Staying on the Arctic Circle
We stay a couple nights on the Arctic Circle exploring the area viewing reindeer and also taking a short jaunt to Sweden for a few hours
Looking for birds at Liminganlahti Bird Sanctuary
From Jakobstad we go north to the Arctic Circle meeting our first reindeer with only a few stops on the way with the major one being Liminganlahti Bird Sanctuary
Jakobstad, the Swedish town in Finland
After overnighting in Jakobstad we spend the morning exploring the compact but nice old downtown area before continuing further north
The interesting but closed Wolf Cave (Susiluola)
The last stop for today is the largest cave in Finland, Wolf Cave or Susiluola, that can be accessed via a short trail but is closed for entry unfortunately
Sammallahdenmäki, a burial site that is also an Unesco WHS
After Rauma we stop at Sammallahdenmäki a bronze age burial site that is an Unesco WHS because it is the largest and most varied burial site on the Gulf of Bothnia
Rauma the wooden houses city that has become an Unesco WHS
Leaving Turku we spend a rainy hour in Rauma an Unesco WHS due to the well maintained wooden buildings and a short time at Untamala Archaeology Center
Exploring downtown Turku
We spend the evening and a rainy morning exploring Turku before starting north towards the Arctic Circle
Forum Marinum, an interesting maritime museum
While exploring Turku we pass the impressive ships part of the Forum Marinum museum
Turku Castle, another major Finnish castle
Turku Castle was the former administrative center of Finland during the Swedish occupation and is still an impressive fortress today
Raseborg Castle, an impressive ruin
On the way to Turku to meet our relatives we stop at Raseborg Castle an important fortress before Helsinki superseded it