Overview
Pargas is the only real town in the Archipelago Sea, regarded as the capital of the south-west archipelago. It offers a wooden old town, the giant limestone quarry (origin of Nordkalk Corporation), and access to island hopping.
Architecture · Budget Travel · Day Trips · History · Nature
Before you go
Connectivity
Area code 2. Good GSM coverage in town; outer archipelago may have gaps. Library offers free Wi-Fi.
Language
Officially bilingual Finnish/Swedish. English widely spoken. Service available in both languages nearly everywhere.
Money
Finland uses the Euro (€). Cash machines (OTTO, Nosto) available at supermarkets. Most places accept cards.
Safety
Generally very safe. Standard precautions apply. Traffic speeds can be high (50–80 km/h) on roads outside town.
Transport
Skärgårdsvägen (regional road 180) is the main road through Pargas. Bus connections from Turku; Seutu+ 24-hr ticket works for coaches. Ferries connect to islands (5–20 min passages).
Weather
Best visited May–September for full services and activities. Winter services are reduced.