Things to see and do Vaasa

This natural reserve covers 544 km ² and includes a good number of coastal islands. Since the withdrawal of the glaciers 10 000 years ago, the rise of the east coast is 285 m, which corresponds to the most important rebound ever observed and has earned the reserve to be inscribed in World heritage by UNESCO. The result is an exceptional coastal landscape of 5 600 islands and flush islets. New islands emerge continuously. The archipelago has a few major lighthouses (Ritgrund, Valsörarna, Norrskär and Strömmingsbada), reflecting the route of the boats. The reserve has the usual logistics (forest houses and huts), to be travelled on foot or in canoe, between the islands of Björköby and Replot.

This museum devoted to local history and folk art is well worth a visit, offering the most comprehensive cultural panorama of the region. Rose-painted clocks and cupboards, troika sledges, kantele, old weaving looms... Three rooms are dedicated to Vaasa. The Hedman collections are housed in 12 closed rooms. This is the most astonishing part of the museum, as the collection abounds in masterpieces. Ask at the cash desk for a guide to accompany you. On the first floor, you'll find the Terranova center dedicated to the Kvarken archipelago.

In the heart of Vaasa, the Tikanoja Museum is an art museum with many surprises in store for you. Paintings by Gauguin, Daumier, Degas, Picasso but also by famous Finnish painters... These are some of the superb pieces in the collection of businessman Frithjof Tikanoja. This art collector has collected no less than 1,000 pieces by Finnish and international artists. They are now on display in the museum named after the famous Vaasa business man. In addition, the museum organises many events and activities.

Opened in 2007, this beautiful two-storey design museum of modern art is well worth a visit. Well located in the town of Vaasa, it is only a few steps away from the market square and the seafront. The museum is named after art collector Simo Kuntsi (1913-1984) and the art collection he created - and which can be seen here - is considered one of the most important collections of modern and contemporary art in the country. The temporary exhibitions are always very interesting.

An impact crater, 6 km in diameter. An impressive site, also enjoyed by migratory birds every autumn and spring, who invade it entirely to rest and feed. A permanent exhibition at the heart of the impact, run by volunteers, takes you on a journey back in time to 520 million years ago. The site also boasts a well-equipped astronomical observatory, a bird-watching tower and a miniature of our solar system... A must-see if you're drawn to the mysteries of the universe...

In the town of Vaasa, located on the ground floor of the Ostrobothnia Museum, the Terranova Centre is dedicated to the Kvarken archipelago. In addition to various models, you will also find information about the four nature trails and two hiking trails in the national park (with the Ojen trail from Vaasa, the Panike trail in Korsnäs and the Västerö trail in Maxmo). For those who don't want to hike, take a look at the national park from the Replot Island Bridge, Finland's longest bridge, which is 1,045 metres long.

With friends or family, Vaasa Water Park is the perfect place to unwind and have fun for a day. There are slides for everyone: small and calm for the children, big ones with a sensation of free fall for the more adventurous, long and not too steep for the whole family? You can also take advantage of the whirlpools, the outdoor swimming pools heated to 28°, the solarium areas to relax and sunbathe...

The open-air museum of Brage (Bragegarden) was founded in 1933, in the middle of nature, a few kilometres from the city centre of Vaasa. A dozen houses illustrate the farming traditions and rural settlement in the Swedish-speaking regions of the 19th century. The main building includes a richly decorated Ostrobothnian bridal chamber. There is also a seal hunting museum and a former smoke sauna. On the beach, the Virgin's Round is a stone maze, a faithful replica of the one in the Kvarken archipelago.