Parainen Map

Wood heated Floating sauna

Konungskär nature trail is about 0.4 km as a short loop on Konungsskär, a bare rocky islet in Archipelago National Park off the Korpo outer archipelago; Parainen is the municipality on paper, and Southwest Finland is the wider region. You reach the island only by boat, as part of a sheltered natural harbour shared with Birsskär and Västra Tvigölpan. For mooring depths, drinking-water limits, what the open wilderness hut contains, and how the footbridge to Birsskär fits the approach, begin with the Konungsskär chapter in the Archipelago National Park islands article on Luontoon.fi(1). Visit Parainen(2) publishes a compact visitor introduction on the Archipelago Trail site, including the same trail length and the reminder that everyman’s rights are narrower inside protected areas. The walk is a vignette, not a day’s hike: you circle the hayfield and knolls while boards explain how people lived off this exposed skerry and how the shoreline has changed. Near the trail you will pass Konungsskärin autiotupa, a four-person open hut with a cast-iron stove, small exhibition, and guidance corner as described on Luontoon.fi(1). Konungsskärin käymälä ja polttopuusuoja sits close by with a dry toilet and firewood storage, and Konungsskärin tulentekopaikka suits a sheltered meal break; Konungskär Telttailualue offers a tent pitch on the turf. Across the pontoon footbridge on Birsskär, Birsskärin tulentekopaikka is the place many boat crews use first, and mooring rings lie along both islands’ shores so you can choose the line that matches your draft—Luontoon.fi(1) still calls Birsskär’s north shore the sweetest tie-up. Kipparilehti’s republished story from Vene magazine walks the same crossing and adds on-the-water context: why sheep still graze the meadow, how much higher the sea sat when the first crofters arrived in the 1820s, and that firewood is supplied at the Birsskär fire ring for responsible use(3). Allow time to read the boards and to look across the reef to neighbouring islets; footing is archipelago rock and short grass rather than a groomed park path, and the harbour can be sociable when summer cruising traffic peaks.

Stora Hästö nature trail is about 1.6 km and forms a loop on Stora Hästö Island in Archipelago National Park. The island lies roughly 5 km southwest of Saaristokeskus Korpoström in Parainen, Southwest Finland, and you reach it by boat. The same landing area hosts a natural harbour with steel mooring rings, Stora Hästö Telttailualue for tents, and Stora Hästön tulentekopaikka. Dry toilets sit near the trail start. Along the shore you pass the numbered mooring points Stora Hästö kiinnityssilmukka 1, Stora Hästö kiinnityssilmukka 2 (2 kpl), Stora Hästö kiinnityssilmukka 3 (2 kpl), and Stora Hästön kiinnityssilmukka 4 as you move around the ring. A much shorter walk in the same harbour area is Stora Hästö luontopolku at about 0.4 km. For national park rules, closures, and the official trail description, start with the Stora Hästö luontopolku page on Luontoon.fi(1). Visit Parainen explains how boaters typically approach the island and reminds visitors that everyman’s rights do not apply inside the park the same way as on ordinary shorelines; it also notes that anchoring next to the underwater nature trail is not allowed(2). The shallow snorkelling route and deeper scuba route off Stora Hästö are separate attractions: Yle Strömsö describes following a yellow line in 1–1.5 m of water for snorkellers and a deeper line with submerged information boards (and Metsähallitus’s demonstration rowing-boat hull) for divers, alongside the land trail’s focus on how the sea changes and why water protection matters(3). Underfoot expect bare rock, roots, and short forest sections typical of an outer-archipelago islet rather than a wide gravel promenade. Summer boat traffic and day visitors can make the harbour busy on calm weekends; plan extra time for finding a berth and for the return crossing.

Kirjais nature trails are two colour-marked walking loops on Kirjais island in Parainen, in the Archipelago Sea. Visit Parainen publishes full descriptions for Kirjaisten Punainen Polku and Kirjaisten Keltainen Polku in the Archipelago Trail (Saariston rengastie) catalogue(1)(2). The village association led a LEADER project in 2021 to mark and sign the trails; Nauvolaiset’s regional listing summarises the split between the routes(3). The route is about 4.9 km as one line in public route data. Official copy describes the red loop as demanding (about 3.4 km) and the yellow loop as easier (about 1.8 km); together they match the overall distance in the same ballpark as our line(1)(2)(3). Both start from the Kirjais course centre (kurssikeskus) road junction on Sarvikintie: the red trail follows the road about 50 metres, then turns north into forest toward the north shore; the yellow trail begins about 50 metres farther south along Sarvikintie(1)(2). The red route follows shoreline rock for a few hundred metres on the north side; the north-shore viewpoint is a natural break with sea views(1). Terrain mixes quiet forest, old and younger stands, rocky ground, and small hunting towers along the way; the yellow loop climbs Skiparbrant, Kirjais’s highest rock, after an easy start—stay careful on the cliffs, avoid running on rock, and expect slippery surfaces when wet(2). The village also offers a summer restaurant, shop, guest harbour, Bokmalen book tower, and a playground near the services area(3); Visit Parainen’s Kirjais village page is a good companion for planning a stop in the village(4). The trail lies in Parainen. Southwest Finland’s archipelago is a natural setting for a half-day walk combined with village services.

