Uusimaa (Nyland in Swedish) is the southernmost region of Finland, wrapped around the Gulf of Finland and home to the capital, Helsinki. It combines a compact seaside capital, a UNESCO sea fortress, ancient forest national parks, and wooden-house towns such as Porvoo, Hanko, and Ekenäs, all within about two hours of each other by public transport.
Top beaches
A ranked editor’s shortlist of the coastline worth planning a day around in Uusimaa.
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- lively city beach with volleyball, cafe and sunbathers
- Cafe and ice cream kiosk
- Changing shelters, showers and toilets
- Beach volleyball courts
- Outdoor gym
- Lifeguards in summer (city listing: 10:00-20:00, 1 June-9 August 2026)
- Wheelchair carpet and floating bathing chair on request from lifeguards
Hietaranta (Hietsu) Beach
Helsinki's best-known city beach, a wide sandy strand beside Hietaniemi cemetery and a short ride from the centre. The city lists a cafe, ice cream kiosk, showers, changing shelters, beach volleyball courts and an outdoor gym, with lifeguards on duty in summer.
Editor’s tip. Arrive before about 11:00 on sunny summer weekends to claim space on the sand.
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- relaxed island day trip with picnics and old villas
- Sandy beach and rocky swimming spots
- Seasonal cafe
- Toilets and changing huts
- Picnic areas
Pihlajasaari Island Beaches
Two linked islands off Lauttasaari with a long sandy beach, rocky bathing spots, picnic meadows and old villa buildings. The city lists the beach as open around the clock from 1 June to 8 September 2026; the boat runs in summer only, so the island is effectively out of reach in October.
Editor’s tip. Check the JT-Line timetable before leaving, as the boat is not covered by HSL tickets and runs in summer only.
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- small, calm island with cafe terrace and saunas
- Cafe with sun terrace (opens early June)
- Two bookable saunas
- Service building with toilets and showers (staffed 8:00-16:00 per the city page)
- Sheltered swimming beach
Uunisaari Island Beach
A tiny island off Kaivopuisto with a sheltered swimming beach, a cafe terrace and two saunas that can be booked privately. Summer boats run from Merisatama (Aava Lines, April to November per the city); in winter a floating pontoon footbridge from Kaivopuisto replaces the boat.
Editor’s tip. Book a sauna in advance in peak summer, as the two units are limited.
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- family-friendly, spacious and well equipped
- Cafe and ice cream kiosk
- Changing rooms, showers and toilets
- SUP board rental
- Playground, outdoor gym, small ball court and padel court
- Lifeguards in summer
- Car park and city bike station
Aurinkolahti Beach
Up to 700 m of sand in Vuosaari, widely seen as Helsinki's best sandy beach. The city lists changing rooms, showers, toilets, a cafe, ice cream kiosk, SUP board rental, a playground, an outdoor gym and lifeguards in season.
Editor’s tip. Take the metro toward Vuosaari and walk roughly 15 minutes; a single HSL AB ticket is EUR 3.30 via the app.
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- calm forest lake with smoke sauna and family atmosphere
- Cafe, restaurant and ice cream kiosk
- Changing rooms and outdoor shower
- Shallow children's area (about 1 m)
- Smoke sauna
- Playground and ball courts
- Trails into Sipoonkorpi National Park
Kuusijärvi Beach
Vantaa's most popular swimming beach, on a forest lake beside the Sipoonkorpi trails. The city lists a shallow children's area, a summer lifeguard, cafe and restaurant, changing rooms, outdoor shower and a smoke sauna; dogs may not bathe.
Editor’s tip. Leave dogs at home for swimming, as they may not bathe at the beach.
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- relaxed neighbourhood beach with seasonal cafe
- Showers and changing rooms
- Beach volleyball court
- Cafe Mellsten nearby
- Lifeguards in summer
Mellsten Beach (Haukilahti)
A supervised public beach on a small cape in Haukilahti with showers, changing rooms and a beach volleyball court, and the seasonal Cafe Mellsten beside it. Guides rank it among the finest beaches in the capital region.
Editor’s tip. Take a bus from Helsinki toward Haukilahti and check the route in the HSL Journey Planner.
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- quiet local shoreline with seaside promenade
- Beach volleyball courts
- Seaside promenade (Rantaraitti)
- Lifeguards in summer
- Fishing piers
Matinkylä Beach
Supervised public beach in Matinkylä with sandy bathing spots on the roughly 3 km Rantaraitti promenade between Nuottaniemi and Koukkuniemi, with old stone piers, villas and island views.
Editor’s tip. Take the metro toward Matinkylä and walk, or use a short local bus; check the HSL Journey Planner.
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- quiet residential beach beside a marina
- Beach volleyball court
- Public beach with lifeguards in summer
- Marina area nearby
Kivenlahti Beach
One of the most popular beaches in Espoo, set in a quiet residential area on the western Espoo coast, with a beach volleyball court next to it.
