Neitijärvi ("Lady Lake") in the Ruunaa hiking area, Lieksa

Lieksa is a town in North Karelia, at the eastern shore of Lake Pielinen.

Get in

By car

Lieksa is 90 km from the nearest major city Joensuu, and you can drive there in a little over an hour.

By public transportation

Lieksa is connected to Joensuu by local train and bus.

By ferry

In the summer you can cross Pielinen by car ferry.

Get around

The centre of Lieksa is compact, but many of the attractions listed here are off the beaten track and only accessible by car. Google Maps offers route planner which includes sparse long distance buses which can be used for local trips also, and Matka.fi route planner includes also some of them.

By taxi

• Smartphone apps: Valopilkku, 02 Taksi, Menevä

See

Entrance to Paateri church

• 1 Pielisen Museo, Pappilantie 2, ☏ +358 40 104 4151, museo@lieksa.fi. 10AM-6PM. An open air museum and exhibition halls with log houses, old tools and vehicles and such, where visitors can learn about the daily life in Lieksa once upon a time. adults €5, children under 12 years €1.50. 
• 2 The Rukajärvi front, Asema-aukio 2, ☏ +358 13 521-929. M–F 09:00–15:00. Sites from Second World War battles in the forests northeast of Lieksa. Office and exhibitions at the railway station. 
• 3 Paateri church. A wooden church designed like no other. In Paateri, 25 km south of Lieksa. 

Do

• 1 Pikkukili, Salonkyläntie 90, Kelvä, ☏ +358 40 5862863, pikkukili.elamyspiha@co.inet.fi. A zoo with farm animals almost in the middle of nowhere, halfway to Joensuu along highway 73. Views over Lake Pielinen from the observation tower, and looking east you can see Russia. They also have cottages where you can stay overnight. adults €12, children €10. 
• 2 Patvinsuo National Park. In the southern part of Lieksa municipality. 
• 3 Ruunaa Hiking Centre (Ruunaan retkeilykeskus), Neitikoskentie 73, ☏ +358 13 533 170, info@ruunaa.fi. A kind of "wilderness activity center" in the middle of the forest about 20 km east of Lieksa. Aside from being a hotel it is also a place for white water rafting, fishing, hiking and cross-country skiing in the winter. 

Sleep

• 1 Hotelli Puustelli, Hovileirinkatu 3, ☏ +358 13 511 5500, fax: +358 13 511 5555, lieksa@puustelliravintolat.fi. A basic hotel in the town centre of Lieksa. 

Go next

• Koli National Park — see Lake Pielinen from the top of Ukko-Koli
• Nurmes — the next town to the north