The Vaasa market square (Tori) is the social centre of the city and the best place for an outdoor lunch in summer. Market stalls sell produce, flowers, and cooked food — sausages grilled on open charcoal, fresh berries from the surrounding countryside, and the ubiquitous Finnish grillimakkara. In summer the square fills with outdoor seating from the surrounding cafes and the adjacent market hall.
The square is surrounded by the most architecturally significant buildings in the city: the neoclassical town hall, the bank buildings from the late 19th century, and the grid of wide avenues that architect Setterberg designed after the 1852 fire. For a city that was completely rebuilt in its current form, the square has a surprising sense of accumulated time.