Suomenlinna, Helsinki: Photos, Reviews & Location

World Heritage site accessed by ferry, with cannons, tunnels, a dockyard, museums & a brewery.

At a glance

#1 of 22 Tourist attractions in Helsinki #3 of 4 Fortresses in Helsinki

LocalGuideWorld score: 4.60

4.9 km from the center of Helsinki

Rating breakdown

5 ★71%
4 ★23%
3 ★5%
2 ★1%
1 ★1%

Suomenlinna, 00190 Helsinki, Finland

suomenlinna.fi

+358 29 5338410

Quick facts

What is the rating of Suomenlinna?: Suomenlinna is rated 4.6 out of 5 based on 51,008 reviews.
How does Suomenlinna rank in Helsinki?: Suomenlinna is #1 of 22 Tourist attractions in Helsinki by LocalGuideWorld score (rating weighted by number of reviews).
Where is Suomenlinna located?: Suomenlinna, 00190 Helsinki, Finland — 4.9 km from the center of Helsinki.
How can I contact Suomenlinna?: Phone: +358 29 5338410 · Website: suomenlinna.fi

If you are visiting Helsinki you def need to go for a nice walk on this island. You take the ferry from Market Square, they departure every 30-40 minutes and you get there in a quick 10-15 mins ride. I went there in winter on a rainy day and the small ice blowing into your face mostly near the King's Gate.
Beautiful little town with nice cafes, bars and restaurants.
I've tried the local soup of the day in one small but lovely place and it was fantastic.

jilsangel 2024 Jan 20

a captivating sea fortress near Helsinki. The island's rich history and charming cafes make it a wonderful destination. Enjoy exploring!

Alex BT 2024 Jan 07

Short ferry ride (20min) and nice to visit for a couple of hours or more. Would I prioritize this over other tourist points in Helsinki: no. I recommend seeing it but not above other things and especially during the winter.
Count about 30min to cross the island on foot and about 3hrs when doing the full tour.

Auke van der Grinten 2024 Jan 01

Absolutely stunning in the winter. The colored buildings give a lovely view against the white backdrop. It’s super nice to walk around. I recommend to walk all the way to Kings gate and back. And a great bonus, there’s a supermarket near the ferry stop!

Jeffrey Alperovich 2023 Dec 26

Really beautiful way to spend a few hours! A great work around the island seeing some historical points and experiencing some enjoyable views. Also had some coffees from different spots on the island which is always welcome.

Meet Agrawal 2023 Dec 25

A ~20 mins ferry ride to the calm, serene and a wonderful island with breathtaking views!! If you are planning this place in winters, just a warning as it’s a lot to walk and it can get difficult to walk because of the ice.

But I would want to visit this island in summers when I visit Helsinki again!

Marina Trencheva 2023 Nov 18

Suomenlinna fortress is one of my favourite places in Finland. Such a beautiful place. The Suomenlinna fortress is located on the coast of Helsinki and it is a UNESCO World Heritage site. I loved everything about this place. You can spend a few good hours walking and exploring the sea fortress. It is a must visit for everyone. I highly recommend it. There are a few restaurants and coffee shops. There's no entry fee to the fortress but you'll have to take a ferry from Helsinki to Suomenlinna fortress. The tickets have different options. For example, buy a single ticket or all-day tickets. The good thing about the tickets is that they can be used for any public transport.

Luke Phang 2023 Sep 06

We visited in autumn, and this island makes for a good half to one day trip from Helsinki. There are many different museums here (you need to pay per entrance if you don't have the Helsinki card), but our personal favourite was the World War 2 submarine and war museums.

There are also historical buildings you can visit, and you can also get scenic views of the sea here. Everything is within Walkable distance, takes about an hour to two to walk non-stop from one end to the other end.

There are also different restaurants here for food if you want to try it out, but nothing caught our eye. We did try an ice cream stall that sold 1 cone for 4.50 euros. As this is a tourist spot, expect things here to be pricey if you're spending money, even the church charges an entrance fee. Otherwise you can also bring your own food and have a picnic here, the King's Gate is quite a good place to sit and chill.

Do check the weather before coming here though, as it was raining when we were here and that somewhat affected our experience as most of the places are unshelthered.

Overall an interesting attraction to visit with different activities. Highly recommended as a half to full day excursion from Helsinki. You can reach this place via a public ferry that departs every 20 minutes from the Market Square.