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Market Square during the Sunday flea market

Kuopio is the largest city of North Savonia.

Understand

Kuopio is one of the many Finnish towns founded under Swedish rule. The town was established as a village in the 1500s and incorporated as a city in 1782. Kuopio is surrounded by lakes from three sides, which supplies loads of beaches and the feeling of water being always close. Part of the wooden houses arranged as a grid have been preserved in the centre which makes it a nice place to visit. Kuopio has a population of around 100,000.

Tourist office

Get in

Map
Map of Kuopio

By plane

Kuopio is a one hour flight away from Helsinki. Kuopio Airport (KUO  IATA) is located 14 km north of Kuopio and most flights are met by a bus connecting to the city centre. Fares €5 adults, €2,5 children. Taxi to city centre costs €18. As with most Finnish passenger airports nowadays, the only flights are to Helsinki by Finnair (depending on the day 3-6 daily flights).

By train

About 4–5 hours from Helsinki. Tickets and timetables information: VR

By bus

Good connections from all directions. Timetables, fares and tickets information: Matkahuolto

By car

National highway 5 from Helsinki and highway 9 from Turku. Kuopio is about a five hour drive from Helsinki.

Get around

Kuopio has a good system of public transport. You can ride from one part of the city to another with a single ticket of €2.90, kids €1.4. Kauppatori is the center of Kuopio's public transport system, but be aware that many bus lines just pass through and continue somewhere to the other side of the city. You can use interactive route planner to find bus routes.

  • single ticket workdays: €2,9 adults/€1,4 children 4–11 years
  • single ticket Sundays and during the night (11PM-4AM): €3,8 adults/€1,8 children 4–11 years
  • 24h ticket with unlimited travel 24h from the time of purchase. Can be bought at the bus. Prices: adults €7,5 and children €3,8

Information about lines (in Finnish): Kuopion liikenne

See

Summer day view from Puijo tower
  • 1 The Puijo Panorama Tower. Lurks over the city on the highest hill far and wide. From here you have a stunning view over the neighbouring lakelands. 
  • 2 The Orthodox Church Museum (Ortodoksinen Kirkkomuseo), Karjalankatu 1. Is a leading museum of Orthodox Churches in Europe. 
  • 3 The Old Town Centre. South east from the main square and you can just walk around following your feet. 
  • 4 The Minna Canth House (Kanttila) (corner of Minna Canthin katu and Kuninkaankatu). The original house where the famous first Finnish female writer Minna Canth lived. Most noticeable it contains a replication of the Minna Canth room where she is said to have written some of her work. 
  • 5 The Kuopio Quarter-Block Museum (Korttelimuseo), Kirkkokatu 22. In the old town has plenty of old buildings done up in their original style 150 years ago containing also a pharmacy museum and most enchantingly a little history of Wonderous Healers in Eastern Finland of which still two or three exist and offer their service to believing people today! 
  • 6 The Kuopio Market Hall (Kauppahalli) (Located at the Market Square). Opening hours: Mon-Fri 8-17 and Saturdays 8-15. Over 20 local stallholders. 
  • 7 The Victor Barsokevitsch Photographic Centre, Kuninkaankatu 14–16, 70100, ☏ +358 17-261 5599. Opening hours During summer months (June–August) Mon-Fri 10AM - 6PM, Sat-Sun 11AM - 4PM, Winter (September–May) Tue-Thu-Fri 11AM - 5PM, Wed 11AM -7PM, Sat-Sun 11AM - 3PM. The VB Photographic Centre is dedicated to display high-class Finnish and foreign photography. The Centre is housed in an idyllic wooden building that is more than 100 years old and located in the heart of the Old City of Kuopio in Eastern Finland. The VB Photographic Centre is regarded as one of the major photographic galleries and research centres of the country. During the summer, the Centre organizes well-known international exhibitions. 

Do

  • Passenger Boat Cruises. on Lake Kallavesi are worth trying during the summer season (June–August). 
  • 1 Rauhalahti Spa, Katiskaniementie 8. Offers large indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a jacuzzi, an ice-cold pool, a children's pool, a waterslide, saunas and a steam room. 
  • Kuopio Rock. Is annually arranged rock music festival. 

Buy

  • 1 Artiko, Haapaniemenkatu 12. Art handicrafts, gifts and utility items. 
  • 2 DaigaDaigaDuu, Puijonkatu 12. Handmade clothes, records, comic books, 60's and 70's second hand shop, minigallery. 
  • 3 Daxhund Ceramics, Itkonniemenkatu 25. 
  • 4 Pentik, Kauppakatu 32. Stoneware. 
  • 5 Hallin käsityökammari, Market Hall. Local handicrafts and gifts 
  • 6 Pikku-Pietari Market Alley (Pikku-Pietarin torikuja). Three blocks from the Market Square is the idyllic Pikku-Pietari Market Alley, lined by old stables. The log buildings of the alley house a cafe with a terrace, art exhibitions and small boutiques. Handwork demonstrations weekly. 
  • 7 Sauna Nestor. Special shop for sauna products in the Market Hall. 

Alcohol

Alko is the national alcoholic beverage retailing monopoly in Finland. Essentially, it is the only store in the country which retails beer over 4.7% ABV, wine (except in vineyards) and spirits. Alcoholic beverages are also sold in licensed restaurants and bars to ages 18 and up. Alko is required by law to sell drinks with lower alcohol content than 4.7% and non-alcoholic alternatives, but in practice carries a very limited stock of low alcohol beer, cider and non-alcoholic drinks and mixers as supermarkets sell the same products at a lower price.

