Viipuri VIIPURI (VIBORG) Nowadays a part of the Russian state of Karelia, Vyborg (Viipuri in Finnish) was once Finland's second biggest city and a large cultural center hosting a famous opera festival. The opera festival was moved to Savonlinna after Vyborg was ceded to the Soviet Union in 1944, while most of the other institutions relocated to Lappeenranta. From Lappeenranta, there are one-day round trip cruises through the Saimaa canal and daily busses from the downtown terminal. If you prefer renting a car, be prepared for unexpectedly long lineups at the border, and sometimes paranoid Russian officials. Important: citizens of most countries must request a visa from within their country of origin before entering Russia. Vyborg Tourist Info (in English, Finnish and Russian).
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