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The Harbour

The beautiful Harbour area in Lappeenranta begins at the Shore Park (Rantapuisto), also known as the Kasino Park and continues all the way to the largest sandcastle in Finland and the Myllysaari area. The magnificent boardwalk runs along the City Bay to the Harbour.


You can take a dip in the refreshing waters of Myllysaari Beach or relax on Halkosaari point, among the hustle and bustle of the Harbour. In the summer, the Harbour Square offers local specialities, such as vety and atomi meat pies that you can feast on while enjoying live music and admiring the views of Lake Saimaa. The Wall Street Journal has nominated Lake Saimaa as one of the top 5 most beautiful lakes in the world. Lappeenranta offers spectacular opportunities for sailing and boating.


Information about the harbour

Start you conquer of the Lake Saimaa at Lappeenranta Harbour

From the City Bay (Kaupunginlahti) Harbour, you can sail away on an archipelago cruise of Lake Saimaa and the Saimaa Canal for a few hours or even book a little private cruise. Enjoy a moment or a whole day on Lake Saimaa!

Karelia Lines 
Saimaan Risteilyt
Private cruises from Wooddream

The city of Lappeenranta also provides tourist information services in the Sandcastle area, and you can hire bicycles, kayaks, canoes, SUP boards and a row boat from the renting point near the Sandcastle. 

Summer concerts at Harbour Square

Summer concerts at Harbour Square

The roots of the summer concert tradition lie in park concerts performed by the marching band of the Uusimaa Regiment of Dragoons, in the late 1800s. The tradition of organising summer concerts, here, has continued almost unbroken, for over a hundred years. Summer concerts take place at the Lappeenranta Harbour Square on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 6–7 pm Performers include local orchestras, bands, choirs and marching bands. The concerts are held at the Harbour Square, the Market Square and the Joutseno market square.

Events at the Harbour

In connection with the summer concert opening event, there is a traditional street-painting event for children at Harbour Square. The tradition of letting children leave their mark on the streets once each summer goes back all the way to the 1970s.
The summer season of events closes with the cultural event “Harbour Lights” that is organised at the Lappeenranta Harbour. During this evening, with its special ambience, you can enjoy an open fire, music, culture and the arts, along with the light parade of boats.
Markets also happen at the Harbour, for example the International Grand Market and the traditional Fish Market Days. Cavalrymen can be spotted around the Harbour area in July!

Karhusaari Island

Admiring the city around a campfire

In the winter, when the ice conditions permit, you can go from the City Bay to the Karhusaari Island lean-to via the cross-country ski tracks and skating route. Karhusaari Island is about 1 km from Lappeenranta Harbour.
There is a spot for a campfire in the lean-to that faces the city and firewood is available at the firewood shelter nearby. Up to two dozen people can fit into the lean-to, if everyone is considerate. 

Harbour in the winter

Lappeenranta Harbour in the winter

There is opportunity to go skating on frozen lake right at the Lappeenranta Harbor. Once the lake is enough frozen after adequate period of sub-zero temperatures, there are skating areas and tracks prepared all the way upto Karhusaari island. There is also pole sled and a crockicurl track at the harbor. All activities are free of charge.
There are many events arranged during the winter at the harbor such as The Harbor’s Winter Day and Thousand Lanterns challenge when the ice road from the harbor all the way to the Karhusaari island is lid with ice lanterns.
Everyone will be skating and participating at their own risk. The activities are supported by locals, on a voluntary basis.
The action has been made possible by a local EU project, ”Elinvoimaa ja osallisuutta”, supported by the European Social Fund.