Finland is a country shaped by water. Inland it is lakes dotted profusely throughout, better appreciated from the air when flying in to Helsinki airport. Around Helsinki it is the sea that has carved out hundreds of small islands that form holiday playgrounds for the city’s residents.
It is Saturday and the small ferry is filled to capacity with locals. Picnic rugs, strollers and dogs on leads far outnumber tourists on the 15 minute trip to Suomenlinna Island. This World Heritage site has a historic fortress dating back to 1748. Strategically located at the mouth of the main waterway to Helsinki it has been added to over the centuries and the last of the armed forces only left here in 1973.
Now it is a beautifully preserved park with grassy meadows, well preserved fortifications, museums and cafes.
