Vaasa

Vaasa (Swedish: Vasa) is the capital of the administrative region Ostrobothnia, Western Finland.

An introduction to Vaasa

Vaasa was an important place of governance when Finland was part of Sweden. It started in the 14th century when Korsholm castle was built near the village of Korsholm (Finnish: Mustasaari). In 1606 the village was granted city status and five years later it was renamed Wasa in honor of the Swedish royal lineage. The old names live on in the municipality that surrounds Vaasa.

The old town of Vaasa burned to the ground in 1852, and when it was rebuilt it was relocated closer to the sea some six kilometers northwest from its original location. In the same process the town was renamed Nikolainkaupunki (Sw: Nikolaistad) in honor of Russian Czar Nikolai I, as Finland at that time was a Grand Duchy under Russian rule (1809–1917). In its new location the town became an important sea-faring city and a local businessman named Carl Gustaf Wolff (1800–1868) was at one point the biggest shipowner in the Nordic countries. When Finland proclaimed its independence in 1917 the name of the town was again reverted to Vaasa. The town was made capital of the white side (conservative, bourgeois) during the civil war (1918), when Helsinki was occupied by the red side (socialist, communist). It has since then been known as The White City; the support for the whites was very strong in the area.

Around 25 percent of the city's population is Swedish-speaking and even more are bilingual (Finnish and Swedish) and the ties to Sweden are strong in the area. In the area surrounding Vaasa the majority of people are Swedish-speaking. Vaasa is shielded from the open sea by the many islands in the archipelago. The nature of this area is nearly unique in the world as it continuously rises from the sea as the sea level due to post-glacial rebound. The Kvarken Archipelago, which is a UNESCO world nature legacy site, is just around the junction.

Travel as a Muslim to Vaasa

63.0948|21.6123

By car

Highway 3 (also E12) from Helsinki through Tampere to Vaasa (419 kilometers). The coastal primary street 8 (E8) goes from Turku through Rauma and Pori to Vaasa (332 kilometers) and continues through Kokkola to Oulu (318 kilometers).

By Rail

All trains from Helsinki to Oulu and Rovaniemi via Tampere stop at Seinäjoki. From there you can take connection trains, which head to Vaasa. There are also trains that go straight to Vaasa via Seinäjoki. Three of these trains also go from Vaasa to Jyväskylä via Seinäjoki. Check timetables at VR's web site].

Travel on a Bus in Vaasa

There are west coast bus connections from Oulu to Turku, which go through Vaasa. Buses connect Vaasa also to Helsinki, Tampere, Pori, Kokkola and Hämeenlinna. Check Matkahuolto and Onnibus for timetables and such.

Book a Halal Cruise or Boat Tour in Vaasa

A ferry line called Wasaline crosses daily between Vaasa and Umeå, Sweden (with the port in Holmsund at the mouth of the river). One way tickets are 350–390/270–300/150 kr (children 6–17). Normal cars add an extra 550–570 kr to the price, a booked seat 70–120 kr, a cabin 330–480 kr. You can also do a day cruise (6 days a week from Vaasa and once from Umeå) which is 410–440 kr return. There are also campaign prices, at least off season. There is a transfer bus from Holmsund to Umeå (15 km; 70/30 kr, children 7–19)

People arriving with their own motor- or sailboat can make use of Wasa Segelförening (one of Finland's oldest yacht clubs) on the island of Vaskiluoto (Swedish: Vasklot). They run the official guest harbour of Vaasa and offer good services for the occasional boat captain. There's a good view over town from the harbour and it's a two kilometer walk into the centre.

Buy a Flight ticket to and from Vaasa

• Vaasa Airport IATA Code: VAA GPS: 63.045278, 21.764167 - Vaasa Airport Vaasan lentoasema There are daily regular Flights from Vaasa airport to Helsinki (Finnair) and Stockholm, Sweden (SAS).

