National Geographic praises Saimaa as a cool summer destination

Saimaa has been named one of Europe’s best cool holiday destinations by National Geographic, while Spain’s El Mundo has explored why Finns consider themselves happy, Yle reports.

The Saimaa region in eastern Finland has attracted attention from international media this summer. National Geographic, an international nature and science magazine, and El Mundo, Spain’s second-largest newspaper, have both published articles about the region and Finnish life.

National Geographic included Saimaa in a list of six European destinations suited to a coolcation, a holiday in a cooler climate. The magazine praised the region’s fresh air, forests and archipelago. It noted that daytime temperatures in Finland are around 20 degrees Celsius in August, making the country suitable for spending time by the water.

The article also mentions the Saimaa ringed seal and the Topelius nature trail in Savonlinna. The other recommended destinations are the Icelandic Highlands, the Polish coastal city of Sopot, Norway’s Lofoten Islands, Glasgow in Scotland and Estonia’s Saaremaa. The destinations were not ranked.

Demand for cooler holidays has grown as hot periods become more common in southern Europe. In Finland, the trend has been visible in summer tourism to Lapland in recent years.

According to Visit Finland, overnight stays by foreign visitors in Finland increased by 12 per cent last year. Tourism businesses in the South Savo region say the growth has also reached their area, with visitors arriving from countries including Italy, France and Spain.

Growth is expected to continue next year. German newspaper Frankfurter Neue Presse reported last week that direct summer night flights will operate from Frankfurt to Savonlinna next year. For the winter season, an airline will open a scheduled route between Frankfurt and Kajaani.

El Mundo journalist Christina Galafate visited Savo this summer to investigate why Finland was chosen as the world’s happiest country for the ninth consecutive time in March. She visited places including Kuopio Market, Hotel Punkaharju and Tertti Manor in Mikkeli.

Galafate concluded that happiness is linked to Finns’ calm lifestyle, including spending time at cottages, sauna bathing, closeness to nature and being together. Sari Helin, an entrepreneur at Restaurant Metsä, told the newspaper that even a happy nation faces difficulties.

“We are not always happy, but we know how to deal with the difficult moments in life,” Helin said.

National Geographic also published a separate article about Punkaharju last summer, describing it as a paradise for nature lovers. In 2023, the magazine included Saimaa among the 30 most interesting travel destinations in the world.