This Finnish lakeside city centers around the medieval Olavinlinna fortress and hosts a world-class opera festival each July. Lakes and pine forests shape its landscape.
Savonlinna spreads across several islands in eastern Finland's Lake Saimaa region. You can explore the 15th-century Olavinlinna Castle, watch opera performances in its courtyard during July, or take a steamboat cruise on Lake Saimaa to spot the local ringed seals. A 30-minute drive takes you to Kerimäki's wooden church - the largest of its kind - or to Punkaharju's narrow ridge roads cutting through pine forests and lakes.
Inside Olavinlinna Castle
Built in 1475 on an island in Lake Saimaa, Olavinlinna Castle served as a Swedish-Finnish border fortress. Its three towers and thick stone walls have endured more than five centuries, and you can explore them throughout the year. During July, the Savonlinna Opera Festival fills the castle courtyard with performances. Join a guided tour to walk through the knights' halls and castle chapel, then climb the towers for views across Lake Saimaa's islands and waterways.
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