Varkaus is an industrial town with about 20,000 inhabitants (2021), best known for its paper factories. The name of the town translates to "theft" in modern Finnish, but it's more likely that the town got its name from the old Finnish word for strait.

There are a few local bus lines operated by City of Varkaus^{[dead link]} in the town center (map^{[dead link]}) if you don't want to walk or drive. Matka.fi^{[dead link]} and Moovit route planners include local buses of Varkaus. Matkahuolto Routes and Tickets app is able to first plan the route and after it sell the right ticket for it.

• Smartphone apps: Valopilkku, 02 Taksi, Taksi EHT, Taksini

62°18′34″N 27°52′34″E

• 62.299527.85751 The Museum of Mechanical Music (Mekaanisen musiikin museo), Pelimanninkatu 8, ☏ +358 10 2390 380. Tu-Su 11:00-18;00, closed in the winter months and Mondays. As the name reveals, it's a museum presenting mechanical music instruments, gramophones, jukeboxes and such. adults €14, children €7. 
• 62.303527.91062 Taipale canal (2 km from the center towards Joensuu). Finland's first canal with guard locks, opened in 1840. Nowadays the boats use a wider canal, opened 30 years later, but the original one is still open as a museum. 
• 62.320227.90553 Church of Varkaus, Savonkatu 1. The main sight is the altar fresco – the largest in Northern Europe. 
• 62.31908227.863134 Varkaus Water Tower, Nakskovinkatu 8. The water tower is unique in that the tower is also inhabited. It has a lookout post and café on the roof. (updated Dec 2020)
• 62.18055627.8241675 Church of Joroinen, Pieksämäentie 1. Access during services and in summertime during opening hours. Joroinen Church in a cross-shaped wooden church built in 1793. The altarpiece in by famous Finnish painter Pekka Halonen. (updated Nov 2023)
• 62.06354827.7226176 Church of Saint George, Georgios Voittajan tie 49. Beautiful Orthodox Chapel in Joroinen. (updated Nov 2023)

• 62.11055628.5094441 Linnansaari National Park (daily coaches to the Porosalmi crossroads, 1.5 km from the park, also services to Oravi on the other shore; the Varkaus–Savonlinna shipping/boat route goes through the area, reachable from several directions). Lush islands and rocky islets. Best explored by boat or canoe, but there is a boat service to the main island and taxi boats available. Nature trails, an old croft, Saimaa seals and osprays. Tour skating in winter.  

• 62.17848627.8805452 Kartano Golf, info@kartanogolf.fi. One of the finest golf courses in Eastern Finland. (updated Nov 2023)

• 62.304227.85251 Severi, Käpykankaantie 10 (in the Teboil gas station next to highway 5). All-you-can-eat lunch buffet (10:00-18:00), popular among truck drivers. Outside lunch hours they serve a la carte and different hamburgers and pizzas. lunch buffet €8.90. 
• 62.31073927.8900022 Sodexo Ravintola Navitas, Wredenkatu 2, ☏ +358 50 3476049, navitas.FMS.FI@sodexo.com. (updated Jun 2022)

• 62.314827.89161 Hotel Oscar (formerly Scandic Hotel Oscar), Kauppatori 4, ☏ +358 17 579 011, fax: +358 17 579 0500, hotel@hoteloscar.fi. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. (updated Jan 2018)
• 62.06418427.7160162 Pihlas Resort, Kaitaistentie 345, stay@pihlasresort.com. Your secret forest getaway in Joroinen. Quality restaurant and accommodation. (updated Nov 2023)

• Kuopio – The largest city in North Savonia is one hour away by car or bus.
• 62.504828.01241 Orinoro — Nature trails leading through a gorge, called one of the Seven Wonders in the Savo Region (16 km east from Leppävirta centre).

Kuopio ← Leppävirta ←

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→ Juva → Mikkeli