I feel like I’ve stepped into another time, a fairy-tale place. The houses are wooden and colorful, the streets cobbled. Each house is unique, yet they all form a harmonious whole. Many houses even have their own names, attached to the wall with old-fashioned signs.
I stop to take a picture of one particularly beautiful corner, and immediately I find an even more beautiful one. And then I stumble upon Kitukränn, Finland’s narrowest alley. The two-meter-wide street seems more suitable for hobbits than humans. Yet in Rauma, Finland’s most famous wooden town, ordinary people live their everyday lives.
Finland’s west coast is off the main tourist routes, which is part of its charm. Here, the beauty of the wooden towns combines with an authentic and original atmosphere.
Finland’s West Coast in a Nutshell
Finland’s west coast differs from the rest of Finland in its landscapes. This is a flat land of agricultural fields. Instead of lakes and forests, the scenery is marked by the sea and rivers, traditional farmhouses standing in the fields, and idyllic wooden towns.
The west coast extends in terms of travel from Rauma in the south to Oulu in the north. Almost all the interesting sights are right along the coast, although there are a few attractions inland as well.
The west coast is also home to Finland’s best sandy beaches. You probably didn’t travel to Finland for a beach holiday, but if you’re traveling along the west coast, be sure to stop and marvel at the Finnish beach holiday atmosphere in Yyteri or Kalajoki. The atmosphere is certainly more exotic – and chillier – than on the French Riviera!
Most of Finland’s west coast belongs to Ostrobothnia, a culturally unique area in Finland. The people here are self-reliant and proud of their work. The atmosphere is a bit like Finland’s America.
Best Sights of Finland’s West Coast
The best sight on Finland’s west coast is the wooden town of Rauma, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Of all Finland’s seven World Heritage Sites, Rauma is the most beautiful and fascinating. There is no other wooden town as beautiful in the world.
Right near Rauma is another UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Sammallahdenmäki Bronze Age burial site.
You can get a good impression of the west coast by visiting Rauma, but if you have the time – and the spirit of adventure – it’s worth traveling north along the coast. Along the way, you’ll find more beautiful wooden towns that are still in a perfect Sleeping Beauty slumber regarding tourism.
While Rauma has given a finger to tourism, in the other wooden towns on the west coast, you definitely won’t feel like you’ve arrived at a tourist trap. Life in these towns moves at a leisurely Finnish pace.
First, you’ll come across the small and idyllic Kristiinankaupunki, and further north, Pietarsaari, whose old wooden town center is the largest in Finland.
An especially interesting wooden town is Kokkola, a small town that defeated the Royal Navy of Great Britain. This is the only place in the world where a British warship (albeit a rather small one) has been captured as a war prize.
From Kokkola, you can make a trip to the atmospheric Tankar Island Lighthouse.
In Raahe, you can see the world’s oldest preserved diving suit, made of calfskin in the 18th century. Visit and see if you would dare dive in it!
A special mention among the west coast’s attractions goes to Napue, where you can taste gin ranked among the best in the world!
Natural Wonders of Finland’s West Coast
The greatest natural wonder on Finland’s west coast is the land uplift. During the ice age, the land was pressed down by the massive weight of the ice, and it is still slowly rising, revealing new islets that grow into islands over the years.
The landscape changes before your eyes – if you have the patience to wait just ten years.
The best place to see the effects of land uplift is the Kvarken Archipelago, an area declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Kvarken (Merenkurkku in Finnish) is most easily explored via city of Vaasa. While there, you can also visit the nearby large meteor crater Söderfjärden.
A nature lover’s destination is Liminka Bay, just south of Oulu, the best place in Finland for birdwatching. Over 200 bird species have been spotted in this impressive wetland area, and it is highly regarded even on a European scale. There is no better place to admire the spring and autumn migrations of birds.
Events on the West Coast
Finland’s west coast comes alive with a few great summer events. The most fun is the Air Guitar World Championships held in Oulu in August. The atmosphere is truly hilarious!
Also worth visiting are Pori Jazz, one of the leading jazz festivals in the Nordic countries, and Provinssi in Seinäjoki, one of Finland’s largest rock festivals.
Best Time to Travel to West Finland
West Finland is largely a summer destination, though nature enthusiasts also visit in spring and autumn to follow the migratory birds stopping at Liminka Bay.
In winter, the best destination is Iso-Syöte, Finland’s southernmost fell, just a couple of hours’ drive from Oulu. We say “just” because, by the standards of northern Finland, a couple of hours is a very short drive to a fell.
Thanks to its location, Iso-Syöte is usually one of the snowiest places in Finland. So if you want to see snow-covered trees with fantastically sculpted shapes, this is an excellent place for it.
How to Travel to West Finland?
You can reach Rauma, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, by bus from Helsinki in three hours. Turku is a one-and-a-half-hour journey away. Turku also serves as a gateway to the Finnish archipelago – these two travel areas can easily be combined into one trip.
Buses run from Rauma along the west coast to the north. However, the most convenient way to explore the area is by renting a car.
The northern parts of West Finland, including Vaasa and Oulu, are also easily accessible by train – and by air.
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