Sightseeing

There are some medieval things to see close to the site, and if you just want to see more of Finland and/or newer Finnish history, there are more things you can do without too much driving.
Note that this area is bilingual, mostly with Swedish still the majority language (except in Hanko). This is why most places and streets and roads have two names. Usually the majority language of the municipality is on top at road signs, so you may first see a sign to Hangö/Hanko and later Hanko/Hangö. Google maps doesn’t always deal well with this, so it can give you the name of one street in Finnish and the next street in Swedish. If your mother tongue is either Finnish or Swedish, you can usually cope, but other visitors may find it confusing, try to survive…

Table of contents

Medieval history

Raasepori/Raseborg castle ruins

Raseborg castle was an important hub in the area in the Middle Ages. Now only the walls are standing, but it is still impressive. Note that you must pay to get to the castle (holders of Finnish Museokortti get in free), in July it is generously open 10-19 every day. Because it’s just ruins, you can take along your dog (in leash, of course). You can take two routes to get from the site to the ruins, the fast and easy one via 51 (25 minutes) or the slower, bumpier, and more scenic one via 1050 (30 minutes). Note also this admonishment by the site webpage: ”PLEASE FOLLOW THE SIGNS WHEN ARRIVING TO THE CASTE RUINS. Google maps and many navigators show a route via a private road.” So when you get closer to the castle site, look for the signs (most likely brown ones) instead of listening to your satnav.
The site is only partially accessible: ”Please note that there are steep steps and uneven terrain in the castle ruins, the castle and Lovers’ Path are unsuitable for people with disabilities. The castle surroundings and walkways offer easy access.”

Note. After several municipalities, among others Karjaa and Tammisaari, combined, the new large municipality is now called Raasepori/Raseborg. They took the name after the castle and the medieval administrative area, as no one wanted to take another municipality’s existing name. But this can sometimes cause confusion, so try to keep apart just Raasepori/Raseborg (municipality) and Raaseporin linna/Raseborg Slott/Raaseport Castle (the ruins).

Inkoo church

Inkoo church (Inkoon kirkko, Ingå kyrka) is mainly from the 15th and early 16th century, although the earliest parts are from the 13th century. It looks like a typical Finnish medieval church (the separate steeple is later) and it has some medieval wall paintings left, including a Totentanz. This summer Inkoo church is one of the over 260 ”road churches” (tiekirkko), and that means that it is open every day 11-15, and there should be a guide present at that time, too (often a young student from the area, they are likely to speak both Swedish and English). A visit is free (only the most popular churches in Finland have an entrance fee). The church is visible from the main road into Inkoo and easy to pop into while on a shopping expedition, just drive a little past S-Market and turn right in the four-way crossing.

Karjaa church

Karjaan Pyhän Katariinan kirkko (The Church of St. Catharine) is also medieval, mostly from 15th century, although the steeple was built 1768 (with an older bell with date 1477). Again, it is a very typical late medieval Finnish stone church, and the original paintings were uncovered in 1937. There are also some late medieval wood sculptures, including a crucifix from 1450. During our camp the church is only open on both Saturdays and the Wednesday at 11-15, so you need to time your trip more carefully to make it inside, outside can of course be admired at any hour. The church is located a bit offside from the current center, a navigator may help; you’ll have to turn right to Karjaantie before getting to the center, then right again onto Lärkkullantie. Also, if you find signs to either ”kirkko/kyrka” or ”Lärkkulla”, you can follow them – the church is behind Lärkkulla institute.

Newer history, beaches and shopping

Mustion linna/Svartå slott

Mustio manor is one of the finest Gustavian manors in Finland, still run privately, although now by a foundation. If you are from Sweden, it will look familiar to you, but it is different from what was built in Central Europe. Mustio Manor has a hotel, a (fancy and expensive) restaurant, and a museum. You can only get inside the manor/museum with a guided tour (in Finnish, I’m afraid), but a stroll in the fairly extensive English style park is free. Mustio manor is only 20 km/20 minutes away from Kavalahti: turn right when at the big road (51), then at the first big junction get off and head left onto 186 towards Salo and Lohja, drive for 14.3 km and then follow the signs to ”Mustion ruukki” and ”Mustion kirkko” (there are probably also brown signs for the manor itself).

