Pargas

Pargas (Finnish: Parainen) is a small town in Finland Proper, the only real town in the Archipelago Sea. The town regards itself as the capital of the south-west part of the archipelago. There is a wooden old town, a giant limestone quarry by the centre (origin of Nordkalk Corporation and its siblings), industry and rural country-side.

Understand

This guide is only on Pargas proper. The municipality consists of the former municipalities Pargas ("Pargas proper"), Nagu, Korpo, Houtskär and Iniö.

Pargas is in a traditionally Swedish speaking area. Because of the industry (later: proximity to Turku) there are nearly as many Finnish speaking in the town, though. The municipality is officially bilingual and you get service in both languages nearly everywhere.

As in the rest of Finland you get along in English with most people.

Pargas tourist information (Skärgårdens Turistinformation), Strandvägen 28 (in the town hall), 60.3035°, 22.3014°, +358 40-488-6026, info@pargas.fi. M–W 09:00–16:00, Th 09:00–17:00, F 09:00–14:00/15:00. Free 2023-01-04

Get in

By bus

Since 2016 most services to Pargas are by TLO (timetables). Livery for buses to Pargas centre (lines 801 and 802) is the same as for buses in Turku, but Föli tickets are not valid for Pargas. TLO also operates coaches going farther (lines 901–903) with a different livery (Skärgårdsbuss, "archipelago bus"). All these lines depart from Turku bus station. Except 802 they are "regular" services, stopping on either all local bus stops (801) or all coach stops (9xx). The Föli route planner can be used, although it ignores some lines for some stops (if you have no 801 or no 9xx, try some other stops).

Vainion Liikenne retains the (few) services directly from Helsinki via Kaarina and Pargas farther on.

The fare Turku–Pargas is €5 for adults, half for children (4–12 years). A person with a baby and pram gets their journey free (as in Turku). Bikes can be taken on the bus if there is room, for a fee (€5).

Services from Turku:

801 to Pargas centre every hour, except some hours in the night, every half an hour daytime except Sundays, some more at rush hours. Uses stops for local buses. Drives along Uudenmankatu and Uudemaantie in Turku and via Oskarinaukio in Kaarina centre.
802, a rush-hour express service to Pargas, along highway 1 and Skärgårdsvägen. The stops in Turku are at the bus station, by the cathedral, by the university and at the railway station in Kupittaa.
901–903 via Pargas to Nagu and Korpo, mostly with a transfer option to Houtskär, four to eight times a day; from Turku bus station, using stops for coaches. Drives along Uudenmaantie (road 110) and Skärgårdsvägen.

There are direct connections from Helsinki a few times a week, via Kaarina and Pargas to Nagu and Korpo, by Skärgårdsvägen/Vainion liikenne. Otherwise you have to transfer in Kaarina or Turku. You might be able to avoid paying for separate tickets by buying the tickets from Matkahuolto (make sure the ticket seller knows about the transfer). Check the transfer arrangements; transfer in Turku may be possible, avoiding the 300 m walk between stops or excess waiting time, but transfer in Kaarina (by Kaarina centre or in Piispanristi) can save some time (and kilometres if you buy separate tickets).

The buses terminating in Pargas drive along Kalkvägen and through the centre, the ones going farther keep to Skärgårdsvägen, except the short detour to the bus station.

The electronic displays on some stops show minutes before passing (or departure) of the next 801 bus, not of the coaches to Korpo, nor of the school buses.

Bus station (Bustis), 60.3065°, 22.3019°. M–F 06:00–18:00. Café Bustis with burgers, sandwiches, etc. Matkahuolto and Post Nord service. Unmanned fuel station. Light meals €8–10 2022-04-16

By boat

By bike

Main article: Archipelago Trail

There is a good and well signposted biking route from Turku and Kaarina. The Archipelago Trail route leads on cycleways and quiet local roads from Turku via Kaarina and Pargas to the ferry to Nagu (farther on it mainly uses narrow road shoulders). Regional biking route 22 leads through Kaarina from the north and merges with the Archipelago Trail at the first bridge.

Get around

The town is not big. Most services are by the Strandvägen road or nearby, especially in the pedestrian street Köpmansgatan. Strandvägen goes along the Kyrksundet sound (in the north end separated from it by the park Centeralparken) from the roundabout on Skärgårdsvägen (the one with masts) to the marina in the south. The old town is across the sound.

There is a zone with residential areas around the centre. Some services such as sport venues, beaches and the health care centre are here, in a radius of about one kilometre.

