Made it to FINNISH LAKELAND! | Tour of LAPPEENRANTA 🇫🇮

Подписаться 8 тыс.

Просмотров 7 тыс.

50% 1

My road trip through Finnish Lakeland really gets started in this vlog as I arrive at Lake Saimaa & tour the city of Lappeenranta in South Karelia, Finland.
🇫🇮 See more of my travel vlogs from Finland here → bit.ly/mwt_finland
My day started near the small rural villages of Simola & Monola where I had found accommodation for the previous night - the Hostel Vanha Koulu which from what I could make out was in Simola about 10 miles from the city. I will give you a room tour and tell you how much I paid to stay there.
After breakfast I drove to Lappeenranta, parked the car close to the harbour and marina which turned out to be close to some of the city’s landmarks.
It was wonderful to finally be hitting the great lakes of Finland and some of the early stops I made gave me the chance to see Finland’s largest lake up close. I walked along to the famous sandcastles of Lappeenrannan Hiekkalinna, climbed Paviljonki Observation Tower in the rain and headed up towards the fort on the hill.
Lappeenranta Fortress (Lappeenrannan Linnoitus) is a mostly 18th century site where I found historic buildings, an old gate and guardhouse, museums, churches and a park area overlooking the beautiful and equally gigantic Lake Saimaa. The fortress links up the heritage of Finland, Sweden and Russia.
As rain showers continued to blow in I walked over to Lappeenranta city centre and took a self guided tour of the area. I revelled in Central Park (Keskuspuisto) and marvelled at the size and splendour of St. Mary's Lutheran Church of Lappee (Lappeen Marian Kirkko). Attached to it is the Lappeenranta Heroes Cemetery (Lappeenrannan Sankarihautausmaa) and the Monument at the Soldiers’ Cemetery: Sorrow and Belief in the Future (Sankarihautausmaan Muistomerkki: Suru ja Usko Tulevaisuuteen), both close to a very modern looking shopping centre called Köpcentrum IsoKristiina (Kauppakeskus IsoKristiina).
Shame about the weather but I enjoyed my half day walking the shoreline of Lake Saimaa and visiting the city of Lappeenranta, Finland. Time to move on though, my Finnish Lakeland road trip continues regardless of the elements.
📖 CHAPTERS:
📖 00:00 Intro
📖 01:11 Hostel Vanha Koulu in Simola, Finland
📖 04:09 Lappeenranta Waterfront
📖 06:29 Lake Saimaa (Finland’s Largest Lake)
📖 08:41 Paviljonki Observation Tower
📖 09:01 Lappeenranta Fortress
📖 11:27 Lappeenranta Heroes Cemetery
📖 12:50 Lappeenranta Church
📖 11:43 Lappeenranta City Centre
More Info
⭐ Please consider SUBSCRIBING, it's free & really helps my channel grow → bit.ly/2RyPwto
❤️ Don’t Forget to LIKE & SHARE if you enjoyed the video, they really help!
🎙️ Feel free to ask any questions! All FEEDBACK and COMMENTS welcome!!
📷 Connect with me on INSTAGRAM → bit.ly/mwt_instagram
🇫🇮 See all my FINLAND videos → bit.ly/mwt_finland
🇫🇮 See more from my Finnish Lakeland road trip → bit.ly/mwt_finnishlakeland
📍 See ALL of my videos on a TRAVEL MAP → bit.ly/mwt_map
🌍 See ALL of my videos by COUNTRY → bit.ly/mwt-europe
Soundtrack
🎵 Crazy Like That by Lofive
🎵 Come On Hurry Up by Pure Indigo
🎵
🎵 Music by Epidemic Sound. Get a FREE month here → bit.ly/2LB53FZ

Опубликовано:

1 июл 2024

Ссылка:

Скачать:

Готовим ссылку...

Добавить в:

Мой плейлист

Посмотреть позже

Комментарии : 108

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

THANKS FOR WATCHING!! 👍 If you enjoyed the video please consider LIKING & SUBSCRIBING - they really help me out! 👍 🇫🇮 My FINLAND Travel Vlogs → bit.ly/mwt_finland | 📷 Connect on INSTAGRAM → bit.ly/mwt_instagram 📍 My videos on a TRAVEL MAP → bit.ly/mwt_map

@gundelgaukeley6731 Месяц назад

In Hamburg we say : There is no bad weather - there are only bad clothes. ;D What a lovely town! Have a great time!

@Jantzku Месяц назад

Said in Finland too 😅

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

Ha yes that's very true!! Thank you, I will certainly try!

@valveillen Месяц назад

i appreciate how you take the time to explain the history of the places you visit ❤ hopefully your journey continued with less rain.

