Roadtrip in Finland

After several years of talking about it I finally did my first ever trip to Savonlinna Opera Festival. The famous Finnish opera singer Aino Ackté founded the festival in 1912 so this year was the festival's 100th anniversary and about time for me to visit the event.

Olavinlinna

And actually this was my first ever visit to Savonlinna, which is a vibrant summer town, but pretty quiet outside the Opera Festival period.

 

Medieval Olavinlinna castle is dominant part of Savonlinna silhouette and very impressive stage for the Opera Festival.

 

At the festival we saw Verdi's Aida, which was such a superlative experience. Overall ambiance in Olanvinlinna castle, vast crowd scenes, outstanding costumes, dancing scenes and of course the magnificent music of Verdi.

And while in Savonlinna it is easy to make a small roadtrip around Savonia and South Karelia visiting places like Punkaharju, Lappeenranta, Rantasalmi and Kuopio.
 

Rantasalmi



VB Photographic Center in Kuopio often has high quality photo exhibitions that do not come to Helsinki and is absolutely worth a visit while in Kuopio.

VB 2006

VB 2012

Art Center Retretti in Punkaharju organizes summer art exhibitions and the building itself is quite unique as part of the exhibition is in the caves under the building.

Retretti 2012

Lappeenranta is a small place nearby Russian border and convenient place to start 2 hours train journey back to Helsinki.

Lappeenranta, Maalaisten laituri

I just want to say that Finland is so beautiful in the summertime!