For the area outside town the options are more or less bike, car or taxi. The buses and coaches from Turku can be used along their routes. There are also school buses and other arrangements, which you might be able to use with some detective work. Timetables for coaches, ferries, shared taxis etc. on the municipal pages.

A boat is handy for some destinations, and e.g. some recreation areas are unreachable without one. The waters of Pargas proper are sheltered, so any boat will do, except along the shores towards Erstan in the west and Gullkrona fjärd to the south.

Bikes are for rent at Hotel Kalkstrand, Café Hallonblad and Solliden Camping. At these places and at the tourist office, there is a free biking map available, with 12 km of routes to nearby destinations such as the quarry lookout, Bläsnäs beach and the church. More comprehensive biking maps are probably for sale. There are bike roads in the town area and along Skärgårdsvägen, elsewhere you share the road with cars; the traffic is light on most roads, but speeds may be quite high (50-80 km/h) on roads leading farther.

By taxi

The taxi station 📍 is in the southern end of the centre, by the market square and Kyrksundet. There is a taxi rank also at the bus station, empty most of the time.

Pargas Taxi, +358 100 0700 (Shared cost number). Probably covers all local taxis. Uses the call centre of Taksi Länsi-Suomi and Taksi Helsinki; see Turku#By taxi
Taxi Bengt Östman, +358 400-72-0097, +358 2 458-5009.
Taxi Elovirna, +358 400-742-317, +358 40-558-2012.
Taxi Leino, +358 40-541-5337.
Pärres taxi, +358 500-843-780.
Taksi Länsi-Suomi, iTaksi: see Turku#By taxi
Smartphone apps: Valopilkku, 02 Taksi

See

Pargas kyrka, 60.3012°, 22.3056°. Medieval church.
Gamla malmen (the old town), 60.300°, 22.306°. Wooden old town by the church.
Pargas hembygdsmuseum (the local history museum), Storgårdsgatan 13, 60.300°, 22.297°, +358 2 458-1452, pargas.hembygdsmuseum@parnet.fi. Jun–Aug: Tu–Su 11:00–16:00, other times by request. €4, children under 12 free
Pargas industrimuseum (the quarry museum), Gruvvägen 1, 60.2955°, 22.27495°, +358 2 458-1452, pargas.hembygdsmuseum@parnet.fi. 18 Jun–18 Aug: Tu–Su 11:00–16:00, other times by request. €4, children under 12 free
Qvidja manor (Kuitia), Qvidja 19 (on the Lemland island east of the centre, 7.5 km from Skärgårdsvägen), 60.2965°, 22.3997°. Privately owned manor with medieval keep (four storeys left). The owners are involved in regenerative agriculture. Not open to the public. Occasional public events. 2023-03-04
Kalkgruvan (the limestone quarry), 60.2992°, 22.2926°. 24 hr daily, except around 14:00. Free
Art Bank, Köpmansgatan 24, 60.301°, 22.302°, +358 400-524-177, gallery@artbank.fi. Tu–F 15:00–18:00, Sa 11:00–16:00, Su on request. Private fine arts gallery, certified vendor of Dalí furniture. The permanent exhibition has a collection of sculptures, furniture and paintings by Salvador Dalí and you can get a dinner in his spirit (groups, advance booking). The varying exhibitions are about contemporary art. €8 2015-06-22

Do

Most accommodation businesses also arrange activities.

Outdoor sports options include swimming, beach volley, golf, disk (frisbee) golf, horseback riding, boating, canoeing and fishing.

Beach volley courts, 60.3058°, 22.30203°. 24 hr daily. Free 2016-05-29
Bläsnäs beach, Åsuddsvägen 4 (a kilometre north of the bus station), 60.3134°, 22.2962°. Beach, shallow and deeper part separated by pontoon. Swim jump tower (5 m), beach huts, toilets. No guards. Sailing board, sup boards, kayaks etc. for rent, but a call in advance is needed (+358 400-531-641 ). Also with teacher. Quay for visiting yachts (mind the power line!), ramp for trailered boats. Free. Kayak/board €10/hr, canoe €20/hr, with teacher €50 2022-07-29
Archipelagia Golf, Finbyvägen 87, 60.3116°, 22.2641°, +358 50-452-5300, caddiemaster@argc.fi. 18-hole golf course. Restaurant. Greenfee in season (late Jun–early Aug) €55/40/25 2016-05-29
Finby jogging/skiing route, Finbyvägen 87–89, 60.3116°, 22.2649°. 24h daily. 2.1-km jogging/walking route in the woods. Cross-country skiing tracks in winter (early in the season: stored snow and snow cannon), 1–10 km. Lights in evenings. Free 2016-05-29 For renting yachts, smaller boats and canoes, see Archipelago Sea.

