Lappeenranta

The City of Lappeenranta (population 70,000) is the economic and cultural center of southeast Finland near the border of Russia and at the southern edge of the Saimaa, the largest lake (system) of Finland. Its culture and dialects are strongly part of Eastern Finland, although it administratively belongs to the Province of Southern Finland. Also known as Villmanstrand (its Swedish name and previous English name), Lappeenranta has a colourful, 360-year history influenced by its location in the border dividing western and eastern cultures.

• Visit the historical fortress., the original city center which was established in mid-17th century. The old buildings include artist workshops, the oldest orthodox church in Finland., completed in 1785, as well as the Museum of South Carelia. and the Art Museum of South Carelia..
• Sandcastle. The biggest one in Scandinavia. Each summer an ever larger sandcastle is built by artists on the northern end of the harbour area. Each year they have a different theme and make sculptures on the walls of the castle accordingly. There is a small theatre inside the castle playing acts intended mainly to children and families.

Visit the historical fortress., the original city center which was established in mid-17th century. The old buildings include artist workshops, the oldest orthodox church in Finland., completed in 1785, as well as the Museum of South Carelia. and the Art Museum of South Carelia..

Visit the historical fortress., the original city center which was established in mid-17th century. The old buildings include artist workshops, the oldest orthodox church in Finland., completed in 1785, as well as the Museum of South Carelia. and the Art Museum of South Carelia..

Visit the historical fortress., the original city center which was established in mid-17th century. The old buildings include artist workshops, the oldest orthodox church in Finland., completed in 1785, as well as the Museum of South Carelia. and the Art Museum of South Carelia..

Visit the historical fortress., the original city center which was established in mid-17th century. The old buildings include artist workshops, the oldest orthodox church in Finland., completed in 1785, as well as the Museum of South Carelia. and the Art Museum of South Carelia..

Sandcastle. The biggest one in Scandinavia. Each summer an ever larger sandcastle is built by artists on the northern end of the harbour area. Each year they have a different theme and make sculptures on the walls of the castle accordingly. There is a small theatre inside the castle playing acts intended mainly to children and families.

• Harbour area. The harbour, the parks nearby, the fortress and Myllysaari beach are a perfect place to chill out in summertime, sitting on the terraces, drinking, eating and watching the boats and things that happen. Live music played on many summer days. Early in August there is a popular festival called "Linnoituksen yö" (Engl. The Night of the Fortress) in the harbour and fortress area.

• Lake Saimaa and the Saimaa Canal. Take a cruise from Lappeenranta to the Saimaa, Saimaa canal or Vyborg, Russia through the canal! This canal was build to connect the Saimaa to the Baltic Sea at the dawn of industrialisation. The canal was modernized in the 1960s. The canal connects to the Bay of Finland, on Russian territory, close to Vyborg (Finn. Viipuri). The canal is mostly used by cargo ships, but there are also passenger boats operating from Lappeenranta to Vyborg. It is also used by private boats from Finland and abroad.
• In winter, the city seems to quiet down a little. The main attractions during winter are the city theatre and major league ice hockey and basketball games. Also many possibilities exist for practising winter sports. There are tens of kilometres worth of cross-country skiing tracks (a popular stage circles around the airport), and also a small downhill skiing slope. Many outdoor and indoor ice-rinks are available for skating. The city bay becomes a skating track during winter.

Harbour area. The harbour, the parks nearby, the fortress and Myllysaari beach are a perfect place to chill out in summertime, sitting on the terraces, drinking, eating and watching the boats and things that happen. Live music played on many summer days. Early in August there is a popular festival called "Linnoituksen yö" (Engl. The Night of the Fortress) in the harbour and fortress area.

Lake Saimaa and the Saimaa Canal. Take a cruise from Lappeenranta to the Saimaa, Saimaa canal or [[Vyborg]], [[Russia]] through the canal! This canal was build to connect the [[Saimaa]] to the [[Baltic Sea]] at the dawn of industrialisation. The canal was modernized in the 1960s. The canal connects to the Bay of Finland, on Russian territory, close to Vyborg (Finn. Viipuri). The canal is mostly used by cargo ships, but there are also passenger boats operating from Lappeenranta to Vyborg. It is also used by private boats from Finland and abroad.

Situated close to the border, Lappeenranta is one of the most popular destinations for Russian shopping travellers. The two major shopping mall chains Prisma and Citymarket are located at the outskirts of the city.

• Citymarket, Toikansuontie 4 (at the crossing of highway 6 and regional road 390.
• Prisma, Puhakankatu 9 (at the eastern end of the airport.
• Iso Kristiina, Brahenkatu 3–7. The largest mall in the city centre, Iso-Kristiina hosts an Anttila department store and a variety of smaller shops, mostly selling clothing.

