The town of Rauma stands on the west coast of Finland on the Gulf of Bothnia. The city of Turku is 6 miles south; Helsinki is 16 miles to the southeast. If you have a hire car in Rauma you can tour the renowned historical sights of the region. These include the World Heritage Site of Sammallahdenmäki, 12 miles west, with 36 Bronze Age burial cairns. And at Panelia you can find Finland's largest Bronze Age cairn and a row of four historic windmills. Other highlights include the Viking Museum at Eura, Säkylä's military museums and the grand stately home at Vuojoki.
The centre of Rauma has been declared a World Heritage Site because of its large area of around 600 wonderfully preserved wooden buildings dating back to the 18th century. Visitors with a hire car can explore this important tourist sight. Start at the Market Square with its pretty paving and pavement cafes, then wander the little streets lined with quirky old-fashioned shops and cottages. Look out too for the 15th-century stone Church of the Holy Cross with its medieval frescoes and the photogenic views across the meandering River Raumanjoki. And for something different, why not take a waterbus from the waterfront to the tourist islands just off the shore
