The best city hikes and walks in Southern Finland

Piper Park, located in Suomenlinna, is considered one of the oldest landscape-style parks in Finland. The park is part of the Suomenlinna fortress landscape, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (since 1991). The area is state-owned. No major changes or renovations have been made to the park since the 1940s. The renovation plan at that time was drawn up by garden architect Bengt Schalin. Piper Park, which began in the late 1770s and early 1780s, is one of the oldest sites in Finland where traces of conscious garden design are clearly visible. The park is one of the early examples of Enlightenment garden culture in our country and is also one of the first to show the features of a landscape garden. Viapori Fortress was once an important centre of cultivation and a testing ground, from where many plant species spread to other parts of Finland. Source & more information: https://www.hel.fi/hel2/hkr/julkaisut/2010/Piperin_puisto_hks.pdf

Be careful when swimming there youself, with your kids and with your dog. First check the Blue-green algae situation, as tie algae is dangerous to humans and animals. https://www.hel.fi/en/culture-and-leisure/outdoor-activities-parks-and-nature-destinations/public-beaches/swimming-water-quality-and-blue-green-algae

Suomenlinna Beach is a small sandy beach on the western side of Suomenlinna Sea Fortress. You can travel to Suomenlinna by a ferry from the Market Square. You can check the water quality, temperature and blue-green algae situation of the beach via the ulkoliikunta.fi map service during the summer season. Lifeguards do not supervise the beach during the beach season. You can find shower and toilet facilities on the beach. The other services on Suomenlinna are also available close to the beach.

The Russian Merchants' Quarter is one of the first sights you come across when you arrive at Suomenlinna. Some of these beautiful and colorful wooden houses are the oldest surviving commercial buildings in Finland. Over the years, the block has housed many different services, such as a bakery, kindergarten, hairdresser and grocery stores. 💇‍♀️🥨 The block was given a central location near the Orthodox Church completed in 1854 and the new main entrance to Viapori, the Rantakasarm. A village-like cluster of older wooden buildings was demolished beneath it, and merchant houses, warehouse and bakery buildings, log sheds, stables and toilets were erected in their place. The beer manufacturer Sinebrychoff had a liquor store and tavern built in the block, which have since been demolished. The houses in the block differed in style from the wooden houses in the rest of Finland; in accordance with Russian tradition, the ends of the houses face the road. 🥕🐴 Today, the Russian Merchants' Quarter is home to the atmospheric cafés Café Vanille and Cafe Silo. The buildings in the quarter are mainly private apartments, but anyone can stay in the lovely Villa Silo.

Suomenlinna Experience – short film Once even called the Gibraltar of the North, Suomenlinna is one of the largest sea fortresses in the world. The “Suomenlinna Experience” short film presents the complex story of the fortress, spanning through history from its foundation to the present day. The duration of the film is approximately 25 minutes. The show starts every half hour, and the last film of the day starts one hour before the museum closes. Language options: Finnish, Swedish, English, German, French, Russian, Spanish, Chinese, and Japanese.

The museum presents the history of the fortress for over 270 years, the fortification works and the dry dock as well as the everyday life and celebrations of the inhabitants and soldiers. The exhibition includes personal objects, tools and weapons found at Suomenlinna. The museum’s permanent exhibition gives a comprehensive picture of the fortress and the life of its inhabitants in the 18th and 19th centuries. Opening hours The museum is open year-round daily at 10:30-17:00. During the summer season 202, from June to August daily at 10:00-18:00. The museum is closed 24th-25th of December. Source & more information: https://suomenlinnatours.com/en/activities-at-suomenlinna/suomenlinna-museum/

The views up and down the Keravanjoki River here are super beautiful, and this is a great riverside path to hike or cycle on. It is a real serene and tranquil setting and perfect if you are with your family.

The shipbuilding museum is somewhat hidden.