Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion.
We've compiled the best of the best in Kuopio - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
Called maailman napa—the belly button of the world—by locals, Kuopio's Market Square should be one of your first stops, as it hosts one of the most colorful outdoor markets in Finland. Try the famous kalakukko (fish and bacon baked in a rye crust). Kuopio's tourist office is nearby. The Market Hall, founded in 1902, is likewise one of the liveliest in the country and is decorated with stucco images of pigs, cows, and squirrels.
The slender, 75-meter-tall tower, 3 km (2 miles) northwest of Kuopio, is best visited at sunset, when the lakes shimmer with reflected light. It has two observation decks and is crowned by a café, bar, and revolving restaurant with truly marvelous panoramic views of the lakes spreading in all directions.
Traditional lumberjack evenings take place at the Jätkänkämppä log lodge on the expansive lakeside grounds of the Rauhalahti Spa Hotel on Tuesday throughout the year and also on Thursday in the summer. These feature live accordion music, dancing, and a delicious buffet as well as log-rolling demonstrations on the lake (weather permitting). Nearby is the world’s biggest smoke sauna, with capacity for 70 bathers at one time.
