Experience maritime Helsinki on 2–4 June

The maritime environment is part of the Helsinkian identity, and the sea is never far away in the city. Over the weekend of 2–4 June, maritime entrepreneurs and other operators will provide you with an opportunity to familiarise yourself with maritime places and services.

During the weekend, you can take affordable cruises in the Helsinki archipelago, join a nature hike in the archipelago landscape or try canoeing, among other things.

Fascinating views to the sea

Suomenlinna will hold exhibitions at which you can learn about topics such as repairing heritage ships, famous artists’ interpretations of the Baltic Sea and the life of soldiers at sea in times of war and peace alike.

The Unknown Baltic Sea is a multi-voiced, art-based Baltic Sea rescue operation that will bring together a diverse range of artists for a shared exhibition. The exhibition will be held by the John Nurminen Foundation, featuring artists such as Meeri Koutaniemi and Anna Nykyri.

On Suomenlinna, the summer season of the Military Museum will start with a bang on the Flag Day of the Finnish Defence Forces, 4 June. From Sunday to Tuesday, there will be free entry to the Military Museum and Submarine Vesikko, as well as numerous free-of-charge guided tours and independent activities for families with children. You will also have a unique opportunity to see an Enigma cipher device, which will only be on display on 4–6 June.

Sunday 4 June On Suomenlinna, you can join a free-of-charge summer trip to the beautiful nature of the Suomenlinna islands.

Take a cruise in the archipelago or try canoeing

Several water transport operators will provide discounts on cruises and route trips on Saturday 3 June.

On Saturday 3 June, children under the age of 17 can take a free cruise on the paddle steamer Vispilä between the Market Square and Korkeasaari, and people under the age of 18 arriving by water can visit Korkeasaari Zoo free of charge.

The OmaStadi project Accessible Islands via a Charter Boat Service will launch on Friday 2 June. Over the summer of 2023, you can ride an electrically powered Callboat from Reposalmi in Laajasalo to Malkasaari, Kotiluoto and Northern Villaluoto. You can access the islands by ordering a ride with the Callboats app. The daily service time will be from Wednesday to Sunday at 12.00–20.00, and the price of one leg of the route will be €6 for adults and €3 for children. The Callboats season will end on 15 August 2023.

Nature trip provider Natura Viva in Vuosaari and canoeing association Drumsö kanotister ry in Lauttasaari will showcase their operations. For example, on Saturday 3 June in Vuosaari you can reserve a Baltic Sea plogging kayak free of charge, while on Sunday 4 June in Lauttasaari you can try canoeing for free.

All events and offers

JT-Line
Helsinki’s traditional shipping company JT-Line offers free rides to children on Saturday 3 June.

• On Saturday 3 June, all children between the ages of 0 and 17 can take a free cruise on the paddle steamer Vispilä between the Market Square and Korkeasaari Zoo.
• On Saturday 3 June, all children between the ages of 0 and 17 also travel free of charge from Merisatama and Ruoholahti to Pihlajasaari.

FRS-Finland

Adult tickets for half price on the Suomenlinna-Lonna, Vallisaari and Eastern archipelago routes. Tickets can be purchased from the online ticket shop at the price of a special ticket or on-site with a card.

Stromma
Enjoy Stromma’s amazing archipelago cruises at half price on 3 June! Please note! The discount is only valid online when using the discount code VLP50.

• Beautiful Canal Cruise
  On the Beautiful Canal Cruise, you will get to see the beautiful sea views and idyllic seaside villas of the eastern Helsinki archipelago. The route will take you to several islands, each more beautiful than the last, which hide stories of times past. The cruise also features recorded commentary delivered via loudspeakers that explores the history and present of the archipelago. The cruise passes by a number of fascinating and historical archipelago sights, such as the impressive fleet of icebreakers, the Suomenlinna Sea Fortress and Kustaanmiekka, Korkeasaari Zoo, Kulosaari, the Degerö canal, Villinki and Santahamina. The duration of the cruise is 1.5 hours. There is a café/bar on board the ship. Departures on 3 June at 10:30, 12:30, 14:30 from the Market Square, near the yellow Sightseeing flags.
• Helsinki City Highlights Cruise
  The City Highlights Cruise shows you the urban shorelines of Helsinki from the sea. During the cruise you will see some of Helsinki’s most popular summer terraces, beach cafés, beautiful parks and seaside boulevards as well as a variety of urban architecture, from old Art Nouveau to more modern buildings. The route runs via Kaivopuisto, Mattolaitturi, Merisatama and Eiranranta to Suomenlinna. Newer Helsinki is represented on the route by Kruunuvuorenranta, also known as the district of light; in the evenings, its light art installations shine across the sea all the way to the inner city. You will also get to see the ever-evolving residential area of Kalasatama and the traditional Katajanokka at close range. The duration of the cruise is 1.5 hours. There is a café/bar on board the ship. Departures on 3 June at 11:30, 13:30, 15:30 from the Market Square, near the yellow Sightseeing flags.

Affordable access to local islands using a charter boat service

• The OmaStadi project Accessible Islands via a Charter Boat Service will launch on Friday 2 June. Over the summer of 2023, you can ride an electrically powered Callboat from Reposalmi in Laajasalo to Malkasaari, Kotiluoto and Northern Villaluoto. You can access the islands by ordering a ride with the Callboats app. The daily service time will be from Wednesday to Sunday at 12.00–20.00, and the price of one leg of the route will be €6 for adults and €3 for children. The Callboats season will end on 15 August 2023.

