The English site of Puumala archipelago in Lake Saimaa

Come and enjoy your holiday in Lake Saimaa's breathtaking scenery and pure nature!

5.6.2016

Puumala’s summertime weekly programme 2016 (coming)

Working hours in Niinisaari 2016 (coming) 

In Puumala in the Saimaa archipelago you can enjoy the peace of a beach cabin, bathe a Finnish sauna, swim, go fishing, go on a boat trip, a cruise, or a hike – or, if you like, learn about traditional life and culture in the archipelago.

All this not too far away from some bigger cities with shops and other services: Imatra, Lappeenranta, Mikkeli and Savonlinna are all within a 1 - 1,5-hour drive away. Also a golf course, a ski centre, and a spa can be found within an hour's drive away (see availability of services from the cities' webpages). The distance from Helsinki to the Puumala archipelago is 310 - 320 km.

The Puumala town centre with shops and restaurants is situated 10 - 25 km away. There is also a restaurant in the archipelago area. It is famous for it´s delicious food. The road through the archipelago is a sight in itself: It goes through eleven isles, ending in the middle of Lake Saimaa, in Lintusalo which consists of five small villages. A portion of the way is covered by a car ferry.

English, German and occasionally French spoken

In most places in the archipelago, English or German is spoken, and some entrepreneurs also speak other languages, e.g. French or Russian. You can always check with the municipality of Puumala travel secretary.

Accommodation in the archipelago

Liimattala 

Liimattalan loma, cottages all year round, in English, en francais

Lintusalo

• Lintusalo school beach sauna, cottage available from spring to fall, in English
• Lintusalo Holiday Cottages, cottages available from summer to fall, contact through Puumala travel and tourism coordinator
• Nestorinranta, rooms and cottages available year round, breakfasts 1.05. - 30.09., in English
• Tuomo Reposen mökit,(site in Finnish) cottages available from spring to fall, in English

Luukkola

• Hätinniemen mökki, (site in Finnish) cottage available all year round, near the ferry in the mainland
• Kietäväisen mökit, cottages available in the summer, phone +358 503 464 191, in English
• Reinikaisen lomamökit, (site in Finnish) some of the cottages available all year round

Niinisaari

• Mäntyranta, cottage all year round, in English
• Okkola Holiday Cottages, villas and cottages available all year round, in English, auf Deutch
• Sulola, Pirkko and Teuvo Kontinen, cottage available all year round, in English
• Temolan Winery, cottage from spring to fall, in English

Food and drink

• Restaurant Niinipuu
  Ylössaarentie 35, Niinisaari, open in the summer, other times by preorder.

• Temola Winery
  Ylössaarentie 65, Niinisaari, country winery with winesales and special coffees, open in the summer

• Café Nestori
  Nestorinranta, Lintusalontie 1661 A, Lintusalo, open 13.06. - 17.08.2015 every day 12 - 18, breakfasts available 01.05. - 30.09. by order
  
  
• Summer café in the Archipelago flea market
  Lintusalontie 198, Niinisaari, open in the summer

Shopping

Firewood

• Luukkola: Olli Luukkonen, phone +358  50 570 3565
• Kauppila: Timo Korhonen, phone +358  400 139 354
• Lintusalo: Martti Venäläinen, phone +358 500 386 859 

Strawberry picking

Kietäväinen farm in Luukkola, in July, Autiontie 57 B, phone +358 503 464 191

Knives, axes, smithery

Blacksmith´s workshop and gallery (Hanhiniityn paja), Ylössaarentie 84, Niinisaari, open in the summer.

Art

Porcelain shop Honey Moon, art gallery, (site in Finnish) Ylössaarentie 240, Niinisaari, open in the summer.

Vintage ware and summer flowers

The Archipelago flea market, Lintusalontie 198, Niinisaari, open in the summer.

Wine and perennial flowers

Temola Winery, Ylössaarentie 240, Niinisaari, country winery and traditional perennial flowers, open in the summer.

