Nautical miles instead of kilometers: by ferry to finland

The popular belief that authentic Finland is only many hours away by car in the interior of the country makes Suomi seem inaccessible as a vacation destination. However, to experience the real Finnish vacation feeling, you don’t have to escape far from the Helsinki area or even go to Lapland. Within a small radius, the whole diversity of the Finnish landscape and culture opens up, and that even with your own car – conveniently with the Finnlines ferry from Germany. A successful start to a Finnish summer vacation with all its facets begins with the ferry arrival at the port of Helsinki-Vuosaari.

Cover image: © Nordlandblog / Text: Christine Birkel

Archipelago sea and Finland in the southwest

Summer days in the archipelago off Turku are long and sun-drenched. You quickly feel transported back to Astrid Lindgren’s stories, when the Baltic Sea laps the flat stone coast of the islets, while the sun tickles your nose. In fact, the chain of islands off Turku at the southernmost tip of the west coast is dominated by Swedish language and culture. This can be experienced especially during a visit to the former capital Åbo, which is Turku’s Swedish name. Swedish settlements and later first Swedish universities have shaped the region. Lively student life inspires the city to this day. On warm summer evenings you can stroll along the river Aura and enjoy the cheerful hustle and bustle on the restaurant boats and at the bistro tables on the curb.

From Helsinki, Turku can be reached in just over two hours via the E18 expressway. But it is recommended to make a detour off the highway: The Raseborg region, with its little towns of Fiskars and Ekenas, and the port city of Hanko – Finland’s southernmost point – make a day trip a historical maritime experience.

The gateway to the lake district in northwest Helsinki

The land of a thousand lakes – pure Finland! A short journey away is the Hame region, with the Sibelius city of Hameenlinna at its center, and the region around Tampere on the edge of the western lake district. Here one experiences the Finnish nature full of contrasts.

In tranquil Hameenlinna and the surrounding countryside, one quickly encounters the unbridled nature of lakes and forests that truly celebrate typical Finland. No wonder Jean Sibelius, Finland’s great composer, found his inspiration here. The Hame region has a long history of glassblowing, which can still be admired in Iitala and Riihimaki. Or how about a romantic ride on the historic narrow gauge railway? This region lends itself to a voyage of discovery and is still a real insider tip.

The lively metropolis of Tampere is in stark contrast: Here, industrial and subcultural life thrives embedded between lakes Nasijarvi and Pyhajarvi along the Pispalanharju mountain wall. The Pyynikki lookout tower offers a panoramic view of magnificent lakelands in the middle of the city – something really special. For sauna lovers there is an extra treat: Besides the oldest public sauna, Rajaportti Sauna, you can also find the most modern one: "Kuuma" (fin. Warmth) and her old sister are separated by about 100 years. Exciting contrasts and each time deeply relaxing in its own way…

It doesn’t get any closer than this – a detour to the southeast

If you roll off the ship after the 29-hour crossing and even then shy away from any further travel, you will also find what you are looking for in Helsinki’s catchment area when it comes to discovering pure Finnish life. Porvoo, with its picturesque ensemble of wooden houses, and Kotka, with its old-town flair on the Gulf of Finland, are actually only a stone’s throw from the port area. The historic towns along the King’s Route promise small-town idylls of the Nordic kind.

Nautical miles instead of kilometers: by ferry to finland

So the real Finland is less than half a day’s journey from the harbor quay in Helsinki-Vuosaari, after enjoying a very relaxed crossing on the Finnlines ferries. So if you touch Finnish soil in the morning after a relaxed journey, you can already enjoy Munkki in Tampere in the afternoon or watch the sun set over the archipelago in the evening.