Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(
www.raumanfestivo.fi
;
tickets free to €25)
Chamber music plays at venues throughout the Old Town over five days in early August.
FINNISH OR SWEDISH?
Just when you thought you'd got the hang of Finnish double vowels, you're in a part of the
country where Swedish is often spoken as a first language. In addition to large parts of
the west coast, officially bilingual or unilingual Swedish-speaking areas include much of
the south coast as well as Åland.
By Finnish law, if there's a majority Swedophone population, the Swedish name comes
first. But you'll generally need to know both place names. Jakobstad, for example, gener-
ally sticks to its Swedish name. If you look on the VR railway website (
www.vr.fi
), however,
you'll have to know its Finnish alias, Pietarsaari.
As elsewhere in Finland, English is widely spoken but a few basic Swedish phrases will
make your trip more rewarding:
Hello.
Hej. (hey)
Goodbye.
Hej då. (heydaw)
Please.
Tack. (tak)
Thank you.
Tack. (tak)
Cheers!
Skål! (skawl)
Sleeping
Good chain hotels near the Old Town include Cumulus.
Poroholma
CAMPGROUND
( 02-533-5522;
www.poroholma.fi
;
Poroholmantie;campsites €10 plus per person €5, cottages
€80-100; May-Aug)
On beautiful Otanlahti bay, 2km northwest of Rauma, this five-star seaside holiday resort
bursts at the seams with sun-browned families. Great facilities include a sauna, laundry,
kitchen, on-site restaurant, and bike and canoe hire, even sailing ship cruises. Cottages are
spick and span; higher-priced ones are just a few years old.