Korsholm: Culture, Landscapes and Excursions

When looking for a hotel in Korsholm, it is worth first deciding what you are interested in during your stay: cultural history, trails and the Kvarken landscape offer different focal points. The municipality has an open-air museum, themed trails and an archipelago landscape, each representing a different side of the region.

Cultural history at Stundars

Stundars, a large open-air museum, is located in the village of Solf. It depicts the lives of the farming population, craftspeople and lower social classes in the Swedish-speaking countryside between Oravais in the north and Pörtom in the south from 1870 to 1920. This time period gives a visit to the museum a clear historical focus. Stundars also serves as a centre for crafts and as an example of traditional building preservation.

During the summer season, various activities and guided tours are offered every day; participation is included in the admission price. As this is a seasonal programme, check what is currently on offer before your visit. The Stundars Trail starts at the open-air museum, is 6.6 km long and leads to Söderfjärden, the village of Munsmo and back to Stundars. This makes it possible to combine a museum visit with a longer route.

Meteoria presents the history of the Söderfjärden impact crater and was built in the centre of the crater. The subject connects the landscape with its origins. Together with Stundars, it offers another way to discover the region: here the focus is on the crater, while there it is on life and work in the Swedish-speaking countryside between 1870 and 1920.

Kvarken and the archipelago landscape

The Kvarken landscape was shaped by the last Ice Age. Rapid land uplift creates new shallows and unusual moraine ridges, which together form a labyrinthine landscape. Most of the Korsholm archipelago belongs to the UNESCO World Heritage Site; 70 percent of the World Heritage area is in Korsholm.

From the Saltkaret observation tower, you can look out over the rocky archipelago, formed by De Geer moraines. In Svedjehamn, red boathouses give the harbour its character. A day trip there offers a chance to experience the World Heritage Site from both a natural and cultural perspective. The Replot Bridge was completed in 1997, is 1,045 m long and is Finland’s longest bridge. It leads to Replot and Björköby.

Trails and distances

In Smedsby, the Smedsby Adventure Trail is a 900 m route with seven checkpoints that can be visited year-round. The route follows the recreational trail and passes a playground, an outdoor fitness area and a pond. Another route option is Smedsby Orienteering: the orienteering course is just over 3 km long, starts and ends at Elly Sigfrids Square, and can be used on foot, by bicycle, with a stroller or in a wheelchair.

The 1.2 km Hästhagens-Äppeldalens recreational trail connects Hästhagen, Olavs lekpark, Körsbärsdalen, Äppeldalen and Rhododendronparken; it is maintained in winter. Visitors can pick and eat apples in Äppeldalen. The Bodvattnet runt loop is marked in blue and signposted. Orange crosses mark the Björköby–Panike hiking trail; information boards with a map are placed at regular intervals along the route.

For a longer trip, there is a suggested cycling route through Korsholm. It is designed for daily stages of 50 to 70 km and a total distance of 180 to 200 km; the route uses both paved and gravel roads. As route conditions may change, check them before setting out.

Regional speciality

Freshly smoked perch and herring, known as böckling, are considered a delicacy in Korsholm. What individual fishers have to offer may vary by season. This local tradition also adds a culinary dimension to the cultural and landscape themes, without assuming a particular place of sale.

Whether you are mainly interested in Stundars, the archipelago landscape or a particular route length, the destinations offer different highlights for your stay. Use these themes as a guide when looking for a hotel in Korsholm.

Discover more destinations: Jakobstad, Iskmo, Isokyrö, Kristinestad, Nordanå, Eugmo, Lappfjärd, Ylihärmä

Return to the main travel overview: Ostrobothnia.