  • 8 Alko Kuopio Kolmisoppi, Kolmisopentie 3. 
  • 9 Alko Kuopio Petonen, Jalkasenkatu 5. 
  • 10 Alko Kuopio Prisma, Savilahdentie 10. 
  • 11 Alko Kuopio Päiväranta, Päivärannantie 18. 
  • 12 Alko Kuopio Sokos, Haapaniemenkatu 24-26. 

Eat

  • Kalakukko fish pie, The best-known speciality in the province of Savo is probably the ‘kalakukko’ fish pie, a type of rye bread pie stuffed with fish (the name literally means "fish rooster"). Once you have tasted warm ‘kalakukko’, it is hard to resist. The best places for shopping for a genuine ‘kalakukko’, consisting vendace or perch and bacon baked inside a rye crust, are the Market Hall and the Marketplace.
  • You should also try fried vendace (muikku, a fresh-water fish) at local kiosks and restaurants.
  • 1 Kalakukkoleipomo Hanna Partanen, Kasarmikatu 15. Mon-Sat 06:00-20:30. The bakery shop Kalakukkoleipomo Hanna Partanen boasts a long tradition in kalakukko baking. 
  • 2 Muikkuravintola Sampo, Kauppakatu 13. Tasty fried small whitefish in a pub-like atmosphere, a real classic in Kuopio. 
  • 3 Restaurant Musta Lammas, Satamakatu 4. "Black Sheep" in English, the best restaurant in town, fine dining, pretty expensive. 
  • 5 Restaurant Kummisetä, Minna Canthinkatu 44. A restaurant in the city centre, popular among adult people. 
  • 7 Restaurant Peräniemen Kasino, Väinölänniemi. Open in July and for private occasions from May to December.. Wooden lakeside restaurant and terrace since 1902. Beautiful and peaceful scenery. 

Drink

Cafes

  • 1 Trube Markethall-cafe, Markethall. 
  • 2 Burts Cafe, Haapaniemenkatu 20. 
  • 3 Café Fado, Puijonkatu 15. 
  • 4 Cafe Houkutus, Kauppakatu 36. 
  • 5 Cafe Kaneli, Kauppakatu 22. 
  • 6 Café Kolibri, Kauppakatu 16-18. 
  • 7 Cafe Sektori, Puijonkatu 23. 
  • 8 Coffee House, Haapaniemenkatu 24-26. 

Bars & pubs

  • 9 Ale pupi, Kauppakatu 16. 
  • 10 Beerhouse Pannuhuone, Kauppakatu 25. 
  • 11 Gloria, Kauppakatu 16. 
  • 12 Intro Bar & Grill, Kauppakatu 20. A bar and a restaurant in central Kuopio. 
  • 13 Malja Beer and Wine Restaurant, Kauppakatu 29. 
  • 14 Restaurant Albatrossi, Makasiininkatu. Open in the summer time. A storehouse-restaurant in Kuopio harbour. 
  • 15 Restaurant Apteekkari, Kauppakatu 18. A pub and club restaurant for adults in the city centre. 
  • 16 Henry's Pub, Kauppakatu 18. A pub in the city centre. Rockmusic, live bands. 
  • 17 K-Klubi, Vuorikatu 14. More alternative pub in Kuopio center, has for example punk and prog gigs. 
  • 18 Millibaari, Laituritie 10, 71310 Vehmersalmi, ☏ 017 385 1500, . Bar and restaurant by the sea, accessible by boat, also offers boat rentals. 

Nightclubs

  • 20 Club Passion, Kauppakatu 16. 
  • Puikkari, Maaherrankatu 5. Nightclub of Sokos Hotel Puijonsarvi 
  • Viihdemaailma Ilona, Vuorikatu 19. A nightclub with multiple sections; Live Club, London British Pub, Karaoke and Finnish Classics club 
  • Tähti, Kauppakatu 18. 

Sleep

  • 5 Hotel Puijo Koto, Hiihtäjäntie 11. Located near Puijo Ski stadium, not very far from the city center. Reasonably priced and cosy. 
  • 6 Hotel Puijon Maja. 
  • 7 Rauhalahti Spa Hotel, Katiskaniementie 8. Offers rooms and a swimming pool department (indoor and outdoor pools, a jacuzzi, an ice-cold pool, a children's pool, a waterslide, saunas and a steam room). 
  • 8 Holiday Centre Rauhalahti. Has nice cottages or holiday homes (11 also for winter use). The holiday centre is situated very near to Rauhalahti Spa. 

Cope

Press

Locally published newspapers include:

Religious services

Local international churches:

  • Kuopio church international International friendship group provides activities: learn English, bible study groups, camps and sport events.

Go next

  • 3 Kymppiareena (In Leppävirta, distance from Kuopio 37 km). The only ski and multipurpose sports hall in the world built into rock lies below the Spa Hotel Vesileppis. The skiing, biathlon and curling facilities are available 12 months a year. For children there is also a snow play area. Services: hotel, spa, restaurant, pub, cafe, meeting rooms, gym, squash, indoor ice rink, physiotherapy, Kymppi Areena 
  • 4 Tahko (Tahkovuori) (in Nilsiä, 70km from Kuopio). Tahko is a popular Finnish tourist center, both during winters and summers. 
This city travel guide to Kuopio is a usable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.
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