Kronoby

Nature, exercise and local history give a trip to Kronoby a variety of dimensions. The Kärleksstigen nature trail runs through the centre; at Skalasträsket, a lake in the middle of the village remains in a completely natural state. There are also sports facilities and museums with very different areas of focus. This lets you explore Kronoby according to your own interests, rather than centring your stay on a single theme.

Nature trail and exercise

Kärleksstigen is approximately 1 km long. Along the nature trail, signs teach children about animals and nature and set them small tasks. This combines nature-related topics with practical ideas for observing and taking part. For orientation: Kärleksstigen starts at the Torgare vicarage, Torgarevägen 22, 68500 Kronoby, and ends at Motionstrappan, Söderpårasvägen 123, 68500 Kronoby.

Motionstrappan is an exercise staircase. Anyone who wants to combine the nature trail with more exercise can plan to do several circuits on the stairs. The trail is also of historical significance to the cultural setting of the Torgare vicarage. For centuries, Torgare vicarage has been the cultural centre of Kronoby.

Lake Skalasträsket offers another distinctive natural feature: despite being located in the middle of the village, it remains in a completely natural state. Swans and red-necked grebes have been observed nesting at the lake. Those with a particular interest in nature and birdlife will find a different focus here than on the signposted Kärleksstigen.

Sports at Kronoby idrottshall

Kronoby idrottshall offers a wide range of indoor sports: volleyball, floorball, korfball, badminton, tennis, gymnastics, football and handball can all be played there. The hall measures 782 m² and can be divided into three sections. There is also an eight-metre-high climbing wall. The hall’s specific dimensions and range of sports give active travellers an idea of the kinds of sporting activities available in Kronoby.

Museums and regional history

The collections in Kronoby cover different areas of interest. Hundreds of Saab cars are on display at the Saab Museum in Kronoby. The Saab Museum in Kruunupyy is a unique private collection relating to Finnish automotive history. The Bjarne Holmlund Tractor Museum in Kronoby displays more than 40 tractors restored by Holmlund himself. Those interested in the history of vehicles will find both a collection devoted to a particular brand and restored tractors here.

Tolvmansgården is an 18th-century farm with unusual architecture and serves as the local history museum for the village of Kronoby. Every year on the first Saturday in August, it hosts a Gammaldags market with local vendors; its main attraction is Köttsoppa, a meat soup. Anyone considering a visit to the market can take this stated annual date into account when planning their trip.

Other nearby places also tell the story of the region. On Jouxholmen, Cronoholmens Skeppsvarv has a visitor area with an exhibition house. It describes the history of the area and the work of the shipwrights who worked for the Crown in Kronoby and Karlskrona. The old cemetery is preserved on the site of the former Korpholmen hospital. In 2006–2007, a church modelled on the old church and a bell tower were newly built there; there is also an exhibition hut with maps and a miniature model of the site.

For another perspective on the surrounding area, the Gustavsrundan starts at the car park at Söderpårasvägen 109, 68500 Kronoby. Nearby Påras Chapel is open to visitors seasonally, from Walpurgis Night to All Saints’ Day; guided tours can be arranged by appointment. Together with Kärleksstigen, Skalasträsket and the museums, these places offer a range of reasons to consider nature, exercise and cultural history when choosing a place to stay in Kronoby.

More destinations in the directory: Strandby, Kuusamo, Ruka, Siikalatva, Karhula, Juuma, Salmilamminkylä and Komsi.

See the main travel guide: Northern Ostrobothnia.