Aurinkolahti Beach

Aurinkolahti Beach, whose name means Sun Bay, is a long sandy beach in the Vuosaari district of east Helsinki, in the Uusimaa region of Finland. The address is Solvikinkatu, 00980 Helsinki, about 14 km east of the city centre. The sand stretches for up to 700 m and is widely regarded as the best sandy beach in Helsinki. The water shelves gently, which makes it comfortable for children and weaker swimmers, and it is brackish Baltic water that is usually clear and warms to pleasant temperatures in July. The bay is open to the sea but not strongly exposed, so waves are small and the beach is suited to swimming and paddling rather than surfing. The atmosphere is family-friendly and active, helped by a large number of facilities. The city lists changing rooms, showers and toilets, a cafe and ice cream kiosk, SUP board rental, a playground, an outdoor gym, a small ball court and a padel court, with lifeguards on duty in summer. A car park and a city bike station sit nearby, which is unusual for a city beach and makes it practical for visitors arriving by car or bicycle. Public transport is also straightforward: the metro runs toward Vuosaari, taking about 25 minutes from Central Station, followed by a walk of roughly 1 km or 15 minutes to the beach. An HSL AB ticket costs EUR 3.30 via the app (about $3.80 USD). Because the beach is far larger than most in the city, it handles summer crowds better than central sites such as Hietaranta, and visitors can usually find space even on hot weekends by walking along the shore. Outside the summer season the sand remains a pleasant place for a windswept walk, though the facilities and lifeguards are closed. The surrounding Vuosaari area has residential blocks and green spaces, and the beach is separate from the busy harbour on the opposite side of the district.