Kitee is a municipality of almost 10,000 people (2021) in North Karelia, Finland.

Understand

One of the most famous aspects of Kitee's identity is its association with heavy metal music. The town is the birthplace of the internationally renowned symphonic metal band Nightwish, which was formed in 1996 by keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen. Today, Nightwish remains one of the most successful bands in the genre, having sold millions of albums worldwide. Fans of the band often travel to Kitee to see the places where the members grew up and first started playing together.

Beyond its musical legacy, Kitee is also known for its beautiful natural scenery. The town is situated on the shores of Lake Kiteenjärvi. Popular recreational activities in the area include hiking, fishing, and boating, as well as cross-country skiing and ice fishing during the winter months.

Get in

By train

Kitee has a railway station, 7 km from the centre. There is no connection bus between the railway station and the centre, but line between Kitee and Rääkkylä can be used if the schedules are suitable. Timetables are available from VR website.

By bus

Coaches from Helsinki, Joensuu and Savonlinna. Onnibus.com has a direct route from Helsinki, but it comes and goes, so check if it operates from Onnibus web site. Joukkis website has information about coaches from Joensuu and Savonlinna. Joukkis line between Joensuu and Savonlinna serves Kitee centre, but Onnibus line between Helsinki and Joensuu stops at road 6 junction, 8 km from the centre.

Get around

Kitee has a dial-a-ride service, which operates like taxi, but reduced fares.

By taxi

See North Karelia#By_taxi

See

Kitee Church

• 1 Kitee Church (Kiteen kirkko) (in the centre of Kitee). The long grey stone church designed by the architect Frans Sjöström was completed in 1886. The church's interior burned down in the same year and could only be put into use again after three years of repair work in 1890.  
• 2 Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity and Saint Nektarios of Aegina (Kiteen ortodoksinen kirkko), Valamontie 4. Completed in 1998.  
• 3 Kitee Animal Park (Kiteen eläinpuisto). The zoo has domestic animals, Finnish wild animals, ane animals from other countries, for example alpacas and ostriches.  
• The longest miniature railway in Finland (there are a total of 250 m of rails)
• Finland's oldest and largest unified larch forest, Koiviko larch forest
• Homeland museum in a former granary
• Heinäjärvi's old mill
• Elias Lönnrot's memorial in Piimälä, Potoskavaara
• Vanha Puhos (Arppe and steamship Ilmarinen, old mill, Perinnekonepäiväs)
• Meijerinranta (near the city centre, on the shore of Lake Kiteenjärvi). Meijerinranta is the area of ​​an old dairy, planned to be repurposed as a business and culture centre. 
• Aquapark water park

Do

• Pajarinhov spa (formerly known as Aquapark), Valtatie 6. One of the largest indoor water parks in Finland, with three large water slides, two whirlpools, a children's pool and large pool areas.  

Sleep

• 1 Maijan Juhla- ja Pitopalvelu, Kiitsontie 4, ☏ +358 50 349 9018, maija.timonen@kolumbus.fi. €49. (updated Jun 2022)

Go next

• Rääkkylä