Relaxing Spring Holiday in Raseborg

Springtime Raseborg offers diverse experiences for those seeking a relaxing holiday. The historic industrial villages and coastal landscapes form a unique whole where culture, nature, and good food come together.

We had the honor of welcoming the influencer Elisa Luomaranta, Elluyellow, to Raseborg to showcase the region’s atmospheric destinations in spring. During her visit, she became acquainted with some of Raseborg’s most well-known places, such as Billnäs Iron Works, Ekenäs, and Svartå Manor.

Read the full blog post (in Finnish) here.

Billnäs Village

The eventful history of Billnäs is almost 400 years long. The previously prosperous ironworks has taken a step back and given room for modern industry. Today it has become an idyllic village admired by tourists.

The recreation route called Culture Path offers a wonderful outing opportunity in Billnäs. The path travels from Pumpviken in Karis to the center of Billnäs Village, and along the way there are nine information signs telling about the eventful history and cultural life of the region.

In Billnäs you can eat at the Billnäsin Ruukki Restaurant, the summer terrace Scarlett O’Karis, and the elegant Billnäs Gård.

“I immediately fell in love with the village’s atmosphere. In some places it felt like I was walking along streets in Southern Europe (especially near the beautiful Billnäs Gård), and in other places the scenery looked like something straight out of an Astrid Lindgren story.” – Elluyellow

Ekenäs

The history of Ekenäs dates all the way back to the 1500s and to a small fishing village that was granted town privileges by the Swedish king Gustav Vasa in 1546.

Ekenäs is known for its idyllic Old town with narrow alleyways and its proximity to the sea. The colourful wooden houses in the Old town area, the small cafés, and the harbour make the town one of Finland’s most charming coastal destinations. Did you know that Ekenäs is home to Finland’s oldest still-operating cinema, Bio Forum, which has been running since 1912?

Ekenäs’ cultural life is diverse and of high quality. A visit to the award-winning art museum Chappe is highly recommended, as is Raseborgs Museum, where a new exhibition on Helene Schjerfbeck opens on 12 June.

Elluyellow spent an afternoon in the forest park Ramsholmen, which delights visitors year-round. It is especially impressive in spring, when the forest is covered in a sea of wood anemones.

“This place must be wonderful in all seasons, but I dare say I happened to come at the very best time, namely during the wood anemone bloom. I have never seen so many wood anemones in full bloom! A sea of wood anemones stretched as far as the eye could see.” – Elluyellow

Svartå Manor

Svartå manor is one of Finland’s most valuable mansions, with over 200 year-old history. Today the manor serves as a museum and hotel, and its interiors have been restored to their original condition.

The wooden castle is embedded in one of the biggest private historical parks of Finland. The park is a retreat for the soul with its winding paths, romantic bridges, statues, follies and the unique water lily path over the water. In summer, open-air theatre performances are also arranged, and a new feature this year is the ART26 art exhibition in July.

The manor’s restaurant, Slottskrogen, serves varied high-quality dishes based on the season and the availability of ingredients.

Raseborg’s nine districts and villages offer much more to discover. Fiskars Village is known for its idyllic setting, design, and craftsmanship, where old buildings have been given new life as galleries, shops, and restaurants.

Karis, on the other hand, offers a relaxed small-town atmosphere and excellent flea markets – Elluyellow also made some great finds here.