone by.  

Take a well-earned break and enjoy lunch at the manor before exploring its beautiful gardens. The four-hectare grounds include gardens and areas where ingredients for the manor’s kitchen are grown. Before continuing your journey, visit the manor shop for local delicacies, gifts and souvenirs.

Cycle to Mikkeli & relax at Kaihu Sauna World

After lunch, it’s time for the final cycling stretch towards Mikkeli. Your destination is Kaihu Sauna World, where you can leave the kilometres behind and enjoy a relaxing Finnish sauna experience – a perfect way to unwind after three days of cycling through the Lake Saimaa region. Between sauna sessions, cool down with a refreshing dip in the lake or unwind in the heated outdoor pool.

Take your time to enjoy the peaceful lakeside atmosphere, and after the sauna, relax by the fireplace in the lounge bar with a refreshing drink or light snack. You can also head up to the rooftop terrace and take in the surrounding lake views.

An Evening in Mikkeli city center

After your sauna, head to Original Sokos Hotel Vaakuna in the heart of Mikkeli and settle in for the evening.

Take a stroll around Mikkeli Market Square and explore the city centre before finishing the day with dinner at Gastropub Eino. Taste one of the region’s best-known local fish, vendace (=muikku), and celebrate the final evening of your cycling journey with the flavours of Lake Saimaa.

After a delicious breakfast, enjoy a leisurely final morning in Mikkeli before starting your journey home. If time allows, explore the lively Mikkeli Market Square or visit the Muisti Centre of War and Peace for an engaging look into Finland’s wartime history and its impact on people and society.

Thank you for visiting Lake Saimaa - Mikkeli region!

Experience the beautiful sceneries in Finnish Lakeland on the Puumala Archipelago Route. Cycle 60 km through beautiful islands and ridges with magnificent lake views.

The entire route can be cycled in a single day. However, with so many sights, activities and experiences to enjoy along the way, spending a few days exploring the route is highly recommended. Recommended accommodation along the route: Sahanlahti Resort, Okkola Holiday Cottages, Saimaa Canoeing, Pistohiekka Resort.

Most of the route follows paved roads, with only two short gravel sections of approximately 2 km and 4 km.

The Norppa II ferry provides transport for cyclists between the islands of Hurissalo and Lintusalo. The ferry departs daily from Lintusalo at 12 noon and from Hurissalo at 1 pm. Tickets can be purchased on board using a debit or credit card. We recommend booking your place on the ferry in advance.

This itinerary is suitable for individual travelers and small groups.