Suomenlinna

The Suomenlinna Sea Fortress was built in 1748 on six of the islands, connected by bridges, near the Finnish capital Helsinki and it is a UNESCO listed World Heritage Site. Visiting the fortress will be an exciting event for children and parent alike and you should plan at least half a day, if not more, for the visit. The fortress area consists of 200 buildings and the main sights on the island include Suomenlinna Centre, the Piper’s Park, the King’s Gate, the Great...

The Suomenlinna Sea Fortress was built in 1748 on six of the islands, connected by bridges, near the Finnish capital Helsinki and it is a UNESCO listed World Heritage Site. Visiting the fortress will be an exciting event for children and parent alike and you should plan at least half a day, if not more, for the visit. The fortress area consists of 200 buildings and the main sights on the island include Suomenlinna Centre, the Piper’s Park, the King’s Gate, the Great Courtyard, the Submarine Vesikko, the Russian merchants’ quarters, the Church Park and the fortification’s of Kustaanmiekka and most of these can be found along the Blue Walking Route. This route includes some steep hills and rougher sections, but there is also an alternative route specifically designed to be barrier-free for wheelchair users and families with strollers and buggies.

You can explore the area on your own or you can take part in one of the guided tours offered in more than 15 languages throughout the year. You can also find the following museums on the premises: the Suomenlinna Museum, the Ehrensvärd Museum, the Submarine Vesikko Museum, the Military Museum, the Toy Museum and Customs Museum.

You can get to the Suomenlina Sea Fortress by ferry leaving from the Market Square in the city operated all year round. The Suomelinna is open around the year, however some services are only operated in summer, so be sure to check this before planning your trip. There is no entrance fee for the islands themselves, but there are separate entrance fees for museums and activities on the islands.

Photo by: By Migro - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9414335