How to travel to the Finnish archipelago
Finnish archipelago in the largest archipelago in the world. It is not only a geographical wonder but also a cultural and natural treasure with breathtaking landscapes. In this post you will learn, how to travel to the Finnish archipelago.
You might think it’s a secret gem for only those people, who own a boat, but there are islands which are easy to access for everyone, the connecting ferries are free and there are lots of accommodation possibilities from camping to hotels.
In this post, you will learn where it is located, how to travel there from Turku and Helsinki, and get some ideas of where to stay.
The use of the ferry system is covered in the post:
Where is Finnish archipelago?
The Finnish archipelago stretches from the southwestern coast far into the Baltic Sea creating an intricate labyrinth of islands.
You can see the location from the picture on the right (picture source: Visit Pargas).
Traveling to the archipelago from Turku
In Finland, the gateway to the archipelago is the city of Turku. You can reach the archipelago by car, but there are also bus connections available. By using them, you can reach the furthest of the islands.
Let’s go through these options next.
By car
From Turku, drive towards Kaarina and then turn towards Parainen. You can drive all the way through the main islands (Nauvo, Korppoo, Houtskär) using car ferries and continue your journey on a smaller ferry ending up far out in the Baltic Sea.
The ferries are maintained by the government and are free to use. Read more about the ferry system here: Ferry guide – How to use archipelago ferries
By bus
The bus leaves from the bus station in Turku. The route follows the archipelago route and it connects you to other ferry routes as well.
From this timetable list choose lines 901-904 (srcoll to the bottom of the list). You can take the bus to Nauvo, Korppoo and Houtskär. There is a connection to the Utö route and Åland Traffic’s southern route to Kökar.
I will give information about the bus connections for each island in the respective posts.
Traveling from Helsinki to Turku
If you are traveling by car, head towards Turku, and before you arrive in Turku, turn towards Parainen by the city of Kaarina.
If you come from outside Finland, you’ll most probably fly to Helsinki. It is easy to travel from Helsinki to Turku by train or by bus. You can jump on both directly from the airport or from the centre of Helsinki.
By bus
The long distance bus terminal is situated underground Kamppi shopping centre. Check timetables here. The journey takes about 2.5 hours. The pictures below are from the Helsinki bus Terminal, you can enter it from the right side of the mall’s main door.
In the airport the bus to Turku leaves fron platform 13 (Vainion Liikenne, white bus).
By train
The Helsinki train station is also in the centre, and you can check the timetables here. The journey takes about 2 hours.
When you are in Turku, follow the instructions with the archipelago bus above.
If you stay overnight in Turku, Hotel Helmi at the bus station is a handy option. If you are heading to the archipelago in the morning, to catch a morning ferry on the Utö route, for example, you have to take a bus that’s leaving at 6:40 from Turku.
Helmi is right next to the bus station and they serve breakfast already at six for those taking the early bus. The hotel is clean, although it is already a bit old. Of course, there are many hotels in Turku to choose from, but this one is handy for the early morning start.
From Stockholm
You can also access the Finnish archipelago from Stockholm (Sweden) via Åland. Åland has its own ferry system and these ferries cost a little. Read more:
Where to go and stay in the archipelago
Before you start your journey, you’ll want to know where you can stay. I will first go through the camping areas and spots, which you can reach by ferry. After that, I’ll list some hotels and other types of accommodation.
Camping
There is a national park within the Finnish archipelago, called the Archipelago Sea National Park. The park is designated to preserve the unique natural and cultural heritage of the region, but it also offers camping services in some of the islands, like camping areas, toilets, and fire places (with firewood).
Some of those islands can be reached by ferry. You can find information about those islands and camping possibilities in the post below.
Some other camping areas in the archipelago are listed below.
Camping areas
Rumar Strand, Korppoo
Situated by the sea in the southern part of Korppoo, 8.5 km from the Korppoo village.
Naava Nature Camp, Korppoo
Situated close to Galtby ferry port. Sleep in your tent or try their tensile or amok hammock options!
Kittuis Camping, Houtskär
Situated by the sea close to Kittuis ferry port.
Mossala Island Resort, Mossala, Houtskär
Situated by the sea in Northern Houtskär. Also cabins for rent.
Sandvik Marina & Camping, Kökar, Åland
Situated by the sea, 3 km from the Kökar ferry port. In the area, there’s also a marina and rental cabins.
Sandösund Camping, Vårdö, Åland
Sandösund is quite a big area with a hotel and cabins. There are a lot of activities in the area.
Fisketorpet, Brändö, Åland
Smallish area by the sea. Also cabins for rent.
Other accommodation
There are many hotels and B&Bs in the archipelago. During the peak season, it is good to book in advance, as the summer season is busy. Below you can find some options, it is not a comprehensive list of hotels though. There are more options for accommodation in the posts about different islands.
Accommodation in the Finnish archipelago
Hotel Lanterna, Nauvo
Martta B&B, Nauvo
Hotel Strandbo, Nauvo
Hotel Stallbacken, Nauvo
Hjalmar’s Hotel, Korppoo
Hotel Nestor, Korppoo
Jurmo Inn, Jurmo
Utö Sea hotel, Utö
Hotel Hyppeis, Houtskär
Hotel Kasnäs Paviljong, Kemiönsaari
Accommodation in the Åland archipelago
Hotel Brudhäll, Kökar
Strandhugget B&B, Sottunga
Hotel Gulvivan, Brändö
Pellas, Lappo
Hotel Svala, Kumlinge
Kumlinge Stugor, Kumlinge
Guesthouse Enigheten, Föglö
The services are mainly available in the summertime, but many entrepreneurs are very flexible and can arrange things for you if you ask in advance.
Best time to travel
The Finnish archipelago is a popular summer retreat for both locals and tourists. The islands come to life during the summer months when people flock to enjoy the natural beauty, outdoor activities, and cultural events.
The peak season is from the end of June to the beginning of August. If you want to avoid crowds, I suggest traveling outside this period. On the other hand, the weather is usually warm and sunny and all the services on the islands are open.
Spring until midsummer is beautiful in the archipelago and still quiet. It is popular time for bird spotters, as the migrating birds fly through the archipelago. Weather remains cool for long in the spring, so don’t forget your beanie!
After the peak season, August and September remain warm and the peace and quiet have return to the villages. This is perfect time to enjoy the warm weather without crowds.
