Top 20 things to do in Imatra
Imatra and the surrounding area is, in our opinion, one of the most beautiful, peaceful and charming places in Finland. In Imatra you will find interesting nature and hiking trails, interesting cultural sites, nice restaurants, fun activities for the whole family.
To lead you through the wealth of wonders, we’ve whittled down the selection to this essential guide.
You will also find the distances from Saimaa Life & Light holiday village and direct links to the location of each item on Google Maps.
Have a nice holiday in Imatra!
To lead you through the wealth of wonders, we’ve whittled down the selection to this essential guide.
You will also find the distances from Saimaa Life & Light holiday village and direct links to the location of each item on Google Maps.
Have a nice holiday in Imatra!
Enjoy the Imatrankoski Rapids and take a picnic in Kruununpuisto-park
Imatrankoski is Finland’s oldest tourist attraction. Foreigners have been visiting the rapids since the 1700s. Imatrankoski is surrounded by Kruununpuisto-park. Kruununpuisto is Finland’s oldest nature reserve. His Imperial Majesty Nicholas I issued the Kruununpuisto proclamation on August 24, 1842. The purpose was to protect the landscape of the mighty Imatra rapids and raise it to the value it deserves.
The first rapids show of summer 2024 will be seen on 25 May. It is always worth checking the schedule closer to the planned date.
Distance from the holiday village — 6 km.
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Imatrankoski is Finland’s oldest tourist attraction. Foreigners have been visiting the rapids since the 1700s. Imatrankoski is surrounded by Kruununpuisto-park. Kruununpuisto is Finland’s oldest nature reserve. His Imperial Majesty Nicholas I issued the Kruununpuisto proclamation on August 24, 1842. The purpose was to protect the landscape of the mighty Imatra rapids and raise it to the value it deserves.
The first rapids show of summer 2024 will be seen on 25 May. It is always worth checking the schedule closer to the planned date.
Distance from the holiday village — 6 km.
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Drink coffee in the café of Konditoria Imatrankoski
Konditoria Imatrankoski is a cosy café and service-oriented family business located in the centre of Imatrankoski (in the pedestrian zone called Koskenparras). Your perfect coffee moment is provided by our cheerful and friendly staff as well as our delicious products prepared mainly in our own kitchen.
Distance from the holiday village — 6 km.
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Konditoria Imatrankoski is a cosy café and service-oriented family business located in the centre of Imatrankoski (in the pedestrian zone called Koskenparras). Your perfect coffee moment is provided by our cheerful and friendly staff as well as our delicious products prepared mainly in our own kitchen.
Distance from the holiday village — 6 km.
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Fall in love with Alvar Aalto’s Church of the Three Crosses
Church of the Three Crosses, designed by the world-famous Alvar Aalto, was completed
in the late 1950s. It is said to be Aalto’s most original church design. The church gets its name from the three crosses at the altar. The church consists of three consecutive halls which can be separated by sliding walls; this enables parts of the church to be used for parish activities during the week. The exterior of the church is white with a copper roofing. A committee designated by the Finnish Heritage Agency in 1998 to commemorate the centenary of Aalto’s birth selected the church as one of the five most important buildings designed by Aalto.
Currently, the Church of the Three Crosses is closed to the public for renovation.
Distance from the holiday village — 13 km.
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Church of the Three Crosses, designed by the world-famous Alvar Aalto, was completed
in the late 1950s. It is said to be Aalto’s most original church design. The church gets its name from the three crosses at the altar. The church consists of three consecutive halls which can be separated by sliding walls; this enables parts of the church to be used for parish activities during the week. The exterior of the church is white with a copper roofing. A committee designated by the Finnish Heritage Agency in 1998 to commemorate the centenary of Aalto’s birth selected the church as one of the five most important buildings designed by Aalto.
Currently, the Church of the Three Crosses is closed to the public for renovation.
Distance from the holiday village — 13 km.
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Admire old boathouses on Lake Saimaa
Old boathouses on Lake Saimaa will make you fall in love and be enchanted. They exude the charm of yesteryear and the romance of a traditional way of life.
