Lintula Orthodox Convent Getting there & around

Getting there & away

There are buses direct to Valamo from Joensuu and Mikkeli, but the services aren't frequent. From Heinävesi you need to change at Karvio. For Lintula, daily buses from Kuopio stop in the nearby village of Palokki, but if you're coming from the south, the nearest bus stop is on the highway 9km away.

The most pleasant way to get to either place in summer is on a Monastery Cruise(adult/child €60/30) from Kuopio. The cruise uses a combination of the regular Kuopio to Savonlinna ferry and car or bus transport. The ferry departs Kuopio at 9am Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, then there's car transport from Palokki to Lintula and Valamo, then a bus back to Kuopio. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and Sunday transport is reversed with a bus to Valamo at noon and a ferry back from Palokki.

There are also canal cruises on the MS Sergei(570 111; tickets €8-15) from Valamo to Palokki and on Joujärvi.