Cruise through the Saimaa Canal, the route of Czars in the days of the ‘Imperial Duchy of Finland’ where the last, Alexander III, spent his summers. Visit the Imperial Fishing Lodge, Ovanlinna Castle and sail across the Ice Age sculpted Lake Saimaa, whilst enjoying the convivial intimacy of the MS Kristina Brahe, a meticulously maintained traditional steamer.
Ms Kristina Brahe
Refurbished in 2001 the twin funnelled Kristina Brahe is a traditional expedition style steamer faithfully maintained over the years by her Finnish owners and ideal in size for cruising the Saimaa Canal and Finnish lakes. The 45 cabins allow a maximum of 137 passengers which along with the intimacy of the ship and the genuinely friendly Finnish crew make cruising on the Kristina Brahe a truly Finnish experience.
DAY 1: UK – HELSINKI
Scheduled Finnair flight from Heathrow to Helsinki, self transfer to and overnight at Hotel Torni.
DAY 2: HELSINKI – LAPPEENRANTA
Breakfast, self transfer to and embarkation on MS Kristina Brahe. Sail out and along the coastal archipelago past Porvoo to Kotka (SHORE EXCURSION) where the ship docks for four hours before leaving to navigate the Saimaa Canal.
DAY 3: LAPPEENRANTA – SAVONLINNA
Dock at Lappeenranta (SHORE EXCURSION) lying alongside for three hours. Noon departure across Lake Saimaa to Savonlinna where the ship arrives early evening.
DAY 4: SAVONLINNA – LAPPEENRANTA
Breakfast. (SHORE EXCURSION). Late morning departure for Lappeenranta stopping briefly at the exquisitely beautiful little town of Puumala.
DAY 5: KOTKA – HELSINKI
Sail along Finland’s southern coast from Kotka to Helsinki, self transfer and overnight at Hotel Torni.
DAY 6: HELSINKI – UK
Day at leisure before self transfer to the airport and return flight to UK.
Set where the Kymi River spreads its five tributaries into the Gulf of Finland, Kotka is an architectural essay in Finnish history with Swedish fortifications, Russian Orthodox and Finnish Lutheran churches. The high spot of your stop here is unquestionably Czar Alexander III’s Imperial Fishing Lodge.
First fortified by the Swedes, Lappeenranta is a unique inland port made so by the 150 year old, 26 mile Saimaa Canal linking Lakes Saimaa’s southern end to the sea. Beneath its modern cloak you find a collision of cultures: Swedish, Karelian and Russian.
Linnankatu, the town’s oldest street runs down to Olavinlinna Castle which dominates the town and is probably the best preserved medieval one in the Nordic countries. Savonlinna in summer is a bustle of traditional Lakeland Steamer traffic, everyday life and opera goers.
Wednesdays 8 June - 17 August
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