In Just 20 Minutes, You Can Travel to a Majestically Different Helsinki

Mahmudul Islam
Jul 27, 2017 · 10 min read

The picturesque natural beauty of Finland has plenty of elements to make you (if you have unquestionable love for nature) fall in love with the Nordic country, and its capital, Helsinki, is a charming modern urban habitat. Whether you sit on a park bench or take a walk on the street and look around, you cannot miss all the impressive designs — a salient feature in the buildings and other infrastructures of the city.

But Helsinki is also the most populous area in Finland where you will find yourself in the middle of the hustle and bustle of city life.

And that is when you may feel that you need some space to breathe and a relaxing, soothing atmosphere where you can spend a day away from all the fast-paced daily life activities in order to mentally reinvigorate yourself.

Good news for you. Going to such a place does not require you to travel hundreds of kilometres from Helsinki and you do not need to spend a lot of money either. In fact, it takes around 15–20 minutes by ferry (because you cannot drive your car in the sea!) to reach the place and you do not have to pay a single dime to enter and explore the vastness of its natural beauty.

Suomenlinna, if you have heard about it.

It is a sea fortress built on seven islands — Kustaanmiekka, Susisaari, Iso Mustasaari, Pikku Mustasaari, Länsi-Mustasaari, Särkkä and Lonna — at the entrance to the harbour in Helsinki. In 1991, Suomenlinna was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (Finland boasts seven UNESCO World Heritage sites).

Construction of the military architecture began during the Swedish period in 1748, a year after the Swedish parliament made the decision to build a central fortress, including a naval base in Helsinki. It was mainly built to defend the Kingdom of Sweden against the Russian Empire. Swedish Admiral Augustin Eherensvärd oversaw the work.

The fortress was renamed Suomenlinna (Castle of Finland) in 1918, a year after Finland became an independent country. Interestingly, you will not find any castle per se in Suomenlinna. It was named so for reasons related to Finland’s independence.

Suomenlinna has a governing body but do not be surprised to learn that the fortress is actually a district of the city of Helsinki. That is the reason I call it a different Helsinki. It is home to some 800 people and about 400 people work here.

Suomenlinna has emerged as a major tourist destination in Finland, attracting around one million visitors every year.

Once you are there, you will have several eating options, including a number of cafes and restaurants where you can opt for both light and heavy meals.

Be prepared to walk around a lot to see every nook and cranny of the site but trust me, you will enjoy every minute of it.

Here are some photos from my recent visit to this spectacular place. It was not a fully sunny day and the pictures are not that bright. In fact, it rained a little as well even though it is the enviable Finnish summer now. (And do not forget to read the useful tips at the end of the post!)

The journey begins on a ferry that you board from Kauppatori or the Market Square in Helsinki. Ferries run several times per hour from morning till night. A 12-hour ticket valid only on the Suomenlinna ferry costs 5 euros but if you have a travel card for the Helsinki region, you can travel for free!

As you set out from the market square, you will definitely spot SkyWheel Helsinki, an observation wheel bordering the Baltic Sea that gives you a 360° view of the Finnish capital. More information here if you want to visit it later some time.

And the majestically different Helsinki is there after a 15–20 minute journey.

Now it is time to explore the fortress on foot. You will see signposts that will help you with navigation.

There are some cobblestoned roads.

Suomenlinna Church, the only church in the fortress, was originally built as an Russian Orthodox garrison church but was later converted into an Evangelical Lutheran church.

The adjacent church park is a nice place to have a picnic with friends.

There is ample space for children to play.

There are six museums located in different parts of Suomenlinna, and the Military Museum is one of them.

History and nature are intertwined together in Suomenlinna, and you will enjoy your time as you continue exploring.

When you want to buy some snacks and other stuff.

Want to have coffee or some other food? There are a number of cafes and restaurants ready to serve you.

That is a charming place to relax and have your coffee, right?

You will be very enchanted by the view of the Baltic Sea.

A maritime fortress should have a submarine, should not it?

And by the time I pressed the click button, it lowered its head and I could not get a clear shot of the face!

Some tips for you:

  1. Visit the fortress in the morning. The crowd is generally low at the time and you can walk around in a very tranquil, calm and peaceful environment. That is an experience you want to have for sure.
  2. Take your favourite book with you. If you are visiting in summer, the sun is your best friend. I saw a girl lying down on her chest and reading a book while enjoying sunshine on a rock. There is no reason why you cannot do the same, provided you are a book lover and reading is what fills your soul.
  3. If you are travelling with your friends, you all can take some homemade foods with you. You can have a picnic in the park beside the church and a few other such places — eating, chatting with each other and enjoying to the fullest. Sounds perfect for a Finnish summer, does not it?
  4. Even during summer, carry an umbrella with you. You do not expect rain to ruin the joy of sightseeing but it may rain, like it did during my visit. I had to take shelter inside a dark tunnel. Thank God it did not rain cats and dogs, and it did not last long. So an umbrella will come in handy if the sky suddenly starts to cry.
  5. Have some money with you, I mean some extra money after you pay your bills (if you eat in a cafe or restaurant) and fees (if you enter a museum). There are small souvenirs and some other nice stuff that you can buy from the shops.
  6. Of the six museums, Customs Museum is the only one that does not charge visitors an entrance fee. So if you are planning to visit the other five museums, it is better to check their individual entrance fees. In summer, you have the option to buy a combined ticket that gives you access to all the museums, and the ticket is valid for the whole summer period. You will find more information here.

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Mahmudul Islam

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Writing Brings Me to Life. I Sing Finnish, Hindi and Bengali Songs with Karaoke. Personal Development| Intercultural Relationship| Meaningful Conversation

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