| Northern Savonia | |
 | |
Location  | |
Coat of arms and flag   | |
| State | Finland |
|---|---|
| Capital | Kuopio |
| Surface | 20,366.70 km² |
| Inhabitants | 248.636 (2014 estimate) |
| Institutional website | |
Northern Savonia (Pohjois-Savo or Norra Savolax in Swedish) is a region of the Lakeland Finland.
To know
Spoken languages
The Finnish dialect is the Savo. Most people talk English at a fair level, especially young people. Even the Russian and the German they can be understood, though not much, but don't expect people here to talk or understand it Swedish.
Territories and tourist destinations
Urban centers
In general, the cities of northern Savonia are small, in fact Kuopio, the largest city in the region, has about 92,000 inhabitants and Varkaus, the second largest city has only 23,000.
- Kuopio - The largest city in the region as well as its capital. Kuopio is famous for its sauna, one of the largest in the world, and it is also the right place to enjoy kalakukko, a traditional dish of Finnish cuisine made from rye flour and pork.
- Iisalms
- Juankoski
- Kaavi
- Keitele
- Kiuruvesi
- Lapinlahti
- Leppävirta
- Maaninka
- Pielavesi
- Rautalampi
- Rautavaara
- Siilinjärvi
- Sonkajärvi
- Suonenjoki
- Tervo
- Tuusniemi
- Varkaus
- Vesanto
- Vieremä
Other destinations
How to get
By plane
There are about ten daily flights from Helsinki at the airport of Kuopio which is located 14 km from the center. A bus connects the airport to the city center on weekdays for € 5 or alternatively via taxi for around € 20.
By car
In the area where the distances are long and the level of public transport is poor, the best way to get there and get around is by car. It is possible to rent a car at the airport of Reissue it or Kuopio.
In the summer months there are daily cruises from Savonlinna (Southern Savonia) to Kuopio.
On the train
Kuopio, Varkaus is Iisalms they have rail connections.
By bus
Buses connect it to all the towns and cities.
How to get around
By car
Due to the scarcity of public transport and long distances the use of your own car is really worth considering. You can rent a car is at Kuopio, Iisalms or Varkaus.
By bus
As this region is sparsely populated, it follows that public transport is rather scarce.
What see
- Pumpulikirkko, a geological formation a Rautavaara.
- Seinävuoren rotkolaakso to Tuusniemi. About 50 km from Kuopio there is a gorge with a short hiking trail of about 2.5 km.
- Go hiking in the gorge of Orinoro to Leppävirta. There is an approximately 7km long hiking trail that leads into a narrow gorge with vertical walls. Alternatively you can drive by car up to 700m from the gorge.
- Pisa, a lookout point and a protected area, between Juankoski is Nilsiä. La Pace di Teusina in 1595 chose Pisa to be a landmark on the border between Russia is Sweden. On the upper part (270 m) you can still see the marks on the stone.
- Mekaanisen Musiikin Museum to Varkaus it is the only museum of mechanical music in Finland.
- Olvi - Panimomuseo to Iisalms shows the history of beer and its different manufacturing stages.
- See Kuopio and its surroundings from the observation tower Puijo.
Events and parties
- Navitas marathon - At the beginning of June a Varkaus.
- Vekara-Varkaus - A summer event for children held in June in Varkaus.
- Kuopio Dance Festival - In June a Kuopio.
- Kuopio Wine Festival - Wine, food, friends and celebration. The wine village opens in early July offering wine, food, and musical performances in July, and the festivities continue for a week.
- Suonenjoki Strawberry Carnival - One of the oldest summer festivals in Finland dating back to 1970. Suonenjoki it is regarded as the capital of Finnish strawberries, as it is the largest strawberry producer in the country.
- Wives Transport World Championship - Organized in Sonkajärvi every summer.
What to do
- On a nice summer day, do one cruise in Saimaa, the largest lake in Finland. Reachable from Kuopio.
- Metsäkartano, located in the municipality of Rautavaara in the north of Northern Savonia, it is a natural tourist center offering a variety of sports and outdoor activities, both in summer and in winter and accommodation in wooden structures and also in a tent made of peat. In the restaurant they serve organic food.
- Relax in a spa a Leppävirta.
- Downhill or cross-country ski trails in Tahko, Nilsiä (now part of Kuopio).
At the table
- Kalakukko - Specialty of the region. A sweet rye bread filled with fish and meat. Buyable in a market, especially in Kuopio.
Drinks
- kotikalja - A home-brewed non-alcoholic beer, usually served in the summer, but can be found all year round in restaurants, especially buffets.
- Tap water is drinkable everywhere.
Safety
As in the rest of Finland, it is also possible to travel in complete safety in Northern Savonia. There are some brown bears in the wilderness but it will be nearly impossible to see them as they flee when they hear someone coming. Beware of vipers in the summer. Insects such as mosquitoes, gadflies and kites are irritating and their bite causes irritation, but it is not dangerous. Ticks can carry borreliosis and dangerous tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), but it is extremely rare (only one case of TBE has been recorded in northern Savonia).
Other projects
Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Northern Savonia
Commons contains images or other files on Northern Savonia
