Discover authentic Rauma: the Nordic largest wooden town

Pauliina Flam | Live the World

November 23, 2022

Not many foreign people have heard of Rauma, a town on the western shores of Finland.** Nevertheless, Finns **know about it, and many people from all over **Finland **visit the authentic old town of Rauma. As a local, I can assure you that in Rauma, there is much more than meets the eye. Rauma is the only Finnish city with two attractions protected by UNESCO - the Nordic largest wooden town and an ancient, prehistorical heritage site. Hence, it is not a coincidence that these two are the must-visit landmarks of the region. 

Explore the World Heritage Sites

The first of the World Heritage Sites is a lovely** old town** with its wooden houses. It welcomes you to walk into the *old times *with decorative buildings, colorful wood, cobbled streets, charming courtyards. You can *walk in peace, *enjoy the atmosphere and take your time since this area is the biggest preserved wooden town in all the Nordics.

© Anastasia_Leonova

Notable places to visit in the **old town would be a Town Hall and the Church of a Holy Cross. Town Hall is a positive yellow baroque building with hints of medieval times. Inside, you will find a museum. This house is quite a relic since there are only two town halls in Finland *dating back to the 18th century (another is located in Porvoo)*. **The Church of a Holy Cross **is even older - it was established at the beginning of the 16th century. Inside, it is full of medieval paintings and lace-like ornaments.

© istockphoto/IgorSPb

The second World Heritage Site in Rauma is a *mystic place *called Sammallahdenmäki. It is a burial site of the Bronze Age, including many granite cairns. Burned bones were found in the **ancient graves, **and not far from that place, the traces of prehistorical life were discovered. **Samallahdenmäki **is a very significant place. In fact, it was the first prehistorical discovery in Finland. Lucky for visitors, anyone is **free to visit **this ancient wonder, situated around 20 kilometers from the city center of Rauma.

Visit a nearby archipelago

Rauma is situated on the **seashore **which enables you to visit the **islands **around it. The cutest of them might also be the furthest one - Kylmäpihlaja Lighthouse Island. The lighthouse is an attraction of its own: it has a restaurant with an outdoor terrace, a **hotel, **and saunas. The upper floor of the lighthouse is the best place to view the sunset. There is also an art gallery on the island and a cute spot for some *barbeque *(firewood is provided). The **wildlife on the island is interesting. Many birds and plant species **can be found on these rocky shores. You can rent a **kayak **to visit the island or take a boat transfer from the mainland.

© istockphoto/Sergey_Sidorov

If you are into hiking, take a trip discovering other islands close to Rauma. One example would be Kuuskajaskari Island. The Kuuskajaskari trail takes just a couple of kilometers but offers magnificent sea views and a cafe on your way. On **Kuuskajaskari, **you can climb the watching tower and spot a known **lighthouse **staring at you from the other island. Back in time, **Kuuskajaskari **served the army, and now it is a **touristic island full of military secrets. Today, you can discover cannons **in local **woods **and take **lunch **in the old barracks.

Feel like a local

The thing I like the most about visiting Rauma is that there are many ways to dive into** local life. **Many **traditional **things belong to the city and make the atmosphere original. The first is bobbin lace, something associated with the **town **due to its history. Many **handicraft shops **and **museums **of Rauma will tell you the story of bobbin lacing in the city.

© Anastasia_Leonova

Eventually, **Rauma's lace **became a term, which inspired a *website *and even a *festival. *Lace Week is held in Rauma every year and provides locals with exhibitions, music, and events.

© Anastasia_Leonova

Another purely local thing is a** traditional food **named lapskoussi. I must warn you, it does not look appealing but tastes pretty nice. The origins of **lapskoussi are in the lives of mariners visiting Rauma **back in the days. That is why the dish is not pretentious - it is easy to make in harsh sail conditions. Still, it is nourishing and simple and made its way into the hearts of locals.

© Wikimedia Coomons/Nadja_Vahlqvist

Rauma is known for its charming Old Town, many traditions, and prehistoric heritage. As a consequence, everything in **Rauma feels authentic. It is the Nordic largest wooden town and also a very original **place to discover for a traveler.

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