Keskusta
city center: wooden 19th century houses close to the pielisjoki river. some other remains of the wooden joensuu remain here and there, but the old town as it was is now mainly lost due to construction speculation in the 1960's up to present. the center anyhow follows the town plan that was made in 1848. streets were made wide to prevent fire in a wooden town, and the trees in the streets are birch for the same reason, for example in kirkkokatu church st. that has a church in both ends, greek orthodox and lutheran. otherwise the centre is a rather ugly grid system post war concrete collection of houses with the typical shops and bars and restaurants you will find in any finnish city. most important modern buildings are the new library and metla building in the university campus there is a cafe inside.
Carelicum
The north karelian museum displays a wide range of stuff from karelian folklore dresses to maps and photographs of places nowadays forgotten behind the russian border. if you have made the effort to go to joensuu, it is well worth a visit. if you are a student of finnish culture e.g. in helsinki university, you might get in for free, try! open daily, mo-fr 10 - 17 sa-su 11 - 16, except on national holidays.
Bunker museum
As part of the salpa-line protecting finland from the threat of russia during ww2 the museum displays several models of concrete bunkers fully equipped with original guns and gear. a bizarr but worthwhile visit. during summer some local history students will hang round geared up as soldiers serving tea and are willing to answer all your questions. open only during the summer. 2007: 1.6. - 19.8. tuesday-sunday 11.00-17.00.
Tori
market: is held in the centre of joensuu and is especially lively during the summer months. in the winter the two market cafes will close and most of the stands will not be there.
Flea market (torikirppis)
Huge outdoor flea market that is held every other sunday during the summer. check info from (http://www.ilias.fi/kirppis/)
Ilosaarirock Festival
The Ilosaarirock Festival (http://www.ilosaarirock.f...) is an annual rock festival held in Joensuu on the second weekend of July. Founded in 1971, Ilosaarirock is the second oldest rock festival in Finland still active, and one of the oldest in Europe. Ilosaarirock gathers about 21,000 daily visitors and has been sold out in advance every year since 1998.