Editor’s tip. Take the metro toward Kivenlahti and walk a short distance; check zones in the HSL Journey Planner.
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- quiet, secluded local bay
- Public beach
- Seaside path access
Laurinlahti Beach
A quieter public beach on the Espoonlahti shore between Kivenlahti and Soukka, reached on the Rantaraitti path; a calmer alternative to Mellsten in summer.
Editor’s tip. Bring water, food and a towel, as no services are listed at the beach.
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- family-friendly, shallow and warm with a classic seaside feel
- Beach cafe
- Changing rooms and toilets
- Water park for children
- Minigolf and SUP station
- Quiet Bellevue beach just to the east
Plagen Beach
Hanko's best-known family beach: shallow, warm water, a water carousel in 50-60 cm depth, beach huts, a cafe and minigolf. Hanko has about 130 km of shoreline, roughly 30 km of it fine sand.
Editor’s tip. Reach Hanko by VR train or OnniBus (about 2 hours from Helsinki); confirm timetables on vr.fi and onnibus.com.
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- windy, open dunes with a sporty, natural feel
- Dunes and nature trail with information boards
- Parking area above the beach
- Wind and kite surfing
Tulliniemi Beach
Wide, windswept sand with high dunes on the western side of the Hanko cape, popular for kite- and windsurfing, with a nature trail and a parking area above the beach. A good walk outside swimming season.
Editor’s tip. Bring water, food and windproof clothing, as no services are listed.
What to bring
A short packing list for a comfortable beach day — adjust for season and the specific spot.
- Sun protectionHigh-SPF sunscreen, hat, polarised sunglasses, light long-sleeve cover-up.
- HydrationReusable bottle, salty snacks for longer days, electrolyte sachets if it’s hot.
- FootwearWater shoes for pebble or rocky entry, flip-flops for sand, dry pair for the trip home.
- Swim & coverQuick-dry towel or sand-resistant mat, change of swimwear, light cover-up for restaurants.
- Cash & valuablesSmall notes for beach clubs and rentals; waterproof pouch for phone, keys, cards.
- ExtrasReef-safe sunscreen near protected coastline, a book, a small first-aid kit for jellyfish or scrapes.
Beach safety
Hard-earned guidance — read this before you swim, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the coast.
Critical
Swim where lifeguards are posted and follow flag warnings — green is safe, yellow is caution, red means no swimming. Rip currents are the leading beach hazard worldwide.
Caution
Watch for tide changes and marine life — jellyfish blooms, sea urchins on rocky entries, occasional shark or stingray advisories. Don’t swim alone, especially at dawn or dusk.
Tip
Reapply sunscreen every 90 minutes and after every swim. Take shade between 11 am and 3 pm — the sun is harsher than people expect, even when the air is cool.
Practical
Keep valuables out of sight or back at the accommodation. Beach theft is a small-but-real risk at busy beaches; never leave bags unattended while you’re in the water.
Common questions
Quick answers to the questions we get asked most about Uusimaa’s coast.
How do visitors reach Hietaranta Beach from central Helsinki?
Tram 4 or 10 along Mannerheimintie runs to the Hietaniemi stop, followed by a 10-15 minute walk west. Walking from Central Station takes about 35 minutes.
From the Hietaranta (Hietsu) Beach editorial.
Are there lifeguards at Hietaranta?
Yes. The city lists lifeguards on duty from 10:00 to 20:00 between 1 June and 9 August 2026. Outside those dates the beach is unsupervised.
From the Hietaranta (Hietsu) Beach editorial.
How do visitors get to Pihlajasaari?
A summer waterbus runs from the Merisatama pier or Ruoholahti, taking about 10-15 minutes. The service is operated by JT-Line and is not covered by HSL tickets.
From the Pihlajasaari Island Beaches editorial.
Can the island be visited in autumn or winter?
There is no scheduled boat outside roughly June to August, so the island is effectively out of reach in October.
From the Pihlajasaari Island Beaches editorial.
How do visitors reach Uunisaari?
A waterbus leaves from Merisatamanranta 8 and crosses in under five minutes. Aava Lines runs the service from April to November according to the city.
From the Uunisaari Island Beach editorial.
Can the island be visited in winter?
From about November to April a floating pontoon footbridge from the end of Kaivopuisto park replaces the boat. Dates vary, so check hel.fi.
From the Uunisaari Island Beach editorial.
How long is Aurinkolahti Beach?
The sand extends for up to 700 m, making it one of the longest and most spacious beaches in Helsinki.
From the Aurinkolahti Beach editorial.
How do visitors get there without a car?
Take the metro toward Vuosaari, about 25 minutes from Central Station, then walk roughly 1 km. An HSL AB ticket costs EUR 3.30 via the app.
From the Aurinkolahti Beach editorial.