Uusikaupunki – Rauma – Pori
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MARITIME AND NATURE EXPERIENCES TURKU – UUSIKAUPUNKI – RAUMA – PORI MARITIME AND NATURE EXPERIENCES On this tour you’ll get to know the Finnish maritime archipelago, coastal nature and the cultural landscapes. The driving tour leads to old wooden towns, villages, manors and ironworks. It also offers encounters with nature as well as a cruise and a lighthouse is- land. Other highlights along the way include the nesting areas of birds and the dune beaches of Yyteri in Pori. Duration: 8-9 days Availability: July- mid-August Accessibility requirements: car, own or rental Departure days: Tue-Sat (Isokari) Day 1 – The route: Turku – Naantali – Uusikaupunki 111 km The route for day one takes you from Turku to Uusikaupunki via the charming old wood- en town of Naantali. On the way you’ll see islands and coastal wild life, four 15th-16th Cen- tury stone churches, a wooden archipelago church from the 1700’s and a manor estab- lished in the 1600’s. The bay at Mietoinen is a lively breeding ground for birds. On the Tummamäki nature trail can be seen a dramatic mark of the human hand. Driving direct ions: Turku – Satakunnant ie – Raisiont ie – Raisio Church– Raisiont ie – Aurinkot ie – Tuulensuunkatu – Naantali’s Old Town – Rymättylänt ie 189 – Särkänsalmi – Merimaskunt ie 1930 – Merimasku Church – Kirkonsalmi – Merimaskunt ie 1930 – Askainen Church and Knight’s Park – Louhisaarent ie 1932 – Louhisaari Manor – Louhi- saarent ie 1932 – Mynämäent ie 1930 – Kustavint ie 192 – Saarent ie – Mietoinen Bay and Bird Tower – Saarent ie – Kustavint ie 192 – Y-t ie 194 – Tummamäent ie – Tummamäki Nature Path – Tummamäent ie – Mynämäent ie 1950 – Vinkkilänt ie – Kirkonkylänt ie – Vehmaa Church – Y-t ie 194 – Lokalahdent ie 195 – Uusikaupunki Raisio Church Raisio’s medieval grey stone church is surrounded by a cemetery and located right in the center of Raisio. The church is one of Finland’s oldest and is believed to have been constructed in 1305. The church is named after St Mart in, whose image is also on the Raisio municipality coat of arms. Naantali Naantali was founded in the Middle Ages around the Bridgittine convent. The convent was granted the rights of commerce and the town began to grow. It also became a signif icant site of pilgrimage. Naantali began act ivity as a spa town in 1723, when a health spring was founded. In addition to the convent church and idyllic wooden buildings, visitors come to the town for Moominworld theme park, the Finnish president’s gardens and summer residence of Kultaranta, the lively marina, numerous restaurants and cafes as well as the charming boutiques and galleries. Merimasku Church The Church of Merimasku is a wooden church dating from the year 1726. Askainen Knight ’s Park & Church The Knight’s Park was founded to honor and recognize the act ions of Finnish war veterans and the recipients of the Mannerheim Cross, as well as the spirit of the time they represent. The park was designed by architect Bey Heng and covers an area of 3400 square meters. Askainen Church is a neo-classical stone church representative of the period of Swedish rule in the 17th Century. Louhisaari was the home of the Fleming family for over 300 years and home to the Mannerheim family for one hundred years. Finland’s famous Marshall C. G. E. Mannerheim was born there in 1867. Louhisaari is surrounded by an English landscape park. In the park you can explore useful and decorative plants from the 18th Century. Completed in the 1650’s the main building is a rare example of palatial architecture in Finland. The banquet floor and household floor are furbished from the 1600’s, whilst the resident ial floor is renovated in 18th and 19th Centu- ry styles. Mietoinen Bay Merenlahti is one of Finland’s most valuable locat ions for birds, and together with the surrounding areas makes up a landscape of national significance. The trails and bird-spotting towers are suitable for day trips. Mietoinen Bay is part of the Natura 2000 network. Tummamäki Nature Path If you circulate the Tummamäki trail you’ll come across a number of granite pit quarries. The quarries are no longer in use with mining activity having ceased in Tummamäki in 1973. The path is easy to walk and estimated to be about 1.5-2 km long. Vehmaa Church The grey stone church with its parsonage forms an ecclesiastical center inherited from the Middle Ages. Com- pleting the site is the church’s tomb chapel and bell tower from the 1820’s, a hero statue from sculptor Jussi Vikainen, and a summer café in the storehouse next to the church. Day 2 – Uusikaupunki and the Isokari Lighthouse Island Uusikaupunki is a town that cherishes its trad it ions, combining modern services within an idyl lic seaside setting. With its beautiful archipelago and a guest marina