Ingå

Ingå (Swedish; Finnish: Inkoo) is a municipality in Uusimaa.

Fagervik church

Understand

Ingå is a municipality with a vast archipelago situated approximately 60 km west of Helsinki. The population (about 5600 people in 2011) is bilingual with 55% Swedish speakers and 42% Finnish.

Porkkala parenthesis

Between 1944 and 1956 the large parts of Ingå, Siuntio and Kirkkonummi areas at and around Porkkala peninsula were leased to the Soviet Union as a naval base. The Soviet lease for Porkkala had been contracted for 50 years originally, however in 1955 an agreement was reached to return it earlier.

Villages

• 🌍 Ingå kyrkby. The largest village and the administrative centre of the municipality. It has a guest harbour. 
• 🌍 Degerby. A small village, the centre of an independent municipality until 1946. It has a museum of the Porkkala Parenthesis. 
• 🌍 Täkter (Tähtelä). 
• 🌍 Solberg (Päivölä). 
• 🌍 Fagervik. A castle and a former iron works. 
• 🌍 Barösund. The area of the village consists of several larger islands (Barölandet, Orslandet, Elgsjölandet) and hundreds of smaller islands and islets. 

Tourist information

• Visit Ingå, Strandvägen 2, 10210 Ingå, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 
• Degerby Tourism, Furuborgvägen 6, 10160 Degerby, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 

Get in

By car

Ingå can be reached by car from Helsinki by road 51. The distance is about 60 km.

By public transport

There are a handful of connections in schooldays, fewer in summer, usually between Helsinki and Karis (most continuing to Ekenäs, Hanko or elsewhere) via Ingå centre and the crossroads to e.g. Degerby. In Karis the buses usually go via the bus station in the centre, a few also via the train station. They tend to be late, so beware if trying to catch a train.

There is a minibus connecting to some trains (with the stop at the train station) run on behalf of VR between Karis and Kirkkonummi. Search for "Ingå apotek" to get to the main village ("Ingå" in VR parlance signifies Ingå railway station, some kilometres away) and book together with the train ticket (no ticket sale on the coach).

Get around

Scheduled transportation is sparse, mainly the coaches between Helsinki and Karis, the VR minibuses between Kirkkonummi and Karis, and school buses. You can get around by car, bike, or taxi.

The main village, the Ingå parish village, is 3 km from the main road (road 51). The VR bus stops at the pharmacy (Ingå apotek) close to the supermarket and the church, most coaches have stops also somewhat farther. The tourist information, library and marina are half a kilometre south from the pharmacy.

Degerby village is a few hundred metres north of road 51. Most coaches stop at the crossroads.

Barösund and Fagervik are farther from the main roads, so you need connections specifically to those. Barösund is on the main (inner) yacht fairway from Helsinki westward, so easily reached by boat.

See

• 🌍 Gammelgården. Local house museum, showcasing the daily life in former days. Gammelgården also hosts market events around the year. (updated Oct 2018)
• 🌍 Ingå church. Medieval church, with a well preserved Danse Macabre-themed fresco. (updated Oct 2018)

Historical remains of Porkkala parenthesis

There are still traces of the Soviet lease period to be seen in Ingå. A natural start of your exploration can be the Igor Museum in Degerby.

• 🌍 Igor Museum in Degerby, Furuborgsvägen 6, 10160 Degerby, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 1 June–17 August Tu–Sa 11:00–16:00, in winter Sa 12:00–16:00 and other times by agreement. Stories of Finnish and Soviet people affected by involuntary re-settling due to the Porkkala lease. €5. 

Do

A picnic hut in Kopparnäs

Recreation areas

• 🌍 Kopparnäs (Turn from Helsinki-Hanko road 51 at Degerby to Kopparnäs Road to the south). The recreation area (450 ha mainland, 67 ha islands and 195 ha of water area) comprises of a rocky shore, forest, meadows and agricultural land. Several islands are part of the area, the largest one Stora Halsö with a pier for fixing boats (depth about 1.5 m). There are several car parks with compost toilets and sheds (fireplaces) for making BBQs. 
• 🌍 Gölisnäs. This small recreation area (11.5 ha) can be reached after a 4 km drive from Barösund. A scenic shore, forest, car park, dry toilets, picnic huts and mosquitoes. Gölisnäs can also be reached by larger boats, as the water depth is 8 feet at the dock. 

Buy

• 🌍 Strand. A small shopping mall with shops and places to eat and drink. (updated Oct 2018)

Eat

Drink

Sleep

Connect

Go next

You can for instance travel east or west along the King's Road. Going east the next town along the road is Siuntio, to the west it's Karis.