Seili South Nature Trail 1 is about 1.3 km and forms a loop on Seili in Parainen, Southwest Finland. The island is a well-known visitor destination in the Archipelago Sea, managed for research and outdoor access in cooperation with public authorities. For closures, route ethics, and the wider outdoor picture at Seili, start with the Seili pages on Luontoon.fi(1). Visit Parainen summarises a 1.3 km walking route that follows a gravel road past important sites, with boards on nature and history; the route is described as easy underfoot but hilly in places(2). The Archipelago Research Institute (University of Turku) reminds visitors to stay on routes shown on the map and notes that some paths may be closed temporarily during cattle grazing, with signs at trailheads(3). Luontopolkumies’s Retkipaikka report from a six-trail day on Seili names yellow markers, muddy stretches where walking shoes can get wet, and grazing enclosures crossed by stiles—useful colour on what the ground can feel like after rain(4). Along the loop you pass near Kirkkoniemi services: Seilin laituri is the island dock where scheduled boats arrive, and a dry toilet is available at Seilin Kirkkoniemenkuivakäymälä nearby. Read more on our pages for those stops when you plan water access or a pause before walking on. The trail meets Seilin eteläinen luontopolku 2 on the line, so you can extend a southern island walk without backtracking the same way. Seilin Myllymäen luontopolku and the short Kirkkoniemi trails (Seili Kirkkoniemen polku 2 and Seili Kirkkoniemenpolku 1) sit close by if you want to stitch together a longer outing around the church point and harbours.

Vargberget trail is a short forest walk of about 0.9 km in Mattnäs, Nauvo, in the municipality of Parainen in Southwest Finland, leading to Vargbergetin näköalatorni on the Vargberget hill. The City of Pargas publishes the Mattnäs Vargberget map together with other Nauvo nature trails and describes the wider Vargberget walking area there(1). Nauvolaiset lists practical basics for the same hill: a roughly 2.4 km walking circuit from Petsorintie, about an hour on foot, forest path and forest road with gentle ascent, a lookout tower, and a lean-to shelter by the hill(2). On our map this route is drawn as a single line of about 0.9 km to the tower—not a loop—while published descriptions for the full nature-trail visit often use the longer figure when the loop, shelter, and summit are included(1)(2). From Vargbergetin näköalatorni the view opens over the outer archipelago; the tower has long been a reason to climb the hill. Retkipaikka describes the summit laavu, dramatic gneiss boulders, and several shallow caves and rock shelters on the hill’s flanks—worth exploring carefully if you continue beyond the tower on informal paths(3). The same article recounts local tradition that the name Vargberget (“wolf mountain”) reflects an old wolf-hunt strategy on the slopes, and medieval law on wolf nets and pits(3). Parainen reminds visitors of everyman’s rights and safety on its nature-trail pages: stay on marked routes where posted, keep dogs on a leash, carry out litter, and do not light open fires without landowner permission(1). For parking at the Mattnäs trailhead and any updates to the map, rely on the City of Pargas material(1).

For signed routes, downloadable maps, and reminders to stay on marked paths to protect fragile island nature, start with Visit Seili’s Luontopolut pages(1). The University of Turku introduced refreshed research and walking routes on Seili in 2023: Kirkkoniemen polku is described there as a short walk around the museum church setting, climbing onto rocky knolls with open views toward the Archipelago Sea(2). Day-to-day visitor rules on the island—how ferries fit together, where dogs are welcome on leash, and that camping and open fires are not allowed—are spelled out by the Archipelago Research Institute(3). The trail is about 0.3 km as mapped and forms a short marked link on Kirkkoniemi beside Seili’s wooden church and cemetery in Parainen, Southwest Finland. Along the line you pass Seilin laituri boat access for small craft and Seilin Kirkkoniemenkuivakäymälä for hikers needing a field stop. The walk is an easy add-on to time at the church: Retkipaikka’s Luontopolkumies piece describes stopping at the summer kiosk near the church jetty, then following yellow marks over pasture gates to a high rocky viewpoint before looping back past the graveyard—useful colour and pacing context even if you only hike this shorter mapped section(4). Use the same outing to stitch together neighbouring trails that share the Kirkkoniemi and harbour area. Seili Kirkkoniemenpolku 1 covers the parallel marked link past the same dock and service point, Seilin Myllymäen luontopolku branches toward the mill hill nature loop, and Seilin eteläinen luontopolku 1 together with Seilin eteläinen luontopolku 2 lie a few hundred metres away along the southern shore if you want a longer island tour after sampling Kirkkoniemi. Visit Parainen still summarizes Seili as a history-forward archipelago destination reached only by boat, with nature routes that interpret both science and island stories(5). Expect compacted paths, rooty forest floor, and short rocky climbs rather than boardwalk highways; some stretches stay damp after rain, so Visit Seili explicitly recommends sturdier footwear than thin-soled trainers(1). Cattle graze for conservation in several pastures: The University of Turku notes that individual paths may be closed temporarily when cows are on shift, with signs at trailheads explaining the diversion(2).