voted the best in Finland, the town an ideal holiday destination for the traveler with a maritime spirit. The town offers its own individual charm as well as plenty of opportunity for easy- going getaways or active leisure time pursuits. On the guided Culture Trail in Uusikaupunki get to know the town and its history through this independent walking tour. A cruise will take you to Isokari Lighthouse Island in the peaceful outer archipelago. As well as being the highest lighthouse in the Gulf of Bothnia the island’s unique and di- verse nature also add to the appeal. The magnif icent lighthouse dates from 1833 during the period of Russian Imperial rule. Wahlberg House The Imperial style house presents bourgeois life within the maritime town during its golden period, as well as a history of shipping. In the Sailor ’s Home Museum you can imagine family life for an ordinary seaman in 1900’s Uusikaupunki. The museum building is one of the city’s oldest surviving residential buildings originating from the late 1700’s. Located on the ridge of Vallimäki is the old Naval Pilot Stat ion that tells the dangerous history of the pilot profession. For more information about accommodation, boutiques, cafes and restaurants, places to visit and other things on offer, go to Uusikaupunki Tourist Information web pages! MARITIME AND NATURE EXPERIENCES Day 3 – The route: Uusikaupunki – Velhovesi – Rauma 81 km The day’s journey goes from Uusikaupunki to Rauma along the archipelago’s Velhovesi Ring Road and through rural village scenery. Take a detour to admire the panoramic sea views at Pyhäranta Church! The old town in Rauma is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the World Heritage walking map is an independent tour that will guide you around Old Rauma’s labyrinthine of streets. Old Rauma is the single largest, preserved wooden town in the Nordic countries. It is where the heart of the city st ill beats throughout the year, with people living, trading, working and socializing in the historical sett ing. The narrow streets follow the path of the original medieval plan, lined with older buildings constructed as far back as the 1700’s. Buildings are also characterized by the grandeur of the 1890’s shipping trade. Driving direct ions: Uusikaupunki – Hiunt ie – Lyökint ie – Pyhärannat ie – Pyhäranta Church – Raumant ie 196 – Rantat ie 1960 – Unajant ie – Rauma Vel hovesi Route The Velhovesi Ring Road goes through the archipelago nature of Uusikaupunki and around the freshwater basin. The length of the main route is about 50 km. Along the route take a dip in fresh or saltwater beaches and break for a rest at scenic landscape stops or at a quaint village shop. Pyhäranta Church Pyhäranta Church, designed by architect Josef Stenbäck, is a stone church representative of the national romantic style from the 1900’s. The church stands on a hill beside the bay and adjacent to the old harbour, and is sur- rounded by an old cemetery. Unajan kylärait i is the preserved epitome of an old village milieu from western Finland. Rauma Maritime Museum Rauma’s Maritime Museum is located in the building of Rauma’s former maritime school, constructed in the 1900’s. The maritime museum presents the city’s rich seafaring traditions. Kirst i – A Sailor ’s Home Museum The courtyard and buildings at Kirst i exemplify construct ion from the 18th and early 19th Centuries. The owners of the property have been sailors and artisans. For more information about accommodation, boutiques, cafes and restaurants, places to visit and other things on offer, go to the Rauma Tourist Informat ion visitrauma.f i! MARITIME AND NATURE EXPERIENCES Day 4 – Kuuskajaskari Fortified Island & Resort and Kylmäpihlaja Lighthouse Island The marine world of Rauma is represented by its nearby islands. The islands are open to the public for excursions, and also provide accommodation. Kuuskajaskari Fort if ied Is- land and Resort simultaneously offers visitors maritime experiences and the sheltered tranquility of the forested island. Toughened against the wind and waves, Kylmäpi hlaja Lighthouse Island is at the edge of the open sea. Despite its inhospitable appearance this buckthorn berry colored island is teeming with life, particularly during nesting season. During summer the islands can be reached easily thanks to regular ferry buses. Day 5 – The route: Rauma – Lappi – Eurajoki – Luvia – Yyteri, Pori 99 km The route for the day goes from Rauma to Yyteri in Pori. Along the route you make a 2-3 km hike to a Bronze Age burial site across wood land terrain, deviating to an Imperial- style manor in the area, then driving along the winding coastal road toward Yyteri in Pori. Yyteri is a 6 km long sandy beach. The beach is known for its large sand dunes. The old- est and highest dune is Keisarinpankki, which greets you immediately on arrival.