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Old boathouses on Lake Saimaa will make you fall in love and be enchanted. They exude the charm of yesteryear and the romance of a traditional way of life.
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Enjoy the Ukonlinna’s swimming beach
A long shallow sandy beach on the shore of Saimaa. The beach has changing rooms, a toilet and two beach volleyball courts.
Ukonlinna’s swimming beach has an excellent bathing water class, and it is a so-called EU beach.
Distance from the holiday village — 1.5 km.
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A long shallow sandy beach on the shore of Saimaa. The beach has changing rooms, a toilet and two beach volleyball courts.
Ukonlinna’s swimming beach has an excellent bathing water class, and it is a so-called EU beach.
Distance from the holiday village — 1.5 km.
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Walk or cycle in Lammassaari
Lammassaari is a beautiful natural ridge island that was formed after the Ice Age. The length of the trail is 3,7 kilometers. There are 31 check marks along it. Along the trail you will find a hut, a shelter and two resting places where you can sit and enjoy your snacks in peace and quiet.
Distance from the holiday village — about 2 km.
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Lammassaari is a beautiful natural ridge island that was formed after the Ice Age. The length of the trail is 3,7 kilometers. There are 31 check marks along it. Along the trail you will find a hut, a shelter and two resting places where you can sit and enjoy your snacks in peace and quiet.
Distance from the holiday village — about 2 km.
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Relax in Spa
There are two spa near the holiday village, offering the opportunity to spend a fun day with the whole family, relax and recharge your batteries.
Holiday Club Saimaan Rauha also has an Angry Birds indoor play park. The park’s amusement rides, cheesemaker and cable car provide entertainment even on a rainy day.
Distance from the resort village — 2−3 km depending on the hotel.
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There are two spa near the holiday village, offering the opportunity to spend a fun day with the whole family, relax and recharge your batteries.
Holiday Club Saimaan Rauha also has an Angry Birds indoor play park. The park’s amusement rides, cheesemaker and cable car provide entertainment even on a rainy day.
Distance from the resort village — 2−3 km depending on the hotel.
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Experience floating
Floating is an unforgettable nature experience, where you become part of nature for a moment. Floating is a way to relax and enjoy the energy and peace of nature surrounded by water. This unique activity can be enjoyed all year round, in winter and summer.
Dry suit floating is organized, for example, by Water Ski-Zoo.
Distance from the holiday village — 5 km.
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Floating is an unforgettable nature experience, where you become part of nature for a moment. Floating is a way to relax and enjoy the energy and peace of nature surrounded by water. This unique activity can be enjoyed all year round, in winter and summer.
Dry suit floating is organized, for example, by Water Ski-Zoo.
Distance from the holiday village — 5 km.
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Enjoy the magnificent scenery of Lake Saimaa by renting a boat, SUP board, jet ski, water bicycle or canoe
Take an hour’s pleasure cruise or even a multi-day nature trip to Saimaa.
Rental services are offered by Tuplakasi Action, Water-SkiZoo, Taiga Activities, Kalastuspuisto.
Take an hour’s pleasure cruise or even a multi-day nature trip to Saimaa.
Rental services are offered by Tuplakasi Action, Water-SkiZoo, Taiga Activities, Kalastuspuisto.
Spend a day with the whole family at Atreenalin Adventure Park
The park’s eco-friendly courses are all built in the shelter of the forest, some a bit lower and others at a downright dizzying height. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned sports adventurer, you will enjoy a unique experience in natural surroundings at Atreenalin Adventure Park.
Distance from the holiday village — about 3 km.
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The park’s eco-friendly courses are all built in the shelter of the forest, some a bit lower and others at a downright dizzying height. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned sports adventurer, you will enjoy a unique experience in natural surroundings at Atreenalin Adventure Park.
Distance from the holiday village — about 3 km.
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Fish your big fish
Saimaa is a fisherman’s paradise and offers a good setting for both self-fishermen and those who want guided tours. Saimaa is the largest lake area in Europe and fishing in Saimaa is a real experience for lake fishermen!
