Lake Saimaa, also known as Loma Saimaalla in Finnish, lies at the heart of Finland’s vast lakeland, surrounded by thousands of smaller lakes, inlets and islands. I travelled through this region in June, right at the time when Finland celebrates Midsummer and daylight seems to stretch endlessly into the night. After just a few days, one thing became clear. Lake Saimaa is a destination where nature, local traditions and an unhurried pace naturally come together. It is a place where you cycle from island to island, bake cakes in the kitchens of local families, head out by boat in search of seals and pause along the way for a relaxed moment of fika.
Read this article in DutchWhere is Lake Saimaa located?
Lake Saimaa is located in southeastern Finland, in the region known as the Finnish Lakeland and partly within the historical area of Karelia. With a surface area of over 4,200 square kilometres, it is the largest lake in Finland and one of the largest freshwater lakes in Europe. What makes Lake Saimaa so distinctive is its irregular shape. Around 14,000 islands and an exceptionally long shoreline create a landscape that feels like an endless maze of water and forest. Around the lake you will find towns such as Savonlinna, Puumala and Lappeenranta, places that connect the Saimaa region with culture, small museums, harbours and laid back cafés by the water.
How to best explore Lake Saimaa
Lake Saimaa and the surrounding nature can be explored in many different ways. It quickly became clear to me that this is not a region to admire from a distance. You want to be on the water, in the forest and moving at the same unhurried pace as the Finns themselves. In summer, life here largely unfolds outdoors and you feel that immediately. Below I share some of the most natural ways to experience the Finnish Lakeland during the warmer months.
Cycling from island to island
In summer, cycling is one of the most rewarding ways to explore Lake Saimaa. Around Puumala, you cycle from island to island along narrow roads, bridges, wooden jetties and small ferries, with water never far from view on either side. One of the best known routes is the Puumala Archipelago Route, a loop of around 60 kilometres that takes you through dense forest and across a scattering of small islands. Bicycle rental is available at Harjun Portti, a convenient starting point for exploring this part of the lake at a relaxed pace.
Experiencing Midsummer
At the end of June, Finland celebrates Juhannus, the Midsummer festival. Experiencing it firsthand is something special. During the day we learn more about Finnish mythology, enjoy relaxed moments of fika and make flower crowns together. Later in the afternoon, I step aboard the M/S Charlotte, a wooden ship that anchors in a quiet spot on the lake. A four course dinner is served, there is time to swim and even a sauna on board, all woven naturally between the courses.
As evening settles in, the atmosphere becomes almost timeless. From the water, I watch a bonfire glowing on the lake, a tradition the Finns look forward to for days. With daylight lingering well into the night, it feels like the perfect expression of summer in the Finnish Lakeland.
Different fika moments
When you spend time in Finland, you quickly realise that fika is much more than coffee with something sweet. It is a moment to slow down, connect and recharge. Around Lake Saimaa, these pauses take place in particularly beautiful settings. One of them is at Pulsan Asema, a former railway station that now serves as a café, shop and guesthouse.
Fika also becomes part of a walk through the forest, where stopping feels completely natural. Later in the day, it returns again on the shore of Lake Saimaa during a boat trip, when fika is prepared over a small campfire by the water. These quiet moments stay with you long after the day has ended.
Walking to Kummakivi, a remarkable erratic boulder
Mythology still plays an important role in Finland. Stories about forest spirits, elves and other beings have been passed down for centuries and are closely connected to the forests and lakes. Unusual natural features such as large erratic boulders are often surrounded by legends and folklore as well. One of the most striking examples is Kummakivi, a massive stone that appears to rest in perfect balance on top of another rock.
The route to Kummakivi is short, clearly marked and easy to walk independently. I walk there together with Creative Kaiku, hearing stories along the way about the myths connected to places like this. These stories change the way I look at the Finnish forest around us and add an extra layer to the walk, making it more than just a pleasant stroll through nature.
Searching for the Saimaa ringed seal by boat
One of the most remarkable animals living in Lake Saimaa is the Saimaa ringed seal. This seal species exists nowhere else in the world and is one of the few freshwater seals still surviving today. It is estimated that around 400 to 430 individuals remain in the lake.
Your best chance of spotting a seal is towards the end of the day, when they often haul out onto rocks to rest. In June, sunset here falls sometime between late evening and close to midnight, making this an ideal moment to combine a sunset boat trip with seal watching.
I set off from Oravi Village on a sunset seal safari. In a small boat, we glide across the lake past islands and quiet bays where seals are often seen. Along the way, the guide explains more about their habitat, the threats they face and the conservation efforts in place, including the use of specially adapted fishing nets that are now mandatory.
With a bit of luck, you might see a seal resting on a rock or lifting its head from the water to observe the boat. Even without a sighting, the trip is memorable. The scent of the lake, a simple fika moment in the forest, the stillness of the water and the soft evening light all come together to make the experience feel complete.
