What to do in Kuopio: Colors of Autumn

If you come to Kuopio in autumn (September - October), you can enjoy the fall colors. 

During the day can be warm, but the nights are cold. Therefore, the tree leaves change color.

 

What to do in Kuopio: Disc Golf

Disc golf is a flying disc game, in which individual players throw a flying disc at a target. Kuopio has two disc golf courses: Peikkometsä and Huuhanmetsä. I recommend Huuhanmetsä, because it's new and near city center (about 1,5 km).

  

Huuhanmetsä has 4 tracks and 24 targets, so it meets the standards for racing. The game is free for charge. All You need is some discs, outdoor cloathing, good shoes and mosquito spray

Peikkometsä is an old course in Petonen, about 6 km from Kuopio. Peikkometsä has some ponds, so You must have some floating discs or get ready to lose some discs in a water. 

What to do in Kuopio: Saaristokatu bicycle route

 If You have time in summer and the sun is shining, go and discover Kuopio by bike. Buy or rent (don’t steal) a bike and take a map with You, Kuopio has hundreds of kilometers of bike routes and views are wonderful. One of the best routes is Saaristokatu, that goes through Saaristokaupunki (the town of islands).

Saaristokatu is 4,5 km long scenic route, that passes through the islands connected by bridges. You don’t need packed lunch or water, because there is many shops and a ice cream kiosk along the way. Just take a wallet and bicycle. 

In Keilakanta there’s a high bridge, where You can see beautiful landscape to Lake Kallavesi and canal. There are also many geocaches along the road and a frisbee golf track in Peikkometsä. Track has many ponds so if You go throwing frisbee make sure that You have floating discs.

Keilakanta bridge and canal

Love locks in Keilankanta bridge

canal to Lake Kallavesi

School of Martti Ahtisaari, former President of Finland 1994-2000 and Nobel Peace Prize winner 2008

Views to Lake Kallavesi along the road

Bicycle route is isoleted from car road

What to do in Kuopio: Kauppakatu pubmarathon

Kauppakatu is a restaurant street in Kuopio. There are many pubs, bars and nightclubs. We once carry out Kauppakatu pubmarathon. Here's instructions:

Ravintola Bierstube

Ravintola Bierstube, Kasarmikatu 5

Even though Bierstube is not in Kauppakatu I think You should start your marathon from here. Bierstube has very good pub food with reasonable prices. Eat before the marathon starts so you can manage to the end.

Ravintola Ottopoika

 Ravintola Ottopoika, Kauppakatu 63

First stop is Ravintola Ottopoika. If you like heavy and rock’n’roll music, this is the place for you. So relax, take a pint and have a good start to your trip.

Intro Baari & Grilli

 Intro Baari & Grilli, Kauppakatu 20

From Ottopoika to Intro is some hundred meter walk. You pass by market square where’s few terraces. I recommend that you walk on and don’t stop there, because you still have over ten bars to go. But if you are in danger for languish, there is Mualiman Napa terrace and Salakavala as an oasis for thirsty.

Pub & Club Apteekkari

 Pub & Club Apteekkari, Kauppakatu 18

Now you are in a bar zone. There’s several bars in same block. Apteekkari is a place where you can dance if you will. On the other hand, just take that drink and move on. There’s lots of places left before goal.

Ravintola Tähti

 Ravintola Tähti, Kauppakatu 18

This place is open 22.00 – 04.00. If it’s closed, move to the next stop Ravintola Gloria. After all this is a pub marathon, not a nightclub race.

Ravintola Gloria

 Ravintola Gloria, Kauppakatu 16

So far you have take four or five drinks and world is a beautiful place. Welcome to Gloria. Go in and go to the cellar. There you find karaoke –bar. The only problem is, there is a queue and you have to wait your turn for a hour. If that’s to much, just continue and enjoy the marathon.

Club Passion

 Club Passion, Kauppakatu 16

This place is also open 22.00 – 04.00. If you’re takin marathon earlier, you have to skip this nightclub. I don’t know if its a bad thing.

