RIB Adventure Helsinki West, Espoo & Sea Fortifications

Leaves from: Helsinki, by appointment

Number of participants: 6–11 people (if needed we can launch more boats up to 50 persons)

Time: 4 h, price: €169 a person incl. lunch / dinner

Leaves from: Departure place is located in Helsinki center area, Merisatama behind Cafe Carusel. ( from the same jetty as the ferry to Pihlajasaari) Transfers ( pickup) from and to other jetties minimum 60 euros per direction.
Number of participants 6-36 people. One boat 6 to 12 people.
Price 179 including lunch/ dinner.
minimum price for 6 persons 1074 euros including vat 10 %.

This trip takes you west from Helsinki into the tranquillity of the romantic archipelago off Espoo. The route provides magical views of Helsinki’s waterfront attractions, including the fortifications of Suomenlinna and surroundings. The boat passes both the business district of Keilaniemi and the uninhabited islands devoted to recreation and belonging to the City of Espoo.

Our action-packed boat trip accompanied by entertaining tales presents the captivating contrasts of Finland’s Capital Region, known not only for its modern architecture and metropolitan atmosphere but also for its historic buildings and the natural beauty of its island landscapes.

After setting off, we sail past Helsinki’s Salmisaari district. This is known for the old Nokia cable factory, which was converted into a cultural centre and hosts numerous events and exhibitions. The district’s best-known landmark is the 150-metre heating plant chimney.
Leaving this industrial backdrop behind, we head west. After the villas of Kaskisaari, from beneath the arches of a bridge we see the high-rise buildings of Keilaniemi, home to the headquarters of numerous corporations, such as Kone.

The route to the scattered islands passes Villa Sinebrychoff, a 19th-century mansion regarded as the most significant building exemplifying Espoo’s cultural heritage. This is followed shortly afterwards by a string of luxurious modern beach houses, including the spectacular villa with terraces belonging to the legendary owner of the Marimekko design house, Kirsti Paakkanen (1929–2021).

Surrounded by surfboards and sailing boats, we follow the coast to the island of Iso Vasikkasaari, where what is probably the oddest building on the archipelago looks down on the sea: a temple to Poseidon.
As we sail through Espoo’s loveliest waterway, the Suino strait, the banks seem so close to the boat that you could almost reach out and touch them.
Next, we navigate the Suvisaaristo archipelago in the west of Espoo, passing numerous picturesque wooden houses and historically significant buildings while finding out interesting facts about the history of the islands and the everyday lives of their inhabitants.

We land at the idyllic island of Pentala, where we stop at the Paven restaurant and visit the Archipelago Museum; the only fisher’s croft in Finland to have been turned into a museum.
After that, we sail along the outer fringes of the archipelago, back to Helsinki.
This coastal route takes us to the UNESCO World Heritage listed Suomenlinna sea fortress, one of the most popular sights in all of Finland. From the boat, we can see the Suomenlinna shipyard, featuring some of the world’s oldest working dry docks, along with the Vesikko submarine and the ramparts of Kustaanmiekka and Vallisaari. The historic days of naval battles come to life here – you can almost hear the thunder of the cannons!
We end up back where the trip began, in Helsinki.

This trip takes you out to the sea fortifications off Helsinki and the tranquillity of the romantic archipelago off Espoo.
Enquire at: adventures at seaadventures.fi / +358 45 7876 0511