Try your hand at paddling!

Natura Viva
Natura Viva welcomes everyone to enjoy a fun-filled day at the Vuosaari Paddling Centre on Saturday 3 June 2023, 10:00–21:00.

• 3 June: 10% discount on season passes purchased on-site at the Paddling Centre.
• Two-hour guided Introduction to paddling tour EUR 39/person
• Rent a SUP board for EUR 29/1 h.
• Reserve a Baltic Sea plogging kayak free of charge.
  

Drumsö Kanotister ry
Drumsö Kanotister ry will be holding an open-door event on Sunday 4 June from 11:00 to 15:00, welcoming everyone to learn about the club’s activities.

• Free-of-charge canoeing demonstrations

Marine-themed exhibitions in Suomenlinna

• The Scent of Pine Tar and the Clangor of Hammers: Photographs of the Preservation Work in the Viapori Shipyard
  2–4 June 10:30–17:00, Suomenlinna Museum, temporary exhibition space,
  admission fee: €8/5/4/0, free admission with the Museum Card
  The shipyard Viapori, built in the 1750s in Suomenlinna, is Finland’s and Europe’s oldest active dry dock. Today it is used to repair and preserve traditional sailing ships under the supervision of the association Viaporin telakka. When the sailing season ends in the autumn, the ships return to the dock and are repaired during the winter. Photographer Björn Elmgren has documented the preservation work done in Viapori since 2018. This exhibition details the history of these sailing ships and the different repairs they require with the help of photographs. Also on display are traditional tools that are still used to repair ships.
• The Unknown Baltic Sea
  Fri 2 June at 12:00–18:00
  Sat 3 June at 12:00–16:00
  Sun 4 June at 12:00–16:00
  Suomenlinna, Levyhalli, free admission
  The timely exhibition is an art-based operation by the John Nurminen Foundation to save the Baltic Sea, bringing together a diverse group of artists for a joint exhibition. The exhibition is a dialogue between seven artists who have explored the Baltic Sea in their own art. Jan Eerala, Kaisu Koivisto, Anna Nykyri, Meeri Koutaniemi, Renja Leino, Arja Renell and Raimo Sundelin create a multi-voiced exhibition experience for the senses centred on the Baltic Sea in Levyhalli.
• Suomenlinna Military Museum & Submarine Vesikko 4–6 June
  The summer season of the Military Museum will start with a bang on the Flag Day of the Finnish Defence Forces, 4 June! From Sunday to Tuesday (4–6 June), there will be free entry to the Military Museum and Submarine Vesikko, as well as numerous free-of-charge guided tours and independent activities for families with children.
  The submarine Vesikko, used in the Second World War, is one of the most popular attractions in Suomenlinna. By visiting the restored submarine, you can see the cramped interior environment where the approximately 20-member crew worked dozens of metres below the surface of the sea. You will also have a unique opportunity to see an Enigma machine, which will only be on display on the days of the event.
•  Sunday 4 June, museum and submarine Vesikko open 11:00–18:00, free admission
  Guided tours (in Finnish):
  12:00 Mannerheim in Finland’s military history (30 minutes)
  14:00 “This is unbreakable” – The story of the Enigma machine (15 mins)
  16:00 The 105 days of the Winter War (30 minutes)
• Monday 5 June, museum and submarine Vesikko open 11:00–18:00, free admission
  Guided tours (in Finnish):
  12:00 Jaegers and the Finnish Civil War (30 mins)
  14:00 “Exhausting position warfare” – The Finnish Continuation War from battles to peace (30 mins)
  16:00 “This is unbreakable” – The story of the Enigma machine (15 mins)
• Tuesday 6 June, museum and submarine Vesikko open 11:00–20:00, free admission
  Guided tours (in Finnish):
  12:00 The bloody Finnish Civil War 1918 – a concise 15-minute intro to the Civil War section of the Military Museum
  14:00 Fateful winter – a concise 15-minute intro to the Winter War section of the Military Museum
  15:00 “This is unbreakable” – The story of the Enigma machine (15 mins)
  16:00 The exhausting Continuation War – a concise 15-minute intro to the Continuation War section of the Military Museum
  18:00 Cold War and crisis management – a concise 15-minute intro to the exhibition in the Military Museum’s Manege

Summer trip to the beautiful nature of the Suomenlinna islands

• Sun 4 June at 10:00–12:00, In Finnish.
  Discover the natural sights of Suomenlinna in the summer on this free-of-charge guided nature tour. Departing from the front of the main dock, the tour will take you to Kustaanmiekka via various nature sites and then back to the dock via a different route. Return to the main dock by 12:00.

Korkeasaari zoo

• On Saturday 3 June, Korkeasaari Zoo offers free admission to children between the ages of 0 and 17 who arrive at the zoo by boat. The benefit is only available to those arriving by boat on 3 June.

Vallisaari

Visitors to Vallisaari can make use of the following offers on Saturday 3 June:

• Iisi Bistro in Torpedo Bay 
  20% discount on salmon soup (L, G)
  20% discount on NettleKombucha
• Harbour Café Vallisaari in Torpedo Bay
  Buy two normal Sea Dog products or Carne dishes to get a children’s hot dog free of charge.
• Vallisaari guest harbour 
  50% discount on day visits and overnight stays at the harbour using the code VESILLE23 when paying for the visit via the webshop
• Ice cream Parlour Paja in the Valley of Death
  50% discount on the minigolf course, max. 4 persons/discount