All Aboard Part 2, Finland

If you know me then you are quite aware that one of my favourite things in life is food. And when the sun is out I will never refuse a picnic. If you can add an island into the mix then I will be ecstatic.

Therefore my cousin Linda and I opted for a day in the sun on none other but the most famous Finnish island: Suomenlinna.

We packed our sunglasses, fresh fruits, picnic supplies and caught the ferry. (We took the JT Line, more information here.)

Suomenlinna is a cluster of six islands off the coast of Helsinki, its name translates to “Finland’s Castle” as the island houses a fortress that was built in the mid 1700 by the Swedish as defence against Russian expansionism.

Today the island is no longer under military use but has become one of the main tourist attractions in Helsinki. However Suomenlinna is not a tourist trap, you will find many locals relaxing all over, also visiting the island is a must if the sky is clear.

Especially hungry we walked about the island, trying to find the perfect spot for our picnic. Of course we wanted a sea view so we opted for the cliff side at the very end of the island near the King’s Gate.

If you have small children accompanying you it might be safer to occupy one of the many parks. 

If it is particularly warm, do bring your swimsuit and enjoy the small sandy beach.

The sounds of the waves softly crashing onto the beach and the seagulls laughing was the perfect background noise to our picnic.

We laughed, threatened the hungry birds and ate until all we wanted to do was lay in the sun and close our eyes for a little while.

However we built up the courage to explore the island.

We walked along the coast, enjoying the peace and warm sun.

The island houses six museums, including war themed museums and even a toy museum, more info can be found here.  

I found walking around the island like being in a summer dream: lovely small pastel coloured houses kept appearing at each turn we took, each prettier than the last.

There are many cafes and restaurants all over Suomenlinna, so if sitting on the ground isn't your thing then do go visit one!

I also found my dream house, well more of a dream mansion. Its colour reminds me of the Grand Budapest Hotel which makes me love it even more.

I guess for now I can only dream of owning a beautiful pastel pink house by the sea.

If it is sunny and warm do promise to visit Suomenlinna, it has so much to offer!