Discover Lemi: History, Särä and Nature Trails

If you’re looking for a hotel in Lemi, start by considering what you want your stay to focus on: historic sites, regional cuisine, or nature and hiking trails. The municipality offers a range of ways to explore these themes—from guided tours to trails and attractions.

History and local heritage museum

Itsenäisyyden polku is a guided tour that introduces visitors to Lemi’s historic sites. If you’re interested in history, the tour offers a guided way to explore the subject. In the centre of Lemi village, the Lemi Local Heritage Society also runs a small local heritage museum and an open-air site with historic buildings.

The museum building originally dates back to 1882 and is an outstanding example of regional vernacular architecture. Its date and construction give a visit to the museum a distinctive architectural dimension. Together with the open-air site, the museum offers another perspective on local building and everyday life in the past.

Särä and a bookable evening experience

Särä is Lemi’s traditional speciality: lamb and potatoes are cooked in an oven for nine hours, creating a melt-in-the-mouth combination. The ingredients and long cooking time make this dish a distinct culinary highlight to consider when planning your trip.

The Lemi Local Heritage Society also offers a bookable evening featuring a traditional smoke sauna followed by Lemin Särä. Details and prices are available on request. If you’d like to plan this evening, ask directly for further information.

Nature trails and attractions in the municipality of Lemi

The nature and hiking trails maintained by the municipality of Lemi pass through varied landscapes and terrain. Some trails have springs, shelters and a birdwatching tower along the way. The trail network also includes routes suitable for families and cyclists; this description applies to the municipality’s trails as a whole.

The Tuulimyllyn Nature Trail in the municipality of Lemi starts at Salmentie 15 and leads to the Huttula windmill. The Huttula windmill has stood on a rocky hill in the municipality of Lemi since 1853. The trail and windmill bring together a nature route and a historic structure, while the rest of the trail network spans a variety of landscapes and terrain.

At least the upper group of rock paintings at Ruominkapia in the municipality of Lemi was created in the Stone Age. Some of the paintings can be seen from a small rock platform; others are on a rock face that drops steeply into the water. This describes the different views of the rock art site without suggesting that all the paintings are visible from the same spot.

Isokivi, another striking natural landmark in the municipality of Lemi, is a roughly seven-metre-high erratic boulder of rapakivi granite in a field in the village of Saira. Its height, rock type and location give this natural feature a distinctive character. Together with the rock paintings, the boulder adds two distinct geological and archaeological points of interest to the municipality’s hiking and nature offerings.

Horse riding in Lemi

Ratsuniemen talli in Iitiä, in the municipality of Lemi, offers horseback rides and equine-assisted therapy. The stable also runs a riding school, with lessons in small groups of three to four riders. Each riding lesson lasts 60 minutes. The local offering ranges from horseback rides to lessons and equine-assisted therapy; when choosing between them, you can base your decision on the activity you’re looking for.

Discover more destinations: Syyspohja, Taipalsaari, Imatra, Rauha, Parikkala, Kannuskoski, Säimen, Tainionkoski.

See the broader travel guide: South Karelia.