Scenic Roadtrip to Lahti, Lappeenranta, Imatra & Punkaharju Fam Trip

1000 Lakes Workshop is an international sales event that takes place in heart of the Lakeland Finland, Savonlinna. Savonlinna, as a historical town, built up on the islands, surrounded by the unique lake scenery, provides the inspirational atmosphere for the networking and creating successful business. The event brings together international buyers and Finnish suppliers from the Lakeland region. The event week starts with pre tours for buyers and continues with 1000 Lakes Workshop on May 21st.

Lahti, the European Green Capital is the first real lakeside city you come to after departing from the capital Helsinki. The Lahti region offers a wide range of nature activities and urban events in the surroundings of the unique Salpausselkä UNESCO Global Geopark area where the whole landscape is created by water. The Lahti region offers a range of unique accommodations, including lakeside cottages, wonderful nature activities and genuine tastes to make your visit unforgettable.

Arrivals in the afternoon 15.00-16:30 in Helsinki airport

Approx.16.30 transfer to Lahti

Welcome to Lahti!

Accommodation in Solo Sokos Hotel Lahden Seurahuone, loft rooms
The history of the Solo Sokos Hotel Lahden Seurahuone begins in the 1890’s. This centrally located hotel is constantly renewing and paying high attention to sustainability. The hotel has the Green Key certificate and was rewarded with the Sustainable Travel Finland certificate in 2020. In October 2022 the hotel was selected as the most sustainable hotel of Europe in the competition World Luxury Hotel Awards. Fifty new individually designed rooms in Seurahuone Loft House guarantee an exclusive hotel experience.

Introduction and sightseeing in Lahti

Dinner

7.30 -> Breakfast in the hotel          
The breakfast concept of Solo Sokos Hotel Lahden Seurahuone has many times been chosen among the best breakfasts in Finland, so please reserve enough time for this experience.

9.00 Departure to Heinola

10.00–11.00 House Boat
A houseboat is a unique combination of touring and nature adventure in the middle of the most scenic Finnish Lakeland. A houseboat enables you to experience the traditional Finnish cottage holiday, lake cruise, touring and active vacation in one package. Based in Heinola, the second city of the Lahti region, the company Houseboat.fi offers 11 modern houseboats for 2–8 persons. Each houseboat also has its own sauna onboard

11.30 Lunch

12.30 Drive Heinola – Lehmonkärki

13.30-15.00 Lehmonkärki resort, site inspection
Lehmonkärki is a high-quality resort on the shores of South Lake Päijänne, in Asikkala. In addition to rental cottages, high-quality villas and meeting and banquet facilities, Lehmonkärki offers a wide range of auxiliary programs, from snowmobile safaris to boat trips to Päijänne National Park. Lehmonkärki is paying high attention to sustainablity.

Haasi Mirror Houses offers something truly unique even for the experienced traveler. The walls of the accommodation room are full-height mirrored glass and the accommodation buildings are built on top of the pier structure on the lake. As you enter the room, a magnificent lake view opens to Lake Päijänne.

15.30 Pulkkilanharju
The iconic Pulkkilanharju esker, cutting across Lake Päijänne, is one of the best known and most instagrammable sites of Salpausselkä UNESCO Global Geopark. The narrow 8-kilometre-long esker belongs partly to Päijänne National Park, which protects the valuable archipelago nature of Finland’s second largest lake. 

17.00 Ilola Inn, accommodation and site inspection
The historical guest house located by the beautiful Päijänne lake was redesigned to a boutique hotel with eight rooms. This exclusive hotel, its restaurant and lakeside sauna offer special experience for nature lovers.        

Sauna

20.30 Dinner

Breakfast

9.00 Drive to Radalla Resort

10.30 Radalla Resort
Radalla Resort, located by the beautiful Lake Urajärvi offers perfect lakeside holiday in manor house rooms or new lakeside cottages. The resort is located between the cities Lahti and Kouvola which enables to create an excellent combination of nature and culture holidays. The UNESCO World heritage site Verla is situated just some 40 minutes drive from the resort.

11.30 Departure to Lappeenranta

13.00 Arrival to Lappeenranta

13:00 - 14:30 Lunch in Lappeenranta, Restaurant Wolkoff
Wolkoff Restaurant first opened its doors at 1998 in an original yellow wooden house that is one of the oldest buildings in Lappeenranta, built over 160 years ago.

14:30 - 15:30 Guided tour through the fortress of Lappeenranta (Guide Arja Ylä-Outinen)
The Lappeenranta Fortress is a valuable part of the Finnish, Russian and Swedish cultural heritage. The oldest buildings, including the guardhouse at the Main Gate that nowadays hosts the Cavalry Museum, the South Karelia Museum of Art buildings, the Orthodox Church and the Commandant’s House date from the latter part of the 18th century. Most of the wooden buildings are from the late 1800s, whereas the red-brick military barracks date from the early 20th century.

15:30 - 16:00 Site inspection at Spa Hotelli Lähde
Hotel Lähde is located by the Lappeenranta Harbour, in the city's heart. The charming hotel complex is divided into elegant Hotel Lähde and Boutique Hotel Lähde, established on the historic Lappeenranta Spa premises.

