Suomenlinna Sea Fortress — Local services in Helsinki sub-region

Warning! Do not go here when it's raining. When I read all the glorious reviews, one thing in common is that they had good weather. On the day we went it was raining almost continuously, with high wind gusts. The blue route the website talks about is not so clearly marked as they would have you believe, and the paper map quickly falls apart in the rain. Many of the paths also become muddy and slippery. Why isn't a digital map that you can zoom in and out on available? The 40 second preview provided for the audio guide did not leave me with the feeling that it would be good value. We were there in mid-September and it's a pity that by then can offer guided tours on only 2 days per week. There are a lot of buildings that seem to be of no particular interest and it was sometimes difficult to determine which were relevant in the posted signage. It was only after later reading additional material that I learned interesting tunnels to be seen. These were not mentioned in the highlights noted on the paper map and on the website. The submarine was interesting but considering how little time it takes to walk through it, this additional fee was not good value. At least we could catch the regular ferry back to the city without having to retrace our path to the entry. But be warned this ferry is part of the public transportation system and moves quickly. It docked, a few people got off and with us only 20 meters away and clearly headed in that direction, it took off again rather than wait. It would be 30 minutes before the next...

A very interesting place and a lot bigger than it seems when looking at the map. We go there every summer and it's easy to spend the whole day exploring the tunnels, going round the museums etc. I especially recommend seeing the Vesikko submarine and for the 7e entrance fee you can also visit the war museum so very good value too. The ferry from the market square belongs to the normal bus network too so the ticket costs only 3,20e to go there. There are plenty of coffee shops and nice places to eat. The restaurant in the dry dock allegedly has the best pike meatballs in Finland! But I recommend grabbing dome strawberries and peas from the market square first or taking a picnic. It's such a beautiful place and even when there are tons of tourists it's still very easy to find a quiet place to sit and eat your picnic in peace. Watch out for the crazy seagulls though, because they're extremely aggressive and not afraid of you at all and will definitely take any opportunity to steal...

This isn’t just a few old cannons and a wall – it’s a fortress sprawling over several islands, and it can easily take up your entire day. And that’s even if you don’t get lost… which, frankly, is pretty easy to do. You wander through vast ramparts, underground tunnels, old barracks, and scenic sea views that make you half expect a Viking ship to sail by.

Built starting in the 18th century, the fortress was designed to protect Helsinki from naval invasions. Today, it’s a UNESCO site – and oddly enough, a popular picnic spot. Though munching on your sandwich next to a cannon might feel a bit surreal.

Just one word of advice: keep an eye on the ferry schedule. When hunger strikes or the fun runs out, you’ll want to make sure you don’t miss the last boat back to the city. Otherwise, your historic adventure might end with a very unexpected sleepover among...