Att göra i Nådendal - 15 tips till en finsk skärgårdspärla

What to do in Naantali? This small Finnish town is a real archipelago gem that you won't want to miss. Here are all our top tips for things to see and do in Naantali.

Naantali in Finland

Naantali has a history dating back to the 15th century, when a nunnery was founded here. Later, in the second half of the 19th century, the town served as a popular bathing and health resort.

Today, many tourists are attracted here in the summer, thanks to the picturesque setting combined with the popular Moominworld theme park. The language spoken is primarily Finnish, but you can get by in English and sometimes even Swedish.

Naantali, or Naantali as the town is called in Finnish, is located about 15 kilometres northwest of Turku, in the Finnish archipelago.

What to do in Naantali?

So what can you do in Naantali? This is a great little town that offers everything from charming scenery to restaurants, museums and a popular theme park. Here are our top tips.

1. Stroll among the wooden houses in the Old Town

The old town of Naantali is a wonderful place with beautiful wooden houses in lovely colours and details. It's nice to just wander around on your own, and in the summer there are also guided tours on certain days to learn more about the houses and the history of the town.

2. Admire the Nådendal Abbey Church

Naantali Abbey Church is the second largest medieval stone church in Finland, after Turku Cathedral. The church was built next to the Benedictine monastery, which received a building licence in 1443 and was once the largest, most famous and wealthiest of the Finnish monasteries. Today the church is used for various concerts, including the Naantali Music Festival.

3. Hang out on an outdoor terrace by the harbour

One thing you won't want to miss doing in Naantali on a nice summer day is hanging out at one of the many great outdoor restaurants. Each restaurant is more beautiful than the next, and many have great views of the water.

There are also several cosy cafés and pubs and a waffle place, Amandis, which is not to be missed if you like good waffles.

Att göra i Nådendal - pub — A pub with a leafy entrance in Naantali

We had lunch one day at restaurant Merisali, which is located in a fantastically beautiful building that once served as the ballroom of the Naantali spa hotel. The food does not stand out here, but it tasted good and the environment is fantastic.

4. Meet the Moomins in Moominworld

Moominworld in Naantali is a theme park focusing on Tove Jansson's Moomins and their friends. The park is perfect for families with children, but also for everyone else who loves Moomins. Here you can meet the popular characters, enter their houses, watch theatre and much more.

READ MORE: Visiting Moominworld in Naantali - tips and info

5. Walk the Love Trail

Kärleksstigen is a sandy walkway that runs along the waterfront in Naantali. The path apparently got its name in the early 19th century, when there were many Russian naval officers in Naantali. If the young women of the village wanted to meet the handsome soldiers, they could hide from people's eyes on the waterfront path. For a while, there were also pavilions along the path, which eventually became known as 'kissing huts' ...

6. See the view from the Kopparberget cliffs

From Kärleksstigen you can go on to the Kopparberget cliffs, which are located near the Old Town of Naantali. From the top of the cliffs you have a fantastic view of the bay of Naantali and the surrounding area.

Att göra i Nådendal - Kopparbergets klippor

7. Learn about history at the Naantali Museum

The Nådendal Museum is located in the old town and is well worth a visit if you want to know more about the town. The museum consists of two buildings, the first of which tells the story of the Birgittin monastery founded here in 1443. There are also various temporary exhibitions here.

In the second house, you can look into a 19th century bourgeois home.

8. visit Casa Haartman

In the centre of Naantali is the artists' home Casa Haartman. The artist Axel Haartman and his wife Hedvig once lived here, and the artist also had his studio here. However, Axel was not only an artist, but also a critic and curator of the Turku Art Museum.

The couple considered the home to be Axel's most important work of art, and therefore wanted it to be preserved in its original state. The house contains works painted by Axel, but also by many other artists, such as Wäinö Aaltonen. The artist's home is open during the summer and there are guides on site who are happy to tell you more and answer your questions.

Att göra i Nådendal - Casa Haartman — Axel Haartman's favourite object: his wife Hedvig

9. See Gullranda garden at the President's summer residence

The President of Finland's summer residence is Gullranda in Naantali. It is home to one of Finland's finest gardens, which is usually shown to tourists during guided tours. Currently, the garden is completely closed for renovation, but it is scheduled to reopen to tourists in the summer of 2025.

