Tired Of Visiting Places Where Everybody Goes? Visit Raahe Instead

Raahe-City should be on everyone’s list of must visit places. Although it’s not really a city, we just like to call it that between friends. If it were, you probably would have heard of it before now.

Raahe is actually a rather small and quiet town - population in the region of 25,000 - on the North-West coast of Finland often overshadowed by its bigger neighbours. But it can hold its own compared to any destination in the world.

Yes, it really can.

A Bit Of History

Long time ago, when Finland was part of Sweden, its always noisier neighbour, there lived a man called Per Brahe.

He was the Governor General of Finland and rather fond of founding new towns. Raahe was one of them. He must have recognised that Raahe was a jewel among the towns he founded as he gave it his name. Brahestad in Swedish (Brahe + stad which means town/city in English) or Raahe in Finnish.

Raahe has a long and glorious past, and there was a time when it was one of the busiest ports in Finland and a hub for shipbuilding.

The English Army considered its shipyards so important during the Crimean war that in 1854 they burnt them down. Some reports claim that when the English army burnt down the shipyards, they also burnt ships built for them they had already paid for.

If that is true, then oh well, karma is a bitch.

Raahe recovered from this and an earlier fire in 1810 and grew into the largest shipping town in Finland in the 1860s and 70s.

Unfortunately for Raahe, wooden ships went out of fashion and the town’s glory days were over. It would take almost a hundred years for Raahe’s fortunes to be reversed when a new saviour arrived: steel.

In 1960 Rautaruukki - a state-owned company - opened a steel mill in Raahe providing hundreds of jobs. Here’s a fascinating fact to end our history in a nutshell: the steel used in the London Millennium Bridge came from Rautaruukki.

Now you know key details of its past, let’s get on with why it should be on your bucket list.

1. It has one of the oldest and best preserved old wooden towns in Finland

Old Town Raahe is one of the best-preserved 19th-century wooden towns in Finland. Not a museum area but a living town district, Old Raahe tells the tale of the construction of a town and life in it from centuries ago to the modern day. (Visit Raahe)

The original town was rather modest with the oldest map of Raahe from 1659 depicting less than a dozen blocks. The town’s planner Claes Claesson created a strict plan where the buildings were longitudinally to the street.

Since the town has burnt down several times, no buildings remain from those early days. The oldest residential building, Sovelius House, dates back to the 1780s.

The best way to explore Old Raahe is by walking or on a bike. And while on your tour, make sure to stop at the Trade House of Lang for a coffee and a sweet treat.

2. It has a fantastic jazz festival

This festival was first organised in 1989 and has taken place at the last weekend of July since then. Except, of course, in 2020 when COVID-19 cancelled events around the world. This year the festival is back.

The organiser behind the festival is Rajatsi, a local non-profit group who also hosts jazz concerts in Raahe around the year.

Every year the program includes top names from Finland and a range of international artists and newcomers, and the concerts are held at venues in the old town and by the sea.

3. It has excellent mooring options for people visiting by boat

If you arrive to Raahe on your own boat, and believe me, many people do, the best location for easy access to the old town is right by the Museum. Parking your boat there for a day visit is free. If you wish to stay longer, and of course you will so you have more time to enjoy this beautiful town, it only costs €15 for 24 hours.

Another option is Terassatama about 2km away from the town centre. Still not exactly far and a quieter option since the bar next to the Museum often hosts live music events (including the jazz festival) during the summer months. This option is only €15, too, and with another €5 you can have a sauna as well.

4. It is easy to get to

It is less than an hour away from the nearest airport and half an hour from the nearest train station.

The nearest airport to Raahe is in Oulunsalo, which is less than an hour away by car. It takes a little longer than that by using public transport since you have to go via Oulu (which is also worth visiting).

Train-wise there are two options. Again, you can get off at Oulu or you can use the much smaller stop at Vihanti, which is closer. A bus from there will get you to Raahe in less than thirty minutes.

If you are arriving to Raahe by car, I would recommend the scenic route along the west coast.

5. It has beautiful beaches

Raahe has so many beaches. The most central one, Pikkulahti, is a walking distance from the town centre and has a fantastic you of the Old Town and the Museum across the bay. It is also the location of the annual beach football tournament and there is a rental service for kayaks and sup boards. Those of adventurous nature and visiting in the winter can take a dip in the hole in ice.

My personal favourite, though is Tauvo, a short drive away from the town centre. You can also get there by bike and it is a beautiful, quiet route to ride. Finland is not really known for its surfing opportunities, but Tauvo is among the best in Finland and great for utter beginners to have a go at the sport.

6. There are many opportunities for winter and summer activities

In the winter there are many routes for cross-country skiers including skiing across the ice to visit the Tasku Island Cafe. I would definitely recommend trying their fresh local whitefish.

If skiing is not for you, taking a sleigh ride pulled by snowmobiles is another way to experience the wintry archipelago and frozen sea. Or you can hire a fatbike, snowshoes, or a kick sled instead.

Visit here for tips on ice activities.

7. It has Finland’s oldest local museum

Doctor Carl Robert Ehrström established The Museum of Raahe was established in 1862, and its collection reflects the town’s history as a seafaring hub. Sailors brought with them items from foreign countries, and many of these have found their way to the museum.

Since the early days of the museum, its collection has grown and now exhibits at seven different locations. Each location has its own focus such as the Old Pharmacy with its pharmaceutical collection of items dating as far back as the 17th century or Kruununmakasiinimuseo (Crown Granary) where visitors can familiarise themselves with the history of Raahe from its origins to life now.

Visitors to Kruununmakasiini also get to see The Old Gentleman of Raahe – an 18th-century cowskin diving suit.

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So, go ahead and plan a visit to Raahe, it's worth the effort. And the rest of the country is pretty awesome, too!