Vakka-Suomi countryside

Vakka-Suomi countryside is the west coast of Finland Proper, north of the Archipelago Sea and Turku.

Understand


The area consists of several former or current municipalities: Askainen (Swedish: Villnäs), Lemu (Lemo), Lokalahti (Lokalax), Mietoinen (Mietois), Mynämäki (Virmo), Pyhäranta, Taivassalo (Tövsala) and Vehmaa (Vemo). Not all the area described here is part of the Vakka-Suomi region proper.

The name Vakka-Suomi originates from the 19th century, when a significant export of the region was vakkas, lightweight containers made out of wood.

Most of the area is coastal, with fishing and seafaring traditions, and the area includes significant archipelagos, partly counted as part of the Archipelago Sea, but parts are normal inland agricultural countryside.

The main town in the area is (15,000 inhabitants), founded 1617 as the twelfth town in Finland. It has a nice wooden old town, seafaring traditions and a car factory. There are cruises to a few lighthouses in the archipelago. North of Uusikaupunki is. off Pyhäranta, to the east of Uusikaupunki and  to the south of Uusikaupunki nowadays belong to the town. In the inland beyond Kalanti is the other town of the area: (8,000 inhabitants; regarded town since 1986).

South of Uusikaupunki are, entirely in the archipelago, but with most main islands connected by bridges, , also with much archipelago, and (with main village Vinkkilä), reaching to the sea only at the bay Mynälahti, but with many lakes. South of Laitila is with  TL in the inland and  by Mynälahti, and  and, now both part of Masku, both with some inner archipelago.

The area borders Satakunta to the north, the inland of Finland Proper to the east, Greater Turku including Raisio, Naantali proper and the Turku countryside to the south-east, the Archipelago Sea to the south, Åland to the south-west and the Bothnian Sea to the west.

Get in and around


Turku, 20 km south-east from Lemu, is one of Finland's main cities, with good connections by rail, road and ferry, and a minor airport. National road 8 (E8 through Finland and Norway) leads north-north-west from Turku, through the centres of Mynämäki and Laitila. Road 43 leads from the inland via Laitila and Kalanti to Uusikaupunki.

Road 192, Kustavintie, leads from Raisio (just north of Turku) via Lemu and Mietoinen around the Mynälahti bay to Taivassalo and Kustavi. Near the northern shore of Mynälahti, Y-tie (road 194) forks off to Vehmaa and Lokalahti. Road 196 leads along the coast from Taivassalo via Lokalahti to Uusikaupunki and Pyhäranta and finally to E8.

By bus
There are express coaches along the E8 and buses to Kustavi (via Taivassalo), Uusikaupunki and some other centres. For minor villages, don't rely on there being buses without checking. Timetables at Matkahuolto.

By train
Turku has connections from Tampere and Helsinki.

Regional traffic along the railway from Turku to Uusikaupunki has been planned, but as of 2021 it is used only for freight.

By boat
Southern Taivassalo reaches the fairway networks of the Archipelago Sea, with a 3.4-m fairway passing between Taivassalo and Kustavi, towards Uusikaupunki and the Bothnian Sea. A 2.4-m fairway leads to a fishing port in Mynälahti, east of Taivassalo parish village; two boating routes continue a bit farther into Mynälahti. The bay north of Naantali, reaching Askainen, Lemu and Masku, can be reached from the west via Merimasku parish village (bridge: 16.5 m) and from the south sailing on either side of Luonnonmaa of Naantali (lower bridges).

There is a boating route (2.0 m) between Pyhämaa and Pyhäranta in the north, leading in from the Bothnian Sea to their parish villages. Uusikaupunki is well-connected from the Bothnian Sea, Åland and the Archipelago Sea. A 2.6-m fairway reaches Hahtemaa of Lokalahti from the fairway west of Taivassalo.

From the Hanko–Uusikaupunki fairway, the natural points to fork away are at Velkua or north of Kustavi, unless you come via Turku and Naantali.

By bike
Eurovelo biking route EV 10 is to lead through the region. The route has been prepared but is not yet marked (nor certified). It has cycleways on some stretches, but otherwise mostly leads by regional roads, and local roads where convenient. From Turku to Merimasku it follows the Archipelago Trail, mostly along cycleways, then continues along the north fork via Askainen, Mietoinen and Taivassalo, leaves the Archipelago Trail going north through Lokalahti and arrives in Uusikaupunki. It continues north through Pyhäranta and Reila, turns east to Voiluoto and Unaja and continues on cycleway by the former road 8 to Raumo.

See




Churches
There are old churches in Askainen, Lemu, Lokalahti, Mietoinen, Mynämäki, Taivassalo and Vehmaa.

Itineraries

 * Archipelago Trail via Askainen, Taivassalo and Kustavi
 * Hanko to Uusikaupunki by boat via Kustavi

Do




Nature trails




Beaches and sauna

 * Askainen
 * Lemu
 * Vehmaa
 * Vehmaa
 * Vehmaa

Grocery stores

 * Mietoinen
 * Mynämäki
 * Pyhämaa
 * Taivassalo
 * Pyhämaa
 * Taivassalo
 * Taivassalo
 * Taivassalo

Eat and drink

 * Mietoinen
 * Mynämäki
 * Pyhämaa
 * Taivassalo
 * Pyhämaa
 * Taivassalo
 * Pyhämaa
 * Taivassalo
 * Taivassalo
 * Taivassalo

Sleep


The sleeping options are mostly camping and cottages (most of which are unavailable in winter). There are a few B&B-like accommodations. Wild camping according to the right to access is possible, but look for larger woods, where you are unlikely to disturb passers-by, or use the designated places along hiking routes.


 * Kalanti
 * Lemu
 * Mynämäki
 * Pyhämaa
 * Pyhäranta
 * Taivassalo: There are cottages for rent also for single days from several businesses, many at the shore, some on islands. Here mostly other options.
 * Uusikaupunki
 * Vehmaa
 * Pyhämaa
 * Pyhäranta
 * Taivassalo: There are cottages for rent also for single days from several businesses, many at the shore, some on islands. Here mostly other options.
 * Uusikaupunki
 * Vehmaa
 * Taivassalo: There are cottages for rent also for single days from several businesses, many at the shore, some on islands. Here mostly other options.
 * Uusikaupunki
 * Vehmaa
 * Uusikaupunki
 * Vehmaa
 * Uusikaupunki
 * Vehmaa
 * Uusikaupunki
 * Vehmaa
 * Vehmaa
 * Vehmaa

Go next

 * Bothnian Sea National Park – outer archipelago with lighthouse islands, birdlife and with some luck also seals; tours from Kustavi, Uusikaupunki and towns farther north.