Ilomantsi

Ilomantsi is a municipality in the North Karelia region of eastern Finland, known as the easternmost commune in both the country and the European Union, close to the Russian border. The area carries a strong Karelian cultural heritage, particularly the tradition of rune singing (runolaulu), which helped shape the Kalevala epic. The Parppeinvaara Karelian Village showcases this history through reconstructed traditional buildings and events tied to Karelian heritage. Nature plays a central role here: Petkeljärvi and Patvinsuo National Parks offer hiking trails, canoeing spots and landscapes of forests, lakes and peat bogs typical of eastern Finland. The historic hamlet of Möhkö, a former 19th-century ironworks site, reflects the region's industrial past. The continental climate brings long, snowy winters well suited to cross-country skiing and other winter pursuits, while short, bright summers favour hiking and water-based activities across the many surrounding lakes.