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Description
Puijo is a forest-covered hill ridge on the edge of Kuopio. It rises to about 150 meters above the surrounding lake landscape, which gives it an iconic panoramic view from the Puijo Tower. Despite being so close to the city, it contains some of the oldest protected forests in Finland. Around 200 hectares of Puijo’s forests are protected and form part of the Natura 2000 network. These are classic boreal spruce forests: dark, mossy, humid, full of lichens and deadwood. Bird you can observe include Greenish Warbler , Eurasian Bullfinch, Blackcap, Wood Warbler and Wren.
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Access
Puijo is very easy to reach once you’re in Kuopio, because it sits directly on the edge of the city. The hill is only 2–3 km from the central market square. You can also drive up and park at the top. Press P on the map for directions. You can best explore the area on foot. Puijo has a network of short nature trails of roughly 2 km each, looping through the old-growth forest. Longer loops of around 7 km are possible if you combine the trails.
At the top of the hill stands the Puijo Tower, a 75‑meter observation tower with a rotating restaurant. The surrounding area is a year‑round activity zone with walking paths, winter sports, and summer events. It’s more developed, but the protected forest begins just a few minutes’ walk away.