Kristinestad lies in a Swedish speaking region of Finland, but is nevertheless often referred to by its Finnish name of Kristiinankaupunki. The town was founded in 1649 and in many parts of the old town you can still find references to the old days, such as the town's narrowest street, which is called Catwhipper's Lane. With its width of only about 2 meters it is one of the narrowest streets in Finland. It got its name after a plague in 1880, when the local government employed a cat catcher to get rid of sick cats and contain the disease.
The 18th-century Ulrika Eleonora's Church, where votive ships hang from the ceiling and the Maritime Museum show that Kristinestad is an old fishing town.
There are several hotels and restaurants in town. Kristinestad is in Finland's western coast, 315 km northwest of Helsinki. There are bus connections with Pori, Vaasa and Tampere.
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