The east coast of Finland lies within a 90 minute drive from Helsinki and makes for an ideal side trip from the capital and a chance to explore more of beautiful Finland either for a day trip or a short break. Once you arrive in the region the distance between towns and key sights is only around 20-30 minutes via the E18 motorway, allowing more time to explore and less time travelling from one place to another.
Day 2
Morning canoe trip along the Kemijoki River
Located in the centre of historic Strömfors Ironworks village and just across the road from Strömfors Bed and Bistro where we had spent the night is an outdoor centre offering kayaking, canoeing and Stand Up Paddle boarding. We had booked a two hour guided canoe trip along the scenic Kemijoki river. After getting fitted out with buoyancy aids and wooden oars we received useful paddling instructions before climbing on board a three person canoe.
Once we were safely on board, we quickly became accustomed to operating the oars and were able to follow our guide along a circular route around Kaarlin Island enjoying the tranquil river scenery. The canoe trip started along a wide stretch of river before moving onto a narrow creek which was beautiful with its lush vegetation, making us feel as if we were paddling through the Amazon. The last part was exciting too as we needed to duck our heads as the narrow stream took us beneath an old sawmill. I’d definitely recommend this outdoor activity as it was such good fun and an opportunity to view the local scenery from the perspective of the water.
Exploring the history of the Salpa Line Museum
On leaving Stromfors, we followed the road through stretches of forest towards Miehikkälä. In just under an hour we had arrived at the Salpa Line Museum which tells the story of a massive line of fortifications Finland built during the Second World War. The Salpa Line was built between 1940–1944 after the Winter War, when Finland wanted to secure its eastern border against a possible Soviet invasion. It stretched over 1,200 kms, with bunkers, anti-tank obstacles, and trenches. While soldiers trained and stood ready there, the Salpa Line served more as a deterrent than a battlefield as no action ever took place there.
Before joining our tour of the concrete bunkers hidden among the trees, we enjoyed a delicious buffet lunch in the museum restaurant to set us up for our afternoon walk. We then met our guide who invited us to explore the museum which displays maps, photographs and uniforms and where we watched a short video about one of Europe’s largest fortifications. Moving outdoors, we then followed a path through the forest which led us to wartime trenches and bunkers carved into the rock. It was interesting to look inside some of the bunkers and to examine the primitive conditions the Finnish army had to endure whilst defending their eastern border. Our guide pointed out the rows of massive stone blocks built to stop tanks in their tracks. A further reminder of the battle line was an old anti-tank gun that was still pointing towards the horizon.
Hamina and its star fortress
After learning about Finnish history at the Salpa Line museum we then hopped back in the car and drove to the charming coastal town of Hamina which is noted for its star shaped fortress street layout. I was especially interested to visit Hamina as a few year’s ago on a visit to The Netherlands I had explored Naarden which is laid out in a similar way. The circular fortress town of Hamina was built following a Swedish military engineer’s design in the early 18th century, inspired by the Renaissance city of Palmanova in Italy. The star-shaped bastion fortress encloses the old circular town centre, with eight radial streets starting from the Town Hall Square. It was at this square where we met up with one of the town’s guides who was to show us around.
We started our tour of the circular streets passing St. John’s Church before continuing on to the Orthodox Church of St. Peter and St. Paul which looked resplendent with its blue dome and onion shaped spires.
Leaving the churches behind we then walked up the grassy slopes of the fortress walls, climbing onto the ramparts from where we had good views of the bastions down below. The central bastion, renovated in the late 20th century, now serves as the venue for the biennial Hamina Tattoo international military music festival which attracts visitors from far and wide. Hopefully I’ll get an opportunity to witness this for myself one year as I’d very much enjoy the festival.
Moving on again, we paused to admire the Reserve Officer School before returning to the town centre to view rows of old wooden houses painted in muted shades of red, blue and green. The looped walk took us around 90 minutes at a relaxed pace including stops to look around and take photos.
Stay:
Sokos Seurahuone Kotka
It was then just a 20 minute drive into Kotka where we had arranged to spend the night at the Sokos Seurahuone hotel located in the city centre. The hotel benefits from its own underground car park and we were delighted to discover that we had been booked into rooms in the new wing which had only recently opened.
After a fun filled day exploring the region we enjoyed a relaxing evening meal in the hotel’s French themed Frans and Rosalie restaurant where we received good service and delicious plates of sole meunière.
Day 3
Parks and Gardens of Kotka
The next morning we opened the curtains to heavy rain which eased slightly whilst we were eating breakfast. Our plan had been to walk off our hearty breakfasts with a walk around several of Kotka’s award winning parks. Sibelius Park was the closest as it was located just across the road from the hotel. We tried to dodge the showers beneath the tall trees whilst we admired the water features and statues of this small, urban park.
With the rain becoming heavier we decided to hop in the car for the short drive to the city’s Sapokka Water Garden. Managing to park nearby, we opened our umbrellas and followed paths leading to viewpoints alongside streams and small waterfalls.
Not to be defeated by the inclement weather, we drove on to the Katariina Seaside Park, which stretches out at the tip of Kotka island and is equally attractive.
Maritime Centre Vellamo, Kotka
Our next activity was indoors at the Maritime Centre Vellamo which overlooks the sea and houses several exhibitions about boats, naval battles, the work of coastguards and life at sea. We started off with a tour of the boat halls before making our way around the rest of the museum galleries.
The Moomin Exhibition
A special treat was in store for us, as until March 2027 the museum is hosting a temporary exhibition entitled ‘Courage, Freedom, Love! A Moomin Adventure’ in celebration of the 80th anniversary of the first Moomin story. The Maritime Museum is the perfect place for a Moomin exhibition because the Finnish author Tove Jansson loved the sea. I’ve also visited the Moomin Museum in Tampere and found this exhibition here in Kotka to be equally enchanting.
The museum has an attractive cafe/ restaurant overlooking the sea and noticing that a tasty Sunday brunch was on offer we couldn’t resist. Fortunately the heavy rain had passed by the time we were about to leave which gave us an opportunity to walk up the lengthy slope which leads to the museum roof where on a clear day, views of both the city and sea can be enjoyed. The roof structure has been designed to resemble the breaking crest of a wave and is utilised for concerts as well as people simply wishing to enjoy the scenery.
Follow a nature trail in the Valkmusa National Park
To round off our wonderful weekend along Finland’s east coast we headed to the Valkmusa National Park where we had arranged to meet a local guide who escorted us along a 2.5 km marked circular boardwalk trail over the Valkmusa swampy terrain. Along the way, we paused to pick a few wild blueberries and cranberries and learn about the local flora and fauna.
Part way along the trail we came to an observation tower so we climbed to the top in order to gain a panoramic view of the expansive marshland landscape. Valkmusa is renowned for its rich birdlife and we learnt that it is home to species typical of coastal wetlands, such as redshank and pochard. Through binoculars we were able to spot an osprey nest high up in the trees that our guide pointed out. I’m so glad we managed to fit this short trail into our weekend itinerary and on a future visit to southern Finland I’d like to explore more of this park.
And there you have it, the perfect weekend itinerary and day trip ideas for visiting the east coast of Finland. With beautiful scenery, picturesque small towns, museums, historic houses, hiking trails and canoeing we had such a lovely time and would return to the Kotka-Hamina region in a heartbeat.
