Helsinki - Suomenlinna/Vallisaari/Lonna Island hop

[Wayfairers]

Anyone ever done a day hopping by ferry between the islands of Suomenlinna, Vallisaari and Lonna?  Looks like it could be an interesting day.

[Hezu]

On 9/15/2019 at 2:35 AM, Wayfairers said:

Anyone ever done a day hopping by ferry between the islands of Suomenlinna, Vallisaari and Lonna?  Looks like it could be an interesting day.

 

I haven't been island hopping between these, but I am familiar with Vallisaari and Suomenlinna. And I know that Lonna is much smaller and unless you interested in its restaurant, sauna or cafe/bar I guess you can skip it.

Vallisaari (and the interconnected neighbouring island Kuninkaansaari) has somewhat limited services (there is a restaurant and few cafes at/near the Torpedolahti harbour), but then there is plenty of interesting nature and some sights from its past as a military island.

Suomenlinna then is the most developed of these three and the preserved fortifications, historical buildings, vintage dockyard, museums (including museum submarine Vesikko) and various other things will sure offer enough to see even for a slightly longer visit. And there are restaurants (including a brewery!) and cafes to offer nourishment if you need that. And do not forget that despite it is a sightseeing destination, it is still also a city district where some people live, so it is not perhaps the best idea to sneak into every backyard there.

 

[Wayfairers]

Thanks for the information.  I like that there is nature on Vallisaari.   Read somewhere that there are designated walkways that you shouldn’t stray from due to mines.  We are used to that here in north Florida.  

 

I’m thinking we will start with either Vallisaari or Suomenlinna, then to the other one and finish with Lonna (or skip if we run out of time).  I’m thinking we will grab a boat schedule with our ticket for the day and go from there.  

 

Am I missing anything I should know?

[Hezu]

28 minutes ago, Wayfairers said:

Thanks for the information.  I like that there is nature on Vallisaari.   Read somewhere that there are designated walkways that you shouldn’t stray from due to mines.  We are used to that here in north Florida.  

 

I’m thinking we will start with either Vallisaari or Suomenlinna, then to the other one and finish with Lonna (or skip if we run out of time).  I’m thinking we will grab a boat schedule with our ticket for the day and go from there.  

 

Am I missing anything I should know?

 

Although Lonna and Vallisaari have been used for production/maintenance/storage of naval armaments, there is no mines there, although in Vallisaari there is Kuolemaanlaakso ("Death Valley"), which might still have some remains from the exposives that reformed this area in a large explosion accident in July 9th 1937 that took 12 lives. But yes, you should stay on the marked paths as elsewhere there can be dangerous structures (derelict bunkers and such), steep cliffs and areas that may collapse. And also some places might be marked off limits to protect the nature (eg. an eagleowl family has been nesting in these islands, although in last couple years their nesting place has been somewhere around the Suomenlinna dockyard rather than more natural environment).

I can suggest starting with Vallisaari since I believe that most departures (at least this time of the year, in peak summer the schedule might be slightly different) of these JT-line boats offering this island hopping from Kauppatori (Market Square) stop there before Suomenlinna. It would be also possible to travel to/from Vallisaari with a ship from Suomen Saaristokuljetus that has second stop in Isosaari, yet another island previously in military use. However, that larger island is further away from the coast (about 50 minute ride from Kauppatori), so it might be somewhat time consuming to go there and back.

[Wayfairers]

56 minutes ago, Hezu said:

 

Although Lonna and Vallisaari have been used for production/maintenance/storage of naval armaments, there is no mines there, although in Vallisaari there is Kuolemaanlaakso ("Death Valley"), which might still have some remains from the exposives that reformed this area in a large explosion accident in July 9th 1937 that took 12 lives. But yes, you should stay on the marked paths as elsewhere there can be dangerous structures (derelict bunkers and such), steep cliffs and areas that may collapse. And also some places might be marked off limits to protect the nature (eg. an eagleowl family has been nesting in these islands, although in last couple years their nesting place has been somewhere around the Suomenlinna dockyard rather than more natural environment).

I can suggest starting with Vallisaari since I believe that most departures (at least this time of the year, in peak summer the schedule might be slightly different) of these JT-line boats offering this island hopping from Kauppatori (Market Square) stop there before Suomenlinna. It would be also possible to travel to/from Vallisaari with a ship from Suomen Saaristokuljetus that has second stop in Isosaari, yet another island previously in military use. However, that larger island is further away from the coast (about 50 minute ride from Kauppatori), so it might be somewhat time consuming to go there and back.

This is great information...thank you!!!  We will start with Vallisaari then.  We will be there in May 2020.

[joejoe 59]

Great info thank's,  visiting May 2020.