Attractions - Finland

Attractions - Helsinki

Western Finland, Finland

Western Finland has remarkable seascapes and is peppered with thousands of islands, often enchanting in their starkness. Inland it is a region of fertile pastures, lush estuaries and wildernesses. The largest town on the western coast, Vaasa, and numerous small towns and quaint, peaceful seaside villages provide for the tourist’s social needs and an enormous number of outdoor and indoor pursuits are on offer year round throughout the area. Outdoor activities on offer include canoeing, fly fishing, survival courses, horse riding, mountain biking, hiking, both downhill and cross country skiing, and mushroom and berry picking.

The seaside town of Vaasa is a lovely place to begin your summer holiday with its old harbour, historic sights, and museums and exhibitions. On the island of Vaskiluoto that forms part of the town take a healthy dip at the spa or take kids of any age to Wasalandia - Finland’s answer to Disneyland. Vaasa has an orchestra and a lively arts scene. If you take one of the cruise boats out to nearby islands or book a longer cruise to some of the small rocky islands further out to sea, you will be rewarded with a most exciting trip with seals and birdlife often approaching your boat. On your return to Vaasa, try some of its many restaurants and cafes for gourmet Finnish cuisine. There is a variety of fare to suit every purse.

If you want to escape from the beaten track, visit the Maakalla and Ulkokalla Islets where there are no roads, electricity, shops or human inhabitants. You can rent a small cottage on Ulkokalla. Or visit the less isolated Luahavuori National Park to see the many springs and bogs and the pine forest on top of the Lauhavuori Hill, where you can climb an observation tower and take in some lovely views. Walk or ski cross country and camp in one of the designated areas. In the Puurijarvi-Isosuo National Park, due east of Rauma, you will find Lake Puurijarvi, one of Western Finland’s best birdwatching lakes, so look out for many varieties of migrating waterfowl. To round off your holiday, be sure to take in the small town of Pori, famous for its jazz festival in July.

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