Our Wandering Chapter

We’ve added practical details and tips in the NOTES section at the end of this post.

There’s something magical about leaving Stockholm by sea. As the ferry glides away from the city in the soft light of an autumn evening, the Stockholm archipelago unfolds its islands, forested and golden, drifting past like a painting in motion.

We boarded the ferry at Stockholm Värtahamnen for the 16:45 departure on a Friday in September. Cruise ship companies Tallink Silja Line and Viking Line operate this route, and both offer the same perfect combination: a comfortable cabin, duty-free shopping, music, varied food options, and stunning views along the way. The best part? It’s a return trip that doubles as both travel and stay, with the bonus of waking up in another country the next morning.

The Voyage

As the ferry moved farther from Stockholm, serenity of the archipelago took over. Tiny red cottages dotted the islands, boats moored along quiet shores, and endless stretches of forest brushed with the first colours of autumn.

Onboard, music drifted from the lounge, travellers browsed the duty-free shop, and the restaurants filled with the buzz of weekend energy. We however, preferred to stay on the deck to watch the Baltic Sea unfold and to soak in the soothing and spectacular view.

6 hours in Helsinki

We arrived at Helsinki in the morning at 10:30 Finnish time (one hour ahead of Sweden). After disembarking, we bought a day ticket (AB zone) from the ticket machine outside the terminal. It is a great option for visitors, as it covers trams, metro, buses, and the Suomenlinna ferry.

Our plan was to make the most of our day in Helsinki: explore the city centre, visit the Market Square (Kauppatori), and take a ferry to the UNESCO World Heritage Site- Suomenlinna.

We set our plan into action by taking a tram towards the city centre, getting off near Uspenski Cathedral, the striking red-brick cathedral crowned with green roofs and golden onion-shaped domes. Perched on a hill, it overlooks the harbour and offers a beautiful vantage point of the city. Inside, the ornate chandeliers and gilded mosaics create a sense of quiet grandeur, contrasting beautifully with the rugged brick exterior.

From there, we walked downhill past the Presidential Guard and Presidential Palace, towards Senate Square, a grand, open square framed by neoclassical architecture. Rising above it all is the Helsinki Cathedral, its white facade, green domes, and tall steps commanding the skyline. We lingered here for a while and then climbed the broad steps to visit the cathedral, admiring its elegant interiors and sweeping views of the square below.

Afterward, we continued towards the Market Square (Kauppatori) for lunch and our ferry ride to Suomenlinna.

Market Square & the Suomenlinna Sea Fortress

Saturday mornings in the Market Square are lively and full of colour with stalls selling traditional Finnish food, handmade crafts, furs, and local produce. The air carried the smell of grilled fish and salmon, sweet pastries, and fresh berries. We savoured lunch at one of the food stalls, surrounded by chatter and the calls of seagulls circling above.

The ferry to Suomenlinna departs right from the Market Square, at the pier in front of the Presidential Palace. The 15-minute ferry ride offers beautiful views of Helsinki’s skyline: cathedral domes, spires, and the SkyWheel Helsinki rising against the sea.

Stepping onto Suomenlinna feels like entering another world, cobbled paths, pastel houses, and grassy fortifications overlooking the water. The autumn foliage painted the island in deep shades of amber and rust, making the walk around its historic walls and viewpoints even more magical.

After exploring the island’s trails and viewpoints, we took the ferry back to the city and headed to the Old Market Hall (Vanha Kauppahalli), a charming indoor market filled with local delicacies, baked goods, and small cafés. From there, we wandered along the Esplanadi, the green park that cuts through the heart of the city, lined with boutique shops and restaurants, before hopping on a bus back to the terminal, just in time for our return journey.

Sailing Back to Stockholm

As the ship departed at 17:00 (Finnish time), the golden evening sun wrapped Helsinki in a soft glow, the cathedral domes gleaming above the skyline as the city slowly receded into the horizon.

From the upper deck, we soaked in the silhouette of the capital one last time before gliding past Suomenlinna, its stone walls glowing in the sunset while evening walkers waved from the shore. It was a fitting farewell to a city that had welcomed us so warmly, a day perfectly spent between land and sea.

If you’re travelling the Baltic route, don’t miss our post on Tallinn, another charming, medieval capital across the sea from Stockholm.