Local bus lines 4, 10 and 40 operated by Vaasan paikallisliikenne go to the downtown; a one-way ticket on these buses cost €2.50. Local bus lines to airport operate only during weekdays of school-year, but not on weekends or summer time.

You can also pre-book airport taxi, which is less expensive than ordinary taxi. Airport taxi can be pre-ordered at earliest two hours before arrival or departure, unless it is a morning plane in which case the taxi should be pre-ordered before 22:00 on the day before. The phone number for pre-ordering an airport taxi is +358 6 100 411, or if you're calling from a Finnish mobile phone; 0600 30011. A taxi ride costs between €16-25 depending on where in Vaasa you're going.

Get Around

The city is quite compact and most things to see are within walking distance. The commercial center and dining is concentrated in the area around the market square.

Travel on a Bus in Vaasa

Information about local buses can be found here]. You can use route planner to seek local bus routes between given locations and addresses.

The local bus traffic to other parts of the city and the surrounding municipalities leave mainly from the southern end of the market square or from the western side of Rewell Center shopping mall. Bus lines typically have interval of one hour or half an hour per line. The office for the city buses, Vaasan Paikallisliikenne, is situated on the second floor of Rewell Center.

Local transport to surrounding localities around Vaasa is provided by Wiik & Ström.

Best way to travel in Vaasa by a Taxi

There are two taxi stations in the center of Vaasa (Hovioikeudenpuistikko 10 and 23). You can call a taxi to any address through the number +358 6 100 411 (when calling from abroad the number is +358 6 3200 111).

What to see in Vaasa

Vaasa Church from water tower - Trinity church Vaasa MarketPlaza 01 - The market square

• Market place and Finland's Statue of freedom - GPS: 63.09584, 21.61585 - The market place is the center of the city life in Vaasa. Finlands Statue of Freedom, unveiled in the summer of 1938 is in the northern end of the market square.
• Old Vaasa - Vanha Vaasa, Gamla Vasa | - GPS: 63.0728, 21.7233 - Is situated about 6km south east of the today's town featuring ruins from the first town of Vaasa that burned down in 1852 and a 18th century court building that survived the destruction but was redone into the Church of Korsholm when the town was rebuilt at a new location closer to the sea. The banks of the 14th century Korsholm castle are still visible and can be found west of the Church of Korsholm.

• The campuses of Vaasa. Vaasa has three university level educational institutions with campuses that make use of Vaasa's industrial past. GPS 63.1048, 21.5932 The University of Vaasa has a unique campus that combines modern architectural elements with an old Cotton Mill in the neighborhood of Palosaari. The campus is situated along the waterfront and has park areas all around. Some say it is the most beautiful campus in Finland. South from that campus, closer to the downtown but still along the waterfront is GPS 63.0985, 21.6012Academill, a former grain mill that nowadays houses two faculties of Åbo Akademi university in Vaasa. In the northern end of Kauppapuistikko you will find the GPS 63.09881, 21.61241 campus of the Swedish School of Economics and Business Administration, commonly called Hanken, which is housed in a former clothing factory.

Söderfjärden Landsat - Landsat picture of Söderfjärden impact structure (the round brown agriculturally used area).

