Ilomantsi

Introducing Ilomantsi

Ilomantsi, 72km east of Joensuu, is the centre of a charming region and Finland's most Karelian, Orthodox and eastern municipality. It is one of three regions with a non-mainstream indigenous culture (the others being Åland and the Sámi culture of northern Lapland) and indigenous Karelians see themselves as distinct from Russians and Finns.

This is the ideal place to base yourself for hiking and other activities in the Karelian wilderness. It's a very friendly region and is a good place to witness local culture in the form of Praasniekka festivals. The village centre itself is modern and quite ugly, having been trampled by the Russians, but it's the surrounding region that demands exploration, either on foot or by bicycle.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009