What to See and Do in the Archipelago
Norrskata
Norrskata has five villages. The house is located in the village of Kärvois. The other villages are Havträsk, Änkis, Väster-Houtsala and Öster-Houtsala.
Events in Norrskata are organised by Norrskata Kulturvänner, who announce them in the Norrskata Facebook group. Events usually take place at Heimdal. Everyone is welcome to the Midsummer celebration. The midsummer pole is decorated together and then raised with the help of a tractor and plenty of human strength. There are drinks, food and other programme. Services are held in Norrskata Church a couple of times during the summer, and occasionally there are also concerts.
Korpo for Food Lovers
Although we are far from the mainland, Korpo certainly does not disappoint when it comes to restaurants. Quite the opposite: Korpo is worth a visit just for the food. The restaurants here are that good and varied.
Top-level fine dining at Back Pocket, Hotel Nestor
I would say this is one of the best restaurants in Finland. Surrounded by a beautiful rural landscape, Back Pocket offers a surprising and carefully crafted tasting menu that changes a few times during the season. The six-course menu is designed by William, the owner, who returned to his roots ten years ago after working in top restaurants abroad. The experiences here are always wonderful, surprising and memorable. It is well worth booking a table in advance.
Hotel Nestor →
Relaxed and delicious food at Hjalmars
Hjalmars, located in the centre of Korpo, serves good gastropub-style lunches and tasty à la carte dishes in the evenings and at weekends. It is always a pleasure to return here, also because of the friendly owners and good service. There is also a lovely Moroccan rug shop next to the restaurant.
Hjalmars →
Sibelius in Korpo Festival
The Sibelius family spent their summers in the Turku archipelago: in 1886 in Korpo, Norrskata, at Vidix Manor in the village of Hafträsk, and in 1887 at Korpo Manor. During these summers, Sibelius composed two large and significant piano trios: Piano Trio in A minor “Hafträsk” JS 207 and Piano Trio in D major “Korpo” JS 209, each of which was the most important composition of its year.
In addition to these works, Sibelius composed around twenty other pieces in Korpo. Together with the piano trios, they have formed the core of the festival programme. The Sibelius in Korpo festival has been organised since 2002.
Source:
sibeliusfestivalkorpo.com
Food shopping
In the centre of Korpo, you will find the well-stocked K-market Korpo Handel, where you can find almost everything you would expect from a larger grocery store. If you go shopping early enough, you can also find bread and pastries from local bakeries.
K-market Korpo Handel →
At the local Bagar Bengt bakery, you can buy specialities that are hard to find anywhere else: potato loaf, Korpo loaf and delicious sweet pastries. The bakery is open from Monday to Saturday until 13:00, but it is best to go early, as the baked goods often sell out. Remember to bring cash.
Houtskari/Houtskär
You can get to Houtskär from Norrskata by first taking the ferry to Galtby harbour in Korpo — the same harbour you use when arriving on the island — and then choosing the neighbouring ferry lane.
The ferry crossing takes about 35 minutes. The timetable can be found on the Finnferries website →.
The old wooden church in Houtskär is well worth a visit. The St Andrew’s nature trail starts from the church.
My favourite restaurant in Houtskär is the atmospheric and truly high-quality restaurant at Hotel Hyppeis, located in the assembly hall of an old village school. The chef and menu change every week. Book your table early.
Hotel Hyppeis →
Near the restaurant, you will find the Borgberg observation tower, where a short climb rewards you with beautiful views.
From Houtskär, the Archipelago Trail continues onwards to Mossala and Iniö. But even if you do not have time to travel the whole trail this time, it is worth continuing a little further and taking the small ferry to the island of Mossala. There, you can visit the beautiful sandy beach at Mossala Island Resort and the observation tower at the end of the nature trail. There is also a restaurant on site.
Mossala Island Resort →
More information:
Visit Houtskär →
Nagu
If you are looking for a lively summer atmosphere, Nagu is the place to go. The guest harbour in Nagu is the busiest guest harbour in Finland. The harbour area has restaurants, cafés, clothing boutiques and hotels, and even those who usually prefer dry land will enjoy spending time there. Here are a few of my favourites.
Köpman’s
The yellow house right in the centre of Nagu is easy to spot. This former village shop is both a café and a restaurant, so you can stop by just for coffee or ice cream — both of which are very good — or have a proper meal, such as a perch burger. When it rains, the interior is cosy and pleasant, but in good weather the beautiful garden is a lovely place to sit in the shade of the fruit trees.
Hamn Krog
In the guest harbour, Hamn Krog serves good, high-quality food in a lovely setting. It is the sister restaurant of Oobu in Turku. Neither of them disappoints.
The fish soup is quite exceptional. New potatoes and fresh, house-smoked salmon make it truly special.
Hamn Krog →
Najaden
Next door, you will find the fun restaurant boat Najaden, which serves good pizzas and offers lovely views from the deck.
Najaden →
Food shopping in Nagu
There are two grocery stores in the centre of Nagu: Sale and K-market Nagu. The latter has the same owner as Korpo Handel. The service is good and the selection is excellent for such a small shop. At the bread counter, you can find fresh local breads and pastries.
Sale Nagu →
K-market Nagu →
Paratiisi
On the Nagu side, but closer to Korpo, you will find Paratiisi, where a café and art centre are hidden inside greenhouses. It is worth following their social media channels for information about exhibitions and special events, such as cheese and wine tastings or barbecue days. This is also a very nice place to visit on a rainy day, as the greenhouses stay dry and warm.
Paratiisi Nagu →
Nagu Distillery
Nagu Distillery is set to open in Nagu in summer 2026.
Nagu Distillery →