Kuopio
Kuopio is a city in the eastern part of Finland situated on the shores of the lake Kallavesi. The city, founded in 1652, was a center of commerce and management of the province, today it is mostly known as a winter tourism center of Finland (there is always an abundance of snow) and counts with a population of about 85,000 residents. The distance from Kuopio to Helsinki is about 400 km.
The lovely European city has many restaurants, cafes, bars, discos and clubs to suit every taste. The city offers excellent opportunities for shopping, you will find lots of shops and boutiques all over the city.
Kuopio is a perfect destination for winter sport lovers as they can visit two excellent ski centers located adjacent to the Kuopio: Kasurila( 20 km) and Takho(70 km) where there are hills of any complexity both for amateurs and professionals.
In Kuopio, there is always something to do not only in winter, but in summer as well. The city is surrounded by hundreds of lakes and islands and beautiful nature provides an opportunity to enjoy the steamer cruises, fishing, hunting, biking,etc.
Enthusiasts of boating will be pleased with the possibility of navigating the rapids or traveling on water scooters. Golf fans will appreciate the field of Kuopio and the surrounding area. Other available entertainment activities include horse riding, jeep safaris and quad bikes.
For children it will be interesting to visit the Kuopio Zoo. There are about 300 Finnish domestic animals, including horses, ponies, sheep, ducks, turkeys, rabbits, cats, etc.
In Kuopio there are many places of interest that have a huge cultural importance. The OrthodoxChurch Museum of Kuopio is one of the most significant ecclesiastical museums in Western Europe. The museum was founded in 1957, the building was constructed in 1969, here different icons, liturgical textiles and sacred objects from the monasteries of Valaam and Konevets are exhibited though most of them were evacuated during the war.
Mount Puijo is famous for the whole of Finland and on its top there is a 75-meter tower, which offers an amazing panoramic view.
At the University Botanical Garden there are collected about 1000 species of plants in greenhouses, and about 1500 species .
All this you can see once you are in Finland!
Photo credit to Sameli
Photo credit to Leon
