On the Archipelago Trail through the archipelago – Finnish serenity

Grey in grey was Turku when we first met at the beginning of 2014. Despite miserable weather conditions, this trip is associated with many good memories and a souvenir that faithfully accompanies me every day to this day. Once the most important city in Finland, it scores with its inner values. My second visit to Turku was under a far better star and I was finally able to convince myself on the Archipelago Trail of what I was raved about in 2014: tickling rays of sunshine and the soft evening light that makes the horizon shimmer even hours after sunset.

Turku | Åbo – eine Reunion

Turku is the gateway to the most beautiful archipelago in the world, I wrote in 2014. After I had only briefly sniffed into this jumble of over 20,000 small and larger islands in 2014, it was time to dive intensively into the archipelago this summer. And this much in advance: I didn’t have my mouth too full in 2014 and can only double and triple underline the statement from that time. A week in the Finnish archipelago is good for body and soul. Of course, I didn’t miss the opportunity to stroll through sunny Turku for a morning and enjoy the flair of the charming student city. It’s definitely more fun in the sun than in disgusting drizzle and nasty temperatures just above freezing. There was enough time for a stroll along the promenade of the Aura River to the cathedral of Turku, which is well worth seeing. We stopped at a well-known restaurant. Three years later, the “Smör” still impresses with fresh, fine food and the sweet brown bread typical of the region. It tastes best in combination with lightly salted butter.

Archipelago Trail | Stage Turku-Pargas-Korpo

On the first leg of our journey through the archipelago from Turku to Åland, we follow the “Archipelago Trail” across the archipelago off Turku. The trail leads along its entire length in a total of 200 kilometres of paved roads through the wonderful archipelago landscape. The individual sections of the trail are connected by ferries (which act as a substitute for public roads and are therefore free of charge). The route is particularly popular as a circular bike tour. I can’t judge whether the wind always blows from the wrong side here either, because we were – very comfortably – traveling by car. For next time, however, the bicycle is firmly booked as a means of transport.

The trail leads us from Turku in a southerly direction via Kuusito to the small town of Pargas, which is considered the “center” of the southern archipelago off Turku. It is interesting to note that the archipelago is officially bilingual and the majority of the population is Finland’s Swedes and speaks Swedish. The small centre of Pargas surprises with a quirky art gallery. With his remarks, Ted Wallin probably raises one or two question marks for many visitors to Art Bank Pargas. A must for Salvador Dali fans and anyone who likes abstract art. Just a few meters away is the delightful Café Hallonblad, where we fill the energy store with coffee and delicious cake for the next stage.

From Pargas, the journey continues a good 50 kilometers to Nagu. In between, there is a piece of sea to cross. The ferry is already waiting. Nagu is known for its beautiful guest harbour including various restaurants along the waterfront. After a short stopover, we hop one island further to Korpo, where we reach our destination for the day, the Archipelago Centre Korpoström. Also located at a beautiful, quiet guest harbour, we spend the night here in one of the 16 simply furnished hotel rooms. However, in this fantastic weather, I am quickly drawn back outside. I sit down on the pier, let my legs dangle and listen to the silence. Somehow, Finland has an incredibly relaxing effect on me. Perhaps this is also due to the fact that nowhere else is the sauna session so relaxed. Matilda presses a Stallhagen honey beer into our hands, makes a strong sauna infusion and makes us sweat a lot. Of course, the cooling jump into the Baltic Sea, which is almost 18° warm, is part of it. A lot of fun!

Insider tip: Excursion to Aspö

The Archipelago Trail only touches an excerpt of the more than 20,000 islands. No wonder the archipelago is so popular with sailors with this variety of mooring options. If you don’t have a sailing license in stock in a hurry, Tore Johannsen will show you more facets of the Turku archipelago with his Aspö Charter. He picks us up directly at the pier in Korpoström and transports us to Aspö in just over an hour’s drive. A church, interspersed red-colored houses and around it the wide sea. A handful of people live on Aspö all year round. Among them are Tore and his wife, who bakes the finest brown bread far and wide and creates excellent fish rolls. In the summer months, not only holiday guests come to visit here, but also cows from the mainland. They spend the summer on the island and are the “lawnmowers”, so to speak. If the next island hadn’t already awaited us, I would have liked to stay longer on Aspö. The charm of this place is hard to put into words.

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Practical tips for the Archipelago Trail

• Arrival with Finnair (daily connections from Zurich) via Helsinki to Turku
• The journey from Helsinki to Turku takes just over 2 hours by train
• Where to stay in Turku: Radisson Blu Marina Palace Hotel or Original Sokos Hotel
• Places of interest in Turku: Turku Castle / Aboa Vetus & Ars Nova / Market Hall and Library
• Out and about on the Archipelago Trail: by rental car, motorbike, bike or on foot
• More information about the Archipelago Trail can be found on Visit Finland
• Good travel season: August / September – the Finnish midsummer is already over, but there’s peace and quiet included

Glur Reisen invited me to this trip. The Scandinavia travel specialist has various travel offers on the Finnish west coast in its summer catalogue and is also happy to organise tailor-made tours in cooperation with local tour operators. The press trip was also supported by Visit Turku, the City of Pargas, Visit Aland and Finnair. [/alert]

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