Vaasa / Vasa
The city of Vaasa on Finland’s west coast lies directly on the Baltic Sea. Here is the eastern boundary of Kvarken, a narrow stretch of the Gulf of Bothnia, the northernmost gulf of the Baltic Sea. North of Kvarken, the Gulf of Bothnia is called the Bay of Bothnia (Bottenviken) in Sweden, while the southern part is known as the Bothnian Sea (Bottenhavet). The city of Vaasa was founded in 1606 under the Swedish name Wasa by King Charles IX of the House of Vasa. At that time, all of Finland belonged to Sweden. After the city fire of 1852, the city—by then part of Russia—was rebuilt under the name Nikolaistad, though seven kilometres closer to the coast because of the land uplift. The city has borne its present name again since 1917.
Die Wasaborg in der Stadt Vaasa / Vasa in Finnland
Photo: © www.vaasalaisia.info/galleria
Places to see in Vaasa
The former courthouse is one of the few buildings to have survived the city fire. It was converted into a church. The city as a whole is well worth seeing, as it was rebuilt according to a carefully planned design. Various museums tell the story of Vaasa’s brief but rich history. A blacksmith museum, a fishing museum and even a library museum attract thousands of visitors to the city every year.
Holidays in and around Vaasa
Those who would rather not venture far from the city can visit the Wasalandia amusement park or the Tropiclandia water park. Both offer leisure activities for the whole family on a Baltic Sea holiday. However, Vaasa’s scenic surroundings are an even greater draw. The ongoing land uplift is particularly easy to observe along this stretch of the Finnish coast. The rocky ground rises by as much as nine millimetres a year. This is why the area around Vaasa, together with the opposite Swedish coast, is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The area around Vaasa offers many opportunities to enjoy a nature-focused holiday, complete with all kinds of activities. Fishing, hiking and canoeing in summer, and ski hiking, ice skating and sled safaris in winter are just some of them.
From Vaasa to Umeå
The Kvarken archipelago is also home to the shortest route between Sweden and Finland. A ferry connects the Swedish port city of Umeå with the port of Vaasa.
