VAASA > JAKOBSTAD > KOKKOLA (137 km) Take route 8 north and turn to route 749 to Uusikaarlepyy, Pietarsaari and Kokkola.These towns have a shipbuilding history that stretches 450 years back in time.
	Jakobstad (Pietarsaari) was founded in 1652. The city gradually grew and became a centre for the tar and timber industry as well as shipping. During the 19th century, ships from Jakobstad sailed on the seven seas. The Finnish national poet J.L. Runeberg was born in Jakobstad in 1804. Visit the galleon Jacobstads Wapen, a replica of the original, or the schooner Vega, built for the war reparations, Gamla Hamn, tel. +358 (0)6 723 1796. Several interesting museums celebrate the town’s maritime history with maritime exhibits.
	The Arctic Museum Nanoq, Pörkenäsvägen 60, tel. +358 (0)6 729 3679, The Weapons Museum, Storgatan 2, tel. +358 (0)6 723 4884, Jakobstad Museum, Storgatan 2, tel. +358 (0)6 785 1373, The Engine Museum, Alholmsvägen 71, tel. +358 (0)6 724 4500, The Chicory Museum, Alholmen, tel. +358 (0)20 416 113. Skata, one of the largest uniform areas of old wooden houses in Finland, is located in Jakobstad. The Mässkär Nature Information Station is Mässkär island, tel. +358 (0)6 729 4092, botanical garden Skolparken and the Aspegren Garden, one of the oldest vicarage gardens in Finland, are also worth a visit. Rosenlund, tel. +358 (0)6 724 3101.
From Jakobstad the tour continues to Kokkola along the beautiful Seven Bridges Archipelago road, www.7siltaa.com.
	Kokkola, one of the oldest towns in Finland was founded in 1620. During the 18th and 19th century Kokkola was a prosperous centre of tar trade and shipbuilding. Today boatbuilding is an important export industry in Kokkola, The town is the regional centre of Central Ostrobothnia and the northernmost bilingual town in Finland.
	Just next to the shopping centre is Neristan, one of the largest old wooden towns in Finland. Near by there are K.H. Renlunds Art Gallery, the Historical Museum and the Nature & Mineral collection. In the summer on Wednesdays there is a popular evening market (6-9 p.m.) on the Market Square and on Thursdays a free concert (8-9 p.m.) in the Medieval Kaarlela Church. From the Kokkola Camping there are daily cruises (m/s Jenny 170 passangers, m/s Jaana 80 passangers) to the Lighthouse island Tankar, with an Old Fishermen´s Church (1754), Tankar Inn and restaurant and saunas. The Spa VesiVeijari with several indoor and outdoor pools in the centre of the town invites families with children. For music lovers; classic, opera, rock, folk, Kokkola has them all. The Kokkola Opera Festival 1.-9.8.2008. www.kokkolaopera.com. Kokkolan Venetsialaiset 29.-31.8.2008 is the festival of water, fire and light. The excellent Kokkola golf course with the Midnight Summer tournament gathers players worldwide.