10.00 Welcome coffee/tea
We have a nice cup of tea or coffee in the fabulous hotel Valtionhotelli.

10.45 Guided tour of the hotel
After the tea we have a guided tour around the hotel. We can also pop into the luxury rooms and hear interesting stories about the hotel’s history. This beautiful art-nouveau castle has seen a lot both in peace and war.

12.00 Guided walk in the Crown Park
The Crown Park with the rugged riverbed of the Imatra rapids is the oldest nature reserve in Finland. It was established already in 1842. We will hear stories about the birth of the river Vuoksi and the golden age of rapids tourism. We will see the rare river potholes and the unique guestbook on rocks. This tour is not fully accessible for people with physical disabilities or parents with children in prams because of the stairs.

13.00 Lunch in the hotel Valtionhotelli
The historical environment is a perfect setting for such portions as ”Pike perch à la Mannerheim” or ”Czar’s reindeer”. Buffet lunch is also a popular choice.

14.00 Sightseeing tour of Imatra

On this tour we will have a glance at the checkpoint of Imatra on the Russian border and then drive along the beautiful river Vuoksi to the Church of the Three Crosses. We’ll pop into the church if possible. We will hear some war history and visit the legendary Immola airfield which is not accessible without a permit. We will see the idyllic old Niskalampi residential are and the Ukonlinna resort that has become the leading center of sport tourism in South Karelia. Lake Saimaa with its spas and ports will become familiar to us, too.

16.00 Departure