"Back in Vyborg" Top 5 Page for this destination Vyborg by Sininen

Vyborg Travel Guide: 58 reviews and 249 photos

A few hours in Vyborg 1998

The bus was in Lahti quarter to seven in the morning and as I was the only one to join the tour from here we continued the trip straight away. We had a stop in Iitti so those who wanted could have breakfast in the restaurant, have a ciggie or just strech their legs. Some people joined us in Kotka and then the bus was full. As we got closer to the border we could see tens or even hundreds of trucks on the road side queuing for the customs. This is an ongoing problem due to the Russian bureaucracy, and it seems that they change the regulations from day to day. We waited a couple of hours in the customs before our passports were checked and stamped, I still cannot understand why they have to make bus loads of people to wait when they could do everything quick and smoothly. Soon after crossing the border the bus stopped at “forest market” as we called it. An estate car full of cigarettes, spirits, beer etc. A money exchanger entered the bus there too. If the busdriver hadn't said that he was trustworth I would never have dared to exchange money with him! We exchanged 100 euro between us and it was enough. It was difficult to estimate how much we would need and we didn't want to get too much because the Russians don't exchange rubles back to euros! Before arriving Vyborg we still stopped at one supermarket where most passengers bought potato chips (crisps), soft drinks, spirits, beer and cigarettes. We didn't go there but waited in the bus.

Down the memory line

For many years, especially after our father died, we have been planning to visit Vyborg, which used to be Finland's secord largest city until we lost it to Russia in World War II. Our mother worked there in the Round Tower as waitress when she was a young woman and she used to tell us stories about it and we loved to listen to them. Unfortunately we didn't ask when she was working there and why she went there and now there is nobody who could answer these questions. Anyway it made us want to go to Vyborg or Viipuri as it is called in Finnish. We found a tour which left from Nokia so my sister and her partner could got on the bus there and I in here Lahti.

In the Round Tower

(Written about our short stay in Vyborg in 1998) On our way home from St. Petersburg the bus stopped in Vyborg for a couple of hours so those interested in buying cheap things were able to do so. For my sister and I Vyborg meant a city where our mum used to work before the war. She was waitress in the restaurant in the round tower. Had we had more time we would have wanted to explore more of Vyborg, which once was the second biggest city in Finland, but we had to leave it to another time.

Pros and Cons

Pros:You can feel history everywhere, people are friendly, cheap
Cons:Streets are in bad condition

Last visit to Vyborg: Aug 2007
Intro Updated Oct 27, 2007
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Reviews (20)

Popular amongst Finnish tourists - Vyborg

Popular amongst Finnish tourists Hotels (2)

We didn't stay in this hotel, but know that many Finnish groups stay there and I've heard good reviews about it. more travel advice

Views from the bus window Things to Do (16)

It was time to say goodbye to Vyborg. We had this beautiful view from the bus window when we left the city. We'll be... more travel advice

Ruins of a Cathedral Things to Do (16)

I only know that these are ruins of a cathedral but I haven't found any information when there has been a cathedral here... more travel advice

Post Office Things to Do (16)

In many places I've found it difficult to find a post office, but in Vyborg we found it even though were not looking for... more travel advice

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Comments (6)

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BruceDunning Aug 3, 2009 at 3:36 PM

This surely is far up north and close to Finland. It looks like you scared the clothes off that man. Great pictures and comments.
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nyperose Jan 10, 2009 at 1:37 AM

Hi, I loved reading your excellent Vyborg page. I'm planning to go there, so I was looking for interesting information about the place. Have a nice day:-D
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hunterV Aug 5, 2008 at 10:57 AM

It's a great place to visit I'm sure!
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Michael_D Nov 4, 2007 at 7:49 AM

You are right, the roads are horrendous from St Petersburg to the border in Vyborg. I think it had to be a MUCH nicer place when it was part of Finland.
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Kuznetsov_Sergey Sep 11, 2006 at 5:43 AM

Thanks, Sini, for your page. It was useful for me during my visit to Vyborg this august. It's a really beautiful city! It's worth visiting not only for couple hours but for couple days!
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salisbury3933 Apr 3, 2006 at 5:22 AM

Interesting page. The history of the area around Vyborg must be something that attracts a lot of Finns to visit.