The town of Varkaus stands amid the lakes of eastern central Finland, 2 miles north east of Helsinki. Lake Saimaa, the largest in Finland, almost surrounds the town. Visitors who hire car in Varkaus will soon find this area is a maze of waterways, bridges, causeways and islands. Saimaa has 9,3 miles of shoreline to explore and thousands of islands. Varkaus is connected to the Saimaa Canal, which reaches the Gulf of Finland via Russia, so expect to discover plenty of opportunities for fishing, boating and canoeing. The highlights include the unspoilt wildernesses of the Linnansaari and Kolovesi National Parks, the acclaimed Peis Immonen Caves and the spectacular Orinoro Gorge.
Varkaus grew as an industrial town, with the canal helping to transport its wood and paper products. But if you hire a car in Varkaus you'll soon discover there's plenty to see. Right next to the town you can explore the nature reserves and river rapids around the Island of Kamari and Ämmänkoski. The historic canal area of Taipale has become a summer visitor attraction and, in the winter, Varkaus Ski Centre has four downhill slopes and a snow-park for children. Look out too for the Museum of Mechanical Music, it's one of Finland's most popular museums.
