Things to see and do Eastern Finland Province

Valamo is the name of the largest island in Lake Ladoga (now in Russia), where an Orthodox religious foundation was established in the 10th century. The monastery remained for a long time the oldest and most important in Finnish Karelia. At the height of its glory, it had more than 1,500 monks. The monastery has been home to priceless religious treasures and has attracted increasing numbers of pilgrims over the centuries. During the Winter War of 1940, when the USSR troops invaded the region, a few surviving monks found refuge in Heinävesi in an old manor house. Only the precious icons from the 18th century and a few sacred objects were thus saved from the advance of the Soviets. It is here, in Heinävesi, that they will build the new monastery of Valamo.

An Orthodox Institute of Free Studies is now open. At the same time, at the end of the 1980s, the University of Joensuu introduced a course in Orthodox theology. Uusi Valamo has become an active centre of the Orthodox cultural tradition, welcoming 100,000 visitors each year, whether they are pilgrims in search of meditation or simply tourists. Faithful to tradition, the community of men lives from farming, fishing and tourism. In addition to the church, completed in 1976 (beautiful icons in silver and gold, pearls and precious stones), there is a cultural centre and an inn. New Valamo also houses one of the richest Orthodox libraries (open to visitors staying in Valamo) and the best icon restoration workshop in Northern Europe.

Reopened in the summer of 2011 after long renovations, the museum is dedicated to bringing to life the unique tradition and history of a region at the crossroads between West and East. It hosts a permanent exhibition whose title "Karelia on both sides of the border" is self-explanatory, as well as the importance of the sauna. There are also temporary exhibitions. The Carelicum cultural centre also houses the tourist office and a very nice café.

Created, extended in 1992 in 1996, it allows to protect a region with a rich heritage. The natural appearance is predominant here with a rare and protected vegetation. The human aspect is also essential from the region was successively place of worship and ancestral sacrificial, subject to the privileged painters of the 19th century and finally holiday resort for over a century. The park also contains the rural nature and activities, including denshering on agriculture. Hiking trails and cross-country skiing in winter, fishing, canoeing, etc.

This small Karelian village houses a permanent exhibition on the Kalevala. As a reminder, the Kalevala is a Finnish national epic based on Finnish mythology originally transmitted orally, these are popular poems collected from the population. It is a major work symbolic of the Finnish national identity written in 1835 by Elias Lönnrot. An opportunity to discover Karelian songs and traditions.

The place is famous even for Finns who have never been to Kuopio! The 75m high tower houses a revolving panoramic restaurant - a great place to grab a bite to eat! But above all, it offers a magnificent view of the region with its lake Kallavesi and its forests as far as the eye can see. The unreal light at sunset in summer is mesmerizing, you can stay a long time contemplating the landscape! See also the impressive ski jumps from which the flying Finns take off. Start walking in the surrounding spruce forest.

One of the biggest cultural events of the summer in Finland. The programme includes painting exhibitions, concerts, lectures, etc. Every 3-4 years, a competition of young painters is held here, as well as a traditional Finnish singing competition Merikanto. The restaurant Kesäheinä - Summer Hay - serves you inside. This event is very popular among Finns, and is attracting more and more foreigners. In addition to art exhibitions, the Salmela Centre also organises concerts, see their website for the agenda.

Now an observation tower, this old water tower from 1912 stands on Naisvuori (literally "Women's Mountain") hill in the centre of Mikkeli town. The café inside, known for its delicious waffles, is always busy during the summer holidays. It is the ideal place to take a break between visits and walks, and is a great place to enjoy a meal. The hill also has a small park with all kinds of flowers. You can have a picnic here or simply enjoy the splendid view!

Erä Eero offers organized excursions to observe bears and other animals such as beavers, wolves, wolverines, lynxes and birds at night. A moment out of time! We walk around and we settle on the towers arranged to land and take pictures, there are about ten around and we walk between 50 meters and 300 meters maximum. Once in the cabins, we only have to wait and hope to see appearing under our amazed eyes one of the magnificent Finnish mammals! Professional and very nice welcome!

