Imatra

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Imatra [1](population ca. 30 000) is an industrial town in South Karelia. It is dominated by Lake Saimaa, the River Vuoksi and the Finnish-Russian border. Imatra’s over 300-year-old history of busy tourism is greatly attributed to the attraction of the spectacular rapids of the river Vuoksi which have enticed many illustrious personas to visit the area throughout the ages. Visitors have included such people as Russian Empress Catherine II, Alexander Dumas Senior and Richard Wagner.

Imatra is even mentioned in the Kalevala, the epic poem of Finland (compiled from oral poetry in 1835): "Three, the water-falls in number, Three in number, inland oceans, Three in number, lofty mountains, Shooting to the vault of heaven. Hallapyora's near to Yaemen, Katrakoski in Karyala; Imatra, the falling water, Tumbles, roaring, into Wuoksi"

[edit] Get in

[edit] By car

[edit] By plane

Nearest airport (about 40 km) is the Lappeenranta Airport that is situated close to the centre of Lappeenranta city. It provides regular and effective flight connections to Helsinki several times a day. From Helsinki there are fast flight connections to all continents.

[edit] By train

[edit] By boat

[edit] Get around

[edit][add listing] See

  • Imatrankoski Rapids. These rapids are Finland's first ever tourist attraction. The Russian Empress Catherine the Great and her retinue visited the rapids in 1772.  edit

  • Hotelli Valtionhotelli (Imatra State Hotel). A hotel resembling a medieval knight's castle by the Imatrankoski Rapids. The original name of the hotel was Grand Hotel Cascade d'Imatra.  edit

  • Kruununpuisto Park. The oldest nature park in Finland, occupying the area around the Imatrankoski Rapids, was founded in 1842 by order of Tsar Nicholas I. edit

  • Church of the Three Crosses. Open: 1 Sep - 31 May daily 10am - 3pm, 1 Jun - 31 Aug daily 9am - 8pm..  edit

[edit][add listing] Do

  • Imatra Big Band Festival
  • Rock to the River - rock festival
  • Imatran Kylpylä Spa, [2]. The spa offers large swimming pools, saunas, whirlpools etc., from time to time with an artificial thunderstorm. Imatran Kylpylä Spa is your resource for recreation and holiday making in wonderful Lake Saimaa scenery and nature.

[edit][add listing] Buy

[edit][add listing] Eat

[edit][add listing] Drink

[edit][add listing] Sleep

[edit] Budget

[edit] Mid-range

  • Imatran Kylpylä Spa Hotel, [3]. The old Spa Hotel and the new Promenade Hotel. Promenade Hotel offers good rooms for families. The spa department named Taikametsä (literally Magical Forest) has large swimming pools, saunas, whirlpools etc., from time to time with an artificial thunderstorm.

[edit] Splurge

  • Imatran Valtionhotelli, Torkkelinkatu 2, ☎ +358-5-625-2000, [4]. The offputting name of the Imatra State Hotel hides a wealth of history: this castle-like hotel by the Imatrankoski rapids was built in 1903 for Russian nobility, and for several generations of Finns a suite here was the place to spend your honeymoon. Now privately run, the hotel was reopened in 2005 after extensive renovation and is, by Finnish standards, surprisingly cheap. 95€-.  edit

[edit] Get out

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