Must-see attractions in Finland's West Coast

This fantastic villa is considered one of the 20th century's architectural masterpieces and the pinnacle of Alvar Aalto's career. It is the former home of…

Alvar Aalto’s crowning achievement, Lakeuden Risti Church, is recognisable by its oddly secular steeple–clock tower (built with funds from a voluntary…

The Unesco World Heritage–listed Bronze Age burial complex Sammallahdenmäki dates back more than 3500 years. Thirty-six stone burial cairns of different…

About 8km west of Jakobstad, this gem of a museum is the private achievement of Pentti Kronqvist, who has made several expeditions to study the indigenous…

This dynamic, modern regional museum is divided into three sections. Downstairs, Terranova has a brilliant evocation of the region’s natural history –…

The creation of local artist Alvar Gullichsen, this spoof museum–art installation is a classic display of oddball Finnish humour. In great detail, it…

This lighthouse island, 18km northwest of Kokkola, offered safe passage through tangled waters, starting in 1889. Now it makes a popular day trip for…

The lovely 17th-century Vanha Kirkko is one of the highlights of Uusikaupunki. In keeping with the maritime roots of its parishioners, it has a star…

In the attractive village of Solf (Finnish: Sulva), about 15km south of Vaasa, is this fine open-air museum and crafts centre. Its 60 traditional wooden…

Neristan was once the working-class quarter of Kokkola, home to sailors, fisherfolk and artisans. The narrow streets are lined with their colourful wooden…

Founded by the celebrated art patron Maire Gullichsen (of Villa Mairea), the city's art museum occupies the old customs house, in a prime riverfront…

Legend has it that the first Swedish crusade arrived in the 1150s at the village of Kalanti, about 9km east of Uusikaupunki. Led by King Erik, the party…

Picturesquely sited next to the little Rauma river, this stone beauty was built around 1520 as part of a Franciscan monastery on the site. The interior…

Built in the mid-19th century, the neo-Gothic Central Pori Church is unique for its cast-iron steeple and stained-glass windows. The unusual art-nouveau…

Reposaari is a tiny island dotted with colourful wooden houses. Only 3km long and half a kilometre wide, the island village is as quaint as can be, with…

Revamped for the Finnish centennial, this museum focuses on the nature, history and culture of the Satakunta region. Fascinating exhibits range from…

Medieval Närpes Church, 1km south of Närpes' town centre, is surrounded by over 150 kyrkstallar (church stables), built in the 15th century for…

Wandering around the Old Town, it’s easy to forget that Rauma is a port, but its maritime museum is an engaging reminder of the town’s seafaring…

With its distinctive fan-shaped tail, Alvar Aalto's Public Library is a stunner. Inside, the grid windows cast spectacular decorative light and shadows on…

Although Alvar Aalto designed the town theatre in 1968, its construction was not completed until the 1980s (under the supervision of his wife and partner,…