Events

Call of the old town (Gamla Malmen kallar). Festival in the old town, with garden sales, theatre and general merrymaking. 2017-06-28
Pargas orgeldagar, +358 40-596-8505, info@orgeldagar.fi. 2022: 22–25 August. Organ and chamber music festival, concerts at varying locations, some in churches. Some concerts free (program leaflet €10), others 20,–/15,– 2022-07-11
Boundbirsen. Biannually, early August , next is in 2024. Farmers invade the town. Caress pigs, sheep and cows. Watch tractors and forestry machines. Jump or glide in the hay. Plus normal market/fair action. Free
Saaristo trail, Finbyvägen 87 (start at Finby skiing centre), saaristotrail@gmail.com. 2022: 27 Aug 08:00–16:00. Cross-country running competition, with 6-, 12- and 20-km routes (and 1 km for children). Late sign-up is possible on the day, 08:00–09:30. €30–45

Buy

Most shops can be found in Köpmansgatan, a few near the church, some by Strandgatan or farther away.

There are three large grocery stores (K-market, S-market and Lidl) by the north part of the centre and a smaller (M-Market) in the south.
- K-Supermarket Reimari, Kyrkoesplanaden 32 (by Skärgårdsvägen, 400m east of the turnabout), 60.309°, 22.307°, +358 2 454-6220. M–Sa 07:00–21:00, Su 10:00–21:00 (check, might be longer now). Customer quay on Kyrksundet, accessible by moderate motorboat (low bridges). Pharmacy. Otto ATM. Fuel station 200 m from the quay.
- S-Market Parainen, Vapparvägen 3 (150m north of the turnabout), 60.308°, 22.301°. 24 hr daily; café M–F 07:00–15:00, Sa 08:00–14:00, lunch M–F 10:30–14.00 Sa 11:00–14:00. Café in the store, with lunch. Nosto ATM. Fuel station by Kyrksundet, with quay for boats (north of the bridges, but a power line restricts height: 11 m; max draught 1.2 m). 2022-03-06
- Lidl. M–Sa 08:00–21:00 Su 10:00–21:00. Grocery store. Posti and Post Nord service. 2021-02-04
- M-Market, Strandvägen 2 (in the south end of the centre), 60.2981°, 22.3014°, +358 20-700-5915 (extra charge: 8.35 c/call + 17.17 c/min). M–F 07:00–22:00, Sa 08:00–22:00, Su 09:00–22:00. Smaller supermarket. 2016-05-05
R-kioski, Strandvägen 12. Kiosk. Also fishing permits and post services, 2018-11-14
Fiskis, Strandgatan 1 (in the hotel, street level). Fish shop. Fresh, frozen, pickled and smoked fish. Some is imported, but most is domestic, even local. 2021-06-04
Torget, 60.299°, 22.303°, +358 40-589-1748. Saturday mornings, summertime also Wednesday evenings. Market. Not many sellers, but often some fish, berry and mushroom.
Hamntorget. Summertime Th 16:00–20:00. Market. 2016-08-18

For souvenirs, consider e.g.

Gullkrona, Strandvägen 16 (at the Köpmansgatan/Strandvägen fork), +358 2 454-4065, gullkrona@parnet.fi. M–F 10:00–17:00, Sa 11:00–14:00. Handicraft shop. Summertime a shop also in Sattmark.
Stentorp, Skråbbovägen 222 (6 km from the centre towards Turku, 2 km from the Archipelago road), 60.3296°, 22.3080°, +358 2 458-8711. Summertime 12:00–18:00, otherwise mostly by agreement. Sheep farm with quite pricey but excellent products from yarn and mittens to sheep fur coats and art. Coffee served in nice surroundings. Sheep available for caressing. Herding dog performances at some occasions.
Tammiluoto, Tammiluoto 255 (on the Lemland island, east of the centre, 12 km from Skärgårdsvägen), 60.2795°, 22.3572°, +358 400-227-298 (mobile), +358 2 458-6899, viinitila@tammiluoto.fi. Café open daily in summertime, except during private events. Apple farm with winery, shop and café. Wines and sparkling wines from apples, pears and berries, cider, other local products. Their liquors have to be bought via Alko, although teasers may be available in the café.

Eat

Most restaurants are in the centre, in the pedestrian street Köpmansgatan or nearby. Consider also cafés and restaurants in the See, Buy and Sleep sections.

