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
Finland and its people draw their strength from nature: endless forests and thousands of lakes, a blue sky with white clouds, the four seasons with their distinctive features, snow and ice, and summer’s ‘white nights’. Finnish culture and design too draw their inspiration and driving force from nature. There is plenty of the power of nature to go around and to share with visitors. It’s worth experiencing for yourself, so come and let the beauty fascinate you on your holiday in Finland and the Saimaa region.
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
Saimaa is the European Region of Gastronomy
The Lake Saimaa Region has been named the European Region of Gastronomy for 2024
LAKE SAIMAA ACTIVITIES
Lake Saimaa is a very special place to both visitors and locals alike. Situated in the heart of Europe’s largest lake district, Saimaa offers great opportunities for outdoor activities, holidays and travel. Throughout the year, Finland is one of the best places in Europe to discover the outdoors or try something new, whether it be hiking in the endless pine forests or tasting the fresh local cuisine by the shores of its lakes.
Winter activities at Lake Saimaa
Lake Saimaa region has plenty of winter activities to experience. Ride with electric snowscooters, enjoy the snowy landscapes by snowshoes, ice-skate on Lake Saimaa’s ice… you name it!
The region’s calming spirit is around you. Everything else is stripped away; there is only you and the world around you. There’s no city noise, just silence in truly winter wonderland.
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.
