Sightseeing in Savonlinna - what to see. Complete travel guide

The first mention of the city relates to 1638. It was a small settlement formed around the fortress named Olavinlinna. For a long time the settlement was an important fortification facility that helped Finland to watch the borders of Russia and Sweden.

Nowadays the city is known as a popular spa resort. Here are opened numerous health and beauty centers. To the service of guests are always open massage cabins, saunas and beauty salons. On the territory of each hotel you will certainly find a well-equipped gym and a swimming pool, so fans of active rest just will not be disappointed by the level of service.

Besides medical procedures and gym, tourists can diversify their stay by sightseeing – there are really many places of interest in Savonlinna. Olavinlinna Castle, which was built back in 1475, remains the symbol of the city. Today the castle provides space for two museums – Castle Museum and Orthodox Museum. The latter offers visitors to get acquainted with collections of icons and other religious attributes, while Castle Museum presents the exhibition of archaeological findings, ancient maps and artworks. The territory of the castle is traditionally chosen as the venue for the annual Opera Festival, which is organized in summer. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Kolovesi National Park is, surely, the most beautiful nature reserve of the region. Rocky cliffs, clear lakes and thick trees make the park unique and unforgettable, so no wonder why there are always so many visitors here. One can learn the history of the city in details in Provincial Museum. The most important religious place of interest of this city is, surely, Kerimäki Church, which is also the most large-scale wooden building of its type.

The Saimaa Lake is an outstanding natural sight preferred by visitors of the town. It is the largest one in Finland and one of the largest in Europe. The surface area of this lake is equal to the area of Belgium. Beautiful forests grow on its shores. The reservoir itself is rich in rare species of fish. A lot of walking routes are laid along its shores. In summer, beaches are accessible to tourists. Fishing is allowed in some coastal areas.

Lovers of natural attractions will be interested in taking a tour to Mount Linnavuori. This is the name of a steep rock, whose height is 55 meters. You need to travel long distances to see it. There are guided journeys to the mountaintop for well-trained travelers. There, one can see the ruins of an ancient fortress, built in this inaccessible place over a thousand years ago.

On the pier of Savonlinna, is situated a Museum of old ships, whose main exhibits are real ancient vessels. All comers can come aboard. Visitors are allowed to fully examine the ships. They have an opportunity to walk along the deck of the steam towboat of Akhker, built as far back as 1871, and have a look inside the schooner of Salama, built three years later. On the territory of the museum, are the most beautiful ships of the late 19th - early 20th century.

Walking the streets and city parks, you can see a lot of unusual monuments. One of the most valuable for local residents is a monument to a sheep-rescuer. It was installed in 1964. The author of this unusual creation is the sculptor Anton Ravander-Rauas. According to one of the legends, a sheep saved the fortress of Olavinlinna once. During the war with the Russian army, they wanted to sacrifice a sheep to St. Olaf. However, the animal managed to escape from the sacrificial altar and climb the high tower of the fortress. The Russians took the animal for a Legate of evil spirits and immediately stopped the siege of the fortress.

One of the most attractive places for walking is Olavinkatu Street. It is full of contrasts. You can see beautiful modern houses with a unique wooden building of the 19th century nearby. You'll find many nice shops, restaurants and souvenir stores on the busy street.