• Söderfjärden - GPS 63.036, 21.586 - 10 kilometers south of Vaasa in the rural area of Sundom is a big cultivated area called Söderfjärden. When you climb up Öjberget, a hill right beside the big flat area, you see that the whole area is round. This is because it is an old crater which was caused by impact of a meteorite 520 millions of years ago. A visitor center Meteoria (Meteoriihi) is located in the middle of the crater.
• Waterfront - GPS: 63.0902, 21.6065 - Take a walk in the park areas along the waterfront. Many sights are along the way, like the neo-gothic Court of Appeals and the 19th century Vaasa prison, which is still in use (though extensively modernized on the inside) and actually has a shop which sells crafts made by the prisoners.
• Trinity Church and surroundings - GPS: 63.0947, 21.6102 - In the vicinity of the neogothic Trinity Church you will find City Hall, which also houses the Tourist office on the bottom floor. Along Vaasanpuistikko on the south side of the Church is the City Council and close by is Vaasan Lyseon Lukio, which is a Finnish-speaking upper secondary school. West of the church is another school building with the text Lyceum. This is Vasa Övningsskolas Gymnasium, which is a Swedish-speaking upper secondary school.
• Vaasa City Library - Kirjastonkatu 13 GPS: 63.09950, 21.61086 - Check out what is happening in your corner of the world in the international papers provided in the City Library. If you can't find a suitable paper then try the internet on one of the computers. It's free. And while you are there, breathe in some of the cultural history involved. The first lending library in Finland was established in Vaasa 2.8.1794. The current city library was built in 1936 and in 2001 a extensive renovation and enlargement of the library was complete taking both old and new elements into account.

• Contemporary architecture. There are some interesting buildings to see if you are an architecture buff of the modern sort. One interesting area is the Campus of Vaasa university already mentioned above, another is the city's Center City Block, also called GPS 63.0954, 21.6142 Rewell Center, which was designed by architect Viljo Revell and finished in 1963. In the neighbourhood of Huutoniemi (sw: Roparnäs) you'll find GPS 63.0964, 21.6638 Huutoniemi Church, a modernist building finished in 1964 and designed by Aarno Ruusuvuori. Significant industral architecture is well represented in GPS 63.0841, 21.6669 Strömberg Industrial Park and the City Library, also mentioned above, is an interesting meld of old and new.

Museums

• Kuntsi Museum of Modern Art - Sisäsatama GPS: 63.0964, 21.6004 A new museum for contemporary art opened to the public in February 2007 in a former customs warehouse in the Inner Harbour of Vaasa.
• Ostrobothnian Museum and Terranova Kvarken Nature Center - Pohjanmaan Museo | Museokatu 3 GPS: 63.0996, 21.6017 - If you are interested in the region's history then you need to visit this place. The Terranova Kvarken Nature Center displays the uniqueness of the nature in the area (something that should be experienced first hand out in the open air of the archipelago).
• The Tikanoja Art Museum - Tikanojan taidekoti | Hovioikeudenpuistikko 4 GPS: 63.0946, 21.6065 A traditional art museum in the former home of local businessman Frithjof Tikanoja (1877-1964). The museum got started when he donated his private collection to the city. The collection includes works by Edgar Degas, Paul Gauguin, Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso, but also works by Finnish masters like Albert Edelfelt, Axel Gallen-Kallela, Maria Wiik and Tyko Sallinen. The museum also has touring exhibitions.
• Vaasa Maritime museum - Pikitehtaankatu 1 GPS: 63.1069, 21.5852 Palosaaren salmi - Get to know the seafaring past of Vaasa in this museum which is housed in an old storage building which was built by the great shipowner C.G. Wolff in the 19th century.
• Brage Open Air Museum - Bragen ulkomuseo - GPS: 63.0820, 21.6307 Hietalahti - The museum consists of a complete nineteenth-century farm with interesting buildings and interiors from the Swedish-speaking part of Ostrobotnia. Within walking distance from the downtown.

What to Do

• Tropiclandia - GPS: 63.0879, 21.5871 A tropical spa with various slides, private secluded saunas and Jacuzzis. Includes also an outside area in the summer. Located on the Vaskiluoto island just outside the downtown.
• The Water Tower - GPS: 63.0934, 21.6128 - Inside the tower there is a challenging indoor climbing wall. On Wednesdays and Sundays the walls are open to the public for an entrance fee of 5€.

Venue

If you want to experience live music on a regular basis in Vaasa then there are two venues to keep in mind.

