National Highway 8 runs like a monotonous line through the landscape of western Finland. You get the feeling to keep on driving. But don't listen! You will be doing yourself a favour by turning off Highway 8 and taking the road of birches to a town by the coast called Närpes. Enjoy the beautiful scenery while you are still close to the conviniences of civilisation. This rural town will give you some wonderful experiences if you just allow it.

The rising of the land is a phenomena that makes Närpes unique. Today you can walk, cultivate, live and work on land that was a sea bed not too long ago. And Närpes is still rising. With one meter per century the land resolutely rises from the sea.

Until 1607 the county of Närpes extended from Petalax and Bergö in the north to Sideby in the south as well as Östermark in the east. The present county was formed in 1973 through a union of the counties of Närpes, Övermark and Pörtom. On New Years Day 1993 Närpes became officially a town. The inhabitants of the centre of Närpes and surrounding areas comes to approx. 10.200, of which 93 per cent are Swedish speaking.

The sea has in many ways made an everlasting impression on this area and its population. Hundereds of years ago Närpes was known for its boatbuilding and on old maps you can read "Naerpensis - Hic naves fabricatur". Boatbuilding is still a living tradition. Along the 45 km coastline there's over 500 km of seashore and hundreds of summer cabins. We enjoy the closeness to the sea and our arcipelago is a boating paradise. You can go swimming, fishing, boating, hiking in the woods or you can just enjoy the scenery. There are many beaces to explore in the summertime.

The whole area is rich in culture and has been inhabited since time immemorial. As early as the Neolitich period, nearly 6.000 years ago, there were settlements in some parts of Närpes. Visit some of our churches or museums and enjoy our beutiful cultural heritage.

Visit the homepages of Närpes >>