Baking blueberry pie at Paula’s home
Even in Finland, rain occasionally sets in and a grey morning in Puumala turns out to be the perfect excuse to bake something comforting. Paula from Okkolan Lomamökit hosts a blueberry pie workshop in the living room of her eighteenth century house. The fireplace crackles softly and her enthusiastic Jack Russell keeps a watchful eye on everything that happens.
Paula shows us how to make mustikkakukko, also known as rättänä in the Karelian region, a traditional blueberry pie with a rye based crust. We knead the dough and fill it generously with juicy wild blueberries. While the pies bake in the oven, Paula shares the history behind this classic Finnish recipe and its roots in everyday rural life.
Not long after, we sit down in Paula’s small café restaurant to enjoy our own freshly baked blueberry pies, served warm with a generous spoon of cream and a drink. It is one of those simple moments that feel entirely at home in the Finnish Lakeland.
Staying in beautiful accommodation
Along the shores of Lake Saimaa, you will find wooden cottages, guesthouses, farm stays and small hotels, many of them looking out over the water. Some come with a lakeside sauna, others have wooden jetties where you can sit quietly at the end of the day with a drink, watching the light soften over the lake. The places to stay vary in style and comfort, but they all share a close connection to nature and water.
Curious to explore this in more detail? I have written a separate article with tips for special places to stay around Lake Saimaa, focusing on accommodation that adds to the experience of the Finnish Lakeland.
RIB boat safari to the Astuvansalmi rock paintings
Not far from Puumala lie the Astuvansalmi rock paintings, a remarkable archaeological site where images were painted onto a sheer rock face thousands of years ago. I travel there by RIB boat from Uhkua, an experience that turns out to be memorable even when rain pours down relentlessly.
Skimming across the lake brings the landscape into sharp focus and adds a sense of adventure to the journey. Curious to learn more about this place? In a separate article, I share the history and meaning behind these ancient rock paintings and explain how you can visit them yourself.
Heading out onto the lake by yourself
Lake Saimaa is so vast and intricately shaped that it almost invites you to explore it on your own. In summer, you can rent rowing boats, small motorboats, canoes and kayaks in various places, making it easy to experience the landscape from the water. Many lakeside accommodations also have simple rowing boats tied up at their jetty that guests are free to use, so stepping onto the lake for a short outing often happens almost spontaneously.
Enjoying the local Finnish cuisine
Finnish summers taste of blueberries, salmon, smoked fish, sweet pastries and strawberries. Around Lake Saimaa, cooking is closely tied to what the region offers. Fish comes straight from the lake, berries are picked in the forest and bread often arrives warm from the oven. Lunch might be a bowl of salmon soup or freshly prepared fish served with potatoes, followed by coffee and something sweet. The food is usually simple, yet full of flavour and deeply connected to the landscape you are surrounded by, making each meal feel like a natural part of the experience.
Lusto Museum
After hearing so many mythological stories along the way, my curiosity about the role of the forest in Finland only grew. That curiosity led me to the Lusto Museum, a place where the forest takes centre stage and where you learn about the long standing relationship between people, woodland and traditions in Finland. The museum is modern and clearly laid out, offering insight into forestry, traditional tools and everyday life in the lakeland region through the centuries. It is an engaging place to spend a few hours and a rewarding stop if you are interested in the history of the region and the importance of Finland’s forests in a broader sense.
Relaxing by the water
What stands out to me most about Lake Saimaa is the natural rhythm between activity and rest. A cycle ride is followed by fika, a boat trip by a sauna session, a walk by a refreshing dip in the lake. The landscape itself encourages you to slow down and let the day unfold at its own pace. Perhaps the best part is that nothing here needs to be tightly planned. Sometimes it is enough to sit by the water, watch the light change and simply do nothing at all.
Exploring Lake Saimaa on your own or with Voigt Travel
If you would like to discover Lake Saimaa and southern Finland without arranging all the logistics yourself, a fly and drive trip with Voigt Travel is an easy option. Their 15 day journey Pearls of Finland takes you through a large part of southern Finland and includes several days around Lake Saimaa. Routes, activities and accommodation are arranged in advance, leaving you free to focus on the landscape rather than on planning. If you prefer to spend more time around the lake itself, the 8 day Lake Saimaa Fly and Drive is a relaxed alternative. Voigt Travel also offers other summer journeys through Finland if you would like to combine different regions or explore more of the country.
Travelling with your own car is another comfortable option. Finland is surprisingly easy to reach by road and ferry. Between Travemünde in Germany and Helsinki, Finnlines operates a relaxed overnight crossing with private cabins. The crossing takes around thirty hours. On the outward journey you spend two nights on board and on the return one night. From the Netherlands, it takes roughly six hours to drive to Travemünde, meaning you can reach Finland in well under two days, much of it spent resting on the ferry. Once you arrive in Helsinki, it is only a few more hours by car to reach the shores of Lake Saimaa.