• Doo-Bop Club - Kauppapuistikko 12 GPS: 63.09653, 21.61459 A jazz club under McDonald's (Please do not support McDonald's as McDonald's supports Israel. Shun this restaurant group and go for altertative brands and if possible for a Muslim owned restaurant) in the northern end of the Market Plaza. Here you mainly hear jazz, soul and funk. The main principle is that the music is live.
• Skafferiet - commonly called Ritz | Kirkkopuistikko 22 GPS: 63.0955, 21.6090 A place that tries to combine all forms of local and international culture on to one scene. Ritz has featuered over a hundered shows in just under two years. The performers vary from artists that have traveled all over the world to those who are taking their first tumbling steps.

Sports

• VPS - Vaasan Palloseura | GPS 63.0852, 21.6279 - Go watch a football game with a team that plays in the top league in Finland. The standard isn't as high as in England, Germany or even Sweden, but still. The games are played at Hietalahti Stadium, which holds 4,600 people.
• VIFK - Vasa Idrottföreningen Kamraterna | - GPS: - This is another local football team that used to play in the Finnish major league back in the 1940s and -50s. In 2011 the team finished in fifth place in division 2.
• Vaasan Sport - GPS: 63.0798, 21.6416 - Check out a hockey game during the winter with Vaasa's own Hockey Team Sport that plays in the Finnish ice hockey league "Liiga". The games are played in Vaasa Arena in Kuparisaari.

Annual events

• Night of the Arts - GPS: Opening Hours: in August - Once a year the whole city is out witnessing different cultural events. There are free concerts and theater, exhibitions and other happenings all over the city. Excellent night and should be experienced if you are in the neighborhood.
• Korsholm Music Festival - GPS: Opening Hours: towards the end of the summer - One of the most acknowledged chamber music festivals in Finland, brings its own mood to this coastal region as music resounds in concert halls, restaurants, museums and idyllic church buildings.
• Vaasa Choir Festival - GPS: Opening Hours: arranged at the weekend of the Ascension Day - An international large-scale choir music happening.
• Wasa By Night - GPS: Opening Hours: arranged one dark autumn night every fall - An annual pub crawl arranged by most pubs, restaurants and late night restaurants in town.

Muslim Friendly Shopping in Vaasa

The Market Hall in Vaasa - |The old Market Hall of Vaasa is still in use.

There are three shopping malls in Vaasa of which two are found by the market square. On the western side of the square is GPS 63.0953, 21.6139 Rewell Center (named after architect Viljo Revell who planned the modern city block that was built in 1962) and on the eastern side is the smaller GPS 63.0962, 21.6177 HS center. A big GPS 63.09705, 21.61578* Citymarket mall can be found on the northern end of the market square. In GPS 63.1114, 21.6553 Kivihaka, eastwards from the downtown, you'll find a big area with various big shops, a smaller shopping mall and two big supermarkets. Best reached by car.

• Loftet - Raastuvankatu 28 GPS: 63.0944, 21.6140 - Local handcraft shop not far from the downtown. There is also a nice café here where you can obtain lunch.
• Market Hall - GPS: 63.0949, 21.6179 - The gothic style Market Hall (built in 1902) offers Meat, fish, Cheese, sweets, art and souvenirs. It is situated on the southern end of the market square. It is one of very few Market halls still in use in Finland.

Halal Restaurants in Vaasa

There are numerous affordable hamburger, - Halal Kebab and pizza joints. At lunch time there is a huge variety of places to eat for around 7-10€. For the cheapest lunches head to a student lunch restaurant. A finnish student card is required for the subsidised price, but even without it the price is affordable at around 5€.

