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Family summer holidays

Lappeenranta offers plenty of activities, sights and events for families with children. There is plenty to experience by the beautiful Lake Saimaa both in the city centre and its vicinity.

We have put together traditional favourites of families that offer plenty to do for children and young people. Enjoyable pastimes for adults are also guaranteed! The historic Fortress and the longest beach boulevard in Finland are unique places to visit with the whole family.

Summer starts at the Sandcastle

The summer for families with children begins at the Sandcastle, where the annually changing theme of the castle is sure to capture the imagination of the entire family. This summer, the Sandcastle is ghost-themed. The millions of kilograms of sand in the Sandcastle area morph into new shapes time and time again since the same sand is reused every year. This is one of our small ways of fulfilling the Green Lappeenranta city strategy.

 In 2025, the Sandcastle opens on 7th of June and is open until the 31st of August. The Sandcastle area is open everyday from 10 AM to 9 PM.

Enjoy Saimaa, hop on a sightseeing bus and have a sweet summer!

From the Sandcastle you'll find all the ingredients for a perfect summer day. There you'll find equipment rental services (ie. Cayaks, SUP-boards and bicycles.), and Coinline's Bouncy Castle World.

In the Sandcastle area you will also find the Fazer Shop and the starting and ending point of the sightseeing bus tour! The bus route is approximately 40 minutes long, and you can hop off and on the bus on it's marked stations. The bus will have an audio guide playing in Finnish and in English. Children under 6-years old ride for free.

The area also includes a tourist service point, where our tourist advisors are happy to assist you in questions considering the city's attractions, events and activities.

Read more about the Sandcastle here

 

Cruises

What would a summer trip to Lappeenranta be without a canal cruise or dinner cruise in the Saimaa Archipelago?

From Lappeenranta Harbour, you can take a cruise to the archipelago, the historic Saimaa Canal and the Ilkonsaari skete island. It's also possible to book a little private cruise.

Read more about cruises here

Myllysaari recreational area

Myllysaari on the far east side of the City Bay is actually a narrow and long cape jutting into Lake Saimaa. Myllysaari boasts a diverse range of services for swimming, such as a public outdoor swimming facility, a gently sloping and child-friendly sandy beach, a sled slide and plenty of green areas. It also features beach volley courts, a playground, a fitness and climbing area, a waterfront café and a public sauna. The youngest of the family are sure to enjoy their time with street basketball, while the older youngsters will have a lot of fun on the parkour course. Also dogs enjoy the area, as behind the beach there is a dog park by the Lake Saimaa, so your furry friends can have a refreshing dip in the lake.

Read more about Myllysaari here