A fairytale island – Högsåra

Posted on by Suvi

Have you ever felt like you’d like to jump into a book and live a day in the world you’ve been reading about? Well look no further. One such fairytale place is right here in Finland.

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This magical place I’m talking about is the Högsåra island in the Archipelago National Park in Southwest Finland.

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The island is around a 100 km drive by car from Turku. The trip there includes a ferry. You can also reach the island by your own boat, as there are two harbours for mooring.

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The Archipelago National Park is also a popular biking destination for cycling enthusiasts. Perhaps not the easiest place to get to, but the effort is definitely worth it.

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Last summer we’d moored at nearby Kasnäs. From there, I rented a bike and braved the rainy weather for a glimpse of Finnish paradise.

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The minute I saw the sheep I was sold.

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Soon after, I spotted some cows.

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The island boasts idyllic beaches suitable for children.

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As many of you know, I love to visit cemeteries on my travels. I even managed to find one on the tiny island.

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Very peaceful. Around 50 people live on the island year round.

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The Grand Duke of Finland, Aleksander III of Russia used to spend summers here with his family and entourage in 1885-1894. It’s easy to see what he fell in love with.

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Do you want to know the main reason for my visit to Högsåra? However beautiful the island may be, the thing driving me there was cake.

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Yes, you heard right – cake.

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Farmor’s Café, the cutest cafe in Finland, happens to be on this island.

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Grandmother Erika lived in the main cottage for fifteen years by herself after the death of her husband, a pilot, in 1935. The name of the café is to commemorate her, as farmor is Swedish for grandmother.

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But let’s step inside for that cake.

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The little red cottage is just as wonderful inside and out.

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May I entice you with a marvellous chocolate meringue?

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Or perhaps you’d like a cinnamon bun or a croissant with jam?

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The café is so picturesque, your camera will be singing wherever you turn!

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I opted for a creamy, meringue strawberry cake. My mouth waters when I think about it.

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If you’re not a fan of cake (how is that even possible?), then you’ll be pleased to know that you can even have a meal here.

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It’s worth walking around afterwards – maybe you’ll catch a glimpse of the bunnies.

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But what impressed me most was the abundance of flowers in all colors behind the cottage.

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It was this moment that made me feel like I was part of the fairytale called Högsåra.

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Have you ever been to Högsåra island or do you have a fairytale place of your own? Let me know in the comments below!

xx

37 thoughts on “A fairytale island – Högsåra”

  1. I have a summerhouse on Högsåra, and found this blog. You have fully understood the magic of this island! On the pic from the cemetery You can see a cross, that my grandfather has made. He is now buried on that cemetery.

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    1. Hi Stefan! Thank you so much for reading my blog post on Högsåra! You are lucky to have a summerhouse there, it’s such an enchanting place. Thank you for the story on your granddad ❤️ Take care!

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  2. My fairy tale place was Vapnyarka. It felt ancient. So many different peoples trod that forest: Slavs, Germanic peoples, Huns, Romani and even Mongol invaders.

    I live the chocolate meringue mention in your story.

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  5. I don’t even know how I ended up here, but I thought this post was good. I do not know who you are but certainly you’re going to a famous blogger if you aren’t already 😉 Cheers!

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    1. Thanks Marie! I should attempt making this kind of cake one of these days. Or maybe it tastes more special when you get it only once in a summer!

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  10. Högsåra on aivan ihana paikka. Olemme käyneet siellä parikin kertaa. Ja tuo Farmorscafe on vertaansa vailla. Minulle tuli siellä kävellessä sellainen olo, että voisin kuulla milloin tahansa huudon “Eeeemeeeliii” ja sitten sellaisen pienen pojan pikonvan kovaa ohi =D.

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  13. Hello Suvi.

    Well-written and wonderful set of beautiful photos. Thank You presenting this site. You brought one thing to my awareness concerning about The Grand Duke of Finland, Alexander III of Russia. I did not knew that he spent summers here. I have always thought that he spent his summer days in Langinkoski where he had own fishing lodge. Maybe in both places – probably. I have to give here link to my old post showing this gorgeous place in Finland:

    Imperial Fishing Lodge.

    I beg Your pardon giving this link, but to get better / more information about our history is important for our readers, I think so.

    Have a good day!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thank you Matti for this link 🙂 How interesting to hear about Langinkoski, I’ve never come by it before. I’m sure Alexander III had many places he loved to visit in Finland!

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    1. I’m happy to hear that you felt a bit of magic even when going around by car. Maybe I should take my foreign guests who come in August 🙂

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