• Hesburger - Kauppapuistikko 11 GPS 63.09667, 21.61510

• Kotipizza - Rewell Center + six other places around town. GPS 63.09543, 21.61386 - This nationwide pizza franchise was founded in Vaasa which is one of the reasons for there being so many of these here.
• (Thai) House - Vaasanpuistikko 17 GPS 63.09610, 21.61973 second floor in the small shopping mall price=Lunch buffet (weekdays 11-15) €7,50.
• Shanghai - Vaasanpuistikko 17 GPS: 63.09589, 21.61985
• Tian Long Restaurant - Vaasanpuistikko 18 GPS 63.09518, 21.61790

• Bistro A West Stenfors - GPS: 63.09490, 21.61777 in the Vaasa Market Hall - Excellent food and service. Open during lunch.
• Cafe Leison - Web: +Cafe Wolffintie 36 GPS: 63.10452, 21.59669 Opening Hours: serves lunch between 11:00 and 15:00 Leison offers a great variety of meals and the under 9€ price includes salad buffet and Coffee.
• Magokoro - GPS: 63.09562, 21.61431 2nd level in Rewel Center - Sushi and other Asian foods.

Mid-range

• Illyrians Restaurant & Coffeebar - Illy's | Rauhankatu 16, 65100 Vaasa GPS: 63.0933, 63.0933 One block away from square ☎ +358 63177773 | Opening Hours: 11.00-20.00 7-21€ - Fredsgatan (Rauhankatu) 16 (One block from the square). Arguably one of the best pizza/kebab places. They also offer salads, specialties and different coffees.
• Rosso - Vaasanpuistikko 18 C GPS 63.09508, 21.61726

• Amarillo - Rewell Center 101 GPS: 63.09512, 21.61490 second floor

• Restaurant Chili Lime - Kauppapuistikko 16 GPS: 63.0943, 21.6167 - Vietnamese food
• Pizzeria Marco Polo - Hovioikeudenpuistikko 11 GPS: 63.09584, 21.61134 - The oldest independent pizzeria in town. Recently under new management with "more authentic" Italian pizzas.
• Dallas Pizzas Palazzo - Västervikintie 1 GPS: 63.1302, 21.6016 - Find this place if you have a car. Fridays and Saturdays clients get a free limo ride to the town center at half past twelve.
• Rax Pizzas Buffet - Kauppapuistikko 13 GPS: 63.0948, 21.6172 - Pizzas buffet.
• Janne's Saloon - Kuusisaari GPS: 63.1227, 21.4723 - Located on an island in the Vaasa Archipelago. Accessible only by cruise boat from the Inner Harbour of Vaasa during summer. During winter it is feasible to walk here over the ice (provided you have someone local with you to guide you).
• Strampen - Rantakatu 6 GPS 63.0955, 21.6024 - Situated near the Inner Harbour of Vaasa. Strampen is short for "Strandpaviljongen" which is Swedish for "waterfront pavilion". Has a popular organic juice terrace. Only open during summers.
• Faros - Kalaranta GPS 63.0924, 21.6033 - Faros is the name of a boat in Kalaranta (Fish harbour). On deck and partly on land there is a terrace for organic juice and drinks and on board under deck there is a good restaurant. Only open during summers.
• Seglis - Niemeläntie 14 GPS: 63.0956, 21.5805 - Out on the island of Vaskiluoto in the club house of the Wasa Segelförening sailing society. Has a terrace with a great view into town over the bay. Only open during summers.
• Martin Baari - Hovioikeudenpuistikko 20 GPS: 63.09714, 21.62057 - Small bistro to have lunch in with great service. Get a organic juice while you're here.
• Kaffehuset August - Hovioikeudenpuistikko 13 GPS 63.09611, 21.61262 - Popular eatery close to the main square, offers a specialist menu. Occasionally hosts live music from local musicians in the evenings.

• Restaurant Gustav Wasa - Raastuvankatu 24 GPS: 63.09607, 21.61203

• Restaurant Bacchus - Rantakatu 4 GPS: 63.0971, 21.6021

• Restaurant Fondis - Hovioikeudenpuistikko 15 GPS: 63.09638, 21.61407

• Restaurant Fransmanni - Hovioikeudenpuistikko 18 GPS: 63.09694, 21.61937

• Bistro Ernst Café - Hietasaarenkatu 7 - GPS: 63.09685, 21.60748 A small place in connection with Wasa Teater, a Swedish-speaking theater.

