A busy harbor town 75 mi/120 km east of Helsinki, Kotka is known for its lively waterfront saloons, particularly the one named Kairo. The rest of the area is worth a visit to see the St. Nikolaos Orthodox Church (built 1799-1801) and the fishing lodge of Russian Czar Alexander III in nearby Langinkoski. The cottage, built in 1889, is a spectacular property along a fast-flowing river.
Kotka is also home to the Maritime Centre Vellamo, housing the Maritime Museum of Finland in a startling building designed to evoke both the motion and the glitter of seawater. You can tour the Tarmo, a very old icebreaker permanently moored in Kotka harbor, or visit the aquarium, which houses fish native to the Baltic.
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