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

Thank you, appreciate you saying!

@oh2mp Месяц назад

That hostel looked that it must be an old village school building. It was a pity that there was so bad weather. The Lappeenranta harbour and fortress are so lovely places in a sunny day. I can confirm that the big stone wall, Äiti-Karjala (Mother Karelia), with the soldier names is just like you said and were a little unsure. They are the names of soldiers who were buried or left missing in that area which USSR robbed from us. The bigger text on top of each part is the municipality name.

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

I was really hoping to take a walk around the village as it looked so nice but unfortunately the weather wasn't on my side! Got worse when I walked along the harbour in Lappeenranta which was unfortunate. Thanks for clarifying the war graves and memorials, very sad things ended like that. So many men died needlessly.

@Azurall47 Месяц назад

well the name is "old school hostel" in finnish

@oh2mp Месяц назад

@@Azurall47 oh, I didn't notice.

@Gloerillero Месяц назад

I love those clocks that make that sound, when you get used to them they usually help me get into sleep. Some count sheep, or listen to the waves or whales whatever, clock ticking is weirdly soothing

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

Yes I've heard a few people say the same thing. My Nan use to have a wooden pendulum clock that would sit on the kitchen top but I guess I got use to that one.

@justskip4595 Месяц назад

You could have most likely taken it down and battery out, then in the morning put the battery in and clock back to right time.

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

Next time that's exactly what I'm going to do!

@sleepybubbi9638 24 дня назад

Lovely video Matt 😊 the rain is unfortunate, I don't mind rain in general, but I have to wear glasses like you and my vision is super poor without them, so its always a big pain in the arse trying to walk and around and enjoy scenery in the rain with (or without; I often just give up and take them off haha) glasses 😅 this place looks absolutely lovely. I really like the colours of the buildings, so cute and colourful. I believe this city was the set of a finnish crime series called Bordertown; I'd recommend watching it, it's a very good show! It was on Netflix for a while. 😊

@MattWhitingsEurope 23 дня назад

Yes the rain can be very annoying when you wear glasses, although I'll usually try to make the most of it. Problem is the camera hates it and my main camera isn't waterproof so I switch to the GoPro, however rain on the lens like raindrops on glasses can be quite annoying and make it hard to get any good shots. I've heard of Bordertown but not ever watched it so will try and catch an episode or two. Will be interesting to see some of these places on a TV show!

@Jantzku Месяц назад

Very unfortunate weather. Lappeenranta comes alive when the sun is shining. Rain or snow and it's so quiet. Often called summer city of Finland.

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

I sure would have loved to see some sunshine! ☀️

@Ianassa91 Месяц назад

Is’t every city and town in Finland called a great summer place though? 😂 but to be fair, Lappeenranta might be a bit more so than the rest

@aloneaflame9343 Месяц назад

@@Ianassa91 We say the same thing about our city, Turku.. so yeah, pretty much

@justskip4595 Месяц назад

@@Ianassa91 Never heard that being used for cities like Kajaani or Jyväskylä as an example, so not every city.

@oldowleye3161 Месяц назад

Thank you for the well expained trip and the historical sides of it … very intresting indeed

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching 😀

@scanpolar Месяц назад

You have done a very good job making these videos. I am an old Finnish and I know my home country . Very good job . Interesting for me too.

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

Thanks very much, that's quite a compliment and I very much appreciate it you saying!

@saturahman7510 Месяц назад

We have many nice beaches here in Mikkeli. Orijärvi, Pankalampi, Pitkäjärvi, etc. Mikkeli is in eastern-Finland.

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

Thanks, I'll keep those places in mind. They all look very nice!

@jukka7697 29 дней назад

The Saimaa lake district is a labyrith of almost 120 blue lakes and 14 000 green islands. It has more than 15000 km of shoreline, more than enywhere else in the world. It is the fourth largest lake in Europe.

@MattWhitingsEurope 29 дней назад

Thanks for the info, it's an incredible place for sure!

@ilari90 Месяц назад

@0:10 "Hostel Old School" so it's an old school building and looks like that too :). Studied 5 years in Lappeenranta University so nice to see where this goes.

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

Thanks for the info - familiar ground for you then.

@CulturalBarbarian Месяц назад

Can't wait 'till you get to the "Ask the locals, not the info" zone while going farther north. Less touristy places don't have a lot of info material in English, despite there being quite a lot of things to do.

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

Very true! I'm looking forward to it!

@Cindymeetsworld 28 дней назад

I went to Lappeenranta several years ago and stayed in a camp ground with cabins by the lake. I wandered through the nearby woods and came across an old ski jumping ramp. It was quite unexpected. I climbed to the top and got some great views of the lake. I loved this city and have fond memories of it. BTW… there’s a cool show called Bordertown (I think) that’s filmed there.

