Stories / Cultural tourism / Finland
“Savonlinna…
where history becomes real”. This is the second “chapter of the
journey” in Finland. Earlier we could read some information about Finland in
general, so now it is time to concentrate on Savonlinna.
Savonlinna is a
small town, but very beautiful and comfortable. You cannot get lost, because it
is a pretty simple town. Most likely you are going to visit the city center and
the fortress; therefore, let us start this chapter of the journey in the city
center of Savonlinna.
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| Market square |
The city center is quite small; there is
a central square called “tori” in
Finnish and there you can find lots of fairs, the Info point and simply walk
ahead to get to the harbor. That small street name is Kauppatori. There you can also find Original Sokos Hotel Seurahuone.
The hotel has a very good location in the city center and a very comfortable
inside. If you choose this option, get upstairs to the 6th floor to the terrace
where you can have a cup of coffee, a glass of beer, some snacks or a pie, or
anything and you can enjoy the view; it is so terrific. You are able to see
Savonlinna (at least one half of it) and feel the gentle wind coming from the
water.
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| Original Sokos Hotel Seurahuone in Savonlinna |
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| Original Sokos Hotel Seurahuone terrace on the 6th floor |
There are plenty of cafés and
restaurants near the harbor. You can choose the best suitable design, location,
menu, or simply view for yourself and enjoy your meal. Prices are quite
affordable and choice is diverse. One of such places is Majakka restaurant. The atmosphere is amazing and charming; you can
enjoy your meal both inside of the restaurant and outside, on the terrace.
Guests are very welcome at that place and you always have a feeling that you
chose the right place.
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| Majakka Restaurant |
After your meal, walk down the harbor
and take pictures, breathe the air and enjoy everything you see and hear. There
are lots of cruises leaving regularly, if you want to take one and explore more
waterways. Do not forget to check the square, where you started the trip; buy
some souvenirs, find something for yourself.
On the same street you can find another
hotel, which is Tott.
You can choose this one as an option. It is located very close to the city
center. In front of that hotel there is a parking place, where you can park
your car for a whole day.
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| Tott Hotel |
Let us move on to the heart of
Savonlinna, its fortress. The fortress has its own name, Olavinlinna.
Here it is called a castle, but I would say it is a fortress. Anyway, it is a
good place to visit, actually, the most important one if you are in Savonlinna.
It works all days in summer and there are special guided tours for the guests.
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| Olavinlinna Castle |
You can have lunch inside of it and walk
through small doors and dark rooms of Olavinlinna, which keeps the history
inside of its walls. Do not forget to visit the museum nearby. It has a lot of
interesting stuff inside. There is a parking place not far from it. Wandering
around the museum you can enjoy the view of the water, cruise boats passing you
by and even swim.
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| Harbor |
If you suddenly feel hungry, there is
definitely something for you! First of all, within that area there are several
cafés, restaurants and bistros. So, the first place is a very nice place called
Sarasto.
You can have lunch or order some cold drinks and enjoy the view to Olavinlinna
and the water. Life slows down for a while and you feel so peaceful and
relaxed. I recommend that place as one of the best ones in that area.
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| Sarasto Restaurant |
Another really good place is the
neighboring place, a restaurant called Valo. That place has
a very good location too and a terrific view to the water. You can have lunch
or get some cold drinks during a hot day. My experience was that I tried the
dish called "Paistetut muikut" which means “fried vendace”. It is really tasty
and it is a famous and favorite dish in Savonlinna among Finns. So, take your
time to taste it!
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| Valo Restaurant |
There is another place not far from it,
called Café Saima. It is a nice
place hidden among houses and away from the town. It gives you a sense of your
intimacy in a town.
As for me, my favorite ones (if talking
about the ones near Olavinlinna) are Sarasto restaurant and Valo restaurant.
They are very good ones and have a high level of service, friendly staff and good
choice of dishes. So, Hyvää ruokahalua! As it means – enjoy your meal!
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| Street near PerheHotelli |
There are some more hotels and cafés in
Savonlinna, obviously; however, I would like to mention two more. One of them
is located really close to the above mentioned restaurants. The hotel name is PerheHotelli Hospitz. I was inside
of it and was amazed. I like the design very much. It reminds the sense of the
past, more likely to make you feel a part of “Sherlock Holmes adventure”. Very
unique and charming interior, peaceful atmosphere and friendly staff are making
that place so special. I would recommend it as a new unforgettable experience.
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| PerheHotelli Hospitz |
Another hotel I would like to say some
words about is Best Western Spa Hotel Casino, Savonlinna. I like the
interior; it is a good mix of old classics and new modern and comfortable
design. You have enough space, a view to the water, city center pretty close to
the hotel, and a casino (of course, in case if you play). By the way, it has
changed a little in its design; the pictures you can see on the website are
from its previous look, a new one has more intimate look. You can definitely
consider this hotel as one of the options.
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| Best Western Spa Hotel Casino |
Here I would like to end this chapter of
the journey. I tried to show some interesting places to visit, some cafés,
restaurants to have lunch at, some hotels required during your trip, and some
directions to make it more enjoyable.
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| Shore near Olavinlinna |
There are many other places to be in
Savonlinna, some of them you might choose and plan on your own; and it is
great! Just take your time and do not be afraid to explore more! There are more
towns and cities of Finland in the following chapters of the journey!
Kirill “Traveler” Malyutin
About Travel Smart series:
“Travel Smart” is a section,
narrating about different countries and good travel tips, advised by the
author, Kirill Malyutin. The series contains recommendations, including selected
places to visit, character accommodation, and reasonable
shopping. Simply get inspiration!
О серии «Travel Smart»:
«Travel Smart»
– раздел, в котором автор Кирилл Малютин рассказывает о разных странах и дает
необходимые в путешествии советы. Серия включает в себя рекомендации по
посещенным автором местам, характерным средствам размещения, а также разумному шопингу.
Вдохновитесь приключением!
Read also / Читайте также:
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“Savonlinna…
where history becomes real”. This is the second “chapter of the
journey” in Finland. Earlier we could read some information about Finland in
general, so now it is time to concentrate on Savonlinna.
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