Saturday morning, Midsummer Day, we packed up from Ruissalo and drove back through Turku, east on E18, then turned south onto 180. This route would take us to Nagu/Nauvo, deeper into the archipelago. This destination was suggested by Pamela, as a spot we might like.

The Finnish archipelago is connected by many bridges and ferries, but we had only one to catch. The ferry between Pargus and Nagu departs every 15 minutes. Our timing was good, and there were only about ten cars lined up. The ferry was automated, lights showing which lane to pull into.

Between the ferry stop and Nagu, we saw one fox cross the road, and three large rabbits in a field. At first we thought they were dogs, due to their large size. But we doubled back to check, and sure enough, they were rabbits. The largest rabbits I’ve ever seen.

We passed though the little town of Nagu and drove the remaining 4 km to our next overnight spot at Hotel Stallbacken. It is a very pretty property in the country, with guests staying in a former sheep barn (beautifully renovated), and has a sauna.

Arriving well before check in, we hopped on bikes and pedaled back into Nagu. We stopped for fika at a home/cafe, and walked around the stone church dated 1767.

A short distance away we found the bustling waterfront area of Nagu. It was much busier and a younger crowd than what we had experienced on Ruissalo. Shops and restaurants were open, it was packed with people, and boats were coming in and out. It had a party atmosphere.

We had a glass of wine at a very cute restaurant and did a little shopping. Eventually we climbed back on the bikes and headed back to the hotel.

We had reserved the sauna for one hour at 5 pm, but my sauna tolerance hasn’t built up and this was a really hot sauna. We were only able to stay in for 30 minutes, but it felt good.

The dining room for guests includes an outdoor patio, and with perfect weather, we dined outside. We were so glad we did, because as we sat on the patio, a moose wandered through the field next door. The food was excellent.

Everyone has been extremely nice. The young women who work at Hotel Stellbacken and served us dinner answered all our questions and gave us tips and information about the area. One had never seen a moose and was very surprised and delighted when the moose showed itself.