There are several bars and late night restaurants in Vaasa.

Bars & Pubs

Most restaurants have restaurants or pubs in connection to them and especially the summer restaurants have popular terraces to start the evening on.

• Oliver's Inn - Kauppapuistikko 8 GPS: 63.09736, 21.61415 - Describes themselves as a "party pub", which is quite true during weekends. This is the place of choice for Swedish-speaking youth.
• O'Malley's - Hovioikeudenpuistikko 21 GPS: 63.09712, 21.61832

• El Gringo Music Saloon - Hovioikeudenpuistikko 15 GPS: 63.09657, 21.61475 entrance through the alley

• Amarillo Bar & Restaurant - Rewell Center 101 GPS: 63.09517, 21.61510

• Public Corner - Hallinkuja GPS 63.09418, 21.61888 around the junction fom the old market hall

• Office - The Sports Bar - Raastuvankatu 15 GPS: 63.09625, 21.61230- This bar used to be a legendary pub called Koti.
• D.O.M Munkhaus - Hietasaarenkatu 14 GPS: 63.09731, 21.61262

• Kalarannan Laituri Bar & Terrace - Kalaranta GPS: 63.0920, 21.6045 - Only during summers.
• Happy Barrel - Kauppapuistikko 15 GPS: 63.09413, 21.61691 A new pub that serves greasy food when in need.

Nightclubs in Vaasa

• Fontana - Hovioikeudenpuistikko 15 GPS: 63.09643, 21.61428 - Probably the most popular nightclub in town. On the second floor of the Hartman House in the northern end of the Market Plaza. There is a lounge available for private parties.
• Leipätehdas - Hietasaarenkatu 14 GPS 63.09726, 21.61229 - Built into a former bread factory. Offers many club nights and concert nights with local bands.
• Waild - Kauppapuistikko 15 - GPS: 63.09422, 21.61777 A nightclub for a more mature public compared with Hullu Pullo which is next door.

eHalal Group Launches Halal Guide to Vaasa

Vaasa - eHalal Travel Group, a leading provider of innovative Halal travel solutions for Muslim travelers to Vaasa, is thrilled to announce the official launch of its comprehensive Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide for Vaasa. This groundbreaking initiative aims to cater to the diverse needs of Muslim travelers, offering them a seamless and enriching travel experience in Vaasa and its surrounding regions.

With the steady growth of Muslim tourism worldwide, eHalal Travel Group recognizes the importance of providing Muslim travelers with accessible, accurate, and up-to-date information to support their travel aspirations to Vaasa. The Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide is designed to be a one-stop resource, offering an array of invaluable information on various travel aspects, all carefully curated to align with Islamic principles and values.

The Travel Guide encompasses a wide range of features that will undoubtedly enhance the travel experience for Muslim visitors to Vaasa. Key components include:

Halal-Friendly Accommodations inVaasa: A carefully selected list of hotels, lodges, and vacation rentals that cater to halal requirements, ensuring a comfortable and welcoming stay for Muslim travelers in Vaasa.

Halal Food, Restaurants and Dining in Vaasa: A comprehensive directory of restaurants, eateries, and food outlets offering halal-certified or halal-friendly options in Vaasa, allowing Muslim travelers to savor local cuisines without compromising their dietary preferences in Vaasa.

Prayer Facilities: Information on masjids, prayer rooms, and suitable locations for daily prayers in Vaasa, ensuring ease and convenience for Muslim visitors in fulfilling their religious obligations.

Local Attractions: An engaging compilation of Muslim-friendly attractions, cultural sites such as Museums, and points of interest in Vaasa, enabling travelers to explore the city's rich heritage while adhering to their values.