16:00 - 16:45 Bus transfer from Lappeenranta to Imatra

16:45 - 17:30 Visit of the Imatrankoski rapids and the Crown Park
Imatrankoski is the oldest tourist attraction in Finland. In 1772, the Russian Empress Catherine II herself and her entourage visited the fast-flowing rapids to admire them, and after the Empress's visit, tourist interest in the rapids only increased. In the 19th century, writers, artists and composers from all over Europe travelled to the river for inspiration. For example, the famous composer Jean Sibelius visited the area, inspired by its beauty. In the mid-19th century, Finland's oldest nature park, Kruununpuisto (Crown Park) was established on the banks of the river, and it became famous as a tourist attraction.

17:30 - 17:45 Bus transfer to the harbour of Imatra

18:00 – 21:00 Evening cruise with the sauna boat m/s Emma in combination with dinner and sauna on board
The M/S Emma was built in 1908 to transport timber to the Stockfors timber mill on the Kymijoki River. The vessel was named “Stockfors 1” and operated as a tugboat near the Pyhtää river branch. After rebuilding the boat in 1974 with its current appearance, M/S Emma was inspected as a charter boat in Spring 2009. It is now family-owned. 

21:00 Arriving at our Hotel, Holiday Club Saimaan Rauha
Holiday Club Saimaan Rauha is offering one of Finland's largest Indoor water parks. The rooms are located in three separate hotel wings and a Pavilion, each with its own atmosphere. All rooms have direct indoor access to the spa, restaurants and other indoor activities. Located near the spa hotel, Holiday Club Saimaan Rauha offers as well high-class holiday apartments and Villas.

08:00 – 9:00 Breakfast at the hotel

9:15 – 10:00 Bus transfer from Imatra to Parikkala Sculpture Park

10:00 - 10:30 Short Visit at the Sculpture Park
Parikkala Sculpture Park is a unique outdoor art installation in featuring over 500 concrete human figures created by self-taught artist Veijo Rönkkönen. The sculptures are placed throughout a forested landscape, creating an intriguing visual experience for visitors.

10:30 – 11:00 Bus transfer to Punkaharju

11:00 Arrival in Punkarharju and driving via beautiful Punkaharju ridge area to Hotel Kruunupuisto

Short e-bike trip to the ridge area and lunch in Inkenrintalo Café

13:30 Departure for Savonlinna

14:00 Arrival in Savonlinna, check-in to Spahotel Casino / Original Sokos Hotel Seurahuone

THE JOINT WORKSHOP STARTS.

1000 Lakes Workshop is an international sales event that takes place in heart of the Lakeland Finland, Savonlinna. The workshop is organized by the Lakeland regional DMOs. The buyers have a chance to meet and network with the local entrepreneurs during the free-flow meetings.

15.00 Saimaa Seal Cruise – Boarding the ship at Savonlinna harbor, we will explore the stunning landscapes of Lake Saimaa, the habitat of the Saimaa ringed seal, and the opportunities provided by the local lake nature, guided by an expert. The ship will dock at Illikka, at the Metsänpirkko pier.

17.30 Arrival at Illikka, hosted by Metsänpirkko – Together with Metsänpirkko, we will craft a traditional birch bark ring.

19.00 Transfer by bus for Putkisalo Manor, where we will enjoy the manor’s historical and scenic surroundings, meet the sheep, and experience authentic local cuisine prepared by DO Saimaa chef Ilkka Arvola.
                  
19:30 Get-together evening – The evening offers an opportunity to network, enjoy local flavors and experiences, and get into the right mindset for the next day’s Workshop.

Return to Savonlinna by bus at 22:00 → Arrival in Savonlinna at 23:00.

Breakfast

9:00–16:00 Byers meet suppliers 1000 Lakes Workshop Day at Wanha Kasino on the Island of Happiness. There will be nine themed corners, each representing Lakeland’s tourism regions.

In this workshop, local tourism operators will present their services and products to tour operators. The program includes meetings, presentations, and networking opportunities. The workshop serves as a platform for new partnerships and a chance to discover unique tourism experiences from the lake district.

12:00 Lunch at Spahotel Casino

13:00 Workshop continue

14:30 Coffee break 

16:00 Workshop ends

FREE TIME 

18:00 Guided Themed Tour in 550 years old medieval Olavinlinna Castle – This exclusive, customized tour will take us to the eastern bastion, a rarely visited area. We will explore the castle’s darker history and visit some of the more unique spaces in the main castle—expect some surprises along the way!  (Walking time from Spahotel Casino ca. 15 min and from Original Sokos Hotel Seurahuone ca. 10 min.)

19:30 Medieval Dinner in Olavinlinna – A medieval-style feast with entertainment and live music.

Breakfast and check-out

Transfer to Helsinki Vantaa airport

Afternoon flights to home

Thank you for visiting Finland!

Please apply for this FAM trip via this link.

Visit Finland will review your registration as soon as possible, no later than 30 days prior to Fam-trip's planned starting date.