Enjoy Suomenlinna with care

Suomenlinna is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that must be preserved for future generations. Help us look after Suomenlinna by following the instructions!

Be careful and watch your steps

The fortification structures, walls and ramparts can be kilometres long and are for the most part unfenced. Use extra caution when moving around in the fortress! Please note that all visitors move in the fortress at their own risk.

When visiting the shoreline, you should keep an eye on the sea traffic as passing vessels may cause dangerously high waves and strong currents on the waterfront. In winter, conditions underfoot may be slippery, please take care. Access to construction sites and other closed areas is forbidden for safety reasons.

Supervise children

Children must not be left unattended or allowed to climb the walls. Please note that even areas that seem safe may feature unexpected falling hazards. These may be disguised by vegetation in summer and snow in winter. Supervise children at all times!

Respect the architecture and sensitive environment

Suomenlinna is protected by the Antiquities Act, so digging is prohibited in the fortress. Buildings, fortification works and artillery pieces may not be harmed.

Certain parts of the sea fortress are prone to wearing down. We request that you stay on the marked paths in these areas. Suomenlinna is also home to several rare and protected plants, trees and buildings that must be left undisturbed.

Pets must be kept on a leash and away from children’s playgrounds and beaches. The animal’s minder is responsible for collecting the animal’s droppings. Birds, their nests and wild animals may not be disturbed or harmed.

Respect the privacy of residents

Suomenlinna is home to approximately 800 inhabitants. Please respect their privacy by staying on the paths marked on the map. The private yards of the local Suomenlinna inhabitants are marked with signs (in yellow in the Suomenlinna online guide). Go to the guide. On the fortress islands, noisy activities are prohibited between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.

Barbecues and fires are strictly forbidden

Making an open fire or using a barbecue, including a disposable grill, are forbidden in the entire Suomenlinna area. In order to avoid fires in the valuable World Heritage Site, making a fire is prohibited at all times. The residents have the right to grill food in their courtyards and rented allotment gardens.

Use waste bins and recycling bins

There are many waste bins and recycling points at Suomenlinna where you can sort your waste. The recycling points are located near the Jetty Barracks by the ferry pier, in front of the Suomenlinna Museum and in the vicinity of the beach in Kustaanmiekka. The recycling points contain collection bins for biowaste, paper, cardboard, glass, metal and plastic waste. See the Suomenlinna online guide for the locations of the recycling points.

Rules and regulations

Street music and peddling are prohibited without permission from the landowner. Posting advertisements or signs in the World Heritage Site is forbidden.

Camping or setting up canopies, tents or other structures on the terrain or closing off areas for private purposes is prohibited. Overnight accommodation is available in Hostel Suomenlinna or in Villa Silo all year round. Read more about accommodation alternatives.

The use and parking of motor vehicles is restricted, as Suomenlinna is being developed as a car-free area. Cycling is permitted on the roads only. The sandbanks are protected structures; cycling on the sandbanks is strictly forbidden. Read more about driving in Suomenlinna.

Visitors may bring their own boats to Suomenlinna and moor at the guest harbour. The other quays are reserved for the use of public transport, the Defence Forces, the Frontier Guard or residents. Mooring boats anywhere else is not possible because of the waves caused by passing vessels. There is a 10 km/h speed limit in the water areas of Suomenlinna, and creating waves is forbidden.

Pursuant to the Public Order Act, the consumption of intoxicating substances is prohibited in public places and public transport conveyances. The prohibition does not apply to the consumption of alcohol beverages in a park or similar public place, provided that the consumption of the alcoholic beverages and the associated behaviour do not prevent or unreasonably interfere with the right of others to use the place for its proper purpose.