Kajutan, Kalkhamnsvägen 2 (by the guest harbour), 60.2966°, 22.2994°, +358 50-439-9500.
Kamu, Skräbbölevägen 2 (near the guest harbour), 60.298019°, 22.300653°, +358 50-452-4049. M–Th 11:00–21:00, F 11:00–22:00, Sa 12:00–22:00, Su 12:00–18:00; lunch M–F 11:00–15:00. Lunch €9.50–10.50, pizza €15–19, à la carte €15–30, children €9–10 2022-07-11
Matmalmen, Köpmansgatan 4, 60.2989°, 22.3010°, +358 40-576-4976, matmalmenpargas@gmail.com. M–F 09:00–15:00 Sa 17:00–21:00. Personal and cosy restaurant. Book your table for the 3-course meals. Also B&B. Lunch €12–14, coffee with desert €11, 3-course lunch €35, 3-course dinner €45; may be closed some weeks off season
Pargas kebab-pizzeria, Strandvägen 10, 60.299925°, 22.302184°, +358 2 458-8880. A fast food joint. 2017-10-08
Hunger och törst, Strandvägen 1 (by the guest harbour), 60.297450°, 22.303153°, +358 2 458-5555.
Venezia Pizzeria, Köpmansgatan 7, 60.300156°, 22.301426°, +358 2 458-5112. M–Th –20:00, F–Su? –21:00. Pizza, kebab, salads etc. Large servings. The pita kebab rolls are huge. €10 2023-02-18
Suntti, Strandvägen 3 (by the sound), 60.299795°, 22.302679°, +358 400-829-892. Closed in winter. Bar and grill. 2023-02-18

Drink

Cafés

Fredrikastugan, Fredrikaplan (by the church), 60.3015°, 22.3086°, +358 40-177-3020, fredrikantupa@fredrikantupa.fi. June and July: Su–Th 11:00–16:00; other times by request; large groups should announce their arrival beforehand. Museum café. Former home of Fredrika Tengström (later Runeberg; 1807–1879), writer and wife of the national poet.
Café Hallonblad, Storgårdsgatan 1 (in the centre), 60.3001°, 22.3009°. Lunch weekdays 11:00–14:00. Nice café with several individually furnished rooms. Lunch €10, lunch soup €8,50
Café Nathalie, Köpmansgatan 7 (in the centre), 60.3001°, 22.3013°. Tu–F 10:00–17:00 Sa 10:00–14:00.

Sleep

Hotell Kalkstrand, Strandvägen 1 (in the centre, by the marina), 60.298°, 22.303°, +358 2 511-6200, info@strandbo.fi. Check-in: at Harry's pub when reception closed, check-out: undefined. Hotel in Pargas centre. Single room €80, double €100
Sattmarks Stuga (Sattmarkin Tupa), Sattmark 1 (9 km from the centre westwards along the Archipelago road, just after the high Sattmark bridge), 60.2502°, 22.2415°, info@sattmark.fi. Nice café, marina for guests, fresh and smoked fish, nature path. Cabins for 1–4 persons. €20+€12/person, linens €10/person
Pensionat Aron, Pjukala (4 km from the centre), +358 2 651-01891 (?). Single room €59, double €85, family room €121
Camping Solliden, Solstrand 7 (north of the Archipelago road, before the turnabout of Pargas centre if coming from Turku), 60.317°, 22.301°, +358 40-758-4708, sollidencamping@gmail.com. Camping, cottages for 2–10 persons, café, beach, bikes and rowing boats for rent. Tent or caravan €14/day + €4/adult, €2/child (0–15), Midsummer €40 total; electricity €5; cabin €60/night (4 persons 1.6–31.8, €45 off season); bike 7,50 half day; orienteering map €5
Björkholm, 60.1853°, 22.2376°. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 10:00/11:00. Cottages, dinghy sailing, SUP-boarding, fishing trips, hire of rowing boats and small boats with outboard engine. Cottages for 2–6 persons, with sauna, shower and indoor or outhouse toilet. Self-catering. No check-in or check-out on Saturdays. €70–150/cabin 2021-06-10

Connect

Library (Pargas bibliotek), Strandvägen 28, +358 44-358-5880, biblioteket.pargas@pargas.fi. M-Th 10:00-19:00, F 10:00-16:00, Sa 10:00-14:00. Public computer, Wi-Fi, printer etc. 2015-11-19 Area code 2. Good GSM coverage in the town. In the outer archipelago and some rural areas there may be local lack of signal.

Postal code 21600 Pargas for the town with surroundings (the area of the former municipality).

Go next

The Archipelago Trail, which comes from Kaarina and continues to Nagu and beyond. A good way to see the archipelago without boat, using the ferries instead. By bike, car or bus.

Pargas - town and former municipality in southern Finland