Jakobstad

Jakobstad (Finnish: Pietarsaari) is a nice small port town in Ostrobothnia. The adjacent municipality of Pedersöre is also handled in this article.

The majority of the inhabitants speak Swedish as their native language. The town was founded in 1625 in what is now the neighbouring municipality Pedersöre, but postglacial rebound made that harbour too shallow and the town moved towards the new shoreline. The town grew in the 18th century with privileges for international trade. A replica of a ship of that time, Jacobstads Wapen, was built 1988–1994. In 1900 a tobacco factory was the biggest employer. Nowadays the biggest employer is a cellulose and paper factory. There are several smaller businesses, among them Nautor, making world class Swan sailing yachts.

Jakobstad lies at the coast between Vaasa and Kokkola, 8 km from national road 8 (E8), the main road along the Finnish west coast. The main junctions are in Kållby/Kolppi (Edsevö) and Bennäs/Pännäinen, both in Pedersöre. If you prefer small roads you could drive via Munsala and Nykarleby in the south or via Larsmo ("the road of seven bridges") in the north. From the east you can come along road 28 to Kokkola or along road 16 towards Vaasa, turning to road 68 in Alajärvi.

Some trains between southern Finland and Oulu or Rovaniemi stop at the Jakobstad-Pedersöre 63.595722.791 railway station in Bennäs, Pedersöre, some 10 km to the south. From there, take the connection bus ^{[dead link]} to Jakobstad. Train tickets to Jakobstad include the connection bus.

Buses between Vaasa and Kokkola stop in Jakobstad. The Onnibus route between Turku and Oulu uses the highway stop Edsevö Hotel Polaris, which is 11 km away from the centre. It is possible to transfer for the centre using the stop Edsevö L at road 68, but the schedules are not synchronized.

Nordic Regional Airlines flies from Helsinki to Kokkola–Pietarsaari airport (KOK ^IATA), 30 km from Jakobstad.

City Taxi Jeppis offers airport shuttles for €25–69 from the Kokkola-Jakobstad airport to the centre. Book before 18:00 for the morning flight, before 10:00/17:00 for the day and evening flights.

There is a ferry from Umeå, Sweden to Vaasa.

Jakobstad has an archipelago, partly in Larsmosjön. Larsmosjön to the north-east is since long a fresh water basin, separated from the sea by locks. The main marina is on the sea side of the locks.

• 63.6922.69121 Smultrongrundet marina, ☏ +358 44-723-7940, stefan_kald@hotmail.com. 15 June–9 August. Marina of the sailing club 1.5 km from the centre. Mooring depths 1.8–2.8m. Water, electricity, waste collection, septic tank emptying, fuel, toilet, showers, sauna, laundry, Wi-Fi, playground, beach, restaurant. €15/24h.  (updated May 2016)

Vippari^{[dead link]} connects the routes of passengers traveling in the same direction and at the same time, thus being able to serve as many customers as possible. Vippari's service area covers the city centre of Jakobstad and its immediate surroundings. The prices are €4 for adults, €2 for minors under 12 years and free for minors under 4 years.

The ride can be ordered within the service area between any addresses on weekdays 07:30–15:45. The ride is ordered and paid for with Matkahuolto's Routes and Tickets application. Alternatively, the ride can be ordered by calling ☏ +358 100-4488 M–F 07:30–11:00 and 12:00–15:30, in which case payment will be made in the car with either cash or a debit card. The order can be placed for immediate need or up to five days before the time of the trip.

You can get the ride from the location indicated by the app or customer service. You can also get a car with a pram, wheelchair or rollator, for example.

• 63.67449322.7050772 Taxi Jakobstad, Rådhusgatan 2 (next to town hall), ☏ +358 100 417.  (updated Jun 2022)
• Taxitjänst Sundqvist (Citytaxi Jeppis), ☏ +358 50-550-9866, city.taxi10@gmail.com. €8 + €1.10–1.90/km + €1/min; pre-order fee €7.10. (updated Jun 2022)
• 02 Taksi and Valopilkku apps

