Kristinestad

Kristinestad (Finnish: Kristiinankaupunki) is a town on the Ostrobothnian coast in Western Finland. Like many other towns in coastal Ostrobothnia, Kristinestad is bilingual with a Swedish speaking majority. The town has profiled itself as a small town where old and new meets in a unique way; it's motto is "Det Goda Livet" ("The Good Life"). Kristinestad was accepted as a Cittaslow town in 2011.

The nearby villages or former municipalities of (from the south) Sideby, Kallträsk, Ömosssa, Skaftung, Härkmeri, Dagsmark, Lappfjärd, Tjöck and Åback also belong to the municipality and are handled here.

Get in
The centre lies about 100 km from both Pori and Vaasa, 6 km from national road 8 (E8), with main crossroads in Lappfjärd and Tjöck.

By car
As with most of small towns in rural Finland, car is the easisest way to get in. The fastest option is the E8.

From Kaskinen (Kaskö) and Närpes you can come via Pjelax along Gamla Kristinestadsvägen and Gamla Närpesvägen or along Skrattnäsvägen.

By bus
Most intercity buses along E8 make the detour to Kristinestad. The Onnibus service between Turku and Oulu uses a stop at the Lålby junction on E8, a bit past Lappfjärd (Onnibus Flex services usually make the detour). At the Lålby stop you can sometimes change to line 162, which goes to Kristinestad centre. You might also want to transfer in Närpes, if there is a suitable connecting service. There are coaches from Vaasa or Seinäjoki to or via Kristinestad. See Matkahuolto for coach timetables.

The railway is used for goods only.

Get around
Walk — the town is small enough to get around by foot.

The coaches can be used for some of the villages, such as Tjöck, Lappfjärd and Dagmark. Check the routes of the buses from Vaasa via Närpes using the stop list at Matkahuolto.

There is a daily service line for getting from the southern countryside to the centre, starting in the morning and returning from the centre mostly at 11:45. It has to be ordered the preceding day before 12:00 or 15:00. It mostly follows fixed routes, but details can be negotiated.

See


The old town is a lovely preserved grid of wooden houses on a hill slope towards the bay cutting the town in two. There is also a beautiful stone church with a separate wooden tower. There's also a little, narrow alley called Kattpiskargränden/Kissanpiiskaajankuja (Cat spanker's alley), which is among the most photographed street signs in Finland.
 * Kristinestads sjöfartsmuseum (by the market square): on the seafaring and shipbuilding history of the town. At the library attic and by the shore.
 * Kristinestads sjöfartsmuseum (by the market square): on the seafaring and shipbuilding history of the town. At the library attic and by the shore.
 * Kristinestads sjöfartsmuseum (by the market square): on the seafaring and shipbuilding history of the town. At the library attic and by the shore.
 * Kristinestads sjöfartsmuseum (by the market square): on the seafaring and shipbuilding history of the town. At the library attic and by the shore.
 * Kristinestads sjöfartsmuseum (by the market square): on the seafaring and shipbuilding history of the town. At the library attic and by the shore.

Do
Stroll around town. Maybe visit a couple of galleries, a church and the library.

Buy

 * K-market by the west end of the bridge
 * Sale in Lappfjärd