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The Finnish Lakeland

Most of Finland could be dubbed lakeland, but around here it seems there’s more aqua than terra firma. Reflecting the sky and forests as clearly as a mirror, the sparkling, clean water is likely to be one of your most enduring memories of Finland. When exploring the region, it's almost obligatory to get waterborne, whether it be while practising your paddling skills in a canoe or by hopping aboard a historic steamboat for leisurely progress down canals and across lakes.

On land, there's just as much to do. Architecture buffs from around the globe make the pilgrimage here to visit Alvar Aalto's buildings, opera aficionados arrive en masse to attend the world-famous Savonlinna Opera Festival and outdoor enthusiasts shoulder their packs and set out to hike through tranquil forests of spruce, birch and pine. And at the end of active days, there are always saunas to relax in.

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout The Finnish Lakeland.

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Säynätsalon Kunnantalo
One of Aalto's most admired works, this town hall was conceived as a 'fortress of democracy' and constructed between 1949 and 1952. Its sturdy brick tower references the medieval palazzi communale (town halls) Aalto had admired in Italy, but the grassy inner courtyard bathes the interior with light and reflects a relationship with nature that is distinctively Nordic. Guided tours (no booking necessary) visit the council chamber, Artek-furnished library and meeting rooms. The complex is remarkably intact and utterly magnificent.
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Olavinlinna
Built directly on rock in the middle of the lake (now accessed via bridges), this heavily restored 15th-century fortification was constructed as a military base on the Swedes' restless eastern border. The currents in the surrounding water ensure that it remains unfrozen in winter, which prevented enemy attacks over ice. To visit the castle's upper levels, including the towers and chapel, you must join an hour-long guided tour. Guides bring the castle to life with vivid accounts of its history.
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Lusto Suomen Metsämuseo
'Lusto' is the Finnish word for a tree’s annual growth ring, and this well-curated and cleverly presented museum is all about forests and the growth of the local timber industry. Displays (with English labels) cover everything from forest biodiversity, forest healers and forest myths, to the history of forest settlements and forestry technology. The huge hall filled with machinery features a tower of chainsaws and various interactive displays – everyone will enjoy testing their motor skills with a timber loader.
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Muuratsalon Koetalo
Connected to Säynätsalo by bridges, peaceful Muuratsalo islet was the summer retreat of Alvar and Elissa Aalto. Aalto built his Experimental House – a must-see for architecture buffs – on three hectares of forest on the shore of Päijänne, and it can now be visited by pre-arranged guided tours; book through the Alvar Aalto Museo or Jyväskylä tourist office. To get here, drive or take bus 16 (€4.70, 40 minutes) from Jyväskylä; the house is 500m on from the final stop.
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Lintulan Luostari
Finland’s only Orthodox convent is particularly lovely in early summer, when the many flowers in its beautifully tended gardens bloom. The order was founded in Karelia in 1895 and its nuns relocated to this location near New Valamo after WWII. Visits outside summer are by appointment. When here, be sure to follow the walking trail from the car park past the small cemetery and down through the forest to the shed-like Chapel of St Paraskeva on the shore of Koskijärvi.
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Valamon Luostari
Finland’s only Orthodox monastery is idyllically located on an island in Juojävi. Visitors are free to roam the site and enter the churches. The first church was made by connecting two sheds; the rustic architecture contrasts curiously with its gilded icons. The modern church has an onion-shaped dome and an incense-saturated interior featuring an elaborate iconostasis. Visitors can follow a 4.5km marked walking trail to a pilgrim's wooden cross located on the lake's edge.
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Kerimäen Iso Kirkko
Kerimäki may be small (pop 5000), but its Lutheran church certainly isn't. Built in 1847, the building was designed to accommodate 5000 and is commonly described as the world's largest wooden church. At the time of its construction, the town's population was 12,000, and the reverend wanted a church that could seat at least half of all residents. The building's scale is immense and the grand, light-drenched interior features stained-glass lamps and unusual wood panels painted to resemble marble.
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Kenkävero
A picturesque 19th-century timber parsonage estate 1.3km southwest of the city centre on the shore of Lake Saimaa, Kenkävero is now Mikkeli's most popular tourist attraction. The parsonage building houses a restaurant (buffet lunch €29; open 11am to 3pm), and a variety of outbuildings are now home to handicrafts and design shops, the best of which is undoubtedly Myymäla. It also has a summer-only lakeside cafe, an artisan bakery and a gorgeous garden planted with over 500 plant species.
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Riihisaari
On an island that was once a naval port, this museum housed in a handsome 16th-century granary recounts local history and the importance of water transport. It also has a number of exhibits about the history, flora and fauna of Lake Saimaa, including a 12-minute video about the underwater world of Torsti, an endangered ringed seal pup living in the lake. Exhibits on the ground floor are more interesting than those upstairs.