The best way to visit Suomenlinna is to participate on a guided
walking tour. There are various different tours and ways to get to
know the fortress: something for everyone. We can offer you both
ready-made packages and tailor-made package for your groups demands.
Ask us offers for program, dinners and water bus transportation.
Only guides schooled by the Ehrensvärd Society
together with the National Board of Antiquities and the Governing
Body of Suomenlinna are authorised to guide groups in Suomenlinna.
Both regular daily tours and private tours are organised in the
fortress area. There are about 50 guides and the tours can be made in
16 languages.
Guided regular tours
Guided Walking Tour
For groups by reservation
Guided Walking Tour
The Guns and Tunnels of Suomenlinna
Suomenlinna-package
The Life of the Officer's in the 18th Century tour
Russian Suomenlinna
Picnic-tour
Museum Workshop in the Ehrensvärd Museum
The King's Surprise Visit
Guided Walking Tour
The best way of getting to know Suomenlinna is by joining a guided tour. The construction works of Suomenlinna fortress begun in 1748 during the Swedish Era. The fortress, which was built on six islands, was considered to be invincible, but with the mysterious surrendering against the Russians in 1808, the former Swedish fortress became Russian together with the rest of Finland. The fortress has gone through many periods during its over 250 years long history.
During the tour in the Suomenlinna fortress our authorised guide will tell you about the eventful history and the island's life today. The guide will also take you to the most important sights of the fortress, such as the Castle Courtyard, Piper's Park and the Dry Dock, which in its days was among the largest in the world. Entrance to the Ehrensvärd Museum is also included in the price (during the museum's opening hours).
Available for groups by agreement all year round in 15 different languages.
Duration 1-1,5 hours
Groups under 21 persons 145 Euro/group
Groups over 21 persons 7,00 Euro/person
School classes and student groups 95 Euro/group
Max. 35 persons/group
The Guns and Tunnels of Suomenlinna
The bastion walls at Kustaanmiekka and Susisaari at Suomenlinna fortress hide over 200 years old tunnels and casemates. During this exiting tour in the tunnels and through the defensive hills with their cannons you will hear about the history of the fortress and how the engineer troops constructed durable walls to protect one the biggest sea fortresses in the world.
Our authorised guide will also take you to the most important sights of the fortress, such as the Castle Courtyard and the dry dock, which in its days was among the largest in the world. On this tour you will also get to see sights and tunnels, which are normally closed to the public. Bring your own flash light!
Available for groups by agreement all year round in 15 different languages.
Duration 1,5 hours.
Groups under 21 persons 195 Euro/group
Groups over 21 persons 9,50 Euro/person
School classes and student groups 140 Euro/group
Entrance to the Ehrensvärd Museum is included in the price (during the museum's opening hours).
Suomenlinna- package
This unforgettable package consists of a guided walking tour in the fortress and the prize-winning wide-screen presentation "Suomenlinna Experience". Entrance to the Suomenlinna Museum and the Ehrensvärd Museum is also included in the price (during the museums' opening hours).
Your visit to Suomenlinna begins with the prize-winning "Suomenlinna Experience". The wide-screen presentation tells about the construction of the sea fortress, its colourful past and the people who made it all happen. Suomenlinna's history is an essential part of the history of Finland and the fortress has played a crucial role in the power struggles between Finland, Sweden and Russia.
After the wide-screen presentation our authorised guide will take your group to see the most important sights of the fortress, such as the Castle Courtyard and the Dry Dock, which in its days was among the largest in the world. During the tour in the fortress the guide will tell you about the eventful history and about the life on the islands today.
The wide-screen presentation takes place in the auditorium of the Visitor Centre, and your group has free entrance to the Suomenlinna Museum. The museum collection highlights the construction of the fortress, its naval base and the life in the fortress through the centuries. Your group has also free entrance to the Ehrensvärd Museum, which is an 18th century interior museum with portraits, model ships and paintings by Elias Martin.
