Must-see attractions in Karelia

Standing guard above the harbour, this hulking hilltop fortification was begun by the Swedes and finished by the Russians in the late 18th century. Today…

Between Vuonislahti and Vuonisjärvi, Paateri was the home and workshop of Eva Ryynänen (1915–2001), Finland’s most respected wood sculptor – as…

The 1929 construction of Imatra's hydroelectric complex (Finland’s largest) dammed the river, but the watery wonder lives on with the spectacular 20…

Every summer, around 30 sand artists from Finland and abroad gather to build the Hiekkalinna, a giant themed ‘sandcastle’ made from some 3 million kg of…

Themed displays – on the region’s prehistory, its war-torn past, the Karelian evacuation, the importance of the sauna etc – cover both sides of Karelia's…

What looks like an ordinary roadside rest stop adjoins a woodland area with 256 surreal life-size sculptures of figures in yoga poses. They're the work of…

Karelian traditions are celebrated at this little village 2km south of Ilomantsi. It's named for bard and kantele player Jaakko Parppei (1792–1885), whose…

The striking wooden Taistelijan Talo was designed by Joensuu architect Erkki Helasvuo in 1988 to symbolise the meeting of East and West. On the ground…

Lake Pielinen's largest island, Paalasmaa, is the highest in Finland at 225m above sea level. The best view is from the 18m-high wooden observation tower,…

The cavalry are honoured as Lappeenranta’s greatest heroes and the 1772-built former garrison (the town’s oldest building) at the Linnoitus fortress tells…

Situated 8.5km northwest of the city centre, off Rd 9, this outdoor museum is part of the Suomen Salpa ('Finland's Bolt'). Built between the Winter War…

The centrepiece of this recreated Karelian 'village' encompassing the Sokos Hotel Bomba is the imposing Bomba Talo, with its high roof and ornate wooden…

More than 70 Karelian buildings and open-air exhibits at this outdoor museum are organised by century or trade (such as farming, milling and fire-fighting…

Backing onto the runway of Lappeenranta airport (Finland's oldest still in operation), this extraordinary museum has three exhibition halls housed in…

Finland's oldest winery was established in 1989. You can chat about the fascinating wine-making process and buy bottles, although due to Finnish alcohol…

Diagonally across the park from its own bell tower, the adorable wooden Lappee Church was built in 1794 to an unusual ‘double cruciform’ floor plan, the…

Founded by Tsar Nicholas I in 1842, Finland's oldest nature park is one of the 27 Finnish national landscapes selected in 1992 as part of the 75th…

Founded in 1957, Joensuu's botanic gardens contain over 600 plant species in four separate areas: desert, tropical, sub-tropical and temperate. Highlights…

Dating back over a century, these charming wooden buildings are some of the few remaining in Joensuu; some have been relocated here from other parts of…

Focusing on the history of Lappeenranta – and of its two sister towns, Käkisalmi (Priozersk) and Vyborg, lost across the Russian border in 1939, this…