Transport and Logistics: Practical guidance on transportation options that accommodate Muslim travel needs, ensuring seamless movement within Vaasa and beyond.

Speaking about the launch, Irwan Shah, Chief Technology Officer of eHalal Travel Group in Vaasa, stated, "We are thrilled to introduce our Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide in Vaasa, a Muslim friendly destination known for its cultural richness and historical significance. Our goal is to empower Muslim travelers with accurate information and resources, enabling them to experience the wonders of Vaasa without any concerns about their faith-based requirements. This initiative reaffirms our commitment to creating inclusive and memorable travel experiences for all our clients."

The eHalal Travel Group's Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide for Vaasa is now accessible on this page. The guide will be regularly updated to ensure that Muslim travelers have access to the latest information, thus reinforcing its status as a reliable companion for Muslim travelers exploring Vaasa.

About eHalal Travel Group:

eHalal Travel Group Vaasa is a prominent name in the global Muslim travel industry, dedicated to providing innovative and all-inclusive travel solutions tailored to the needs of Muslim travelers worldwide. With a commitment to excellence and inclusivity, eHalal Travel Group aims to foster a seamless travel experience for its clients while respecting their religious and cultural values.

For Halal business inquiries in Vaasa, please contact:

eHalal Travel Group Vaasa Media: info@ehalal.io

Muslim Friendly Hotels

• Kenraali Wasa Hostel - Korsholmanpuistikko 6-8 GPS: 63.08896, 21.61207 ☎ +358 400 668 521 +358 6 3121 394 Price Prices range from €40 (superior Muslim friendly room with one bed) to €60 (superior Muslim friendly room with four beds). - Located in a former military compund made up of charming wooden barracks with roots in the 19th century. Within walking distance from the downtown.
• Omena Hotel Vaasa - Hovioikeudenpuistikko 23 GPS: 63.09745, 21.62003 Prices start at €36 (room with four beds, €9 per person), and depend on the conditions of the booking and the stay All hotel bookings and payments are done through the internet at www.omena.com through which you get a code for your room. The hotel is situated right next to the train station and a short walk from the downtown. In this hotel you pay for the room and not the number of people staying in the room. All rooms can house four people.
• EFÖ - Rantakatu 21-22 GPS: 63.08841, 21.60965 A single room costs €47/night and a double room €52/night. Tel. +358 50 557 4723 (only during summer, during winter available rooms can be booked through the school +358 6 317 4913). EFÖ is short for "Evangeliska Folkhögskolan i Österbotten", which is Swedish for The Evangelical Folk High School in Ostrobothnia. During the summer when the school is closed it becomes a summer hotel. Smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages are banned.
• Hotel Tekla - Palosaarentie 58 GPS: 63.1131, 21.6056 ☎ +358 6 327 6411 +358 6 321 3989 Price A single room costs €49 and a room with three beds costs €89 - Located among student housing in the neighbourhood of Palosaari north of the downtown. Take bus line 1 from the market square to get to the location. Evening sauna (not on Sundays) and free passage to the gym is included in the price. Some rooms are used as student housing during winter.
• Westbay Inn - Västervikintie 271 GPS 63.1476, 21.5814 ☎ +358 40 750 5777 +€40/1 person/day, €60/2 persons/day - A guesthouse some seven kilometers north of the downtown in Västervik.

