Map of Attractions
Where should we go to eat? What should we go and see?
Restaurants and famous sights to check out in Imatra
Where to eat? For example, here! The best restaurants in the Imatra area
1 Pizzeria Bella Napoli
Probably the country’s smallest pizza restaurant, where the pizzas are made with an Italian wood-fired oven. The Italian-born owner bakes authentic Sicilian-style pizzas that are simply mouth-watering!
Address: Viipurintie 61, 55100 Imatra
Tel.: +358 46 9647390
2 Restaurant Nuotta
(Opened from April to September)
A charming lakeside restaurant that is a member of the international gastronomic society Chaine des Rotisseurs. Located in the Imatra marina with stunning views on Saimaa, Finland’s biggest lake. The restaurant offers local delicacies, such as vendace and other smoked fish.
Address: Satamalaiturintie 13, 55420
Tel.: +358 50 5988932
3 Restaurant Buttenhoff
A traditional family-owned restaurant that has been ranked as the best in Imatra. It’s located in the heart of the city and is a member of the international gastronomic society Chaine des Rotisseurs. Serves exquisite à la carte dishes.
Address: Koskenparras 4, 55100 Imatra
Tel.: +358 50 4761233
4 Iloisen pässin (“Happy ram’s”) rustic boutique and coffee shop
Come here for the nationally-renowned buffalo burgers, with the ingredients coming from a buffalo farm close by! Lots of other local delights on offer, too.
Address: Kuutostie 470, 59130 Koitsanlahti
Tel.: +358 44 9769950
5 Cafeteria Lounaskulma
Don’t let the modest façade fool you! Inside you can find the freshest and most tempting homemade Karelian pastries – rye crust with a potato or rice filling.
Address: Roihankatu 12 – 14, 56800 Simpele
Tel.: +358 50 5051224
6 Puumala Sahalahti Resort
Gourmet food on the shore of Lake Saimaa!
7 Lohela
Local salmon freshly smoked on the spot every day of the week. A luscious and savoury treat you can take back to the lodge to enjoy.
Local sights that you can’t miss out on
1 Kummakivi (“Strangestone”)
Kummakivi is a huge balancing rock located in Ruokolahti. The boulder lies perched precariously yet so firmly that it can’t be moved by human force. Kids especially will love to see this strange feature dating back to the Ice Age.
2 The Suvorov Canals
These Lake Saimaa canals, located in Puumala, Ruokolahti and Sulkava, date back to the wars of the 1790’s. The canals are named after their constructor, the Russian General Alexander Suvorov. A perfect visit for those keen on military and cultural history.
3 Syyspohja trench
A preserved fragment of a Finnish defence line from World War II. The trench contains completed fortifications and partially finished and collapsed bunkers. There is also a kilometres-long anti-tank obstacle made from massive blocks of stone, with a footpath running next to it.
4 The Kemppilä Mill and waterfall
The rapids next to the Kemppilä Mill are an especially great sight in spring, when huge water masses move with high velocity. The mill building is sadly gone, but the ancient wheel remains.
Address: 56440, Myllykoskentie 114-116, Ruokolahti
5 Hukkavuori
The Hukkavuori hill is a great experience, especially if you are adventurous or have children. In Hukkavuori you can find old bear and fox nests, climb to the top by stairs called “Jacob’s ladder,” and see beautiful vistas over the forests below.
The starting point: Päivölä, Särkilahdentie 2990, 56440 Pohjalankila
6 The Puumala bridge and marina
Climb up to one of the longest bridges in Finland for breathtaking views over Lake Saimaa. In summer, Puumala’s marina is full of life as it is the place to be for the locals. You can find many shops selling crafts and local fresh food. Witness Finnish summer life at its most authentic!
7 Haukkavuori Hill
Haukkavuori is the tallest hill in the South Karelian region. You can go hiking on the slopes and observe the beauty of the Finnish nature. Haukkavuori marks the old border between Sweden and Russia that existed from 1323 to 1721.
8 Parikkala Statue Park
According to the Lonely Planet guide, this statue park is one of the weirdest parks in the world. The park contains over 500 strange concrete statues and a magnificent garden.
Address: Kuutostie 611, 69130 Koitsanlahti
9 The Hiitolanjoki River
Located in the Southern Karelian municipality of Rautjärvi, this river is home to Finland’s last indigenous landlocked salmon. Next to the river is a hiking trail with resting spots and a beautiful old power plant and dam.
10 The Uimola smoke sauna
The steam from an authentic smoke sauna is an experience you can’t miss out on. The friendly and welcoming owner cooks food for the guests. There is also a beach and a jacuzzi available for the visitors.
11 The Myllykoski resting area / Ruokolahti hiking trail
The Myllykoski resting area is a beautiful hiking stop with a toilet and a campfire site. You can light a fire to grill sausages or marshmallows. You can also take a hiking trail for a marvellous adventure in the Finnish nature.
12 Ruokolahti Church Hill
Located on the beautiful shore of Lake Saimaa, the buildings and monuments of the Ruokolahti Church Hill make for a charming combination with the surrounding nature.
13 Lassila Castle Hill
A secret hiding spot for the locals during the “Great Wrath” of the early 1700’s, when Cossacks were raiding the land.
14 The Imatrankoski Dam and Rapids
Imatrankoski is the birthplace of Finnish tourism, a large rapids carved deep by huge water masses over millennia. Nowadays the water flows in full force only when the dam floodgates are opened on set times, but the nature around the rapids stays beautiful throughout the year. You can find rock carvings by famous people, such as emperor Pedro II of Brazil.
15 Ukoska
A popular and tourist-friendly beach on the shore of Lake Saimaa that can be enjoyed by everyone. The beach has a summer bar called Bikini and a hostel cafeteria that is open throughout the year.
16 Huuhanranta Beach
A glorious and fine-sanded beach located in Ruokolahti. Huuhanranta is often called “the Finnish Riviera,” as the sand stretches for kilometres. Come here for an amazing picnic.
17 Rastiniemi
A recreational area on an island in Lake Saimaa that is only reachable with a cable ferry. Be sure to make a stop at the Utula village shop to enjoy a steaming cup of coffee. From Rastiniemi, there is a bicycle ferry connection to Sarviniemi in Taipalsaari.
Each Patalaiska Cottage has a Holiday Guide book compiled by Natalia, which presents even more comprehensively everything you can do on a cottage holiday.
PATALAISKA COTTAGES
info@patalaiska.fi
Tel. +358 504411094