This huge wooden church, whose construction was completed in 1848, can accommodate up to 5,000 worshippers (3,000 of whom are seated). It is the largest in the world, and the measurements of the building speak for themselves: 45 m long by 42 m wide and 27 m high under the dome. Why such a big church in such a small village? Legend has it that the architect got confused between feet and meters as a unit of measurement! Its construction required the collaboration of all the men of the village aged between 15 and 60 years old during 3 years.

The museum houses Martti Airio's private collection, which he bequeathed on his death. It features works by Finnish painters from 1870 to 1990, including artists from the Septem Group and the November Group. Upstairs, you'll find sculptures by Johannes Haapasalo (1880-1965), a pupil of Rodin. Some of these are scattered around downtown Mikkeli. There are also temporary exhibitions showcasing young local artists.

A visit to this former craftsmen's quarter is a must. You can enjoy good coffee, shop in design and contemporary art shops and jewellery stores, and see weavers at work in the craft centre... Then you can push on to the Orthodox Church of St. Nicplas (Kirkkokatu). This small wooden church dates from 1887. Some of the icons were painted in St. Petersburg at the end of the 19th century. Shop selling icons.

In Petkeljärvi National Park, you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of moraine hills, lake systems, pine moors, swamps and meadows. There are two easy marked trails, and a Taitajan Taival hiking trail that leads to the village of Putkela (22 km). Camping is also possible at Petraniemi. Another beautiful hiking trail is called the Wolf Trail (90 km from Mökhö to Patvinsuo National Park).

This park is full of activities! First there's the Dinosauria amusement park, featuring life-size dinosaurs and a water park (open only in summer). Then there's the Wax Museum, where you'll find frozen images of the country's most important personalities. Last but not least, the Automobile Museum exhibits beautiful vintage cars. Also in the park: restaurants (to suit all tastes), mini-golf, tennis courts, a campground and comfortable chalets.

It's a friendly market, more lively in summer than out of season, of course, and was already active in the Middle Ages. Here you can sample muikku (small fish), rieska (unleavened bread) and kalakukko (filled rolls), among other delicacies.

The covered market is also worth a visit. It has just celebrated its 100th anniversary, and is located inside a large, modern shopping center. It's open Monday to Friday, 7.30 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, 7.30 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Savilahdenkatu 6).

Created in 1982, the museum presents the evolution of the Finnish infantry from the 1890s to the present day. The permanent exhibitions are very interesting around the history: that of the road to independence in 1918, then the years 1920-1930 before treating more particularly the Second World War. It's not only for history buffs! We advise you to book a guide in advance... South of the Infantry Museum, in Urpola, continue your visit by taking a look at the nature park (Luontokeskus).

The museum is located in the former school from which Field Marshal Mannerheim and his staff led the military operations against the Soviets. During the Second World War, the Finnish General Staff was based in Mikkeli. The town was ideally situated for the commanders, as it was at a good distance from all the fronts. On the spot, you can see the Marshal's office and an audio-visual programme on the activities of the General Staff.

The museum offers a collection of 400 mechanical musical instruments from around the world. A guided tour in English (1 hour) is included in the entrance fee. It was born from Liisa and Jürgen Kempf's passion for music and antiques. Originally from Germany, the couple were used to this type of museum in their home country and when they arrived in Finland, they wanted to share their passions. The museum was opened in 1981 with, at the beginning, 70 instruments on display.

Finland is a strange country. In addition to swimming in the lakes in winter and summer, they also drive on them in winter, and in a very official way. The Finnish road administration is in charge of opening the ice road every winter. It is laid out between Koli (at the campsite) and the port of Vuonislahti. For 7 km, the speed limit is 50 km/h and the maximum weight is 3 t. The road is sometimes closed due to bad weather, faults or flooding..

Once parked, take the funicular (free, runs from 8am to 10pm) to the heritage sanctuary. The Koli park house is a mine of information for outdoor activities in the area. People come here to book guided tours, pick up maps and brochures... There are also souvenir shops, cafes and restaurants. Many hikers choose this place as a starting point.