Lieksa tourist area
Koli's national landscape, Lieksa's diverse nature sites and rich cultural offerings give tourism entrepreneurs a good starting point to develop their company's operations and provide customers with amazing experiences from relaxation to exciting adventures. Lieksa is a town full of cottages, which provides it with a cheerful image, events and increasing turnover for entrepreneurs during the summer.
Koli is one of Finland’s main tourist attractions. The number of visitors and the service offering in Koli are growing all the time and the area is being developed in many different ways. Koli provides good business opportunities for tourism entrepreneurs. All the travel-related services in Koli can be found on the koli.fi website.
Koli National Park is known for its high fells and the Pielinen lake, but in addition to these, the region also boasts other diverse nature settings: old forests, cliffs, marshlands, streams, sandy beaches, islands and flowering meadows that burst into bloom in the beginning of the summer.
The Ruunaa Hiking Area offers pleasant hiking trails for all ages. You can come to enjoy campfire coffee in the heart of Ruunaa, breathe the fresh forest air and listen to the bubbling rapids flowing freely. Ruunaa is also a splendid place for fishing.
The Karhunpolku Trail runs through the tourist area. It is a splendid trail for both hiking fans and mountain bikers. Along the Karhunpolku Trail in Änäkäinen, you can become acquainted with the wartime defence fortresses. Jongunjoki River, which flows from Lake Jonkerinjärvi in Kuhmo, flows through Ruunaa to the river at Lieksa. The trail is full of natural beauty featuring wilderness landscapes as well as speedy kayaking routes in several places.
In the Patvinsuo National Park, you can enjoy the calm wilderness, feel the rustle of the old forests, and contemplate the beautiful marshy landscapes and the sparkling Lake Suomunjärvi with its sandy beaches.
Patvinsuo on the map
Day trip destinations
The protected Reposuo marshland area offers varying landscapes from open marshlands to coastal landscapes and ridges. It is an important and rich bird area. A nature tower and a viewing platform have been built for nature observation, some sections of which are suitable for the physically challenged. Scenic day trip destinations also include the Pieni Ritojärvi lake, the Ukonsärkkä area and the Pappilanluhta bird wetland and bird tower in the vicinity of Lieksa including access to persons with reduced mobility. The Lieksa harbour can be reached from the centre by following the Brahea Pielispolku paths.
Trails on the map
Pielinen
Pielinen is Finland’s fourth largest lake. It offers opportunities for a variety of boating, fishing and holiday activities. For tourism entrepreneurs, Pielinen offers many opportunities for different activities.
Pielinen services on the map
Museums
Paateri, the sculptor Eva Ryynänen’s home, atelier, gallery café and church form an impressive whole, where the artist's stamp is strongly present.
Pielisen museo, The Pielinen Museum, an open-air museum and exhibition hall are located in Pappilanniemi, near the centre of Lieksa. The Pielinen Museum is Finland's second largest open-air museum.
Loma-Kitsi, one of the main attractions of this historic house museum is its collection of over 400 chainsaws.
The Koli Heritage Museum in the centre of the village of Koli, behind the log buildings painted with red ochre paint by Koli Ryynänen, presents the history of the area through photographs, narrations and artefacts. Here you can find Ari Koistinen's traditional artefacts and photographs by Einar A. Saarelainen on display.
The Koli Ski Museum Café displays the history of Finnish downhill skiing from the 1960s and 1970s.
The Vorna museum road is a 2.7 km long gravel road (no. 5077) cutting through a scenic lake and ridge landscape in Kelvää, along the border between Lieksa and Joensuu, about 30 km from the centre of Lieksa in the direction of Joensuu. There is a monument to the battle that took place during the Finnish War in 1808 by the side of the road.
Museums and the museum road on the map
Art and places of interest
The Lieksa Cultural Centre hosts films, concerts, exhibitions and other cultural events. The Lieksa Art Association organises art exhibitions at TalliGalleria during the summer.
Jean and Aino Sibelius spent their honeymoon in the Monola granary, which now hosts some of the concerts during the Monola Festival Week. Concerts are also organised in Monola during the Lieksa Brass Week.
The Pikkukili Adventure Park has more than 200 animals, from small guinea pigs to handsome emus and exotic llamas.
The molybdenum mine in Mätäsvaara that was active from 1939 to 1947 was the second largest mine in Finland during the war. The village, its buildings and a short but interesting history have remained since the mine itself was closed.
The culture and nature of Koli National Park meet in the
Koli Nature Centre Ukko. Ukko's exhibitions offer information, art and memorable moments. In the permanent Koli Heritage Exhibition you can find out about the history, geology, nature and culture of Koli.
Koli Sculpture Park is a park area spread over an area of one hectare, which is divided into sections according to the colours of the plants. The park’s spectacular sculptures created by the horticulturist and self-taught artist Lasse Martikainen are the cherry on top of the park experience.
War history
Lieksa’s history is strongly intertwined with the area’s military history. The collections in Rukajärvi Centre contain thousands of photographs, artefacts and digitised interviews as well as documentaries. The Rukajärvi Centre organises various guided tours and activities to Rukajärventie.
The Lieksa Border Museum is located in Timitra on the site of Lieksa Border Guard Station, at Venetie 1. The exhibition consists of objects, images and texts. The Border Museum is open mainly by appointment, tel. +358 40 186 9119.