Fascinating islands in Finland

04.06.2025

Hop in a rental car and take the road to explore Finnish islands and archipelagos. Their abundance and variety is remarkable – you can choose your favourite one with history, beaches, atmospheric countryside or local products. In this blog, we list some of our favourite islands in southern and middle Finland, easy to reach by car and a public ferry or free bridge. Where would you go first? 

1. Pentala, Espoo

Espoo city lies next to our capital, Helsinki. Despite its central location and high office buildings, it also offers a marine atmosphere and peaceful nature. Hop on a archipelago boat and sail to Pentala island. Here you can visit old buildings and domestic animals at Archipelago Museum, explore the island on a nature trail, shop at the museum store or enjoy a delicious local lunch at a restaurant. https://www.espoo.fi/en/pentala-archipelago-museum
 

2. Pellinki, Porvoo

Located only 50 km east of Helsinki or 22 km from Porvoo City, this small archipelago of Pellinki is easy to reach by ferry that traffics to a regular schedule. In summertime, the archipelago is proud to host over 120 events like farmers’ markets, Midsummer festivals, music festivals, boat races and a special week to visit Klovharun Island and cottage where Tove Jansson, the world-famous creator of Moomin family, would work.  Basic services are available throughout the year. https://visitpellinge.fi/en/
 

3. Raippaluoto, Mustasaari

Drive your rental car on the longest bridge of Finland, the Raippaluoto or Replot Bridge, in western Finland near Vaasa, and admire the marine scenery. The unique Kvarken Archipelago around you is Finland's only Natural World Heritage Site on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is the best place in the world to experience and understand the land uplift phenomenon caused by the last Ice Age. Enjoy also the beautiful villages, local products and great food in the island. https://www.vaasa.fi/en/see-and-experience/the-kvarken-archipelago-world-heritage-site/experience-kvarken/to-see-in-the-kvarken/the-gems-of-the-archipelago/
 

4. Åland Islands

The Åland archipelago is located in the middle of the sea between Finland and Sweden. It is a unique autonomous area with 6,700 islands where magnificent nature, maritime history, and countless adventures on both land and sea await. Here, you'll find traditional handicrafts, local production, innovation, fellowship, and a lifestyle in harmony with nature. To reach the beautiful Åland archipelago, take the Archipelago Route! This scenic route with ferries and driving in turns gives you the chance to explore the islands up close. Ferries depart from Osnäs and Galtby near Turku in Finland and they are operated by Ålandstrafiken https://www.alandstrafiken.ax/ and https://visitaland.com/en/
 

5. Kaunissaari, Pyhtää

Imagine a ferry sailing across the blue sea – what could feel more like a vacation? To visit this beautiful island outer in the eastern Gulf of Finland, park your car at Kuusinen harbor in Kotka (1,5 hour drive from Helsinki) and hop onboard to a commuter ferry that will take you to a whole different world in just over an hour. https://www.finferries.fi/en/ferry-traffic/ferries-and-schedules/kotka-pyhtaa.html Kaunissaari means literally a beautiful island, and they couldn’t be more correct with that. The island hosts a charming fisherman village, museum, restaurants and craft shops – not to forget the beaches!  https://www.visitkotkahamina.fi/en/kaunissaari/

Which island would you like to visit first? To reach them, rent your car at: www.avis.fi or www.budget.fi

Photos: (c) Visit Espoo, Visit Porvoo and Shutterstock