Helsinki's Islands: Matosaari

Published 8.7.2018

Helsinki's Islands is a series of easy island destinations for visiting with children. The series presents the favorite locations of the Little Helsinki team around the city.
This time we're visiting Matosaari in Jollaksessa, which is like a hidden gem in the eastern archipelago. It offers peace, spectacular views, adventure on the small island's paths, garden plants from decades past, and the opportunity to see the Finnish Maritime Rescue Association's vessels at the island's dock.

You can also see the Finnish Maritime Rescue Association's vessels at Matosaari.

Matosaari is a former small island located in Helsinki's Jollaksessa, which you can now reach by walking along a path. The island is an open nature destination for everyone, and the Finnish Maritime Rescue Association is also based here. The rescue association's buildings are at the beginning of the island at Matosaarenniemi, and at the dock you can see the association's boats and other equipment. So continue confidently past the Maritime Rescue Association!

Matosaari was inhabited in the early 1900s, the island's villa Villa Sommarro was destroyed in a severe fire in the 1960s, and as a reminder of the villa are the beautiful garden structures, some old garden plants, and the villa's stone foundation. The Matosaari garden and its beautiful stone structures and viewpoint terrace were designed by landscape architect Paul Olsson together with his father, who also designed the president's summer residence, Kultaranta in Naantali, and for example the outdoor area of the Winter Garden in Helsinki. Matosaari also has the ruins of fortifications from the Crimean War, beautiful stone and rocky shorelines, and perhaps Helsinki's most beautiful views to the eastern archipelago, Villinki, and the busy shipping lane. Matosaari also has an old protected playhouse building.

[caption id="attachment_5113" align="aligncenter" width="768"] The old villa's stone foundation and ruins from the Crimean War at Matosaari.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_5109" align="alignleft" width="1024"] One of our favorite places in Helsinki: The garden's stone terrace and view to Villinki and Villinki strait.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_5117" align="alignleft" width="1024"] View to Villinki and Villinki strait.[/caption]

From a child's perspective, the best things about Matosaari include, besides having a picnic, waving to the archipelago cruise ships passing by, playing Elsa and Anna and knights on the fortification and garden stone walls, and marveling at the Maritime Rescue Association's large boats. Matosaari could be a child's secret adventure island.

[caption id="attachment_5116" align="alignleft" width="1024"] A busy shipping lane passes by Matosaari.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_5114" align="alignleft" width="1024"] Matosaari's viewpoint terrace.[/caption]

You can get quite far on the island with a stroller, but you'll enjoy the outing more if you leave it waiting at the beginning of the island. Matosaari is small and the paths are easy to walk on, but on the ruins you should remember to be careful and pay attention to the warning sign about the risk of collapse.

Other nearby places include, for example, a short walk from Matosaari, the Porvariskuninkaanpuisto swimming beach and dock, Fornitaly - one of the best pizzerias in an old stone barn (it's worth placing a pizza order at Fornitaly well in advance, especially on a sunny summer day) and Jollas89 hotel, which also has a café-restaurant.

[caption id="attachment_5112" align="alignleft" width="1024"] Porvariskuninkaanpuisto swimming beach also has an old swimming dock.[/caption]

Those arriving at Matosaari by car should park near Porvariskuninkaan swimming beach or at Puuskankulma playground parking lot, from which there is over a kilometer's walk to Matosaari. Bus number 85 goes directly to Jollaksessa from Herttoniemi metro station. The nearest bus stop to Matosaari is located on Puuskaniemientie (stop name Hämeenapajantie 4139).

For those who love peace, sea breeze, history, and adventure, Matosaari is truly a gem of Helsinki!