Things to do in Jakobstad
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Pedersöre Church
Beautiful Pedersöre Church dates back to the 1400s, making it one of the oldest churches in Pohjanmaa. The oldest bell is marked 1488AD though the bell tower itself was replaced in the 18th century. King Gustav III of Sweden personally signed off on the plans to expand the church into the cruciform, though builders ignored his instruction to demolish the towering spire, which was later destroyed by fire, then restored in its dazzling original form.
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Chicory Museum
The Chicory Museum is housed in the old chicory factory, founded in 1883 and recognisable for its large oven pipe that was used to bake the herb. The factory was built by local entrepreneur Wilhelm Schauman who made his fortune processing chicory, a popular coffee additive or substitute. As well as talking you through chicory processing, guides can chat about the contemporary art exhibited here.
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Pedersöre Church
The beautiful Pedersöre Church, on the way into town from the south, was originally built in the 1400s, but the bell tower dates from the 1760s. During the reign of King Gustav III the church was greatly enlarged to become a cross-shaped structure. Thankfully, the architect thumbed his nose at the king's plan to demolish the 85m spire. It's well worth the walk out to see it.
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Wooden Houses
Stretching for several blocks to the north of the new town, Skata, the old town of Jakobstad, has around 300 Wooden Houses (Skata) that have been beautifully preserved and are the highlight of a visit. Most of them were built in the 19th century and were occupied by sailors and workers; the 18th-century houses along Hamngatan are the oldest in town.
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Jacobstads Wapen
In Gamla Hamn (the old harbour area) is the pride of Jakobstad, the Jacobstads Wapen, modelled after a 17th-century galleon. There's a small museum explaining the history of the ship and the building of the replica. Public sailings on the Jacobstads Wapen are given only a couple of times a year; inquire at the tourist office.
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Visa Grande
Handily placed for a post-Skata drink, this pub does a good trade with locals and manages some solid meals ranging from the pizza and pasta lunch buffet to steak dinners. It’s also one of the late-opening watering holes but after a few too many the underfloor fish tank can make you a little nauseous.
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Norrmalmsgatan
One of the prettiest streets is Norrmalmsgatan. The area is wholly residential; there are no trendy antique shops or quirky cafés to slake a visitor's thirst! To enter, you pass through an ornamental entranceway, with a (visually) striking clocktower bridging the street.
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Jakobstads Museum
Jakobstads Museum includes the old main building (Malmska Gården; dating back to 1904) with local-history displays on the shipping industry and the town itself, as well as the tobacco minimuseum and several historic houses scattered around the town centre.
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Sushi Mai
Zen minimalist signage makes this place tough to spot (look for the gnarled tree bough as a door handle) down a side alley, but it’s worth seeking out for the sushi, yakitori and ‘world food’ including olives and tortilla. Benches out front are brilliant in summer.
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Motormuseum
The Motormuseum, to the north of town and by the harbour, is a private museum with a fascinating collection of over 120 motorcycles – from old Harley Davidsons and Nortons to homemade, motor-powered bicycles.
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Vapenmuseum
The Vapenmuseum has a small private collection of Jakobstad gun-nut Bengt Ena, including hunting rifles, machine guns and military pistols dating back to the 1740s.
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Kumar's
This popular spot is an interesting restaurant combining Indian and Asian flavours with pizzas and sandwiches. It's reasonably priced and packs the locals in for its lunch buffet.
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Saigon Diner
This is an appealing and authentic Vietnamese restaurant, with a bargain lunch special. On the menu is wok-fried reindeer fillet - the Arctic meets the tropics with good results.
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Café Trend
Young beautiful people crowd into this central cafe for the indulgent cakes and well-priced lunches. The terrace is undeniable when the sun’s shining and the beer’s flowing.
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Café Display
This likeable spot features moon-unit chairs, and a large painting of Audrey Hepburn. Their coffee is the best in town and comes with snack sandwiches and cakes.
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Korv Görans
On the pedestrian mall is a busy little pizza, fried food and kebab kiosk that has been in business for three decades and is a Jakobstad institution.
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Jacobstads Wapen
The old harbour (Gamla Hamn) holds the pride of Jakobstad, Jacobstads Wapen, modelled after a 17th-century galleon.
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FantaSea
FantaSea is a small amusement park in the harbour with waterslides, pools and a swimming beach.
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