The southern road trip for groups
Coastal history is interesting and the picturesque old towns along the coast on the Finnish side tell their story while Umeå and Vaasa charm as nordic modern cities. Most guided tours are done as walking tours with a story unfolding during the tour. Most dinners are had in the hotels, but a few special dinners are also in the plan.
- Min 10 persons, max 25 persons.
- Tailored program and privatized tours.
- See Distance table for driving time between destinations.
Day 1: Umeå
Arrival at Umeå airport (UME)
Several flight connections from Europe via Stockholm/Arlanda available.
Bustransfer Clarion Hotel Uman, where you check-in to rooms.
A nice guided walking tour in the city centre, is a good start for Umeå experience. Depending on the time of day, lunch or a Swedish fika can be included to the tour, for example at Kulturcafeet.
As a last highlight of the guided tour you visit Bildmuseet, focusing on international contemporary art and is located in the city center.
Dinner and accommodaiton at Clarion Hotel Uman.
Day 2: Umeå
Breakfast at the hotel.
Tavelsjö is 30min drive away from Umeå city and well worth a visit. At Reindeer Ranch you get to know about reindeer husbandry and also meet reindeer.
Luch at cozy Tavelsjö Wärdshus. In case you are up for some nature hikes, nearby Tavelsjö Trails offer wonderful possibilities for this.
Time at leisure in Umeå before dinner at Hunger & Törst.
Accommodation at Clarion Hotel Uman.
Day 3: Umeå / Vaasa
Breakfast at the hotel. Check-out from the hotel.
You cannot leav Umeå without a visit at Guitars – The Museum. This unique venue holds a solid collection of famous guitars. The owners are passionate about their collection and many stories unfold during a guided tour.
The Kvarken Strait is crossed comfortably on board Wasaline. The sea journey takes 4 hrs and on board you have a restaurant / café and a shop.
It is time to change clocks to Finnish time (EET) from Swedish time (CET).
On arrival in Vaasa on the other shore of Bothnian Bay, you drive to Sokos Hotel Royal for check-in, dinner and accommodation.
Day 4: Vaasa
Breakfast at the hotel.
We start the day by driving to Kvarken Archipelago World Heritage site. This UNESCO site displays the land rise through history and geography. The visitor center is a good place to start and a local guide will join the tour from here. In Kvarken there will also be time for a hike to the observation tower, from the top you have a marvellous view over the land rise area.
Returning back to Vaasa we have lunch at Restaurant Hejm before spending the afternoon at Stundars Outdoor Museum.
Dinner and accommodation at Sokos Hotel Royal Vaasa.
Day 5: Vaasa & Pietarsaari
Breakfast at the hotel. Check-out from the hotel.
Today we have a day gazing back at the local history as we visit Old Vaasa and Ostrobothnian Museum. During a guided walking tour in the city we stop by at the market square and have a snacky lunch there.
In late afternoon we drive towards Kokkola, making a stop in Pietarsaari on the way. Pietarsaari is 1hr 30min from Vaasa.
Nanoq is a museum (indoor and outdoor) and also a tribute to the people if the arctic. Drive continues to Kokkola, the drive is a good half and hour.
Dinner and accommodation at Sokos Hotel Kaarle in Kokkola.
Day 6: Kokkola
Breakfast at the hotel.
Kokkola’s old town Neristan is a very well preserved wooden old town, datig back to 17th century. There are many coastal stories to be told here and we join a local guide to walk and talk us through Neristan.
Lunch at Café Stiina, their salmon soup is well-known for being tasty and good.
This afternoon you have a choice to explore the surroundings on a guided biking tour or to relax in a Finnish sauna.
In the evening we gather for a dinner at Restaurant Wanha Elba. Elba serves a tasty buffet on a seaside location.
Day 7: Kokkola
Breakfast at the hotel.
Today we cruise out to Tankar Island. The cruise departs at 12:00 and we will be back on the mainland at 17:00. There is 2 hours time at Tankar Island and most of this will be for the guided tour there. You will also have some time to have a look around yourself or just enjoy the island atmosphere.
Returning to the mainland we stay in Meripuisto area for a casual dinner at the restaurant there on site and just to enjoy a summer evening in the the park. In case you are traveling late in the autumn, we have a walk in the park and return by bus to the hotel for dinner.
Accommodation at Sokos Hotel Kaarle.
Day 8: Kalajoki & Raahe
Breakfast at the hotel. We depart from the hotel at 11:00, so there is a long and nice morning to sleep in or have an independent walk in Kokkola. Check-out after breakfast.
Drive to Kalajoki takes a good hour. We stop for lunch at 12:00 at Tapion Tupa.
In Kalajoki We continue with the heritage theme as we visit the Old Town Plassi. Here you find a well preserved fishnermans cottage as well as a wealthy merchants home. Plassi fills in yet another piece of the puzzle on coastal life in the olden days.
Around 15:30 we arrive in Raahe, where explore Old Town of Raahe and thereby complete our tour of the coastal old town.
Drive continues to Oulu, where dinner and accommodation in Radission Hotel Blu, Oulu.
Day 9: Oulu
Breakfast at the hotel.
A local guide takes you on a short walk to Pikisaari and the market square of Oulu before lunch at the hotel.
Transfer to the airport.
Departure from Oulu airport (OUL).
Bus companies at your service
There are advantages with a local driver and transfer company. We are happy to recommend the following companies along Bothnian Bay. The companies and their drivers have sustainability in focus and know the area well.
