Welcome to the VisitSaimaa website. It offers a wealth of inspiration and information about the Lake Saimaa region, family holidays, attractions to visit, activities, sauna culture, the Opera Festival, vendace, and the towns of Mikkeli, Savonlinna and Varkaus, to help you plan your holiday in Finland and in the Saimaa region.
Are you dreaming of a holiday in Finland, a lakeshore summer cabin, a private sauna, and blissful peace and quiet? Here you’ll find information about how to get to the Saimaa region, on what it offers, and about accommodation (whether you’d prefer a camping site, a cabin, or another type of accommodation).
An active holiday in the Saimaa region
Canoeing, cycling, swimming, hiking… Or would you rather go skiing or ice-swimming? What about walking in the forest, doing yoga on a jetty, or picking berries? The Finnish summer and winter offer a multitude of possibilities for many kinds of activities.
A getaway that’s closer than you think
Finland and the Saimaa region are surprisingly near. You can reach Finland’s capital city, Helsinki, from Central Europe in just a couple of hours by plane, and it only takes a couple of hours more to drive from Helsinki to the Saimaa region, in Eastern Finland. Your holiday in Finland is closer than you think.
FASCINATING SCENERY
How to get here
Lake Saimaa is in the province of Eastern Finland, in what many call the Finnish lake district. In this area, the towns of Mikkeli, Savonlinna, Lappeenranta, Imatra, Joensuu, and Kuopio are all only a short drive from each other.
The distance from the capital, Helsinki, to Mikkeli is 230 km (the travel time is about 2.5 hours) and to Savonlinna is 332 km (with a travel time of about 4 hours). You can easily travel to Savonlinna or Mikkeli by car, train, or coach, or you can travel to Savonlinna by plane from Helsinki.
10 reasons to come to Saimaa
Happiness from Saimaa region
Find your inner Finn – recipe for happiness
Tour skating on Lake Saimaa
Find the best routes
Saimaa is the European Region of Gastronomy
The Lake Saimaa Region has been named the European Region of Gastronomy for 2024
LAKE SAIMAA ACTIVITIES
Perille Trip Planner
Compare all public transportation options and book buses, trains, and flights in Finland. With Perille trip planner, you’ll find the best route, ride, and price with one search.