Ale Pub

 Ale Pub, Kauppakatu 16

Last stop in this block. The cheapest beer in Kuopio. If this marathon takes a bite from your wallet, here you can breathe a little. You have reached the half point. Think that for a moment. You have as many drinks ahead as you have taken so far. Now you realize, that this is not just fun and games. Marathon gets serious.

Olut- ja viiniravintola Malja

 Olut- ja viiniravintola Malja, Kauppakatu 29

Very nice bar indeed. Now you’re in a terrace zone. When I took this marathon, in Malja I knew I won’t reach the end. Maybe rules of marathon must bend a little and take a water or soft drink. But if you want to find out, how long can you go, take alcohol.

Ravintola Isä Camillo. Picture taken before terrace season

 Ravintola Isä Camillo, Kauppakatu 25-27

Another fine terrace. Still feeling fine? Maybe little dizzy? Maybe little drunk? Don’t worry, the marathon takes its toll. Sit down and relax. If you have started early, you have whole day to spend in this athletics.

Pannuhuone

 Pannuhuone, Kauppakatu 25

And another fine terrace. That was my last stop. Nine beers (nightbars were closed) and game was over. Old wisdom is true: It’s not distance that kills, it’s speed. I hope you can carry on to the Kuopio harbour. So lets go to the next bar.

Ravintola Sampo

 Ravintola Sampo, Kauppakatu 13

Sampo advertise that it is the finest vendace restaurant in the world. They’re probably right. Taste smoked vendace in sour cream. It’s delicious! It good to eat in this point of marathon. Now you are ready for the finish. Let’s go.

Ravintola Sataman Helmi

 Ravintola Sataman Helmi, Kauppakatu 2

Sataman Helmi has most beautiful terrace in Kuopio. Sometimes there is a band playing and you can listen to music under a appletree. Building is from 1850. Very lovely athmosphere. 

Cafe Satama

Cafe Satama, Kauppakatu 1

Cafe Satama opened in 2013, so it’s a new place. Nice terrace too. You’re almost at the finnish line. Now you have to go on. Now you have to use finnish SISU. You can’t stop the marathon here. Goal is no near.

Ravintola Wanha Satama

 Ravintola Wanha Satama, Matkustajasatama

Now you must be drunk as hell. Ravintola Wanha Satama is a sophisticated place, you’re not. You wonder, where you are and why are you here? Waiter looks at you like you’re a worm. Don’t say anything, just order and drink. One place left to go.

Makasiiniravintola Albatrossi

 Makasiiniravintola Albatrossi, Makasiinikatu 1

Kauppakatu Pub marathon starts from Kasarmikatu and ends in Makasiinikatu. You have reached the finish line. You see a queue that leads to Albatrossi. You wait and wait, you have to pee. But don’t worry. If you have visited all these places and drank so many drinks, bouncer won’t let you in anyway.

What to do in Kuopio: Geocaching

If you don’t know, what geocaching is, look at the link below this blog. Basically there are lots of treasures hidden all over the city and you need a GPS-map to find those.

Here was one geocache

Today we went to see some caches we haven’t found yet. First place was Itä-Suomen hovioikeus. Last time we circuled around the yard and didn’t find anything. But it was late in the evening and very little daylight left. Now the sun was shining and it was rather easy to find the cache. We didn’t knew, that it’s gonna be only find today.

This has nothing to do with geocaching. But because I wrote in English I though it would be nice...

Another geocacher behing the trafficsign

At old Läänin sairaala we bumped with shady character. He seemed to search for something. Hey, another geocacher! Atmosphere was tense because one of the laws of geocaching is, that you should never reveal what you're doing. So we said nothing or even looked at each other. Just walking by minding our own business. So mysterious…

It's somewhere here but we didn't find it

Where the hell is geocache at Trust Kapital Arena?

 Trust Capital ice rink was tough one too. We find nothing. Frustrated and feeling cold we turned around and return home. Have to come back some another day.

So if You like geocaching You’ll find, that there is few hundred objects around Kuopio. Take your GPS-map, comfortable shoes and walk around the city. Most of the caches are at places that are worth visiting.

Geocaching world: Geocaching - The Official Global...