Citymarket, Toikansuontie 4 (at the crossing of highway 6 and regional road 390.

Prisma, Puhakankatu 9 (at the eastern end of the airport.

Iso Kristiina, Brahenkatu 3–7. The largest mall in the city centre, Iso-Kristiina hosts an Anttila department store and a variety of smaller shops, mostly selling clothing.

• Small coffee booths at the harbour and the market square. (Kauppatori) offer traditional meat pies called vety (Eng. "hydrogen") and atomi (Eng. "atom"). Vety consists of a meat pie, ham, boiled egg and condiments. Atomi has either ham or egg, but not both. Also other snack food is offered by the booths. Just ask for 'vetyatomi' and you'll be understood in nearly all the grillikioskis in Finland.

Small coffee booths at the harbour and the market square. (Kauppatori) offer traditional meat pies called vety (Eng. "hydrogen") and atomi (Eng. "atom"). Vety consists of a meat pie, ham, boiled egg and condiments. Atomi has either ham or egg, but not both. Also other snack food is offered by the booths. Just ask for 'vetyatomi' and you'll be understood in nearly all the grillikioskis in Finland.

• Wolkoff, Kauppakatu 26, +358 5 4150320. M-F 11:00-24:00, Sa 16:30-23:00. A nice, cozy 50-seat restaurant in a historical 150-year-old house. Non-smoking. In the summertime, seats also available on the courtyard. Main dishes €14-28..

Wolkoff, Kauppakatu 26, +358 5 4150320. M-F 11:00-24:00, Sa 16:30-23:00. A nice, cozy 50-seat restaurant in a historical 150-year-old house. Non-smoking. In the summertime, seats also available on the courtyard. Main dishes €14-28..

• Lappeenrannan Kasino, Ainonkatu 10. An old, classy restaurant. Has also a separate terrace docked on the water at the harbour.

Lappeenrannan Kasino, Ainonkatu 10. An old, classy restaurant. Has also a separate terrace docked on the water at the harbour.

• Majurska, Kristiinankatu 1, +358 5 4530 554. Open M-Sa 10:00-17:00, Su 11:00-17:00, an hour longer in summer. A romantic café in the historical old Fortress. Delicious homebaked cakes and tarts. Not necessarily for small children because of limited space and fragile décor.
• Coffee House, Kauppiaskatu 29-31 (In the shopping mall Amanda, +358 5 678 6667. M-Th 08:00-22:09, F 08:00-00:00, Sa 09:00-00:00, Su 13:00-20:00. A nice, modern cafe.
• Café Galleria, Koulukatu 15 (In the Galleria shopping mall, +358 5 453 1644. M-F 07:30-17:09, Sa 09:00-15:00. A small cafe.

Majurska, Kristiinankatu 1, +358 5 4530 554. Open M-Sa 10:00-17:00, Su 11:00-17:00, an hour longer in summer. A romantic café in the historical old Fortress. Delicious homebaked cakes and tarts. Not necessarily for small children because of limited space and fragile décor.

Coffee House, Kauppiaskatu 29-31 (In the shopping mall Amanda, +358 5 678 6667. M-Th 08:00-22:09, F 08:00-00:00, Sa 09:00-00:00, Su 13:00-20:00. A nice, modern cafe.

Café Galleria, Koulukatu 15 (In the Galleria shopping mall, +358 5 453 1644. M-F 07:30-17:09, Sa 09:00-15:00. A small cafe.

Most of the popular bars are located in the city centre.

• Prinsessa Armaada, +358 5 4513376. Harbour. 10:00–02:00 daily in summer (subject to weather). A popular hangout place in the summer, this restaurant is built on an old parked steamboat. Most people come here for drinks, although they also serve food. Another similar boat restaurant, S/S Suvi-Saimaa, is located next to Prinsessa Armaada. main dishes €9–17.

Prinsessa Armaada, +358 5 4513376. Harbour. 10:00–02:00 daily in summer (subject to weather). A popular hangout place in the summer, this restaurant is built on an old parked steamboat. Most people come here for drinks, although they also serve food. Another similar boat restaurant, S/S Suvi-Saimaa, is located next to Prinsessa Armaada. main dishes €9–17.

Lappeenranta is a safe city very accustomed to foreigners. Lappeenranta is the second most popular destination in Finland, mainly due to Russian shopping tourists, but also many other nationalities visit during summer months.

• Imatra - 40 km northeast. See the Imatrankoski and other attractions that the Russian czars used to visit in the 19th century.
• Punkaharju - drive through Finland's national landscape on a road on the top of a ridge that partially divides Lake Saimaa.
• Savonlinna - 120 km north, home to a well preserved medieval castle where an opera festival is held each summer.
• Vyborg - take a one, two or three day visa free cruise to Russia through the Saimaa canal. These cruises run in the summer only.