North Savo

North Savo, or Pohjois-Savo in Finnish, is the land of the easygoing Savonians, whose dialect and humor are known throughout Finland. A vacation in North Savo takes you to the shores of Lake Kallavesi, to the largest smoke sauna in the country and to Orthodox monasteries. Add to that markets where you can buy freshly baked fish pies, and long summer evenings on the water.

Lakes and Towns

The landscape lies in the eastern part of the Finnish Lakeland. Lake Kallavesi, dotted with countless islands, surrounds the regional capital Kuopio, which sits on a peninsula. In the north, Iisalmi with its brewery is the main center; in the south, Varkaus is an industrial town on the water. Around 250,000 people live here, well over half of them in Kuopio. Farmland alternates with forests and hills, and many families own a summer cottage on a lake. In Tiilikkajärvi National Park in the north, trails lead across sandbars and bogs.

Sights in North Savo

Kuopio is dominated by Puijo, a wooded hill with an observation tower offering views over lakes and forests; in winter, ski jumpers launch from the ski jump here. The market and market hall are the heart of the city, and the Orthodox Church Museum displays icons and treasures from Karelia. The smoke sauna at Jätkänkämppä, with room for dozens of bathers, is one of the largest of its kind; afterward you jump into the lake, or into an ice hole in winter. In Heinävesi, in the southeast, you'll find Valamo Monastery and Lintula Convent, both destinations for those seeking peace and quiet. Varkaus has a museum of mechanical music, and in Iisalmi a monument commemorates the Battle of Koljonvirta of 1808, while the nearby birthplace of the writer Juhani Aho has been turned into a museum.

Food, Getting There and Best Time to Visit

The most famous specialty is kalakukko, a loaf of rye bread in which small vendace and pork fat are baked for hours. It is traditionally served with a glass of buttermilk. You can reach Kuopio from Helsinki by train in about four hours or by plane. In summer, boats travel across the lakes all the way to Savonlinna. The best time to visit is June through September; the dance festival Kuopio Tanssii ja Soi takes place in June, and in winter cross-country skiing and ice swimming are the draw.