The Lake Saimaa region in Finland calls to be explored, with its beautiful sprawling forests and waterscape. In Europe’s largest lake district, there’s charming shoreline and stunning scenery in every direction, and what better way to see the shores of Lake Saimaa than cycling.

A place awaiting discovery, Lake Saimaa has wide, well maintained cycling routes for casually taking in the views with interesting destinations and plenty of rest places. Marked trails can be found both in Mäntyharju and Puumala in the Mikkeli region and in Punkaharju and Kerimäki in the Savonlinna region and, of course, the larger towns of Mikkeli and Savonlinna are well suited to walkers and cyclists alike. The National Parks offer splendid scenic beauty, untouched landscape and easy access to the archipelago.

Overnight stays while cycling in Finland – the charms of Saimaa

Lake Saimaa is home to many old manors that have been converted into comfortable, quaint hotels. Some of these are truly remarkable and can be found under the name, “Charms of Saimaa.”

Some old farms have also been converted to offer cosy accommodation for cyclists and other visitors looking for a more exciting place to stay. These low-cost accommodations are perfect for staying in for a few days, even as an impromptu visit, although we recommend that you make a reservation to be sure of a place to stay.

Cycling around Lake Saimaa – Stay a while and enjoy yourself!

When cycling by Lake Saimaa, with the shoreline constantly close, there are any number of opportunities for spontaneous breaks; take a quick rest, refreshments or a dip in the lake. There’s always a place nearby to cool your feet.

Look out for out-of-the-way restaurants during your travels or fuel up before you leave; there’s enough infrastructure around Lake Saimaa to ensure that no-one will go hungry!

The road calls to be travelled. The landscape invites you to stop. There is no time-table, stress or advertising. When cycling around Lake Saimaa, there’s only you and the nature of the Finnish countryside!