Scenic route
|Koli
Pielinen boating route – an amazing scenic trip like no other!
Experience the magnificent Pielinen, the hills of Koli and the sights of the shores by boat. Charming destinations await around Pielinen.
Description
Pielinen, the fourth largest lake in Finland, offers excellent conditions for boating. Safe boat routes lead from harbor to harbor. Koli, Lieksa, Nurmes, and Juuka welcome boaters! It is easy to spend a whole week exploring the surroundings of Pielinen.
During your boat trip, be sure to explore sights, islands, and pleasant nearby excursion destinations. Experience Koli National Park, the Pielinen Museum in Lieksa, the idyllic village of Vuonislahti, the Karelian village of Bomba in Nurmes, and Puu-Juuka. Shops and restaurants are within walking distance.
It’s nice to dock overnight at island destinations. At Tarina-aho in Kelvänsaari, full of history, you can enjoy the gentle heat of a smoke sauna, and the Paalasmaa archipelago is also a worthwhile stop.
Explore the tourism offerings of the Pielinen area and spend your day with activities and good food!
You can find boater services on the municipalities' websites:
Location & Parking
Parking is free at the harbors. See arrival instructions for Koli.
Directions
Suggested itinerary: Pielinen round trip by boat and vacationing:
- Starting point: Koli
- Duration approximately 1 week
Day 1:
Arrival and boat launching at Pielinen. Explore Koli National Park, Koli Local Heritage Museum, and Nature Center Ukko. In Koli's restaurants, you can enjoy a lovely treat, taste local brewery products, and replenish your boat's food and supplies at Koli Sale. An active outing by mountain bike, donkey trek, or hiking will relax you nicely before the boat trip. Overnight stay at Koli harbor. Koli also has hotel and cottage accommodations as well as charming guesthouses.
Day 2
Trip to Tarina-aho on Kelvänsaari Island. Enjoy a cozy and historical site on the island and experience the gentle steam of the smoke sauna. Tarina-aho offers grilled dishes, and you can order breakfast ready-made. In the cottage, you can guess old items that have accumulated in impressive numbers over time to be seen.
Day 3
Trip to Vuonislahti village. Stop at Kestikievari Herranniemi and enjoy the sauna or herbal bath in the hot tub. How about spending this night comfortably in a cottage or room? Also explore the charming Old School shop, which has shop services and a café. A day trip to Paateri, sculptor Eva Ryynänen’s artist home, is an unforgettable experience. You can reach there by hiking the Paateri trail or order wooden boat transport. Overnight in the boat at Kestikievari Herranniemi guest boat pier, the trip harbor near the bridge, or Vuonislahti harbor.
Day 4
Trip to Lieksa. At the harbor Grill Cottage, you can enjoy food and then explore summer Lieksa. The Pielispolku and Braheanpolku trails offer a pleasant route embraced by trees. Lieksa’s magnificent church and church park are along the way. The trail on the edge of Lieksa’s park area runs along the river shore, crossing a suspension bridge to see the Lieksa power plant designed by Alvar Aalto. It is also worth visiting flea markets and the Ajan Patina antique shop. You can enjoy delicious coffee at Lieksa Bakery and buy snacks to take on the trip. Overnight stay at Lieksa harbor or in a local guesthouse or hotel. With a low boat, you can also access the pier of Hotel Puustelli.
Day 5
Trip to Nurmes and Bomba. Explore the house representing Karelian culture in Bomba, the summer market, and shops. Break Sokos Hotel Bomba’s delightful spa and sun terrace offer pampering moments, and at Trattoria Pielinen, you can enjoy wonderful food. In Bomba, you can also visit the quiet Nurmes Orthodox chapel. Ellun lenkki is a great hiking trail for day excursions, and you can rent hobby equipment from Kalevanhovi. Nearby, you’ll also find Hyvärilä Golf course. Nurmes harbor has a harbor kiosk, a beautiful swimming beach area, and a shore trail. The harbor borders the Puu-Nurmes area, where you can experience nostalgic vibes of building history. Also visit specialty shops and pamper yourself with a hotel overnight.
Day 6
Trip to Juuka and Paalasmaa. From Juuka harbor, it's a short walk to the idyllic and historically valuable Puu-Juuka. Notable sites include the Mill Museum, Herralankoski Park, and the Bridge of Dreams. You can peek into the large grain warehouse of the Parish Museum, full of historic rural artifacts. Karula Art Yard provides a nice art experience for your trip. After shopping, boat overnight to Paalasmaa, whose archipelago scenery is delightful. At the camping area, you can spend your last night of vacation, sauna and relax, for example, on a hiking trip to the observation tower on the highest island in Finland.
Day 7
Back to Koli. Did you fall in love? Spend another night at Koli, shop, dine, and enjoy activities before you lift your boat out of Pielinen.
Warm welcome again!