Archipelago
The City of Kuopio is surrounded by Lake Kallavesi and its uniquely beautiful and ecologically valuable archipelago, attracting people to the outdoors all year round.
The small islands and islets of the largest open part of Kallavesi comprise the Central Kallavesi (Keski-Kallavesi) archipelago area. The numerous islands mainly belong to the Iivarinsalo group of islands. The archipelago is mainly used for recreational purposes, but the area also has about 25 hectares of nature conservation areas. Approximately 85 islands and islets in Central Kallavesi are protected nature conservation areas. The archipelago is a valuable site for the preservation of bird-life, and the entire Central Kallavesi archipelago with its bird rocks is a Natura site. Visitors should bear in mind that their recreational use must not disturb the birds during nesting.
The archipelago of Central and Southern Kallavesi is part of the Kuopio National Urban Park. The title of national urban park is granted by the Ministry of the Environment, and it refers to the urban nature and the built cultural environment as an extensive and integrated entity. National parks, on the other hand, comprise areas with diverse nature.
The archipelago is a locally significant cultural environment with an important fishing-related heritage, which continues to this day in the form of recreational and leisure use. Landing places with lean-to shelters and campfire sites have been constructed around the archipelago for boaters and kayakers to enjoy, and there are also fishing cabins and open wilderness huts for overnight use. The facilities are open for everyone free of charge, as their use is based on everyone’s rights. There are also beautiful sandy beaches in Hietasalo and Iivarinsalo.
