Camping Huhtiniemi is located in a sloping, forested area on a bend of Lake Saimaa and is part of a large recreation park with hotel. The reception of the campsite is at the hotel. Lappeenranta is called in Swedish Villmanstrand and lies on the southern edge of the Saimaa lake area. The city was founded in 1649 by Queen Kristina of Sweden. There are still many wooden houses in this modern tourist town in South Karelia. There is a spa bath with healing baths for heart and rheumatic patients. In a wavy park in the center of the city stands the large Lappe Church, built in 1792. It is a striking church of brown wood, with black-brown roofs and a yellow turret. The interior in shades of blue-gray has beautiful chandeliers and an altar wall with 3 paintings. From the central park the Kauppakatu leads to the old fortified town. In a park on this street you will find the yellow-wood town hall of architect Engel from 1829. The street through the fortified town is a bump road of field boulders. Along the street are the old fortifications and barracks. Also here is the cavalry museum and the orthodox Mother God Church from 1785. This oldest orthodox church of Finland is a gray building with green dome, a spire on the black Ui tower and a rich interior with a beautiful icon wall. At the foot of the fortress is the passenger port, whose tour boats leave over the Saimaa. A nice excursion is a boat trip on the Saima Canal. This channel connects the Saima lakes group with the Finnish Gulf. In the 17th century attempts were made to dig a canal, but it was not until 1856 that the Saima Canal was opened. In 1945 the canal was closed by Russia and reopened in 1968. The canal used to be entirely on Finnish territory, but after the Second World War Finland had to relinquish part of it. The port city of Viipuri became Russian under the name Vyborg; the border split the channel in two. From 1945 to 1968 the channel remained unexplored. In 1968 Russia denounced the use of the Russian part of the channel for 50 years to Finland. The channel is 42 km. Long and has 8 locks that have a total decay of 76 meters. On the quay of the Saima, sand castles and sand sculptures are built annually and made by artists from all over the world. Every year with a different theme. Admission is free and definitely worth a visit.