Att göra i Raumo - 15 tips till en finsk Unescostad

What to do in Rauma, Finland? Founded in 1442, this small town surprises with a marvellous old wooden town and no less than two Unesco World Heritage Site. Here you will find all our top tips for things to see and do in Rauma.

Rauma, Finland

Rauma has a beautiful coastline and a lovely campsite where you can enjoy sunbathing and swimming. There is also a historic city centre, Old Rauma, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There is also another World Heritage Site, the Bronze Age burial site of Sammallahdenmäki.

Raumo is monolingual Finnish and the only place so far during our trip along the Finnish coast where the museums do not have text in Swedish, but only in Finnish and English. The city is also known for its special Finnish dialect, Rauman giäl, which can be difficult to understand for other Finnish speakers.

Rauma, or Raumo as it is called in Finnish, is located near the Finnish coast, just over 30 miles north of Turku and about 30 miles south of Pori.

What can you do in Rauma?

So what can you do in Rauma? Well, first of all you have to discover Old Rauma, with its beautiful houses, alleys and museums. Here are our top tips.

1. Stroll among the wooden houses in the Old Town

Old Rauma was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1991, as an excellent example of an old Nordic wooden town. This old neighbourhood is truly fantastic nice, and it's also very big. You can walk up and down the street, admiring the charming houses and buildings.

2. Look inside the Church of the Holy Cross

One of the most important sights in Old Rauma is the Church of the Holy Cross. Around the time the town was founded, the Franciscans established a monastery and a church. The church was consecrated in 1512 and is still standing.

Att göra i Raumo i Finland - heliga korsets kyrka

3. Admire the Town Hall

In the centre of Old Rauma, by the Market Square, stands the town's impressive old town hall. The building was built in 1776 and now serves as a museum.

The exhibitions inside the town hall vary, but you can learn about the production of lace, which was once very important in Rauma.

4. Visit Museum Marela

Marela is a museum in Old Rauma that showcases the homes of wealthy merchant and shipowner families. Here you can see everything from beautiful tiled stoves to fine furniture, crafts and clothing. An enjoyable visit!

Att göra i Raumo i Finland - museum Marela

5. See art at Rauma Art Museum

If you like art, check out the Rauma Art Museum, also located in Old Rauma. The museum hosts a variety of changing exhibitions, featuring both national and international artists.

6. peek into the old home Kirsti

The Kirsti Museum, which is open in the summer, showcases a home inhabited by sailors, craftsmen and labourers. Before becoming a museum, the house has been owned by the same family for 200 years, so it also displays furnishings from different periods in history.

7. Walk through Kitukränn.

Between Kuninkaankatu and Kauppakatu is a street called Kitukränn, which is considered the narrowest street in Finland. Whether it is the narrowest or not, it is charming!

8. Shopping

As well as plenty of museums and restaurants in Old Rauma, there are also plenty of small shops. Here you can shop for fashion, accessories, home furnishings, gifts, toys and handicrafts.

9. Go for a ride on the Little Tourist Train

A small "tourist train" leaves from the town hall and for once we jumped on it. The train took us around Old Rauma, and then it turned out that the train also runs to and from the Poroholma campsite.

10. See the ruins of the Church of the Trinity

Old Rauma also contains the ruins of the Holy Trinity Church. The church was built in the 15th century and was destroyed by fire in 1640.

Att göra i Raumo i Finland - Treenighetskyrkan

11. Climb the viewing tower in the harbour

There is a small marina in Rauma, just north of Poroholma camping. This place is really nice, with lots of small boats.

There is also an old and beautiful viewing tower, which you can climb up to get a better view of the area.

12. go on a boat trip to an island

You can also take various boat trips from the harbour. There are boats to the lighthouse island Kylmäpihlaja, the holiday and fortress island Kuuskajaskari and the nature island Reksaari. There are large signs with timetables in the harbour. However, as the text is in Finnish, it is a good idea to read up beforehand or ask around.