@MattWhitingsEurope 27 дней назад

Cool story about finding an old ski ramp in the woods, love it when that kind of thing happens. I wonder if it's still there? Thanks for watching!

@Hongaars1969 Месяц назад

Hi Matt. I do like that you show the rooms you stay in, I laughed at the inch of water. years ago when working in Canberra and staying overnight at a hotel, I not once but twice fell asleep (from exhaustion) whilst drawing a bath. As you might see in a movie, waterfall of water over the lip of the bath, and water running beneath the bathroom door. It is about time I do a map search of the lake and town location. It looks so remote, perhaps in summer it is busier but as I’ve said before, part of the attraction is the remoteness. (PS If you ever are coming to Dubrovnik, let me give you an idea of when it’s ideal for visiting when it’s not overwhelmed by tourists). OK, I’ve located on the map…..it’s a HUGE lake…and that list of names on the commemorative wall seems endless. A staggering number of lives lost…..the futility of war…. With each subsequent upload, I feel more and more that I am traveling with you. You present as a natural in front of, and “behind” the camera. (It was raining alright….)…Until the next video…… Thank you Zoltán

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

Thank you Zoltán , that's good to hear. I'm always in two minds about showing the room, on some trips I haven't done it but on others I try to show everything so interesting to get your feedback! Haha funny story about the bath, probably wasn't so funny in the moment but these things become more comical with time. I'd be very interested to hear the best time for visiting Dubrovnik, I last spent some time there in September a few years back but it was still packed - I thought that might be the best time?!

@Tatia146 5 дней назад

Round black bread is rye bread. Vanha Koulu= old school

@MattWhitingsEurope 3 дня назад

I see, thanks for clearing that up. Always good to get a bit of local knowledge on the matter.

@DemonicGoblin-mv4ob Месяц назад

Really nice area. Understated , for the discerning traveller just like yourself. Great to see you do it justice and I’m looking forward to more

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

Thanks very much, looking forward to sharing more of my videos as the trip progresses - wonderful area!

@Erudite_Euro-Chav Месяц назад

@@MattWhitingsEurope Do you have any plans to travel to the paradise island of Corsica? Seeing you there would be beyond epic!

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

Not right now unfortunately but I would love to visit at some point!

@MaJe29 Месяц назад

Hope you'll stop by at Imatra, which is located 30km up north from Lappeenranta and it is on the route towards Puumala. Not too much to see there, except for the Imatrankoski rapid which is the oldest tourist attraction in Finland. It sure is a place worth visiting.

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

Thank you, make sure you tune in next week! I don't want to spoil the surprise though ☺️

@justskip4595 Месяц назад

Imatra is where my relatives fled the war multiple times and tried to return to home when they could but eventually losing their home. My grandfather was too young to take part in the war during it and he was with his mother and 4 sisters as the father had died just before the wars to a lighting strike on his field. One of his sisters husband who was in the war got opened up from left armpit to groin losing his balls. He survived against odds but they ofc never had kids. That scar across his body was quite something to see in the sauna at Imatra when he was still alive.

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

Thanks for the personal account, very interesting to read.

@larrywave Месяц назад

Imatran Valtionhotelli is also nice 👌

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

Thanks, is that the hotel?

@hilfdsgfuiw Месяц назад

Absolutely butchering all names, as is tradition. No, but enjoying your very thorough tour of Finland so far. :)

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

It's a bit of an English tradition! Old habits die hard ☺️ Glad you're enjoying the videos!

@Mojova1 Месяц назад

Next time there is a ticking clock just remove the battery. Put it back the way it was when you leave. Maybe adjust the time a bit. 😄

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

I was scared of breaking it!! Next time I'll know what to do haha

@WITYTRAVELS Месяц назад

Nice breakfast, packed away like a school lunch. Fridge needs more cold beers! Hopefully they gave you a good price to park your yacht. Good thing you had your rain jacket with you.

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

An Englishman never travels without his trusty rain jacket and umbrella!! You usually learn that lesson the hard way. Beer would have gone down a treat, no doubt about it. I can live with no wi-fi but I toe the line at yacht parking - if it isn't available then I'm not staying!! 😂😂😂

@WITYTRAVELS Месяц назад

@@MattWhitingsEurope ⛴⛴⛴

@jussim.konttinen4981 Месяц назад

Sweden ceded Lappeenranta to Russia in 1743. According to Malmström, SavoPr (Garrison/HQ: Mikkeli) was the first "Western" unit to flee and thus suffered the least casualties 😬😂

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

Incredible, thanks for the info.

