One day we decided to explore Suomenlinna, the historic sea fortress just off the coast of Helsinki. We walked down to Helsinki’s Market Square and took the Ferry to the Island of Suomenlinna.
We boarded the ferry and watch the city skyline slowly recede as we made our way across the Baltic Sea. It only took us about twenty minutes to get to the island but the ride was very enjoyable. We saw some beautiful views of Helsinki and the surrounding islands.
As we approached Suomenlinna, we could see why it has earned UNESCO World Heritage status. The fortress stretches in front of us with historic stone walls, and buildings. We left the ferry and walked through the main gate of the complex.
Our first impression entering through the gate was that there was a full town inside the walls of the fortress.
At each turn there were walkways and paths that led in different directions. We came to a military building that had massive chains surrounding it with cannons as the post. It was quite impressive to see.
It was also very peaceful walking through the fortress even through there were people and tourist walking about.
We spent the morning exploring the fortress walking through the maze of walls and defensive structures that date back to the 18th century.
Walking through the different areas of the fort we soon got lost and it was awesome to just wander and enjoying the moment.
We came to some fortified bunkers and cave system and decided to explore the interior.
We went inside and walked in the narrow underground tunnels to eventually pop out at another fortified bunker location.
The views from a top of the bunker walls were beautiful. We could see to surrounding Islands and views of the cost of Helsinki in the distance.
We walked along the paths exploring when we came to an interesting spot. In the distance we could see a submarine permanently displayed near the bay of the island. We couldn’t resist taking a closer look at this remarkable piece of naval history.
It was hard to imagine how a crew of 20 sailors lived and worked in such a confined space beneath the sea. This submarine served in the Finnish Winter War and the WWII between 1939 and 1944. What made it especially significant because it served as the prototype for Germany’s Type II U-boats, making it an important piece of submarine development history.
We visited several of the historic sites scattered throughout the island, including old cannons that still point toward the sea and the museum that told the story of the fortress’s fascinating past.
Walking along the paths it sometimes felt more like a park than a fortress and was very relaxing.
We strolled along a trail that came across a small bridge with views of the Baltic Sea in the background.
After exploring for hours we headed our way back to the ferry terminal. The return trip to Helsinki provided one last view of the fortress from the water.
It was a day filled with Interesting history, views of the baltic Sea and a relaxing and enjoyable time.
“Elä hetkessä”
We arrived down at the waterfront near the market square which is located on the South Harbour of the city. It is one of the city’s best-known landmarks and a hub for daily commerce.
There were small restaurants, cafe shops and artisan stores selling all kind of goods, from Salmon sandwiches, reindeer meat to Caviar.
There were different gardens each with different themes and walkways.
One of the things that impressed us most was the incredible architecture throughout the park. The futuristic buildings blended perfectly with the gardens which enhanced the feeling of being in Jurassic Park.
One of the highlights of the day was simply taking our time and enjoying the atmosphere together. As evening approached, we made our way toward the famous artificial trees for the light show.
The service staff were very friendly and did not make us feel rushed at all. Instead they encouraged us to stay and watch the sunset and water and light show. So we slowly enjoyed our wine throughout the evening, watching the sky change colours as the sun began to set.
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