We also offer the opportunity for groups to order a scenic water bus ride or a meal in one of the islands' atmospheric restaurants. Please ask for an offe
Available for groups by agreement all year round in 15 different languages. Suomenlinna Experience in Finnish, Swedish, English, Russian, Japanese, Germany and French.
Groups under 21 persons 145 Euro/group + 5 Euro/person
Groups over 21 persons 11,00 Euro/person
School classes and student groups 115 Euro/group
Max. 35 persons/group
The Life of the Officer's in the 18th Century
During this tour you will hear about the luxurious and vivid life of the officers' and their families in the 18th century during the Swedish era. Fashion, etiquette, arts and gentlemen's clubs filled the otherwise simple officer's life. Our authorized guide will show your group the Ehrensvärd Museum in the House of the Commander and the most important sights of the fortress, for example the English garden Piper's Park and Great Courtyard. By request, workshops of artists working currently on the islands, can be visited.
Duration approx. 1,5 h.
Available for groups by agreement all year round in 15 different languages.
Groups under 21 persons 195 Euro/group
Groups over 21 persons 9,50 Euro/person
School classes and student groups 140 Euro/group
Entrance to the Ehrensvärd Museum is included in the price (during the museum's opening hours).
Russian Suomenlinna
After the fortress surrendered against the Russians in 1808, Suomenlinna became a part of Russia together with the rest of Finland. The fortress became more of a garrison town than a defensive fortress. This 110 years long era was very eventful with grand parties, wealthy merchants, the construction of the Nevski church, the bombardment during the Crimean War and the dramatic rebellion of Suomenlinna in 1906.
During this tour you will also visit a 19th century Russian prison that is usually closed to the public.Duration of the tour is approximately 1,5 hours.
Available for groups by agreement all year round in 15 different languages.
Groups under 21 persons 195 Euro/group
Groups over 21 persons 9,50 Euro/person
School classes and student groups 140 Euro/group
Entrance to the Ehrensvärd Museum is included in the price (during the museum's opening hours).
Picnic- tour
At the end of the Swedish era in the late 18th century, the officers' spare time could be easy and filled with amusements. Picnic trips to beautiful gardens, such as the Piper's Park, were popular in the summer times. During this tour our authorized guide will tell you about the life at the fortress in the 18th century and take you to the Piper's Park on a real picnic.
Duration approx. 1 h.
For groups minimum 10 persons in 15 different languages by reservation 7.5-18.9.
Prices from 14 Euro/person, includes picnic meals (by agreement different menus).
Museum Workshop in the Ehrensvärd Museum
Experience Suomenlinna from the 18th century noble officers' view; innovating and hard work, but also fashion, theatre and long dinners. Our authorised guide will reveal you the life of the fortress 200 years ago.
Plan your own masquerade mask in gustavian style or learn how to dance menuette in the Ehrensvärd Museum workshop.
Available for groups by agreement all year round in Finnish, Swedish and English.
Groups under 21 persons 195 Euro/group
Groups over 21 persons 9,50 Euro/person
School classes and student groups 110 Euro/group
SURPRISE VISIT OF THE KING
- An interactive short play for groups
King Gustav III is an
enlightened, but quite original sovereign from the 18th
century. With his maid Gunilla he likes to
pay surprise visits to parties, meetings and other events in
Suomenlinna where a little humour is needed in the program.
Surprise Visit of the King is a humoristic short play of 15 minutes where the king and his maid present the past of Suomenlinna to the spectators and demand certain etiquette of them, such as correct form of address
and bows. According to the wishes of the group the spectators can be
brought into the play also in other manners using previously provided
information.
Surprise Visit of the King has delighted audiences in Suomenlinna for already five years. The venue can be as well a restaurant, a meeting room or the open-air.
It's even better if the performance is a genuine surprise for the
audience!
Available for groups by agreement year round in Finnish, Swedish and English.
Price 350 Euro.
