Summer = beach. That is especially true if you can rely on good weather and sunshine, like in the south of Europe. But the northern countries, including Finland, also have their nice share of sea beaches and beaches by the lake. In this post we tell you about some of the best beaches in Helsinki and Finland.
Some Finns taking in the sunlight, on Helsinki’s Hietaniemi beach. Source (CC: by-sa) [1]
Table of Contents
Finland: beaches by the sea and beaches by the lake
Finland, as it has been traditionally branded, is the land of the thousand lakes (the Finland brand has grown ever since to include education [9], design, northern lights [10]). You can go to any of the lakes in Finland and freely take a dip, but if I personally had to choose I’d prefer bathing in salty wather and with no coast on the horizon, with the feeling of immensity that only the sea can provide.
Finnish sea-beaches (and bathing in the nude)
The sea-beaches of Finland that are on the shore of the Baltic sea aren’t all look-alikes. Some of them are sandy, while others are covered in small stones instead of fine sand. They are usually quite long with lots of space to put your towel, and once you decide to go into the water, the floor of the sea will have the same pattern as the beach: it can be a little rocky or deliciously sandy.
We’ll see some famous and highly frequented beaches in Helsinki and Finland in a second.
A beach in Helsinki, on the Baltic sea. Source(CC: by) [11]
Highlight: Hietaniemi beach in Helsinki
When people picture Helsinki [12], they probably think about anything but a beach. Nonetheless there are several beaches to choose from, and they are a great option for spending the long summer afternoons and evenings and to enjoy the white night [13].
The Hietaniemi beach, or “Hietsu” as it is known by the locals, is the most popular beach of Helsinki’s capital. It is sandy, so you don’t have to worry about little stones. Its address is Hiekkarannantie 11. It is a supervised beach: It has safeguards during the summer period, in the daytime (from June 2nd to August 10th, between 10 and 21h). There are some publicly available areas and services, such as showers, outdoor gyms, and a children’s area. Hietaniemi was named one of the most romantic spots in the city, so it is a great choice for spending a day at the beach in Helsinki.
The Hietsu beach is the most popular beach of Helsinki. [14]Click To Tweet [14]On this map we can see the location of Hietaniemi beach, on the left, and the location of the Uunisaari beach – we will talk about it in a second – in the south.
The Uunisaari beach, near Helsinki
This nice beach can only be accessed in summer with a ferry boat. The good thing is that the ferry takes only three minutes from the city. This ferry leaves from Kaivopuisto park, next to the city center.
The island where the beach is at also features a restaurant, a kiosk, and several public saunas. This island is worth a visit to get the sun tan: it is really close to Helsinki and is tiny, which makes it quite lovely. From there you can leave the busy city life and all the buildings behind, and you have a great view: the sea to one side and the city to the other.
Uunisaari beach, before the beginning of the season, and looking towards Helsinki. Source (CC:by) [15]
Regarding the beach per se, this one also has safeguards during daytime – between 10 and 18h – during the period between June 2nd and August 10th. The cost to arrive to this island by ferry is 3,5€.
Other beaches in Helsinki
The website of the city of Helsinki provides us with a list of all the beaches that exist in the city. Some of them are near the river or at a lake, others by the sea. The list contains data like locations, if they are supervised, what kind of installations are around (for example, beach volley nets, an open-air gym, children’s playground, toilets, etc.). You can see this list of beaches in Helsinki here [16].
The longest beach of Finland: Yyteri
Yyteri has to offer six kilometers of sandy dunes, to sink our feet in with each step. It is the longest beach in Finland and one of the biggest in all the nordic countries [17].
Yyteri beach on an autumn day. Source (CC: by) [18]
Its location is 250 kilometers from the capital of Finland, therefore being less accessible than the beaches of Helsinki we talked about. This beach is near the city of Pori. Its distance to Helsinki is compensated by its great length, the low waters, and all the things you can do there, such as surfing (it is one of the few places in Finland where you can do this), lots of beach volley and more water sports.
Most of the beach area is for normal bathing, but there is also a part of the beach for people who prefer to sunbath, and bath, in the nude. If this is something you’re keen on doing, besides this beach you can also go to the Pihlajasaari beach in the Finnish city of Yyteri, and also the beaches of Pihlasaari and Seurasaari in Helsinki.
Can you recommend any other sea beach that you like in Finland? Have you been to the ones we mentioned in this post? Be careful, nonetheless, about the very big Finnish mosquitoes, and if you go to some beaches on the south-west of Finland, also beware of ticks.