@97Jaska Месяц назад

Thanks for the video and for visiting my childhood hometown, I\m glad you liked it. 15 years ago when I was still pre/teen the town was a buzzling border town which population during summers raised around 80 thousand from all the Russian tourists. Now, because of the detoriating relations to Russia the town will have hard time staying relevant. The town gets often overlooked by foreign and domestic tourists but personally I hope the area could use its lake Saimaa and endless little islands to maybe get some foreign eco tourists to visit it and help with local economics.

@joo_olenmiina Месяц назад

En tiiä miks mut tuntuu hullulta sanoo Lappeenrantaa rajakaupungiksi ei tunnu siltä

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

You're very welcome, I really enjoyed walking around and seeing the sights despite the terrible weather. Hopefully the city can restore its former glory without the tourists from across the border, I'm sure if more Europeans knew how incredible the area is they would visit in higher numbers. That's where I come in haha!

@are3287 Месяц назад

Idk how much in advance you filmed this but if you went a few weeks later you wouldve been greeted with lovely (or torturous?) heat hah

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

Just my luck haha

@-tsvk- Месяц назад

3:22 You could probably have taken the clock off the wall and removed the battery to silence it.

@vandalfinnicus1507 Месяц назад

I was just gonna post that. I'll add, that if you then want turn it on again and set it on correct time, there's a gear or something you can turn.

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

That's exactly what I should have done! I didn't hear it though until the lights were out and I was all settled. Next time!!

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

@vandalfinnicus1507 Ah year I'd forgotten about the little gear switch, I know what you mean. Next time I will but I think I was a bit concerned about breaking it!

@saturahman7510 Месяц назад

Saimaa-lake is also here in Mikkeli. It is a big lake.

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

It's massive isn't is! Wonderful area.

@KarpoKekkonen Месяц назад

Great video! Too bad about the weather🙁

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

Thanks, yes it was a real shame. You can't win 'em all!

@anttieskelinen1 Месяц назад

In Finland is not 3rd world country, that´s why there is no WIFI because everyone got unlimited internet in their mobile connection.

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

Fair enough but I couldn't seem to get any 4G or 5G.

@VonArmagedda Месяц назад

@@MattWhitingsEurope It's an common thing in these smaller villages that 4G or 5G doesn't work properly. And for few months now, there's has been lots of GPS and electical interference coming from our "lovely" neighbor, Russian, which might have an effect on these connections near the border region.

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

Much like the UK I guess, data connections can be a little unpredictable in rural areas. Gotta keep an eye on those neighbours of yours!

@anttieskelinen1 Месяц назад

@@MattWhitingsEurope Biggest problem is that 3G network is now shutdown forever.

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

Yeah I haven't heard much about 3G lately - that'll be why!

@lentavahollantilainen7088 Месяц назад

I saw your photosphere in google maps from Ilomantsi the easternmost point

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

I sometimes wonder if anyone finds my videos from those photospheres - cool to know that they do. Great trip, those videos will be coming up soon.

@Lahiss Месяц назад

Of course terrible weather would ruin the visit in my hometown :D

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

I was hoping for a sunny day but it wasn't to be!

@nami-3 Месяц назад

will you go all around finland or just east?

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

Hello there, just the east on this trip but I'm sure I'll be back. If you have any suggestions or recommendations I'd love to hear them!

@Videottakaperin Месяц назад

I think Airbnb is more affordable and better quality than those cheap hostels

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

From my experience it really depends where you are and what you're doing. Admittedly I haven't tried Airbnb whilst in Finland.

@just42tube Месяц назад

As interesting as it is to listen how you pronounce Finnish worlds, it could be useful to not try to pronounce them as if they are English words. An example: A - is roughly the same sound as in German, French, or Italian; thus AA is pronounced roughly as A in AFTER (in British pronunciation); short A resembles u in British English "cup" or o in American English "hot"

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

Okay which name did I butcher in particular? 😆 Thanks for the guide, that will prove very useful I'm sure. I will have to get some practice in.

@just42tube Месяц назад

@@MattWhitingsEurope Finnish is simple - letters match sounds. They are just not the ones English speakers use and don't change in similar weird ways as is common in English. Unlike English, Finnish worlds are simply directly written as they are said. So in principle reading should be trivial. There are no spelling bees in Finnish. Not needed with a rational writing system.

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

Fair enough! I will give it a try!

@NickiBerry Месяц назад

@@MattWhitingsEurope Lappeenranta... though I also find it tricky to pronounce correctly. The 'ee' doesn't make the same sound as it does in English. It's more like the way we say 'air' (in Yorkshire, at least). Finns roll their r sounds. I can do that but not immediately after an n sound.

@MattWhitingsEurope Месяц назад

I see, thanks for the tip. Will no doubt come in useful!