Suomenlinna, 10-11 July 2018

On the way back from Porvoo, we stopped in Suomenlinna for a couple of days in order to meet friends and experience the Suomenlinna site, in the UNESCO world heritage.

Helsinki skyline, from Suomenlinna

Belisama alongside the main pier in the Suomenlinna marina. 29€/night with electricity.

 Suomenlinna is a big gun island with the visit. This fortified place is surrounded by impressive guns, testifying of the troubled yers of Helsinki and Finland under the Swedish, then Russian, then German ruling.

Suomenlinna is well connected with the market place at the centre of Helsinki. A ferry every 20 minutes, taking 20 minutes for the ride. Running until 2 AM in the morning! 

During the day, we visited Aleksi Gallén Kallela home with our Finnish friends. He is one of the artists who painted the Kalevala saga, as shown on the picture below.

The defence of the Sampo, 1896, Aleksi Gallén Kallela, on wikipedia

Then, we visited the house of Pekka Halonen. Most beautiful! 

From https://www.imgrumweb.com/post/BlD9hxIHTHF

Coming late to the island, I could not refrain from remembering Venice when seing these small islands along the coast.

Sunset from the Suomenlinna marina, so characteristic of the Baltic summer mood.