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Travel | Lake Saimaa | Charms of Saimaa Roundtrip
Charms of Saimaa – 6-Day Hidden Gems Roundtrip
A soft, small-scale roundtrip through Lake Saimaa’s most charming farmstays, lakeside resorts, island villages, vineyards and forest suites.
This itinerary-style overview combines a ready-made 6-day route with short introductions to the partners involved – designed for FITs and small groups who value authentic encounters, local food and unhurried landscapes.
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Day 1 Arrival in Lakeland
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Warm welcome at Tuhannen Tarinan Talo
From Helsinki you drive into the Finnish Lakeland, where fields and forests gradually replace city views. Your first stop is Tuhannen Tarinan Talo, a cosy farmstay that sets the tone for the whole trip: personal, local and full of stories.
Partner highlight – Tuhannen Tarinan Talo: Farm rooms with character, homemade dinners, animal encounters and a traditional Finnish sauna – ideal for easing into holiday mode after travel.
Quick services: Farmstay rooms • Half-board dinners • Sauna • Activities on the farm
tuhannentarinantalo.fi →
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Day 2 First contact with Saimaa
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Lakeside stay at Sahanlahti Resort
After breakfast, the route continues towards Puumala and Sahanlahti Resort. Along the way you can stop at viewpoints, farm shops or cafés – driving here is easy, with light traffic and wide lake views.
Partner highlight – Sahanlahti Resort: Heritage sawmill setting turned lakeside resort, with rooms and villas stepping down to the water, atmospheric restaurants and saunas right on the shoreline.
Quick services: Lakeside rooms & villas • Restaurants • Saunas • Harbour & boat access
sahanlahtiresort.fi/en →
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Day 3 Island flavours & floating sauna
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Niinisaari & Sauna Raft Uhkua
Today the route takes you deeper into the Saimaa archipelago. On Niinisaari, you step into a small island village world where baking, local food and everyday island life are in focus – before spending the night on the lake itself.
Partner highlight – Niinisaari & Sauna Raft Uhkua: Baking workshops with locals, island cafés and a unique overnight stay on Sauna Raft Uhkua, where you live, swim, grill and sleep gently moored in a quiet bay.
Quick services: Local food experiences • Baking & workshops • Floating sauna accommodation
uhkua.fi →
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Day 4 Countryside tastes around Mikkeli
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Vineyards, manors & a rural teahouse
Leaving the archipelago behind, you drive towards Mikkeli and a pocket of intense countryside flavours. This day can be tailored as a “tasting route” of several partners close to each other.
Partner highlights – Mikkeli area: Ollinmäki Wine Farm (berry wines and tastings), Tertti Manor and Kenkävero (historic manors, gardens and restaurants), Teahouse of Wehmais (specialty teas, cakes and a charming courtyard teahouse).
Quick services: Wine tasting • Manor lunches & dinners • Local shops • Gardens & walking paths
visitmikkeli.fi/en →
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Day 5 Quiet luxury in the forest
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PihlasResort – Silent-luxury forest suites
After days of impressions and movement, PihlasResort offers a deep exhale. Spacious suites, private outdoor hot tubs and carefully crafted meals invite you to slow down and simply enjoy the surrounding nature.
Partner highlight – PihlasResort: High-end suites and villas in a forest setting, with wellness services, gym and equipment use included. Seasonal menus at Restaurant Siimes bring local ingredients to the centre of the plate.
Quick services: Suites & villas • Outdoor hot tubs • Fine dining • Nature all around
pihlasresort.com/en →
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Day 6 Rapids, spa town mood & departure
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Imatra & Pulsa Station
The final leg of the journey takes you via Imatra, Finland’s first tourism destination, known for its historic spa and the Imatrankoski rapids. A short drive away waits Pulsa Station, a lovingly restored railway station B&B and café.
Partner highlight – Pulsa Station: Design B&B rooms in old railway buildings, a cosy café with generous cakes and a lifestyle shop full of handpicked items – a charming final stop before heading back towards Helsinki.
Quick services: Boutique B&B • Café & bakery items • Lifestyle shop • Historic station setting
pulsanasema.fi →
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Getting to Lake Saimaa in the open-water season
Lake Saimaa and the Charms of Saimaa roundtrip are within easy reach of Helsinki. Driving from the capital region typically takes around 3.5–4 hours, and the route quickly turns into lakes, forests and small villages.
In summer, driving in Finland is straightforward: roads are well maintained, traffic is light and there are few queues. Having your own car (or a private transfer) gives you the freedom to stop at viewpoints, farm shops and lakeside cafés whenever something catches your eye.
By car & rental car
You can rent a car directly at Helsinki Airport and drive towards the Saimaa region, or pick up a car later in cities like Lappeenranta, Mikkeli or Savonlinna. Clear signage and good road conditions make self-driving an easy option even for first-time visitors.
By train & public transport
From Helsinki Airport, trains operated by VR connect to Lakeland cities such as Mikkeli, Lappeenranta and Imatra. For this particular roundtrip, many of the most charming places are best combined with a rental car or organised transfers between partners.
For tailor-made versions of this itinerary for your clients or group, please contact us at sales(at)saimaatravelfinland.fi.
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