Guest harbour

The guest harbour, located near the historical dry-dock area, is an ideal place for boaters to stop or stay overnight in the vicinity of Helsinki.

Located in Varvilahti bay on Susisaari island, the harbour serves visitors from the beginning of May until the end of September. There are 40 berths at the harbour. The sauna and washing facilities, Café Bar Valimo and its terrace and conference rooms are protected by the thick granite walls of the old ammunition foundry, built in the 1800s.

The harbour is well equipped with full services. The sauna and washing facilities for boaters are in the renovated ammunition foundry adjacent to the harbour. Fuel is not sold in Suomenlinna. Boats are moored on booms. The distance between the booms is about 2.5 and 7 metres (8.2 and 22.9 feet). There is a suction unloader for septic tanks in the harbour.

The harbour is very popular, and at times can get rather full. Therefore, smaller boats should be moored on the smaller booms which are on the inner side of the pier. The largest allowed weight of vessels is 20 tonnes, due to the combination of the strong current and the boom mooring. Mooring at the harbour is subject to a charge and should be done in the order of arrival. Berths in the guest harbour cannot be booked in advance.

How to get there

The channel to the harbour runs between Länsi Mustasaari and Susisaari and is shown with lateral marks. The Customs building directly opposite the harbour acts as a good landmark. A 5.8 metre (19 feet) deep channel to the harbour from the western side of Suomenlinna is marked on the chart. The depth of the harbour is over 3 metres (9.8 feet). The Suomenlinna water area has a 10 km/h (5.4 knots) speed limit, and creating waves is forbidden.

During the summer season, the walking route to the harbour is via the waterbus that stops at the Visitor Centre pier in the summer. The harbour is about 300 metres from the pier. The Helsinki City Transport ferries also stop at the main pier. From there, the harbour is about 800 metres away.

Accessibility

The route from the main pier to Valimo is accessible with a wheelchair all the way to the dock gate. After the dock gate, there is a small hill on the route. The ground level is variable at the entrance, so assistance from a carer/companion is required. Mobility aids equipped with wheels can be used in the harbour area. The clearance width of the narrowest doorway is 75 cm.

There are two cabinets in Valimo. The cabinets are located higher than the other facilities, and the route there has been equipped with ramps. Some tables at the terrace are accessible with a wheelchair.

There is a spacious, relatively accessible toilet in Valimo. The washing facilities in the guest harbour are not accessible with a wheelchair.