Former municipality in Southwest Finland, Finland
Photo: Rusalotjka, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Nagu (Finnish: Nauvo) is a former municipality in the Archipelago Sea in south-west Finland. It consists of two main islands and some three thousand minor ones.
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Nagu kyrka
Medieval stone church built probably between 1430 and 1450. The pipe organ from 1791 was built by famous Swedish organ builder Olof Schwan.
Sjöfartshuset
Exhibitions telling about the seafaring traditions of Nagu from early 19th century to these days. Many ship models and paintings.
Finby jungfrudans
Take a short hike along a nature trail that leads to an old man-made stone formation or labyrinth, also called jungfrudansen, the maiden's dance. There are many this kind of labyrinths around the coasts of the Baltic Sea, but nobody knows why they were made. The map of the trail can be downloaded from vastaboland.fi/web/kartor/sv_SE/naturstigar/_files/80606080380781342/default/Nagu%20naturstig1.pdf (with description in Swedish and Finnish only).
Fairly impressive bronze age burial cairn on top of the hill Jättekastet. In those days these islands were yet uninhabited, so nobody knows who the deceased was or what they were doing here. The best way to visit the site is to follow Westerholm Cultural Path from Kyrkbacken; there is more to see on the trail than just this grave. In the forest there is a rope to facilitate the climb to the hill (the trail has an alternative route around the hill, but then you miss the site). Both climb and descend are steep. Be careful.
When approaching the ferry terminal in Pärnäs, take a small path from across the road, just opposite the bistro. After a few hundred metres you will reach a rocky shore with a memorial to the victims of the cruise ferry Estonia sinking on 28 September 1994, where most of those on board perished. It was the deadliest peacetime shipwreck to ever have occurred in European waters. There are monuments also in Stockholm and Tallinn (by the old town: Katkenud liin) and at a few other places in Estonia.
Finnish: Seili
Lush island near Nagu Kyrkbacken, with a former leper colony, later mental hospital, now the Archipelago Research Institute of University of Turku. Famous for its history. A wooden church remains. Reached by boat or by ferry. Guided tours (in English by request), restaurant and accommodation in rooms for 1–4 persons with shared bathrooms and kitchens (since 2017). Take precautions against the ticks.
An island 25 km 9f the Korpo main village. The wooden chapel is from the 19th century. Grocery store with Alko delivery point. Summer café. Nature trail with a fascinating singing stone, Klockarsten. Accessible by M/S Baldur from Pärnäs. In season the ferry schedules allow a day trip some days, but accommodation may also be available.
A small island with six year-round inhabitants, on the route of M/S Baldur and M/S Cheri. The northern part of the island belongs to the Archipelago Sea National Park and the buildings of the old Västerby fisherman's farm today act as a national park information hut (free entry). The exhibition is concentrated on fishing. In season there are guides who can answer your questions. Camping in the yard is allowed, but beware, there are vast amounts of ticks around. Two marked nature trails. Campfire site (no fires during wildfire warnings) and dry toilet. The village on the island is on the list of nationally significant built culture environments.
This small island south from Nagu main islands is on the route of M/S Cheri. The guest marina was made famous and popular by the local family, who let it over to other entrepreneurs in 2019. In summer there is a guest marina with saunas, café, nature trail, and a small museum about the island's maritime pilot history.
This 3-km nature and culture trail follows the footprints of the Nagu-born painter Victor Westerholm (1860–1919). He spent his childhood here on the Ernholm island and later became a renowned landscape painter. The circular trail starts from the market square and is well marked, but the forest part is poorly suited for disabled.
Nagu Chamber Music Festival
Classical music, mostly in the church, some concerts on minor islands.
Skärgårdens skördefest
Market with local produce (Sa 10:00–15:00), fish smoking competition (Sa 14:00), open doors on some farms (at least the sheep farms Västeräng on Ytterholm and Korsnäs Östergård; Su 10:00–16:00), and "restaurant days" (Strandkrogen, Biffi and Pensar Syd in Nagu, also restaurants elsewhere, special menus and lotteries F–Su)
Cross-country running event. In summer some 200 participants (including the shorter Minimöviken).
Nice restaurant representing mainly French cuisine.
Pizzeria in a ship by the marina.
Good restaurant and summer terrace at the guest marina.
Petrol station in the heart of the town. Enjoy the local atmosphere.
Grill kiosk. Minigolf.
Steaks and burgers. Open all year round.
Food and beach bar.
Restaurant.
A summer café. Lunch.
Restaurant, cottages and marina. Programme services. Events in summer Saturdays, Midsummer and some additional days in July. Game meat.
Old steamship converted to pizzeria and bar. After sail bar open until late hours. Dancefloor downstairs. Often live music on the weekends. Serves locally distilled award winning small batch gin (https://www.nagudistillery.com). Open only during summer season (mid of May to mid of September).
Three small holiday apartments (20–30 m²) in the former bank building, later police station. Available year round.
Open late May to mid-Sep. Belongs to Strandbo Group, which is a big organizer of activities for tourists and others. Charter tours etc. available. Closed in winter.
Old house. Ceramics) for sale. Linen and breakfast included. Bikes and canoes for rent.
B&B open year round.
19th-century house. Good food, but possibly only by agreement. Also programme: fishing, bird watching, berry picking, kayaking, hunting, cycling and mushroom picking trips.
Former nursery home. Singles, twins and appartements. The former have shared facilities. Pizzeria. Padel court. Beach and sauna on the property, check availability.
Also cottages. Bikes for rent.
Svanhild Åbonde
B&B and design shop of Svanhild Åbonde, who lives part of the year in Benin, where she cooperates with locals. Clothes from linen, silk and cotton made in Benin, and from finnsheep wool, made in Finland. Two cottages for B&B guests. Sauna. Child-friendly beach 200 m (Risisviken).
Main building and cottages. Guest harbour and restaurant in the village half a kilometre away. Small motorboats for rent, e.g. for fishing (€60/day).
Cottages since the 1970s. Original ones 4+1 persons, kitchenette, cold potable water, electricity; smaller "overnight" cabins for 4/2 persons with bunk beds, communal facilities. Showers in separate building. Outhouse toilet. Beach with sauna 100 m, child-friendly beach 1 km. Terrain hilly, not suitable for the mobility impaired. Small scale organic farming. Rowing boats and bikes for hire. Luggage transport for pilgrims for a fee. Also separate summer house with own facilities (2+2+1 persons, water at the well).
Countryside hotel with its own restaurant.
Small and intimate accommodation in the countryside that also offers outdoor activities like cycling and kayaking.
A small hotel in Nötö. Breakfast included, other meals available by request. Still open?
The camping site on Nötö is in the southern part of the island. Still open?
Hotel and restaurant with their own guest marina on remote island Pensar. The island has ferry connection to Granvik harbor in Pargas.
Antiques and vintage, in the former school of Käldinge, Lillandet, and in season in the Kyrkbacken harbour.
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