Valaam Monastery in Heinävesi – the only true religious tourism site in Finland

Lifenews
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Publiation data: 08.04.2026 18:02

Tourists motivated by spiritual quests travel more often and spend more money.

Religious tourism is a major business in many countries. Can it become significant for Finland as well?

Tourism professor Juho Pesonen from the University of Eastern Finland believes that pilgrimage in Finland has limited potential.

According to him, there is actually only one true religious tourism site in the country – the Valaam Monastery in Heinävesi. Most tourists come here in the summer, and the annual number of visitors reaches 100,000.

Archimandrite Mikhail, the head of the monastery, openly states that tourism is the main source of income for the community. The cultural center of Valaam regularly hosts exhibitions and events that attract new visitors. For example, the exhibition of artist Rudolf Koivu, opened this spring, is aimed at a record number of guests.

The monastery tries to combine tourism activities with the traditional lifestyle of the monks: only part of the brotherhood works with guests. During Easter, the Valaam monastery hotel is usually full, and this time is considered the beginning of the active tourist season.

According to Visit Finland, tourists motivated by spiritual quests travel more often and spend more money than regular travelers. However, Professor Pesonen believes it is difficult to attract foreign religious tourists.

For domestic tourism, churches remain important attractions; however, according to Professor Pesonen, this cannot be called pilgrimage.

– It is still secular tourism in a secular country, – notes Pesonen.

Visitors note that Valaam is a place where one can find peace of mind and learn something new. The monastery successfully combines spiritual and secular tourism, creating a sustainable model in which tourism supports the community's activities and helps preserve cultural heritage.

At Valaam, no one is interested in the guests' religion. Tuuli Pollari from Lempäälä has visited Heinävesi so many times that she already knows how to avoid the busiest summer weeks.

– Here you can escape from everyday worries, find peace of mind, and learn something new, – notes Tuuli.