Jungfruskär nature trail is about 2.6 km through the Jungfruskär island group in the middle of Kihti (Skiftet), in Archipelago National Park off Pargas. The municipality is Parainen and the wider region is Southwest Finland. From the water the islands can look rocky and spare, but on foot the inner parts are surprisingly green, with herb-rich meadows and patches of woodland that help explain why Visit Parainen(2) calls the group one of the brightest pearls of the national park. For restrictions that replace everyman’s rights inside the protected area, current mooring practice, and the official trail description, start from Jungfruskär´s Nature Trail on Luontoon.fi(1). You reach Jungfruskär only by boat—there is no scheduled ferry—so the walk begins from the harbour ends you already use. At the Skarpnäs landing near Jungfruskärin laituri, the visitor harbour under Metsähallitus care offers a sturdy pier for anchoring or lines and a rock shore with hooks that many keelboats use; Totalvene’s harbour portrait adds on-the-water detail on how crews tie up and why the basin is mostly sheltered except in northerly winds(3). Jungfruskärin tulentekopaikka, tables and benches, and Jungfruskär telttailualue sit close to that arrival zone for meals and a legal tent night in the park’s terms, and Jungfruskär kasarmi porakaivo is a drilled well in the old barracks corner for water when it is in service. About 0.9 km into the walk from the prepared line you reach Jungfruskärin lintutorni, a bird tower with wide views toward reed beds and open water; Turun Lintutieteellinen Yhdistys(4) describes the tower plus the eastern Österfladan bay as rewarding stops for waterfowl and songbirds. The prepared line finishes near Jungfruskär Bjons laituri on the Bjons shore, a second small harbour pocket that works well if you prefer to stage the trip from that side. Dry toilets are placed near both harbour clusters and along the route without needing a waypoint list in the narrative. Allow more time than the distance suggests: there are information boards along the path, the tower stop, and—at a respectful pace—the leaf-cut birch groves and other signs of how archipelago farmers once pruned fodder for livestock, which Mikko Korpela’s Totalvene harbour story illustrates from a boater’s perspective alongside wartime remnants you may notice near the trail(3). Ground is mostly easy island walking, with duckboards where it turns boggy(4). Visit Parainen highlights June–August on its calendar as the main visitor season while still reminding you to confirm rules before you go(2).

The Lenholmen nature trail lies in Lenholm nature reserve in Parainen, a short drive from the archipelago road between Parainen town and Nagu. Parainen sits in the Southwest Finland archipelago. For visitor-facing details and seasonal tips, see Visit Parainen’s Lenholman trail page(1). The City of Pargas lists the route on its nature trails page together with a printable map PDF(2). The trail is about 1.2 km. It crosses rare oak meadows and wooded slopes where sea views open between the trees and land uplift shapes the shoreline scenery typical of the inner archipelago(1)(3). In spring, the ground layer can be rich with flowers such as wood anemone, liverleaf, lily of the valley, and Corydalis; in summer cattle often graze the meadows as part of habitat management, so you may share the landscape with grazing animals(1). National Natura documentation on ymparisto.fi describes the Lenholm site as nationally important for oak–meadow–pasture complexes, with thousands of oaks and old limes, a representative shallow reed-fringed flada bay (Mattholmsfladan), and very high botanical and fungal interest on some meadow patches(3). You can leave a car at Lenholman pysäköintialue and walk in a few steps to the trailhead. After roughly half a kilometre you pass Käymälä; near the shore at Mattholminfladan, Mattholminfladan lintutorni gives an elevated view over the bay—ospreys and many waterbirds are often mentioned for this spot(1)(4). A picnic table and bench rest areas appear along the way(1)(4). The reserve’s best-known tree story is Finland’s once-oldest oak, which fell in a storm; its decaying trunk may still lie beside the path(1). Stay on the marked path: dogs and other pets are not allowed in the nature reserve(1)(2). The City of Pargas notes an information board, a grill shelter, the tower, and a dry toilet by Mattholminfladan on the protected ground, and records at least 29 threatened species for the area(2). Retkipaikka published Luontopolkumies’s walk-through of the route—worth reading for fence crossings, small bridges, mixed trail markers, and a slow-paced visit with time at the tower(4).

Jonkin verran korkeuseroja.

Tasainen maasto.

Kolme eritasoista layoutia.

Paljon korkeuseroja.

470 askelmaa, korkeusero 50 m, pituus 180 m. Ei talvikunnossapitoa.

Yhdeksänpaikkainen 25 m:n rata ruutiaseille ja kahdeksanpaikkainen 10 m:n ilma-aserata.

Tornille johtaa polku Petsorintieltä.

Lenholmin luontopolun varrella.