Fishing trips on Lake Saimaa are organized by Tuplakasi Action, among others.
Distance from the holiday village — 2.4 km.
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Saimaa is a fisherman’s paradise and offers a good setting for both self-fishermen and those who want guided tours. Saimaa is the largest lake area in Europe and fishing in Saimaa is a real experience for lake fishermen!
Fishing trips on Lake Saimaa are organized by Tuplakasi Action, among others.
Distance from the holiday village — 2.4 km.
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Try local food at Restaurant Nuotta Imatra
The unique á la carte & event restaurant Nuotta in Imatra is open every year from the Saturday before May Day until the second Saturday in September.
The restaurant prides itself on its blinis, Saimaa fish and its own smoke house, but also offers quality burgers, steaks and other delicacies. There are also options for vegan food lovers.
Distance from the holiday village — 2 km.
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The unique á la carte & event restaurant Nuotta in Imatra is open every year from the Saturday before May Day until the second Saturday in September.
The restaurant prides itself on its blinis, Saimaa fish and its own smoke house, but also offers quality burgers, steaks and other delicacies. There are also options for vegan food lovers.
Distance from the holiday village — 2 km.
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Get up on a wakeboard
Wake Park Imatra is a full-service water sports center, where you can find the most fun activities of the summer. 200 meter long wakeboarding cable park is ideal for waterboarding and water skiing activities.
Distance from the resort village — 4.5 km.
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Wake Park Imatra is a full-service water sports center, where you can find the most fun activities of the summer. 200 meter long wakeboarding cable park is ideal for waterboarding and water skiing activities.
Distance from the resort village — 4.5 km.
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Discover an authentic Karelian farm from the 19th century
The courtyard of a Karelian home is a showcase of Karelian peasant culture. The main building is a large dwelling house that represents a typical 19th century Karelian house. There are four outbuildings in the courtyard, as well as other buildings, which also date from the 19th century.
Distance from the holiday village — 4,5 km.
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The courtyard of a Karelian home is a showcase of Karelian peasant culture. The main building is a large dwelling house that represents a typical 19th century Karelian house. There are four outbuildings in the courtyard, as well as other buildings, which also date from the 19th century.
Distance from the holiday village — 4,5 km.
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Play golf and Frisbee
Kohonkangas, which is located in the immediate vicinity of Holiday Club Saimaa, is a perfect place for a golf course. Undulating heather slopes combined with a dramatic glacial funnel landscape provide an impressive backdrop for the game.
The resort’s surroundings include a versatile 22-hole frisbee golf course. The elevation changes and wooded conditions provide a variety of conditions for practice.
Distance from the holiday village — about 1,5 km.
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Kohonkangas, which is located in the immediate vicinity of Holiday Club Saimaa, is a perfect place for a golf course. Undulating heather slopes combined with a dramatic glacial funnel landscape provide an impressive backdrop for the game.
The resort’s surroundings include a versatile 22-hole frisbee golf course. The elevation changes and wooded conditions provide a variety of conditions for practice.
Distance from the holiday village — about 1,5 km.
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Experience the ritual journey of the rock painting
The Kolmiköytinen rock painting dates to 4,700−3,700 years ago during the period following the Greater Saimaa stage. The rock consists of granodiorite formed 1,880 million years ago and is intersected by younger granite pegmatite dikes. It has been speculated that some rock paintings depict ritual journeys in which a witch falls into a trance with the help of some spirit animal. A person who has changed or is becoming a snake from his lower body can be distinguished from the Kolmiköytinen rock painting.
Distance from the holiday village — 35 km.
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The Kolmiköytinen rock painting dates to 4,700−3,700 years ago during the period following the Greater Saimaa stage. The rock consists of granodiorite formed 1,880 million years ago and is intersected by younger granite pegmatite dikes. It has been speculated that some rock paintings depict ritual journeys in which a witch falls into a trance with the help of some spirit animal. A person who has changed or is becoming a snake from his lower body can be distinguished from the Kolmiköytinen rock painting.
