Imatra & Lappeenranta – Adventure in South Karelia

*Collaboration/PR-trip: goSaimaa, article contains affiliate links

South Karelia in Finland charmed us from the first moment we stepped out from the train. We had received an invitation from Anu and Pete from the All Continents -travel blog for a press trip to Lake Saimaa, and during our three-day trip we got to explore the best of Imatra and Lappeenranta – natural wonders, culture, local delicacies and stories from the heart of Lake Saimaa. It was also a great pleasure to meet other travel influencers, without whom the trip would not have been as fun and unforgettable as it was.

Lappeenranta – The best tips for the port city

By train from Tampere to Lappeenranta

Our journey started comfortably from our home city Tampere, where we boarded the VR train towards Lappeenranta. The train journey was a great time to admire the beautiful rural landscapes of our country and get ready for the upcoming weekend adventure. At Lappeenranta station, we met the other people who had set off on the journey and our lovely goSaimaa guide. This is where our journey towards the best parts of Lappeenranta and Imatra began.

Original Sokos Hotel Lappee – Comfortable accommodation in the heart of the city

We stayed the first night at the Original Sokos Hotel Lappee, located right in the heart of Lappeenranta city center, next to the IsoKristiina shopping center. We give this hotel a 5/5, because this newly renovated, modern and beautifully decorated accommodation was exactly to our taste. Stylish rooms, central location, diverse and delicious breakfast (this always says a lot about a hotel!), compact and beautiful sauna and swimming pool area and, above all, wonderfully cordial staff.

BOOK ORIGINAL SOKOS HOTEL LAPPEE HERE

Lehmus Roastery and Satamatie 6 – The best café in town

We quickly left our luggage at the hotel and headed out to explore the city. Our guide first took us to the only right place to have a coffee in Lappeenranta – the Satamatie 6 café. The café is connected to the coffee roastery Lehmus Roastery, so here you can enjoy fresh coffee from their own roastery alongside delicious pastries and savory snacks. We ate a fresh croissant and a goat cheese bagel to satisfy our hunger, and we had delicious and beautiful raspberry raisin muffins to satisfy our thirst for coffee. The Satamatie 6 building itself is an old harbor warehouse from the early 1900s, and the history of the place brings its own unique atmosphere to the coffee moment.

The Sandcastle is an attraction for all ages

In the summer, the famous Sandcastle rises in the Lappeenranta harbor, its changing themes attracting viewers of all ages. This year, the theme is horror. The skillfully carved sandcastle made us stop several times to take pictures of the sandworks.

Lappeenranta Fortress offers an old-world atmosphere

Before dinner, we visited the Lappeenranta Fortress, which serves as the old town of Lappeenranta. The cobblestone streets and old buildings of the fortress exude history, but something else was happening here. The Cityravit 2025 event was being held there, and who else could host the event than the famous Finnish speaker Antero Mertaranta himself.

Restaurant Kehruuhuone in the best location

Dinner was already eagerly awaited at the end of a long day of travel. Restaurant Kehruuhuone in Lappeenranta Fortress had reserved a long table for us in their own hall and the buffet offered a variety of salads, vegetables, meat and vegan options. For dessert, there was chocolate mousse and mini pancakes. From here, with full stomachs, it was good to head for a walk to the harbor and back to the hotel for an evening sauna and a quick swim before going to bed.

Imatra – Rapids and cultural heritage

Water sports and local stories at Vuoksi Fishing Park

The next day, after a delicious hotel breakfast, we headed by bus to Vuoksi Fishing Park to digest our breakfast and try some wakeboarding. Well, some of us tried it and some didn’t. The most adventurous decided to take action and let themselves be carried along by a rope with a wakeboard in the 12-degree Vuoksi water, while the rest of us were content with the role of photographers or trying out lighter activities.

