DAY ONE HERITAGE & LAKE VIEWS

Morning

Get to grips with the area’s heritage at the elegant, pastelpink Hotelli Punkaharju, Finland’s oldest hotel. Lying in a pine forest on a ridge overlooking Lake Saimaa, it’s a place of pilgrimage for Finns. In 1803, when Punkaharju was occupied by Russia shortly before the Finnish War, the Russian Emperor Alexander I was so entranced by the area’s beauty that he passed a law declaring it protected land. In 1845, a forest ranger’s house was built on the site, rooms for travellers were added and the hotel was founded. Today, the property is owned by Finnish supermodel and mushroom forager Saimi Hoyer and has become the beating heart of Punkaharju’s cultural scene. hotellipunkaharju.fi

Afternoon

Hike or bike along the lovely

1.5 mile Topeliuksen polku Nature Trail (mountain bikes can be hired at the hotel). It’s part of the 17.4 mile Harjureitti Trail and winds its way along the edge of Lake Saimaa. Don’t be in any rush — you’ll want to linger to inhale the sweet scent of pine, listen for the call of a tree pipit and spend time gazing at the calm water. The trail ends in the grounds of Kruunupuisto, an old-school health resort offering various treatments. From here you can join the stunning, narrow-ridge road back to Punkaharju village. Finns voted the road the most scenic in the country and it lives up to the accolade. Follow it to the village and pick up a korvapuusti (cinnamon bun) at the local bakery for the slow journey back.

Evening

Thirty minutes from Punkaharju by train or car is Savonlinna, a city on an archipelago, noted for its worldclass opera festival. The annual event is held at the medieval Olavinlinna Castle throughout

July and is worth visiting whether you’re an opera buff or not. Built in the 15th century on a rock in the middle of Lake Saimaa and accessed via a bridge, the stone castle is wonderfully atmospheric. Before the performance, snack on mustikkapiirakka (blueberry pie) at Cafe Saima, a family-run cafe-restaurant near the harbour. Alternatively, opt for a 90-minute sunset sightseeing cruise on the S/S Punkaharju steamboat for unique views of the castle and cityscape. operafestival.fi kahvilasaima.fi vipcruise.info