The Savonlinna region has once again compiled its summer weekly programme to make local experiences, activities and places to visit easier to discover during the summer season. For summer 2026, the programme brings together guided activities, cruises, nature excursions, culture, wellbeing and local tips across the Lake Saimaa region.
The weekly programme is designed for both international visitors and locals, and it also offers a useful planning tool for tour operators, travel trade partners and accommodation providers. With activities available on different days of the week, it helps visitors build a varied summer stay around nature, lake experiences, culture, sauna and local flavours.
The programme includes activities that take place on specific weekdays, as well as services available daily or several days a week. Some activities should be booked in advance to secure places or equipment. Up-to-date information, booking details and schedules are available at https://visitsavonlinna.fi/en/weekly-programme/
Water is at the heart of summer in Savonlinna. From the Savonlinna passenger harbour, visitors can join daily cruises around the city and into the surrounding archipelago. The family-friendly Pikkukippari cruise runs on Mondays and Fridays, while several other cruise departures are available throughout the summer.
On Tuesdays, visitors can take a longer cruise from Savonlinna to Punkaharju and back on m/s Katrilli. This is a convenient option for travellers without a car, as it makes it possible to enjoy a day in Punkaharju and return to Savonlinna by water. For those looking for a full-day inland waterway experience, the traditional s/s Heinävesi canal cruise from Savonlinna to Kuopio combines steamship atmosphere, canal landscapes and a classic Finnish lake journey.
From Oravi, Lake Saimaa’s national parks are easy to reach. On Mondays, beginners can join a guided paddling trip and learn the basics in a relaxed setting. On Tuesdays, the programme heads to Kolovesi National Park, known for its quiet waters and wilderness-like landscapes. On Wednesdays, the destination is Linnansaari National Park. Linnansaari can also be reached from Oravi by daily boat transfer, making a national park visit possible even without paddling experience or a private boat.
Paddling is also available in Savonlinna. Guided city paddling tours introduce the town from the water on Mondays, Wednesdays and Sundays, while archipelago paddling trips and beginner-friendly evening excursions offer easy ways to enjoy Lake Saimaa at a slower pace.
Lake Saimaa offers memorable nature moments throughout the day. In Oravi, sunrise safaris take place on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The early start is rewarded with quiet waters and the atmosphere of a Finnish summer morning. Sunset safaris are available from Monday to Saturday until the end of September, with departure times adjusted according to the sunset.
On Tuesdays, visitors can join a vendace fishing excursion on Lake Puruvesi with Matkailutila Naaranlahti. The excursion combines clear lake waters, local food traditions and one of the region’s best-known delicacies. For those interested in food and local flavours, the weekly programme also includes tips for food routes and independent visits. A simple summer classic is a visit to the local market square, where seasonal flavours such as vendace, berries and baked goods are at their freshest.
Punkaharju is one of the key areas featured in the summer weekly programme. The famous ridge landscape, Lake Saimaa views and local services make it an easy destination for a full summer day.
Harjun Portti’s rental service is open daily during the summer season, offering equipment for independent outdoor adventures in the Punkaharju area. Families can also visit Kesämaa Water Park and the adventure park at Punkaharju Resort from mid-June to early August.
At Lusto, The Finnish Forest Museum, the programme includes Mehtäjooga forest yoga on Wednesdays and guided tours of the Punkaharju research park on Fridays. Lusto also offers guided museum tours daily, except on Fridays. A summer visit can be combined with the museum’s new special exhibition Leikkiähän tämä vaan on – Puuleluja ja metsäleikkejä, which is especially suitable for children, families, grandparents and everyone young at heart.
Punkaharju Saunaranta adds a relaxed lakeside sauna experience to the area. Located next to Harjun Portti, the sauna area offers the chance to enjoy the sauna, swim in Lake Saimaa and spend time by the water. Visitors can also stop by the sauna bar without taking a sauna. Saunaranta is open from Tuesday to Saturday in June and July, and from Wednesday to Saturday in August.
The weekly programme also includes quieter activities and wellbeing experiences. In Kerimäki, Yoga Saimaa offers aerial yoga on Mondays in July and August, alternating weekly between aerial yoga and aerial yin yoga. On Sundays, the programme includes SUP yoga as well as Vinyasa and Yin yoga from May until the end of August.
On Wednesdays, Lusto’s Mehtäjooga forest yoga offers a calm wellbeing moment in the surroundings of The Finnish Forest Museum in Punkaharju. The setting combines forest, ridge nature and cultural heritage in a way that feels naturally connected to the Finnish relationship with nature. In addition to yoga, the programme’s water excursions, paddling trips and independent outdoor options provide easy ways to stay active in the Lake Saimaa landscape.
Savonlinna’s summer is not only about nature and waterways. It also includes museums, culture, historic sites and local encounters. Riihisaari is open daily, except during Midsummer, and from June to mid-August the museum offers daily guided tours of its exhibitions and museum ships. Olavinlinna Castle is also one of the region’s must-visit sights, with guided tours available daily. Both attractions accept the Finnish Museum Card, and a combined ticket allows visitors to experience two Savonlinna classics on the same day: the medieval castle and Riihisaari, which presents the nature, cultural history and steamship heritage of Lake Saimaa.
Local summer atmosphere can also be found in other parts of the region. In Enonkoski, Karvilan Panimo offers a brewery tour, tasting and bottle sauna on Wednesdays. In Sulkava, Afterwork Fridays are held at Tiittalan Kartano’s Rantamakasiini. The new Sauna Centre Lempeä, opening in mid-June, also offers a sauna experience for visitors staying in the Sulkava area. While in Sulkava, Linnavuori hillfort is well worth a visit for its views over the Lake Saimaa landscape.
Savonlinna Summer Info serves visitors at the passenger harbour, next to the steamships, from the beginning of June until the end of August. Visitors can ask for local tips, buy tickets, find souvenirs and get help planning their day in the region.
The purpose of the weekly programme is to make summer experiences in the Savonlinna region easier to find and to encourage visitors to explore the area in many different ways. For tour operators, it offers ready-made ideas for programme building, free time suggestions and longer stays. For visitors, it brings together practical and inspiring options for an active holiday day, a peaceful moment by the lake, a cultural visit or a summer adventure for the whole family.
More information, bookings and up-to-date schedules:
https://visitsavonlinna.fi/en/weekly-programme/