Distance from the holiday village — 35 km.
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Admire the Kummakivi
Kummakivi is a huge, approximately 7 metres long boulder that is oddly balancing on a smaller, round rock. It touches the other rock with so little surface that it looks like a giant balancing on one toe. What makes it special is the fact that it stayed there, balancing for millions of years.
The journey to this strange rock can be done along a beautiful landscape, crossing the "moss bridge" built in 1930 over the lake.
Distance from the holiday village — 55 km.
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Kummakivi is a huge, approximately 7 metres long boulder that is oddly balancing on a smaller, round rock. It touches the other rock with so little surface that it looks like a giant balancing on one toe. What makes it special is the fact that it stayed there, balancing for millions of years.
The journey to this strange rock can be done along a beautiful landscape, crossing the "moss bridge" built in 1930 over the lake.
Distance from the holiday village — 55 km.
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Take a day trip to Kemppilä's Myllykoski
Within a distance of less than about 60 metres it has a total drop height of more than 17 metres.
Kemppilä's Myllykoski is the fifth highest waterfall in Finland. The rapid was originally named after Kemppilä village’s mill, that was powered by the water of the falls. Nowadays the mill has been torn down and the rapid serves its visitors as a local attraction.
The mill in the rapids was still in the early 20th century an important local factory. Besides the fact that the corn of the nearby villages was ground there, the mill also served as a water-powered plane tool and sawmill. Log floating was also practiced in the rapid until the year 1963. In the mid 1900s there was also a small hydro power plant (owned by the miller), which produced electricity for the nearby houses and helped in the electrification of Ruokolahti.
Distance from the holiday village — 50 km.
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Within a distance of less than about 60 metres it has a total drop height of more than 17 metres.
Kemppilä's Myllykoski is the fifth highest waterfall in Finland. The rapid was originally named after Kemppilä village’s mill, that was powered by the water of the falls. Nowadays the mill has been torn down and the rapid serves its visitors as a local attraction.
The mill in the rapids was still in the early 20th century an important local factory. Besides the fact that the corn of the nearby villages was ground there, the mill also served as a water-powered plane tool and sawmill. Log floating was also practiced in the rapid until the year 1963. In the mid 1900s there was also a small hydro power plant (owned by the miller), which produced electricity for the nearby houses and helped in the electrification of Ruokolahti.
Distance from the holiday village — 50 km.
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Enjoy a smoke sauna and floating sauna
Hugo's smoke saunas are two authentic, comfortable smoke saunas made of hand-hewn logs on the shores of Lake Rautjärvi. Bathing in a smoke sauna is a true Finnish experience.
Distance from the holiday village - about 30 km.
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Admire the stunning scenery of Lake Saimaa from the roof terrace and enjoy the steady ride of the floating sauna.
Distance from the holiday village – 6.5 km.
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Hugo's smoke saunas are two authentic, comfortable smoke saunas made of hand-hewn logs on the shores of Lake Rautjärvi. Bathing in a smoke sauna is a true Finnish experience.
Distance from the holiday village - about 30 km.
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Admire the stunning scenery of Lake Saimaa from the roof terrace and enjoy the steady ride of the floating sauna.
Distance from the holiday village – 6.5 km.
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Make your day at the ski resort unforgettable
The Freeski ski resort is one of the largest and most important ski resorts in South Karelia. The centre has a skiable vertical drop of 70 metres and lifts that take you up to 130 metres at best. The area has a total of two anchor lifts and six illuminated slopes, the longest of which is around 500 metres long. The youngest members of the family will enjoy the easy children’s slope next to the coda, as well as the sledding hill.
Distance from the holiday village — 20 km.
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The Freeski ski resort is one of the largest and most important ski resorts in South Karelia. The centre has a skiable vertical drop of 70 metres and lifts that take you up to 130 metres at best. The area has a total of two anchor lifts and six illuminated slopes, the longest of which is around 500 metres long. The youngest members of the family will enjoy the easy children’s slope next to the coda, as well as the sledding hill.
Distance from the holiday village — 20 km.
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