Translated from the old Swedish name "naantali" translates as "Valley of Grace". That is what the old monastic parish of the Catholics of the Order of St. Brigitte was called in Latin ( Vallis gratiae) , who built the first settlement on this site. However, among tourists, places are known not for this, but for fabulous Moomin characters.
You can visit the summer residence of the President of the Republic, equipped nearby. The country's president, Sauli Niiniste, is resting here during his summer vacation. Therefore, the city is called the summer capital of the republic.
general description
The city of Naantali (Finland) is a small cozy town in the western part of the country. Located 15 km northwest of Turku. Its main area is located on the island of Lonnonmaa, which lies south of the central part of the village. It is all covered with forest and built up by farms.
Almost the entire population lives on the mainland. Surprisingly, this is the oldest city in the country, which is located on the shores of the Archipelago Sea.
In the summer, Naantali (Finland) becomes an important tourist destination and receives them in large numbers. The main reason is in the well-preserved old areas of the town with low buildings made of wood and two famous children's amusement parks. And one of them is the so-called Moomin Country.
In the north of the City of the Sun, as locals often call it, spa hotels are located, they occupy the bulk of the coastal lands. The era of “weekend tourism” began with the laying in 1863 of the first stone of the spa resort on Cape Kalevanniemi (Finland). Naantali is the best resort in the country and the largest in Scandinavia.
Here, a guaranteed increase in physical and moral strength is given to those who are tired of the rhythm of life in megacities. Treatment is available to everyone. A room with educational games for young guests is equipped, Roman baths, massage pools, an open-air pool heated in winter are waiting for adults. All hotel rooms meet the highest requirements.
Moomin Valley
In summer, these places are crowded with children, and that's because it was here in the summer of 1993 that the world-famous Mumi Troll theme park in Naantali (Finland) was opened.
Directly here is one of the most remarkable places in the country, designed to entertain children and adults. Guests are immersed in magic, can meet with fairy-tale characters. The fabulous work of the famous author Tove Jansson became a reality thanks to her fans.
The park in Naantali (Finland) is located on a small island and is remembered by visitors to interesting routes, including the following elements:
- labyrinths;
- a bathhouse;
- observatory;
- houses of heroes and other interesting objects.
In winter, the Moomin Valley is covered with deep snowdrifts, but the river flowing along it is not icebound, but remains always in motion. In the southern part it is limited by the aforementioned Archipelago Sea, in the northern - by the mountains called Lonely.
The museum located here is a collection of works that has no analogues. It includes about 2000 exhibits. Of the entire list, the most interesting are the following expositions:
- drawings;
- Thumbnails
- illustrations for book covers and Garm magazine, which T. Jansson herself made on the Moomin theme.
The artist’s drawings for the books of other writers are also presented here. The park has many different cafes and shops where you can buy souvenirs as a keepsake.
Pirate park
There are unique attractions in Naantali in Finland. For example, an adventure island called Vyaski. This is a great place for outdoor activities with school children. All visitors expect crazy intrigues, unique puzzles and challenging tasks.
The theme of the amusement park is "Pirates in the Wild West." Unforgettable adventures await the participants already in the harbor: the vessel “crashes” off the coast, and passengers need urgent help. Later, the children are engaged in treasure hunting and the battle with the pirates.
There are a lot of attractions and entertainments on the island of Vyaski: you can learn to climb rocks and shoot archery accurately.
Carnival "Sleepyhead Day"
By tradition, the holiday of all sleep lovers is celebrated on July 27th. Finns who woke up early should pour a bucket of water on the fans for a long time to sleep. In Naantali (Finland), in the early morning of the main Sonya (chosen by secret ballot of all local residents) they push from the bed directly into the water of the Archipelago Sea. Absolutely everything happens voluntarily, it is an honor to become the main dormouse. Celebrate this event all day until the evening.
In Naantali (Finland), a large number of entertainments for lovers of fun to relax and plunge into the atmosphere of fairy tales and adventures. And age is not a hindrance. It will be interesting to everyone. Turku residents often come here for the weekend. This place is very popular among tourists from many countries of the world.