Vuoksi Fishing Park is a large outdoor event center where you can practice various water sports, from stand-up paddle boarding to water biking, wakeboarding, rowing, fishing and river cruises on Vuoksi. You can also try electric cycling or mini golf here. For those staying longer, the area offers accommodation and restaurant services, and we enjoyed a great lunch of traditional salmon soup and salmon stew at the end of our wild adventures.

Sauna raft Imatra – An experience with a capital E

Water is a big element in Saimaa, so the theme of our day continued by the water. Our next activity was to jump on a sauna raft and this was our first sauna raft experience. The Imatra Sauna Raft took us along the Vuoksi River and even though the day was a bit cool and windy, the scenery was still magnificent and worth experiencing. The wooden sauna offered sauna lovers a delicious steam bath and some dared to swim, even though the water was still freezing cold.

Imatrankoski is Finland’s oldest tourist attraction

Imatrankoski is a national landscape and the oldest tourist attraction in Finland. The rapids have been admired since the 18th century, and although the rapids are now dammed, you can still enjoy their roar during popular rapids shows. Imatrankoski is surrounded by Finland’s oldest nature park, the Crown Park, which was founded by the Russian Emperor Nicholas I. After the visit of the Russian Empress Catherine II, Imatra’s popularity grew even more among both the Russian nobility and the Finnish aristocracy, and eventually, by the end of the 20th century, Imatra was so popular that up to 14 train services ran from St. Petersburg to Imatra daily. The historic Art Nouveau hotel Imatra Valtionhotelli, which stands next to the rapids, is, together with the rapids, Imatra’s most famous attractions, and for good reason. (Source: goSaimaa).

Today, Imatrankoski only presents its roar during free rapids shows, as the rapids are dammed to generate electricity. Check the schedules of the rapids shows on the goSaimaa website. Imatrankoski is a Saimaa UNESCO Global Geopark site.

Nuotta offers fish from its own smokehouse on the shores of Lake Saimaa

Summer restaurant Nuotta is located on the shores of Lake Saimaa in the passenger harbor of Imatra, in a beautiful lakeside setting, right next to Imatra Spa. Restaurant Nuotta is an award-winning and acclaimed terrace restaurant, known mainly for its fish dishes, where professionalism is evident on the plate. When our group of travel influencers arrived with our cameras and phones, a few heads turned on the terrace. We must not have been an everyday sight in these parts, who knows? The food was good and the wine pairing worked brilliantly with the evening sun glistening in the background, that’s the main thing.

Imatra Spa Hotel – Step back in time

What would a visit to Imatra be without relaxing at the Imatra Spa? Our second accommodation was at the Imatra Spa Hotel, where we were able to relax in the old-style rooms on the Promenade side well into the next day. We went to enjoy the spa to the fullest and the variety of pools made it difficult to choose, so we tested each pool several times. The heated outdoor pool was a nice experience, as was the hot tub. We tested the water slides and unintentionally sipped refreshing pool water at the same time, even though we weren’t really thirsty. The spa gave us its best and we welcomed everything with joy.

The hotel offers restaurant services, shops, and a variety of activities and activities for the whole family. While a few small things in this hotel left a little to be desired, the spa’s spritzes crowned the visit and the Imatra Spa Hotel is definitely an experience worth experiencing.

BOOK YOUR STAY AT IMATRA SPA HERE

Why travel to Imatra and Lappeenranta?

Imatra and Lappeenranta offer the perfect combination of culture, nature, history, activities and good food. The heart of South Karelia beats warmly and welcomes travelers with unique hospitality. If you are looking for a memorable domestic trip, goSaimaa!

On Sunday it was time to return home and this time the train journey went by briskly, chatting and laughing about the weekend’s adventures with the group. Thanks for the trip, all my wonderful colleagues and partners!

HAVE YOU BEEN TO IMATRA AND LAPPEENRANTA? TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCES IN THE COMMENTS! 🙂

<3: Tiina Johanna

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*Photos: Tiina Johanna, blogger