We have gathered for you tips and information how to make the most of your visit to the Savonlinna Opera Festival.
More information you can find from Visit Savonlinna, Visit Saimaa and Visit Finland webpages.
Successful visit
Arrival
Savonlinna is located in the heart of Lake Saimaa region, Eastern Finland and it’s easy to reach from Helsinki by car and train or bus (4 hours), by plane (1 hour).
Matkahuolto-service offers information on all the bus connections to Savonlinna. Train connections you can find here.
By plane Savonlinna is only one hour from Helsinki. You can find the schedule and purchase tickets here: Nyxair. Savonlinna Airport is located about 13 km from the city center.
Accommodation
The historical ambiance of the villa, cottage life near national parks, or a hotel in downtown Savonlinna? Discover the most suitable accommodation for your opera journey from the numerous options. Whether you prefer a memorable evening at the opera with accommodation within walking distance of Olavinlinna Castle or surrounded by nature in the scenic landscapes of Lake Saimaa just a short drive away.
Find out all of our accommodation recommendations from the link below.
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Restaurants
Savonlinna in summer abounds in culinary delights. You can also enjoy a memorable dinner in the Olavinlinna Castle’s Linnantupa restaurant. Or catch a light meal during the day in the city center or enjoy a long dinner enjoying beautiful tastes and increadible lakeside scenery. While it’s not always necessary to reserve in advance, booking is advisable if you want to be sure of a table.
One place you absolutely must visit in Savonlinna in the summer is the busy market, with its numerous handicraft and food stalls. It is also the place to try a traditional Savonlinna lörtsy, a sort of bun with a sweet or savoury filling.
Find out all of our restaurant recommendations from the link below.
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Dress
The Festival has no official dress code, but please remember that Olavinlinna is a medieval castle. The courtyard can be cool even on a summer evening, in which case bring something warm to wear. But even the inner courtyard is affected by the weather and the environment, so wear something loose in hot weather and bring a plastic bottle of drinking water.
The Castle passages and floors are very uneven, so wear stout shoes.
The castle auditorium
The performances are held in the main, covered courtyard. The Olavinlinna auditorium seats 2,264. The orchestra is in a pit in front of the stage. The opera performances begin at 19 (exceptions possible). Please take your seat in Olavinlinna Castle at least 15 minutes before the start of the performance. Latecomers will have to wait until the first interval in order to be admitted. Operas are performed in their original language. The auditorium has a subtitling facility that may not be fully visible from every seat. The subtitle translations of the sung texts are in Finnish and English.
The Castle auditorium has provision for three wheelchairs. Wheelchair seats can be booked beforehand at the Opera Festival Office. More information about accessibility here.
Security checks
Access to Olavinlinna Castle is via a security check. Bags, backpacks and other such baggage will be checked. The check will be made by security officers before the bridge leading to the castle or, for those arriving by boat, on the landing stage behind the castle. Please allow more time than usual for entering the castle.
The following are not permitted in the castle area: firearms, sharp objects such as knives, any items designed to cause injury, multiple tools, explosives, fireworks, flares, laser pointers, light sticks and aerosols (e.g. hairspray). Nor may alcohol, drugs or glass bottles be brought into the area, but you can bring your own plastic water bottle. Any larger bags such as suitcases must be left at the check point.
Parking
There are several car parks in the centre of town near the Castle, such as on Punkaharjuntie, Malminranta, Tottinkatu and Koulukatu. Visitors can also use the multi-storey car park at the passenger harbour end of Tottinkatu.
Read up beforehand
For those of you who want to study the opera more closely, the Opera Festival publishes handbooks with libretto of all the season’s operas. In addition to the text, libretto (in the language in which the opera is to be performed and Finnish), there are articles about the opera and a synopsis in Finnish and English. Librettos are sold at the Opera Festival’s box office in Olavinkatu and Tallisaari, and at the Castle on the night of the performance.
We also recommend exploring the opera information on our website, as there are trailers, interviews, and articles available for most of the opera productions.
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