Bed & Breakfast

• Betel Bed & Breakfast - Pohjoismäki 54 GPS: 63.0334, 21.5420 Located in the rural area of Sundom, a ten minutes drive from the downtown. ☎ +358 50 585 0866, +358 50 520 7292 -

Camping & Cabins

• Top Camping Vaasa - Niemeläntie 1 GPS: 63.0925, 21.5870 Top Camping also offers cabins (a four bed cabin €60/day). The camping area is situated on the island of Vaskiluoto just outside the downtown. Besides places for tents and caravans,
• Västerstrand Holiday Cabins - Utterö, Sundom GPS: 63.0177, 21.4848 A long way from the downtown in the Sundom archipelago Cabins from €45/day You need a vehicle to get to this place. Bring your own bed linen. Camping is also feasible.
• Aijas Semesterstugor - Utterö, Sundom GPS: 63.0309, 21.4736During low season prices start at €90/day - This place offers very well equipped vacation cottages that can also be used during winter. During high season (17 June - 5 Aug) the cottages can only be rented for a week at a time..
• Kerstins Stugor - Utterö, Sundom GPS: 63.0245, 21.4761 ☎ +358 6 3644 114 This place offers cabins a long way out of town.

Mid-range

• Rantasipi Tropiclandia Spa Hotel - Lemmenpolku 3 GPS: 63.0882, 21.5896 Prices start at €124 for a 1 bed room during summer - A hotel in connection with the tropical spa next door out on the island of Tropiclandia. More value for the family with kids than the lone traveller.

• Hotel Astor - Asemakatu 4 GPS: 63.09693, 21.62106 A room without sauna during a weekend costs €90/night, with sauna €111/night. Weekdays a room costs €120/night, with sauna €140/night. Single and double rooms have the same price A small but elegant hotel close to the trainstation and a short walk from the town center. Most of the rooms have their own Finnish style sauna. The price depends on which day you are staying. Weekends are cheaper as are some summer months.
• Radisson Blu Royal Hotel - Hovioikeudenpuistikko 18 GPS: 63.09679, 21.61896 A standard room is €100/night Big hotel complex streching to both sides of the street. Good sauna and swimmingpool facilities, one on the top floor and another one underground. Free broadband in the rooms, and you can rent a tandem bike for €10 /2 hours. There is a nightclub, a restaurant and a pub in the hotel complex.
• Original Sokos Hotel Vaakuna - Rewell Center 101 GPS: 63.09510, 21.61532 A standard single room costs €101, and a double room is €120. Ask about affordable offers though. A hotel smack in the heart of town, right beside the Market Plaza. Free broadband and sauna for clients.
• Kantarellis Suites - GPS: 63.09971, 21.60896 Weekends from 115€ for a single All the rooms have their own saunas and most rooms also has Jacuzzis.

Explore more Halal friendly Destinations from Vaasa

• Stundars, Stundarsvägen 5, Solf (fi: Sulva) is a large open-air museum in the next municipality of Korsholm (fi: Mustasaari) made up of about 60 buildings. It is a living centre for culture and art.
• Raippaluodon Silta or Replot Bro, Finland's longest bridge, can be visited when driving 10km north-west toward the island Replot, which is a part of the municipality of Korsholm that surrounds Vaasa. Just a bit before the bridge is a lovely public beach where you can easily camp for a day or two. You can also continue your trip out to the islands where there are restaurants and other things to discover.
• Kvarken Archipelago (Merenkurkku, Kvarken). The archipelago outside Vaasa is a UNESCO world nature legacy site. The whole archipelago is a experience in itself but the parts under UNESCO protection are mainly in the neighbouring municipalities of Korsholm, Korsnäs, Malax and Vörå.
• The coastal towns of Ostrobothnia. Vaasa is the perfect base to go out on daytrips to the smaller towns of Kristinestad (fi: Kristiinankaupunki), Kaskinen (sw: Kaskö) and Närpes (fi: Närpiö) in the south or Nykarleby (fi: Uusikaarlepyy), Jakobstad (fi: Pietarsaari) and Kokkola (sw: Karleby) in the north.
• Provinssirock is a good rock festival in the city of Seinäjoki, some 80 kilometers east of Vaasa. As most hotels are fully booked in the area during the Festival, Vaasa could provide a comfortable base for a musical visit. The annual festival is organized in the middle of June.
• Or why not take the boat over to Umeå in Sweden.

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