Food shops in Puumala town centre and Hurissalo

Boats, trips, canoeing, cruises, cycling

Lietvesi cycling tour

Paddling routes: 41 km, 94 km

Kayak, canoe, bicycle rental

• Hanhiniityn paja, Ylössaarentie 84, Niiinisaari, kayaks, canoes, camping equipment, snowshoes etc. rental, in English
• Canoe-Camp Laajalahti, Luukkolantie, Luukkola, kayaks, canoes, bicycles etc.rental, in English, auf Deutch
• Nestorinranta, Lintusalontie 1661 A, Lintusalo, bicycles rental, in English

Church boat rental Liimattalan loma, Kivenjuuri, Liimattala

Motor boat rental, small boat cruises, fishing trips, boat transit for cyclists over the Vetojako open Nestorinranta, Lintusalontie 1661 A, Lintusalo

Cruises for large groups M/S Kaunis Veera, (site in Finnish) Sääski, Lintusalo, for 40 - 80 persons

Fishing and hikes

Geocaching

There are several geocaches all over the archipelago. Learn more about geocaching here.

Fishing trips, licences, maps, directions and boat rental for independent fishing trips

• Nestorinranta, Lintusalontie 1661 A, Lintusalo
• Information about the Finnish fishing licence system

Hiking and camping locations 

There are several magnificent hiking and camping locations nearby, e.g. Rokansaari and Ruuhonsaari isles, with piers, fire places, outhouses, saunas, sandy beaches and beautiful sceneries along hiking trails.

• The Säkkimäki laavu, a wilderness hut on the highest spot in the archipelago in Liimattala.
• Mustikkamäki trail, accessible from spring to fall in Lintusalo, 4 km
• Lintusalo school ski trails in Lintusalo, 4-20 km
• The Veskansa waterways, different distances

For more details on hiking, camping and day trip possibilities, contact your accommodation host.

Sights

Puumalan saaristotie

The scenic route to Lintusalo, 20 km, through eleven isles, starting from the Imatra-Puumala road 1 km before Puumala town centre.

Giant's kettles

Miekkaniementie 115, Telkonniemi, Lintusalo.

Other activities

Niinisaari village

There are several attractions within walking distance of each other near the ferry in Niinisaari: Restaurant Niinipuu, Blacksmith's, Temola Winery, The Archipelago Flea Market, Honey Moon Art Gallery and Liehtalanniemi farm museum.

Smoke saunas

• Tella's smoke sauna, Ylössaarentie 33 B, Niinisaari, phone + 358 50 5917 292
• Okkola smoke sauna, Ylössaarentie 35, Niinisaari, phone + 358 500 259 378
• Nurmi smoke sauna in Sääski, Lintusalo.

Events in 2015

• May day brunch (be convinced later)
  1 May 2015 at Lintusalo school, Repolantie 35, Lintusalo; organized by the amateur theatre group Saaristoryhmä.

• Niinijazz
  Jazz event, Saturday 13 June 2015 at 20:00 in Restaurant Niinipuu, Ylössaarentie 35, Niinisaari.

• Midsummer (be convinced later)
  Lintusalo Midsummer bonfire, 19 June 2015 at 20 - 0:30 in Hietalahti, Lintusalo

• Theatre
  Shows by the amateur theatre group Saaristoryhmä at Lintusalo school (in Finnish)

• Archipelago day
  Saturday 11 July 2015; all over the archipelago

• Elk feasts
  Elk feasts, in October or November in Luukkola, Niinisaari and Lintusalo

Information concerning certain practices in Finland

The archipelago forests are rich with mushrooms and berries. The forests are open for everyone to explore as long as one doesn't get too close to habitation.

Angling is permitted without a fishing licence, but a licence is needed when using any other fishing method. Most travel and accommodation hosts sell official licences, so consult your host.

Hikers must pay attention to tidying up after themselves. No waste is to be left in the environment and camp fire can be made only with permission from the owner of the land. Open fire can not be made at all during forest fire warning. It is best to stick with the fire places in the boat-shores.

More information on the Finnish “everyman's rights”.