Things to do and see in Lappeenranta
The lively harbour and historical Fortress of Lappeenranta will provide you with just the right dose of culture. Those looking for culture will find the historical Fortress of Lappeenranta a unique attraction: the oldest Orthodox church in Finland, culture and event centre Kehruuhuone, café Majurska and the small shops in the area are a great experience, especially for a person visiting the town for the first time!
For museum enthusiasts, Lappeenranta offers something to see for several days: the Fortress houses the South Karelia Museum, the Lappeenranta Art Museum and the Cavalry Museum, the latter of which is only open in the summertime. In the summer, you can also visit the Saimaa Canal Museum right at the mouth of the canal or the charming Kotkaniemi, the home museum of one of the key figures of Finnish independence and former President, P.E. Svinhufvud, which is a short drive (23 km) away.
The scent of coffee and steaming meat pasties...
You cannot visit Lappeenranta and not taste one of our local delicacies, the vety (a meat pasty stuffed with both ham and egg) or atomi (a meat pasty stuffed with either ham or egg). "Sataman Sanni" and a number of other kiosks sell this unique fast food. You will find Paahtimo Lehmus Roastery, a café and a factory outlet right at the tip of the harbour at Satamatie 6. We recommend taking home with you some coffee named after one of the districts of Lappeenranta.
If you're in the mood for some pampering, we recommend the Hyvä Olo -beauty salon in the same building. Relaxing is easy and quick, as the beauty salon is only a short distance away, and you can stop to have a cup of coffee or a glass of bubbly on the way!
Bathing in the sauna in the evening...
Our sauna is like a small spa. We recommend that when in Lappeenranta, you reserve plenty of time for your bath. Our large swimming pool will refresh you, and it is plenty of fun for your children. If you're bringing a larger group to Lappeenranta for a bachelor/bachelorette party, for example, you should absolutely try out the services of our partner Saimaan Palju ja Aktiviteetti, such as their splendid floating sauna.
If you're travelling alone and would like to bathe in a lakeside sauna, we recommend the public lakeside sauna in Myllysaari.
We wish you plenty of wonderful experiences in Lappeenranta – and hope to see you again soon!