Saimaa Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
largest lake in Finland and the fourth largest in Europe
About Saimaa
The Saimaa Canal from Lappeenranta toVyborgbinds Saimaa to the Gulf of Finland. Other canals bind Saimaa to smaller lakes in the eastern parts of the Finnish lakeland, forming a network of waterways. These waterways are mainly used to transport wood, minerals, metals, pulp and other cargo, but also tourists use the waterways. The Saimaa Canal was built to connect the Saimaa to theBaltic Seaat the dawn of industrialisation. The canal was modernized in the 1960s. Finland pays rent for the Russian parts of the canal. The canal itself connects to the Gulf of Finland, on Russian territory, close toVyborg(Finnish:Viipuri). The canal is mostly used by cargo ships, but there were also passenger boats operating from Lappeenranta to Vyborg until 2022. It is also used by private boats from Finland an
Top Attractions in Saimaa
Explore the best things to see and do in Saimaa:
- ★Kolovesi National Park
- ★Linnansaari National Park
Saimaa Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 12 sections including: