What does Pihlajasaari offer?
Pihlajasaari is located near Hernesaari, approximately 10 minutes by sea from the mainland.
Waterway transport connections
There is a water transport connection to Pihlajasaari during the summer season from Merisatama and Ruoholahti. Tickets are sold by operator JT-Line Oy (Link leads to external service).
See the route to Pihlajasaari in the HSL Journey Planner(Link leads to external service)
Visitors’ marina
The visitors’ marina of Pihlajasaari is located on the north side of the island. The marina has 24 fixed berths and 21 buoy berths, as well as a septic tank draining device. Harbour fee for overnight boats €17/day, free of charge for day visitors.
Pihlajasaari visitors’ marina, location on map(Link leads to external service)
Other landfall and mooring points
In addition to the visitors’ marina, there are no other safe landfall places on the island.
The island has sand roads, along which you can walk around the island. A footbridge connects Läntinen and Itäinen Pihlajasaari, the western and eastern islands.
Pihlajasaari nature trail
There is a marked nature trail on the island. The trail runs through both the western and eastern islands. The length of the western island’s part is approximately 1.8 km and the length of the eastern island’s part is approximately 1 km. The nature trail is marked on the terrain via numbered poles (21 in total). The nature trail brochure also tells about the island's history and nature.
Pihlajasaari nature trail brochure (in Finnish, pdf, inaccessible)
Cooking shelters and fire places
The island has three cooking shelters with firewood ready and drinking water points.
Pihlajasaari cooking shelters, location on map(Link leads to external service)
Toilets
The island has 5 toilets, 5 beach showers and 1 indoor shower in connection with the maintenance room of the visitors’ marina.
Restaurant Pihlajasaari and Rantabaari
Restaurant Pihlajasaari is located in the western part of Pihlajasaari and Rantabaari is near the beach. Both are in operation during the summer season and are operated by Theron catering oy.
Restaurant Pihlajasaari(Link leads to external service)
Public beach
Pihlajasaari beach has no lifeguard. At the beach, you can find a changing room, a shower, a toilet, a playground and Rantabaari.
There are 42 swimming booths in Pihlajasaari, 6 of which are in public use. Other booths have been rented with contracts valid until further notice, and no new customers are currently accepted in the queue.
Pihlajasaari beach, location on map(Link leads to external service)
During the summer season, you can find up-to-date information on the condition of the beaches in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area, the blue-green algae situation and the water temperature on the Outdoor Exercise Map.
Outdoor exercise map(Link leads to external service)
Camping
Camping is allowed on Itäinen Pihlajasaari. The fee is €17/day. Overnight stay fees are collected at the camping site.
Pihlajasaari camping site, location on map(Link leads to external service)
Rock gorge
The cliff area in the middle of Läntinen Pihlajasaari and the ridge that splits it are worth a visit. On the south side of the rock gorge, there is natural pine forest as well as some depressions with swamps, where bog bilberries, Labrador tea and sundews grow, among others.
Nudist beach
Itäinen Pihlajasaari is home to one of Helsinki's two naturalist beaches. The beach is for both men and women.
Saunas for rent
The small beach sauna is a wood-heated self-service sauna on the south shore of Pihlajasaari, which can accommodate up to 7 people.
Book Beach sauna(Link leads to external service)
The Aalto sauna is an electric sauna designed and built by architecture students on Itäinen Pihlajasaari, which can accommodate up to 6 people.
Book Aalto-sauna(Link leads to external service)
Meeting rooms for rent
Villa Wästanhäll offers a simple setting for small (max. 14 people) events in a seaside environment. Built in the late 1890s, the archipelago villa is located on the south shore of the island, about 500 metres from the ferry pier.
Book Villa Wästanhäll(Link leads to external service)
Villa Björkas is an atmospheric archipelago villa built in 1881, which can accommodate max. 20 people. The villa is located about 80 metres from the ferry pier.
Book Villa Björkas(Link leads to external service)
Restaurant Pihlajasaari can be booked for private events.
Restaurant Pihlajasaari(Link leads to external service)
Pihlajasaari’s nature consists of rocks, woodlands and herb-rich forests, as well as rocky and sandy beaches.
The island's bird population is diverse. Eiders and arctic terns nest on the nearby rocks. The island's birds also include many other waterfowl and a lot of forest species. Bats also thrive on the islands, which offer diverse feeding areas as well as places to hide during the day and places to overwinter. The species observed include the northern bat, Daubenton’s bat, whiskered bat and Nathusius’s pipistrelle.
Pihlajasaari nature reserves
There is one nature reserve in Pihlajasaari, the herb-rich forest of Läntinen Pihlajasaari. There is also a coastal meadow protected as a habitat type on the western island. In order to protect nature, the use of the area has been restricted through statutory protection regulations. Read more about the restrictions in the Rules and recommendations section.
Pihlajasaari nature reserve, location on map(Link leads to external service)
Species observations in Pihlajasaari
The iNaturalist application allows you to easily record your species observations on your phone. The artificial intelligence and other application users can help you to identify the species. The confirmed observations are recorded at the Finnish Biodiversity Information Facility (FinBIF), where they serve researchers, authorities and nature enthusiasts.
Species observations in Pihlajasaari (inaturalist.laji.fi)(Link leads to external service)
Species observations in Pihlajasaari (laji.fi)(Link leads to external service)
Rules and regulations for nature reserves
There is one nature reserve in Pihlajasaari.
Läntinen Pihlajasaari herb-rich forest, location on map (Link leads to external service)
When in Pihlajasaari’s nature reserve, the herb-rich forest on Läntinen Pihlajasaari, observe the following rules
- Do not let dogs, cats or other pets roam free
- Do not make a fire, barbecue, or camp
- Do not damage the plants, fungi or lichens
- No motorised vehicles or bicycles
- Do not disturb wildlife or damage nests
See all protection regulations for the nature reserve
The use of nature reserves has been restricted through statutory protection regulations. You can find the exact protection regulations in the protection decisions:
General rules
In all outdoor recreation areas, observe everyman’s rights and rules and move responsibly in nature:
Accessibility information for Pihlajasaari’s services is still incomplete.
Links to accessibility information will be available here when the analysis is completed.
