Kuopio Flights:
Flights to Kuopio
The city of Kuopio is not just on the shores of Lake Kallavesi, it is virtually surrounded by the lake! Kuopio is situated in central Finland and ,particularly for the Fins, it is a popular destination for outdoor recreation.
Flights to Kuopio Airport (airport code: KUO) typically take around 21 hours with 2 connections, when travelling from Johannesburg. British Airways and South African Airways both offer the same flight to Kuopio with stops in London and Helsinki. Lufthansa has a similar route, but makes its transfers in Frankfurt and then in Helsinki, or you can also fly with Iberia. Iberia has a flight to Kuopio from South Africa with stops in Madrid and also Helsinki.
Book a Flight To Kuopio:
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The Tourist Attractions of Kuopio:
Puijo Tower and the Puijo Hills
The best known landmark of Kuopio, and one of the top tourist attractions, is Puijo Tower. The concrete tower here today is the third to stand in the hills overlooking Kuopio – the first was built in 1853, and the second, built in 1906, was dismantled only when the current tower was completed in 1963.
The views from the observation deck of the Kuopio Tower are simply beautiful, with lakes all around, and the city below you, and if you fancy a meal you can stay for lunch or dinner in the revolving restaurant.
The Puijo Hills that overlook Kuopio offer more than just this tower. There are three ski jumping hills adjacent to the tower where the Ski Jumping World Cup is held each year, along with numerous other smaller events if you’re visiting in the winter.
The hills are also a popular place to enjoy some of the outdoor recreation that Kuopio is famous for. Much of the land within the hills is protected as a nature park, and there are some great trails for hiking in the summer, or cross country skiing in the winter.
Kuopio Old Town
In the heart of Kuopio, in the old town, you’ll find a large collection of restored, historical wooden homes and buildings that make these streets very pleasant to walk around. Another attraction of the old town, and one that is quite unique in Finland, is the street network. Each street has a smaller, second street running parallel to it that’s reserved for pedestrians and cyclists, and is called ‘rannikatu’ meaning ‘rain gutter street’. These small streets were actually designed to act as fire barriers so that if there was a fire in Kuopio, the break in the wooden buildings would stop the fire from spreading and destroying the whole town.
Cruises on Lake Kallevesi
Kuopio is surrounded by Lake Kallevesi on three sides so it’s a very scenic location. During the summer you can get out on the lake and enjoy this scenery even more as boat cruises are usually available through the months of June to August.
When Should You Visit?:
June to August are the warmest months to visit Kuopio, but with the northern latitude of the town it doesn’t get particularly hot here, peaking in July with an average high of 21.4C. Rainfall isn’t excessive in Kuopio though unfortunately June, July and August are the wetter months of the year too. May and September are mild, but before May, and after September, temperatures drop considerably, down to an average high of only 6C in January.