Fun New Experiences at the East Coast

We had the pleasure of hosting a group of German travel professionals last week. During the two-day visit we toured tourist attractions on the East Coast of Finland. The FAMtrip was organized by Lieb Management & Beteiligungs GmbH and it took the guests to Porvoo, Sipoo, Kouvola, Loviisa, Kotka and Hamina to inspire them with new travel ideas on our spellbinding coastal region with lots of interesting spots and touristic potential to discover within a short distance from Helsinki.

The tour started with a visit to the Manor House Malmgård on Wednesday May 18. Malmgård is a historical estate with long traditions focusing on brewing, organic farming and development of organic food products. The visit included a tour in the manor house, some beer tasting, shopping and soccer talk.

Kayaking on the Kymijoki River

From Malmgård the group headed to Strömfors Iron Works, one of the Finland’s oldest and best preserved iron works where we had lunch at Strömfors Bed & Bistro and went kayaking on the western arm of the Kymijoki river. Both Malmgård and Strömfors belong to the town of Loviisa and are situated in the countryside.

From Loviisa the trip continued to the island city Kotka where the visitors checked into Original Sokos Hotel Seurahuone on Kotkansaari Island for an overnight stay in the city center surrounded by the sea, parks and services.

Bike Tour of Kotka City Parks

In the evening there was a visit to Maritime Centre Vellamo Vellamo, which is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the area. It is home to three museums and a multitude of events and exhibitions that tell the stories of the sea and the local region for visitors of all ages all the year round.

Another sight in Kotka is Santalahti Resort, a five-star holiday resort with a long sandy beach, situated on Mussalo Island in Kotka. After coffee and snacks Santalahti we toured the resort to see its activities, sauna world and accommodation options from campsite to cozy cottages and luxury villas.

Kotka is not only known for its islands but also for its magnificent parks. We had the pleasure of touring Kotka City Parks on a city bike. Kotka city center on Kotkansaari Island features as many as nine spellbinding parks with different themes, all within walking – or biking – distance.

The evening was topped off with a boat ride to Varissaari Fortress Island and a fantastic dinner at Restaurant Vaakku – the popular island restaurant with sea views to all directions. That was something special to remember!

White-Water Rafting

On Thursday May 19 the tour continued with a guided tour in historical Hamina, which is an idyllic fortification town with a range of fascinating attractions, charming wooden houses, beautiful churches and interesting museums.

From Hamina the group went on to yet another special event at Erämys Keisarin Kosket where we had campfire coffee and a white water rafting tour on the beautiful eastern arm of the Kymijoki River. There are also interesting new and innovative lodging alternatives Laawu and AuroraHut at this resort that have become extremely popular in Finland.

All and all the visit was a great success and the guests returned home happy and their hearts full of new experiences.

Thank You and Welcome Back

We hope you enjoyed your time in Finland! Thank you for visiting!
Juliane Link – Karawane
Maike Senge – Troll Touristik
Renate Keil – Gebeco Reisen
Britta Pieper – Pieper Erlebnisreisen
Josef Stauber – Wolff Ost-Reisen
Franziska Bernholz – Lieb Management

A warm welcome to visit our region again soon!