Things to do in Närpes – 10 tips for the tomato city in Finland

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated: September 2026 | Närpes in Ostrobothnia is known for its large tomato farms, its special Swedish dialect and the unique church stables at Närpes Church. We travelled here by motorhome and also discovered exciting local history, good food and the occasional surprise – including tomato ice cream! Here are our 10 best tips for things to see and do in Närpes.

Närpes in Finland

Närpes is a predominantly Swedish-speaking town in Finland, and is also known for its unique Swedish dialect. You may not understand what is being said here, even if you speak Swedish yourself. At least not if the locals speak their most pronounced version of the dialect.

Närpes is also known for its large tomato farms, and one thing you see when you drive into the town is all the large greenhouses. The town is located in Ostrobothnia, Finland, about 80 kilometers south of Vaasa.

What can you do in Närpes?

So what can you do in Närpes? Well, apart from eating tomatoes and listening to dialect, there are also a lot of interesting sights. Here are our top tips.

1. Admire Närpes church

Närpes Church is a very beautiful medieval church. The oldest parts of the building date back to 1435, and the church was expanded several times until 1770. In the church there is a crucifix from the 15th century, a pulpit from the 1730s and six tombstones from the 17th century. Outside we could see, among other things, the graves of wartime heroes, decorated with flowers.

2. Check out the church stables in Närpes.

Just outside Närpe Church you can see around 150 small red buildings without windows. What are these? Well, they are the unique church stables. In the past there were almost 400 of these, and they were used to house the horses during church services. The oldest preserved stables date from the late 18th century, while new ones were built right into the 20th century.

3. Experience Öjskogsparken and its museums

Öjskogsparken is an open-air museum in Närpes that is well worth a visit. There are about 20 historical museum buildings, such as the 18th century farm Bengtsgården, a school cottage and a few different museums. If you come here in the summer, as we did, there is a guide on site. We got a very nice guided tour of the area, which of course made the visit even more interesting.

One of the most charming places we peeked into was the old country store ...

In Öjskogsparken, you can also check out the lovely revolving stand, which can be rotated so that the audience can see new scenes all the time. In the summer, the stage is used by the Närpes Theatre, which of course performs in the Närpes dialect.

Museum of Pharmacy

In Öjskog Park you can take a look at the Pharmacy Museum, which is an interesting experience. The museum was created when pharmacist Karl-Erik Källström decided to collect a wide range of pharmacy artefacts and documents. Today, the museum provides a great insight into the history of medicine and drug production.

Stella Polaris Museum

Operation Stella Polaris was a secret operation at the end of the Continuation War, during Finland's fight against the Soviet Union from 1941 to 1944. The operation was based in the small fishing village of Nämpnäs in Närpes, and the purpose was to move sensitive intelligence material from Finland to Sweden, so that it would not end up in the hands of the Soviet Union. Today there is a small museum, in Öjskogsparken, that tells the story of the operation.

4. Take a trip to Kaskö

On the island of Bockholmen just outside Närpes lies Kaskö, which is Finland's smallest town with fewer than 1300 inhabitants. Kaskö was granted city rights by Gustav III in 1785 and has two bridge connections to the mainland. There is a nice wooden town here with beautiful houses and, at least in the summer, several cafes. We also saw mobile homes parked with a nice view.

5. Eat lunch at Lind's kitchen

One thing you won't want to miss doing in Närpes is eating at Lind's Kitchen. This greenhouse restaurant is located along highway 8 and offers a very special experience. Inside the lovely greenhouse you are surrounded by intense greenery, in the form of budding vegetables and herbaceous plants.

When we were here, the summer lunch was served in the form of a buffet that was both exciting and beautiful and offered a real vitamin injection. It combined home-grown tomatoes (so delicious!) with strawberries, melons and green beans, but also with fish, chicken and meat. Many of the dishes were decorated with edible flowers and a lovely red strawberry drink was served with the buffet.

6. Try Närpe's delicious tomatoes

Here is a zoomed-in picture of the tomatoes, and not without reason. Närpes good tomatoes only must can be tried during a visit to the city. You can try them at Lind's Kitchen, or find a shop where you can buy them. However, the tomatoes we liked the most, the small oblong green ones, were unfortunately out of stock when we tried to find them...

7. Eat tomato ice cream from Närpe's ice cream factory

When we visited Närpes, we also took the opportunity to try tomatoes in a much more unexpected way, as ice cream! Närpes Ice Cream Factory makes handmade ice cream and is known for experimenting with both classic and more surprising flavors.

We each tried an ice cream in the small kiosk Glasstrutin, with the flavours tomato, aronia, apple pie and gooseberry. Very good! And yes, even tomato ice cream worked unexpectedly well.

8. Shop for local delicacies

In Nämpnäs, just northwest of central Närpes, you will find the fish shop Polarfilé, where you can find fresh, smoked and frozen fish from the area, as well as herring and other fish products. You can also find cheese and some other delicacies here.

Along the roads in Ostrobothnia, you can also find small ”egg kiosks” in some places. We found one near the Nämpnäs pavilion, just northwest of Närpes. Here you could pick eggs and pay on the spot. The eggs were also really big, and several had double yolks. Very nice!

9. Be fascinated by the Närpes dialect

Last but not least we have to mention the unique Närpes dialect. This is a Swedish dialect, but so special that it can be difficult for other Swedish speakers to understand, and even for other Swedish speakers in the Ostrobothnia.

Swedish linguist and broadcaster Fredrik Lindström has taken an interest in the dialect, claiming that the Närpes language is similar to the Swedish spoken in Stockholm in the 16th century. Interesting, isn't it?

The people of Närpes may not speak Närpesian with you - they may adapt to make you understand - but many are proud of their unique dialect and are happy to give you a taste. Or maybe you overhear a conversation going on next to you! Curious already? Then check out this Youtube film, where Lasse Eriksson entertains in local Persian ...

10. Experience the Tomato Carnival

Every summer, the Tomato Carnival is held, Närpe's big summer event. For several days, the center is filled with activities, entertainment and programs for both children and adults. The event is usually held in early July, but check the current dates before your trip.

More to see and do in Närpes

There is of course even more to see and do in Närpes than our suggestions. Here you will find some more tips.

• Fishing villages on the coast offers environments with old fishing huts, archipelago nature, bathing places and sometimes summer open cafés.
• Goosebumps is an island in the archipelago with a pilot house and nature centre.
• Pörtom local history museum includes various buildings, such as Ahlholma Farm with artefacts from Berga Glassworks.
• Pörtom church was completed in 1783, and contains several old artefacts.
• Övermark local history and postal museum showcases a farmhouse, a windmill and a post office museum.
• Övermark church was built in 1875-1878 and has a three-metre high altarpiece painted by Axel Haartman.

Where can you stay in Närpes, or park your campervan?

When we visited Närpes with a camper van, we went to Fagerö folkpark, just north of the town. We stayed overnight here with a fantastic view of the water. The area is very nice, with charming boat houses and the sea right next door. Check the current rules if you want to stay overnight with a camper van here today.

More to see and do near Närpes

From Närpes you can continue along the Ostrobothnian coast to Kristinestad and Vaasa, among others. In Kristinestad, a charming historic wooden town awaits, while Vaasa offers more museums, restaurants and excursions in the Kvarken archipelago.

• Things to do in Kristinestad
• Things to do in Vaasa