Travelling in Finland

[Claire Registered Find all posts View Profile Close Claire]

If I were travelling in Finland, would I need a car to tour the areas around Korsnas and Vasa?

[granskare Registered Find all posts View Profile Close granskare]

Finland travel

Hi Claire,

When my wife and I were in Finland up near jeppis, we had a car and it was nice to have the independence but then when we left that area, my cousin took us with his car so that was also nice

Rental cars are expensive in Finland so it depends on where you are going and if you are visiting with relatives or a combining gen with tourism.

If with rellies as jeanette likes to say, likely they will have you with local transport options by driving you places or giving you a bus schedule which is also good. It just depends upon what you have in mind.
http://www.korsnas.fi/Turism/page4.html
Korsnäs website url is above.
http://www.vaasa.fi/270141.shtml
Vasa website url is above.
Chuck

[syrene Registered Find all posts View Profile Close syrene]

travel rent a car

Hi,
we start in Helsingfors or Åbo and then drive up to the areas around Vasa, Oravais, and Jakobstad. Both sides of our families started in those areas, primarily in farming communities. We set out to cover as much territory as possible, combining rellies with gen visits to churches, so often our schedule is a little crazy. Not all church offices are open from 8+5 and some are not open every day, particularly with summer hours. Some of the parish clerks actually work in three churches, so we see the same faces on different days in different buildings
We vote for renting a car, as cheaply as possible, which means from the US before departing for Finland.
Syrene

[Tracy Boeldt Registered Find all posts View Profile Close Tracy Boeldt]

Visiting relatives in Finland

Some day I would like to visit my relatives in Finland and Sweden. How much time should one plan out when going over there? I'm relatives in Finland are in Pargas and another branch is in Littoinen (where is that?). The problem is that I would have to visit a lot of parishes, since they moved so much (Kimito, Nagu, Helsinki, Saltvik, Åland & Perniö). In Sweden I'm looking at a lot of driving too (Göteburg, Stockholm and the Mariestad area) I would probably stay in Göteburg in Sweden.

Sune: You said that you would rent a car before leaving the US--meaning you would set up a rental agreement before leaving?

Tracy

[Tracy Boeldt Registered Find all posts View Profile Close Tracy Boeldt]

Oops--I wanted to say, Syrene.

Tracy

[Dorothy Registered Find all posts View Profile Close Dorothy]

Hi Claire,
I was very interested in your question regarding renting a car in Finland to tour Korsnas and Vasa area. I also live in British Columbia and plan to go to Finland next year and tour the same area of Korsnas. I also want to travel to Maxmo. I would be interested in corresponding further with you about travelling to Finland from Canada. I do little travelling , have never been to Finland, but have a real need to visit my roots. If you wish to correspond with me directly, my email is available on the members list.

[syrene Registered Find all posts View Profile Close syrene]

rental car costs

Hi, I believe that if you check on the Internet you will discover that arranging car rental from the US or Canada is much cheaper than trying to rent when you arrive in Finland or Sweden. And we saved almost $600 US dollars last summer by renting for delivery in Sweden rather than in Finland. So we picked up the car at the Stockholm airport, drove through Stockholm to the Finland Ferry dock, where we had reserved a ticket for the car and for three persons, along with a cabin for 43 (actually they come for 4) because the trip we prefer is overnight.

However, we absolutely love the ferry trip out of Stockholm through the archipelago! As the sun sets, the colors on the islands and unique bit and little houses is just wonderful. I have taken hundreds of photos of that trip over the last 30 years. Food on the Viking line is outstanding!

The ferries are eye openers too, with perhaps 12 floors of cabins from which inner cabin windows open on the interior atrium down to the shopping mall. By the time we take in dinner, and perhaps a drink with some music and dancing in one of the bars, then hit the hay, the speaker comes on to remind us to get up in time to drive off in Turku-Åbo or Helsinki-Helsingfors, whichever we have booked.

It's hard to say which is more interesting to us, Turku or Helsinki. Turku has the wonderful old castle built by the Swedish rulers, since the city was Finland's first capitol. The Russians moved administration to Helsinki when they took over. It also has the center of the Lutheran church, the cathedral, as well as a lovely canal through town, and the Migration Institute. However, I believe the Migration Institute is contemplating a move farther north into Vasa's eastern region. Don't know when.

But Helsinki has such a wonderful market square on the waterfront, and right there is the largest Russian Orthodox church outside of Russia. And the Esplanade boulevard, with beautiful park area, and elegant shots. And the Kamp Hotel, refurbished to emphasize its antique heritage, with a price to match. And Fazer cafe with good coffee and goodies and an Art Nouveau interior. And the National Museum. And Atheneum with the best collection in one place of Finland's artists.

Do lots of looking on the Internet, and Finland's Tourist Bureau will send you all kinds of brochures and maps of Finland to help you decide. If you're going to visit Swedish Ostrobothnia, try a lookup for Kuriren, which is a small Ostrobothnia magazine which lists the events for the area during various seasons. They also have an affiliated travel agency which arranges tours.

And don't miss Stundars Openair Museum in Solf! Great collection of buildings typical of where your great grandparents would have farmed. In summertime, they schedule artisans in to demonstrate handcrafts, from weaving and embroidery to blacksmithing and carpentry. And they have terrific meatsoup on festivals.

Speaking of Blacksmiths, the best place to see them in action has to be Oravais' Kimobruk, now an openair museum, but at one time a very productive iron foundry. If you have ANY ties to Vallon blood, this is the place to visit.

Better I should stop now!
Syrene

[syrene Registered Find all posts View Profile Close syrene]

Places to see in Finland

Oh, how could I forget Brages openair museum in Gamla Vasa. Absolutely a must! The manor house has changing exhibits, but upstairs is the interior of the donors' apartment house as it was in the 20's in Vasa.
And the Jakobstads city museum's photo collection. We have discovered photos of our own families there! And Fäboda, once where all the cattle sheep and goats were summered over with the women making butter and cheese, and now a wonderful place for all us "old" goats to rent a cabin and wander on the beautiful beach. There is beige fine sand amid glacier ground granite stones as high as a child.

You know, there is a lady in Vörå named Britt Marie Norrgård who started a museum and genealogy center there in the center of town. She always wanted to help people coordinate trips around to see their ancestral homes. I think that's still an option, although the European Union grant has probably run out. She was very dedicated. And her assistant was the parish clerk in the Vörå church. You could contact her through that channel. Jonas Lång was in charge of the genealogy society materials, and he had a LOT!

Regards,
Syrene

[Claire Registered Find all posts View Profile Close Claire]

Hello Dorothy:

I've sent you a private message with my personal email address. Please get in touch with me. We'll discuss further.

Thanks.

[Tracy Boeldt Registered Find all posts View Profile Close Tracy Boeldt]

Thanks Syrene for the info--it makes me want to go right now and visit!!!
Tracy

[Debbie Registered Find all posts View Profile Close Debbie]

Hi Syrene - all the places you mentioned (Oravais, Jakobstad, Vasa) were places I visited on my trip to Finland in 2000 to visit relatives. So your message is bringing back many memories to me! But the highlight of the trip was our trip to my cousin's "summer cottage" at Faboda - you are right, it is a beautiful beach! We spent an absolutely perfect day there.