Tips for Eastern Finland Holiday with Kids

Hi Everyone,

I am planning a 17 trip to St Petersburg and Finland,

with 10 days or so in StP and the rest in Finland.

Apart from a couple of days sightseeing in Helsinki

I would like to take it easy, maybe rent a cottage

near a lake where we can swim, canoe/rowboat, fish,

etc. Would the Savonlinna/Puntaharju area be the

best place to do this (given that we would be on the

way back from StP)? My boys are 7 and 11, and we

just want to take it easy after a busy week in StP.

We would also like to catch some concerts if possible.

Would like to rely on public transport if possible.

Any advice welcome!

Cheers,

Craig

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How are you planning to come from St. Petersburg? By train, plane or bus? As far as I have understood the trains from St. Petersburg stop only in Vainikkala, Kouvola and Lahti before the Helsinki Metropolitan Area (where they stop in Tikkurila, Pasila and Helsinki Central Railway Station). More info on trains between Finland and Russia: www.vr.fi/eng/ulkomaat/venaja/index.shtml .

In Kouvola you can change to a train going to Lappeenranta and Savonlinna. Between Savonlinna and Lappeenranta you can also travel by a boat (there%26#39;s also a route by boat from Lappeenranta to Helsinki).

Further info: http://www.saimaa.fi/in_english.iw3 and http://gosaimaa.fi/?getLangIDx=en

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Thanks - that%26#39;s great info. We are actually flying in and out of Helsinki, and we were thinking of catching the bus both ways, but the train would be fine too.

Cheers,

Craig

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Not to mention that in Finland train is usually cheaper than bus... And faster, too. ;-)

For foreigners VR (Finnish Railways) has special rail passes, you should check them out: www.vr.fi/eng/junaliput/rail_passes.shtml and summer offers at vr.fi/eng/…index.shtml and www.vr.fi/eng/junaliput/liput/lomapassi.shtml