Fiskars

Yes, Fiskars really is a place! Fiskars Village was founded 1649 by a river around ironworks. In the 19th century the function shifted towards refining iron, and the village started producing tools, scissors, knives and cutlery. Fiskars became a limited company in 1883 and it’s now known worldwide. Now most of the old workshops and living spaces are converted into artisan workshops and shops selling handmade items. There’s of course Fiskars Museum (entrance fee 4-6 euros) and Fiskars Shop, but you can also buy e.g. handmade jewelry and locally produced food in the village and on the market place. If you like art in general, you may also want to take a look at the current summer exhibition (entrance fee 6/10 €). Even if you don’t want to spend a cent of money, Fiskars Village is a beautiful place and you can get the feel of the old pre-industrial industry. Driving to Fiskars takes about 30 minutes on the fastest and easiest route.

Billnäsin ruukki and Rakennusapteekki

Especially if you head to Fiskars anyway, a stop at Billnäs Ironworks might be worth it. Billnäs is the same age and type as Fiskars, but now maybe a bit more modern and less lively. If you like older buildings, or maybe even renovate one, you will want to visit Rakennusapteekki/Byggnadsapoteket. They manufacture and sell everything you need to restore an older building, for example forged fittings, old style wall paper, and bakelite light switches (and also birch bark, suitable for crafting!). Both the ironworks and Rakennusapteekki are located 19 km/20 min from the site.

Tammisaari/Ekenäs

Ekenäs Old Town is a good example of a Finnish 18th and 19th century market town. It’s got lots of small shops and cafés, Wednesdays and Saturdays there’s also a market. The area is still predominantly Swedish-speaking, and that’s why their English marketing uses the Swedish name Ekenäs, so it’s good if you recognize both names! Tammisaari/Ekenäs also has some beautiful beaches, a sandy beach almost in the enter and a rockier one in the Ramsholmen nature park. Unfortunately there’s sometimes cyanobacteria in the sea, in which case swimming is not recommended, or at least avoid drinking the water and shower after getting out (and never let a dog swim in it at all!). There will probably be notices in Finnish and Swedish, if cyanobacteria is found, on July 10 there wasnt’ any in those beaches. (The report can be checked in Finnish on Raasepori Uimarannat and in Swedish on Raseborg Badstränder; if you don’t speak either language, as a friend to check the pages for you.)
Tammisaari is 33 km/30 minutes away from our site. Driving there is very straight forward: get onto 51, turn left (west), when you hit road 25, then follow the signs to Tammisaari/Ekenäs (16.4 km on road 25, then 3 km on Raaseporintie, then find parking).

Hanko/Hangö

If you are heading towards Tammisaari/Ekenäs and want to see something more, you can continue another 30 minutes all the way to Hanko, the southernmost point of continental Finland. Hanko is a small town (with a big commercial port), but its main attraction is the nature. It also prides itself for being a very dog-friendly town with a long list of dog-friendly restaurants and cafés and several dog-friendly beach areas (public beaches are forbidden). If you feel like a swim or a walk, you may want to check out the beaches of Hanko, Tulliniemi being maybe the most famous (not necessarily best for swimming). If you want something historical, take a cruise to ”Pike’s Gut” (Hauensuoli), a place where travelers used to wait for suitable winds, and the rocks have texts carved by the bored passengers of many centuries; there are at least 640 such carvings. At least VN-Marine does these cruises, Tuesdays and Saturdays at 2 pm (book in advance!).

Untested sights near Kavalahti

The internet knows of several other places quite near our camp site, but we don’t have any test reports on them. You can give them a try, if you feel adventurous!

Fagervik (Fagervikin ruukki)

If you take the scenic route (on 1050) to Raasepori castle ruins, you’ll pass the old Fagervik ironworks and manor. It had ironworks 1646-1903, but the owners eagerly developed farming. The old infrastructure is left, there is the manor and a church and the old workshops that are now usef as housing. The small museum is open on Wednesday, July 19, 11-15, and then there’s also a café (the manor is in private ownership and cannot be visited). At other times you can visit, just be aware that the village is someones home.

New for 2023

Chappe museum in Tammisaari

If you like art in general and look for new experiences (and have seen all of the above), there’s a totally new quite exciting museum in Tammisaari: Chappe. It has a new timber (!) building, new exhibitions, and it only opened after last Cudgel. Note that it is closed on Mondays. Under 18 goes free, adults pay 12 € (Museokortti is accepted). Chappe is hiding in plain sight in central Tammisaari, right next to the tourist information.