'''Mikkeli''' (''St. Michel'' in Swedish) [http://www.mikkeli.fi/fi/english/index] is a cozy town in Eastern Finland with a population of 49 000. It is located 230km NE from Helsinki and 100km West from Savonlinna. It was founded in 1838 and the Finnish Army HQ under Marshal Mannerheim was situated there during WWII.
Get in
By plane
Mikkeli's small airport no longer has any scheduled service; take the train instead.
By train
Mikkeli is on the main Savonia line between Helsinki and Kuopio. On Pendolino expresses the trip from Helsinki takes 2.5 hours.
By bus
Mikkeli has good bus connections to all main cities of Southern and Northern Finland.
Get around
Mikkeli has a comprehensive but rather costly public transport system (busses all the way to Anttola and Otava almost every hour) and taxis are even more expensive!
See
'''Jalkavakimuseo''' [http://www.jalkavakimuseo.fi/] (Infantry Museum) - War museum, exhibitions depicting Finnish infantry from the independence to today.
'''Paamajamuseo''' [http://www.mikkeli.fi/fi/museot/english/02_the_headquarters_museum/] (Headquarters Museum) - Mannerheim's Headquarters during WWII
'''Viestikeskus Lokki''' ("Communications Centre Lokki") - Mannerheim's Headquarters' communications centre
'''Suur-Savon museo''' [http://www.mikkeli.fi/fi/museot/english/03_suursavo_museum/index] (Suur-Savo Museum) - Regional museum
'''Naisvuoren nakotorni''' ("Naisvuori Observation Tower") - An Observation tower overseeing the town of Mikkeli
'''Mikkelin taidemuseo''' [http://www.mikkeli.fi/fi/museot/english/01_mikkeli_art_museum/index] (Mikkeli Art Museum) - Art Gallery
'''Tori''' [http://www.mikkelintori.fi/fi/sisalto/] (Marketplace) - The largest and one of the busiest marketplaces in Eastern Finland. Lots of activity on weekends and especially on "Mikkelinpaiva" (Michaelmas, 29th of September).
Do
'''Visulahden matkailukeskus''' [http://www.visulahti.fi/en/] (Visulahti Travel Centre) - water park, motor park, wax cabinet, vintage cars museum and camping
'''Urpolan luontokeskus''' [http://www.mikkeli.fi/fi/urpolanluontokeskus/index.htm] ("Nature centre of Urpola") - A nature conservation zone right next to the town centre, popular for small treks
Sleep
There are a few hotels in the towncentre but not many hostels can be found. Camping is a good choise for cheaper accommodation.
Budget
Gasthaus Mikkeli, ''Nuijamiestenkatu 63''
'''Camping'''
Lakeistenrannan Leirinta - '' Pitkalahdentie, Anttola (30km from town centre)''
Topjupek - ''Kaura-Ahontie 11, Otava (10km from towncentre)''
Visulahti Travel Centre - ''Visulahdenkatu 1 (10km from towncentre)''
Splurge
Hotelli Cumulus Mikkeli, ''Mikonkatu 9''
Sokos Hotel Vaakuna, ''Porrassalmenkatu 9''
Hotelli Uusikuu, ''Raviradantie 13''
Cottages
The area around Mikkeli is one of Finland's main centres for '''summer cottages''' (''kesamokki''). Most are inconveniently located unless you have your own car and mostly geared for families who can bring all their own gear (bedding, food etc) and stay a week or longer, but a few cater also to short-stay visitors. Prices vary widely depending on the facilities: some places go for as little as €30/night, top-end facilities ten times that.
'''Nopola cottages''' (Nopolan Lomamokit), Nopolantie 37, Anttola (''While in Anttola, go down Pitkalahdentie about 8 km to the North. Then turn right on the last fork before Pitkalahti [http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=ru&geocode=&q=Anttola,+Finland&ie=UTF8&ll=61.645207,27.703142&spn=0.013289,0.053902&z=15]. Nopola is about 200 m from there.''), ''+358'' 40 836-1199 (''E-mail: matti.noponen@nopola.inet.fi''), [http://www.nopola.net/index4.html]. Cottages available any season, Bed & Breakfast (1 single and 1 double room) open from 1.06 through the summer. Sauna, rowing boat, grill and summer kitchen. Very pleasant family-run place. Really great breakfast with home-made bread.