• 63.674322.70341 Jakobstad's town hall and the Town hall square.  
• 63.677722.70492 Strengberg tobacco factory. The factory closed down in 1998, nevertheless the yellow industrial building and its clock sphere on the roof remains one of Jakobstad's symbols.  
• 63.680422.70573 Skata. The wooden old town.  
• 63.676922.70814 Skolparken. The School Park is not just a park but a botanical garden with almost a thousand different plants and flowers.  
• 63.677122.70355 Jakobstad Church.  
• Gamla hamn (1 km from the centre). The old port, the port of Jakobstad until the mid 19th century, now a recreational area home to a marina, a shipyard/maritime museum and two old wooden ships, besides the beach and wood. €15/7 or €10/5, guided tour of the ships included in the former fee; children under 12 years free, museum card valid.  
  • 63.685922.68756 Jacobstads Wapen, ☏ +358 6 723-1796. A replica of an 18th century ship, built according to blueprints by the famous naval architect af Chapman. She was launched at time when Anders Chydenius of nearby Nedervetil forcefully advocated free trade and important restrictions on international trades were lifted. €1.60.  (updated Dec 2016)
  • Vega, Gamla Hamnvägen 19, ☏ +358 44-242-2073, infp@vegastiftelsen.fi. A wooden barquentine launched 1952, built as part of the war reparations to the Soviet Union. Some 90 wooden schooners were built for the purpose, of 300 tonnes deadweight, tern-rigged and built for coastal trade or barquentines for use as schoolships, and at least one barquentine for research (a non-magnetic one). Vega was built at the Laivateollisuus yard in Turku, which developed new building techniques to allow efficient serial production. Vega served as school ship based in Tallinn. A sister ship has survived as restaurant in Klaipėda.  
• 63.655422.59017 Nanoq, Pörkenäsvägen 60, ☏ +358 6 729 3679, fax: +358 6 729 3679, pentti.kronqvist@nanoq.fi. "Finland's first Arctic museum" is a museum dedicated to the explorers of the North Pole, Greenland and Svalbard. adults €6, children €3.50.   ^{[dead link]}
• 63.664222.70068 Pedersöre Church, Sockenvägen 5.  (updated Feb 2016)

• 63.670722.55171 Fäboda beach (Fäboda simstrand), Lillsandvägen 263 (10 km to west from the centre, along Fäbodavägen, then Lillsandsvägen). Large sandy beach. Café. Hiking trail.  
• Football: FF Jaro were promoted in 2024 so they play soccer in Veikkausliiga the top tier. Their home ground is Centralplan, capacity 5000. The playing season is April-Oct.

• 63.6760322.706331 Wilma Interiör, Perämiehenkatu 1 (In the town centre), ☏ +358 6 781 1222, info@wilmainterior.fi. Mon–Fri 12:00–17:00, Sat 11:00–14:00. A family-owned furniture and interior design store specialising in Scandinavian and Nordic design. The selection includes furniture, lighting, rugs and home décor items from well-known Nordic brands.  
• 63.6757322.703322 Marks & Iris, Storgatan 16 (In the town centre), ☏ +358 6 723 1344. Mon–Fri 10:00–17:00, Sat 10:00–14:00. A specialist yarn and handicrafts shop offering knitting yarns, accessories and supplies for knitting and crochet enthusiasts.  

• Korv-Göran, Kanalesplanaden 17, ☏ +358 6 724-4088. Mon–Tue 10:30–21:00, Wed–Thu 10:30–22:00, Fri 10:30–24:00, Sat 11:00–24:00, Sun 12:00–22:00. The one place to eat warm sausage, hamburgers etc. when visiting Jakobstad. The menu has changed since the founding in 1973, and you can now find Korv-Görans in a few other towns, but check out the original. Kebab and burger meals €7.50–18. 
• 63.67752522.7026231 Station 23, Kristiinankatu 2 (In the town centre), ☏ +358 40 621 5797. Stylish restaurant, lounge and cocktail bar in the former fire station. Serves Scandinavian cuisine with an emphasis on local ingredients.  

• 63.68990322.6935352 Pavis, Pavisvägen 2 (Near the harbour and Fäboda road), ☏ +358 6 723 7333, info@pavis.fi. Popular waterfront restaurant known for its terrace and sea views. Lunch is served on weekdays and the restaurant also hosts events and live music.  

• 63.6753922.7038883 Fiika Café, Storgatan 13 (In the centre of town), ☏ +358 44 998 8667, info@fiika.fi. Modern café serving specialty coffee, pastries and weekday lunches. Uses coffee from a local micro-roastery.  

• 63.6746922.704474 Sesam (Restaurant Sesam), Rådhusgatan 5 (Near the market square), ☏ +358 6 723 7003. Long-established restaurant serving a mix of European and Asian dishes in the town centre.  

• O'Learys Jakobstad, Alholmsvägen 1, 68600, ☏ +358 6 7888399.  (updated Feb 2016)

• 63.6753522.705671 Stadshotellet, Kanalesplanaden 13, ☏ +358 6 788 8111, fax: +358 6 788 8222, stadshotellet@multi.fi. A typical small-town hotel, clean and modern. Double room €130.  

If you are continuing towards Kokkola by car, you can take the more scenic route through the archipelago over seven bridges.

Oulu ← Kokkola ←

SW

→ Vaasa → Pori