13. Sunbathing and swimming at Poroholma Camping

Poroholma Camping is more than just a campsite - it's also an experience. The campsite has a peaceful setting by the water, but also a great atmosphere with restaurants, boats, boat restaurants, juice bars and beach bars.

Att göra i Raumo i Finland - Poroholma camping

There is a nice sandy beach at the campsite, which is perfect for spending some lazy summer days.

14. Discover Sammallahdenmäki Unesco heritage site

The Bronze Age burial site of Sammallahdenmäki, which includes 36 burial cairns and was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1999, is considered to be the most diverse Scandinavian burial site representing the Bronze Age culture on the Gulf of Bothnia coast.

15. Make an excursion to Ytterö

Ytterö, or Yyteri as it is called in Finnish, is located on the coast outside Pori, just under an hour north of Rauma by car. There are fantastic sand dunes and an incredibly beautiful sandy beach. A trip here on a nice summer day is highly recommended!

More to see and do in Rauma

There is of course even more to see and do in Rauma than our suggestions. You can find some more tips here.

Alfred Kordelin's burial chapel is a funeral chapel where the Ruma-born agricultural counsellor Alfred Kordelin is buried. (Nummenkatu)
Lappi Church was completed in 1760 and is one of the oldest wooden churches in the region (Kirkkotie 23).
Rauma Maritime Museum tells about the maritime traditions of the area (Kalliokatu 34).
Rauma water tower offers a view of the city and all the way to the sea (Vesitornintie 2).

Where can you stay in Rauma, or park your campervan?

In Rauma, there are various accommodations to choose from, ranging from hotels to apartments. We travelled by motorhome and stayed at Poroholma Camping. Here we got a nice spot by the water (after an entertaining guide around in a golf cart) and we really enjoyed our days here. From the campsite you can get to Old Rauma by car, bike or the small "tourist train".

More to see and do near Rauma

From Rauma, it's not too far to the charming neighbourhood of Naantali and fine Turku. Instead, if you head north along the coast, you can visit Pori, and then continue on to cosy Kristinestad. Below you will find even more tips about Finland.

More tips for things to do in Rauma?

Have you visited Rauma? Do you have any other tips on what to see and do in Rauma? Let us know!

Facts about Rauma in Finland

Country: Finland
Landscape: Satakunta
Population: Around 39 000 (2021)
The name: Raumo in Swedish and Rauma in Finnish.
Language: 97.4 % Finnish and 0.3 % Swedish
Currency: Euro
Read more: You can find more information at tourist office website.

Travelling to raumo

Flight: The nearest airports are in Pori and Turku.
Car/caravan: You can, of course, drive to Rauma, for example on the road known as Riks-Åttan.
Bus: Buses run from Pori, Turku, Tampere and Helsinki.
Boat: If you come with your own boat, there is a guest harbour. Passenger ferries run to Turku and Naantali.

Getting around in Rauma

Go for a walk: If you just want to get around the centre of Rauma, walking is fine.
Cycling: You can also get around the city by bike.
Car/caravan: You can drive into town and park outside the Old Town.
Municipal: There are local buses. You can also take the small 'tourist train' between the campsite and the Old Town.

History of Rauma

1442: Rauma was granted city rights on 17 May this year, making it the third oldest city in Finland.
1990s: It was one of the former Norwegian Aker Finnyard shipyards, with the merged shipyards Oy F.W. Hollming Ab and Rauma-Repola. Hollming Ab and Rauma-Repola.
1991: Old Rauma was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List this year.
1999: The Bronze Age burial site of Sammallahdenmäki was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.
2014: Rauma Marine Constructions was established. One of UPM-Kymmene's largest paper mills is also located in the city.

2 Comments

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Lena - good for the soul says:

Never heard of that city. It seems very cosy and worth seeing. Will be remembered! Thanks for the tips.

Hug Lena

19 July 2023 - 10:00

BP says:

What a cute little town, which I had never heard of either. The wooden houses spontaneously make me think of a Wild West town in the USA...

19 July 2023 - 19:10

Things to do in Rauma - 15 tips for a Finnish UNESCO city