Island with beaches in Helsinki

With more than 300 islands in the archipelago, nature and city are really next to each other in Helsinki. Therefore a visit to the island during summer is a must. It's a great way to spend the day, so bring your swimwear, picnic baskets and soak in the sun.

Suomenlinna

Suomenlinna is a famous island of fortress which has a small beach, some fortress ruins, and rocks. Because it's a nice place to have a walk around, to enjoy museums and then sunbathe and swim as well, it has always been a very popular place to visit during summer for both locals and visitors. In 1991, Suomenlinna was nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Services: toilets, shower, many restaurants and cafes, hotel, no lifeguard, camping forbidden

Address: 00190 Helsinki

Getting there: Suomenlinna is reachable by water throughout the year, ferry service (HSL) leaves from Helsinki Market Square and the trip lasts about 15-20 minutes. Note that all HSL tickets are accepted since the ferry is part of the city transport network. Tickets are not sold on board and one needs to buy them beforehand from the ticket machine on the departure pier or at market square ferry terminal. If you have a Helsinki travel card, the journey is free. In During summer, the water bus service is also available. The Suomenlinna guest harbour is a landing site allowed only for visitors who come to the island by private boats.

Pihlajasaari beach

This beach is situated on the island of Pihlajasaari and can be reached by ferry. It is a popular destination for holidays and it contains three sandy beaches (one nudist beach), and several rocky beaches. Visitors usually find this beach amazing because of the views of the ships and boats which pass by the Helsinki coastline. The beach is quiet and peaceful, and it includes many services as well as a restaurant inside an old wooden house. This is not a supervised public beach and lifeguard is not provided.

Services: cabin, toilet, shower, volleyball ground, kiosk, children's playground, restaurant, no lifeguard

Address: Läntinen Pihlajasaari, 00150 Helsinki

Getting there: One can get to Pihlajasaari by water bus, either through the departures dock in Ruohosaari or from the Merisatama (bikes or dogs are not allowed on board).

Uunisaari beach

This is another long beach that provides high-standard services, popular for holidays and picnics. Uunisaari used to be a paint and oil boiler factory, and a spa site in late 19th century. Later in 1934, a beach was opened on the island by the Helsinki Swimming Club and it immediately attracted many visitors. Uunisaari beach is open to public, and the management of the Sports Department's Maritime Unit is responsible for the island.

Services: toilet, shower, cabin, kiosk, children play area, restaurant and sauna provided by spa, no lifeguard

Address: Uunisaari, 00140 Helsinki

Getting there: The beach is situated on an island and therefore reachable by ferry services in summer time. The ferry trip lasts for a few minutes from Kaivopuisto park which is close to the citycenter.

Isosaari island beach

Most tourists are amazed with the large number of islands in Helsinki area. Isosaari is an old sea fortress that has a rich cultural history. Easy to reach by ferry, beautiful view over Baltic sea, peaceful and relaxing, good condition roads, easy to read signs, guide services, facilities like sauna are all what makes this island yet another popular destination in summer.

Services: cafe-bar, restaurants, sandy beaches, sauna, a guest marina, picnic locations, large grass areas, golf course, hotel boat to spent over the night

Address: Isosaari, 00391 Helsinki

How to get there: Ferry leaves from Helsinki Market Square to Isosaari. If visitors use their own boat to come to the island, they could stay the night in the guest marina.

Seurasaari island beach

The Seurasaari island offers various ways of enjoying a nice outdoor summer day in nature; such as solitude, a nice walk, animal-watching (squirrels, swans, duck and other birds) and the open-air museum which is loved by many children. The open-air museum attracts many visitors showcasing the traditional Finnish way of life in cottages, farm buildings and manor houses four centuries ago. This is not a supervised beach, and no lifeguards available.

Services: cabin, toilet, showers, nudist beach with separate areas for women and men, swimming pool, good walkways, restaurant, cafe, kiosk, wood-fired barbeque, open-air museum, beach for winter swimming, no lifeguard

Address: Seurasaari, 00250 Helsinki

Getting there: Seurasaari is at Western Helsinki, south of Meilahti and close to citycenter (about 5 kilometers). It is reachable by foot and there are also boat services from the market square in summer as well as the bus leaving from Erottaja which goes to Seurasaari Open-Air Museum.

Mehri R.