10. Enjoy a spa bath at Naantali spa

Naantali was once a popular bathing and spa town. Today there are other attractions in the town, but Naantali Spa keeps the traditions alive. At this large and popular spa hotel, you can enjoy pools, saunas and various treatments. Of course, you can also stay at the hotel, either in a 'regular' room or in a room with a Moomin theme.

There is also a sandy beach in Naantali, of course, for those who want to swim in the countryside.

11. Take a trip on the UkkoPekka steam boat

During the summer, the UkkoPekka steamship cruises from Turku to Naantali, and then back to Turku after two hours. You can order food and drinks on board.

12. Discover Turku

Naantali is not far from Turku, which was once Sweden's second largest city. In fact, it only takes fifteen minutes to get to the centre of Turku by car. So if you have some time, you won't want to miss this beautiful city. In Turku, you can walk along the Aura River and check out Turku Castle and Klosterbacken.

READ MORE: What to do in Turku - 25 sights and experiences

13. Discover Merimasku and the islands off Naantali

Naantali has an archipelago with several beautiful islands. We visited Merimasku, which offered a beautiful archipelago environment and the opportunity to sit down at the cosy restaurant Rantamakasiin.

Merimasku is also home to Merimasku Church, which was built in 1726 and is the sixth oldest wooden church in Finland still in use.

14. Take an excursion to Villnäs Castle

Villnäs Castle, which might be considered more of a manor house, was built in the 1650s and features castle architecture that is rare in Finland.

The castle has been inhabited by the Fleming and Mannerheim families, among others. The Marshal of Finland, Gustaf Mannerheim, was born here in 1867 and grew up here with his six siblings.

In the castle today, you can see both 17th and 19th century interiors, with plenty of beautiful furniture and fine paintings. Not least, you can see amazingly beautiful ceilings! There are also exhibitions in the courtyard house as well as a museum shop and café.

15. Travel with Finnlines to Åland

From Naantali you can take the Finnlines ferry to Långnäs in Åland, and even further to Kapellskär in Sweden if you wish. There is much to discover in Åland. Near Långnäs you can experience Mariehamn and Föglö, among others.

READ MORE: What to do in Åland - 30 sights and experiences

Mariehamn Åland — The Maritime Quarter in Mariehamn, Åland

More to see and do in Naantali

There is of course even more to see and do in Naantali than our suggestions. Here are some more tips.

Fiskartorpet Herrankukkaro is a meeting and recreation centre including an underground smoke sauna (Luotojentie 245).
Little tourist train drive from the centre to Naantali spa.
Nådendals art room is a contemporary art gallery on the beach in the old town (Mannerheimskatu 5).
Shop you can do in various small shops, such as fashion, souvenirs and Moomin stuff.

Where can you stay or park your motorhome?

In Naantali there are various accommodations to choose from, ranging from hotels to apartments. We travelled by motorhome and first went to Naantali camping. The main campsite was full when we arrived, but it turned out that the campsite has an additional site where we could stand.

There are no staff at this site and the toilets are in somewhat boring barracks, but it was still ok to stay here for a night.

Another option is to go out to Merimasku in the archipelago outside Naantali. This is a BestPark site, where you book and pay via the BestPark website.

The location is very nice by the water and there is also a nice restaurant right next door.

More to see and do near Naantali

From Naantali it is close to Turku and Åland, but also relatively close to the capital. Helsinki, which has plenty to offer in terms of art, culture, dining and boat trips. Below you'll find even more tips for things to see and do in Finland.

More tips for things to do in Naantali?

Have you visited Naantali? Do you have any other tips on what to see and do in Naantali? Please let us know!

Facts about Naantali

Country: Finland
Landscape: Southwest Finland
Population: More than 19 000 (2021)
The name: Nådendal in Swedish and Naantali in Finnish. Naantali is a refinement of the Swedish name.
Language: More than 96.4 % Finnish and 1.4 % Swedish
Currency: Euro
Read more: You can find more information at tourist office website.

Travelling to Naantali

Flight: You can fly to fly to Helsinki and continue from there by other means of transport.
Ferry: Finnlines operates Kapellskär - Långnäs - Naantali. Both Viking Line and Tallink Silja operate from Stockholm to Turku.

Getting around in Naantali

Go for a walk: If you just want to get around the centre of Naantali, walking is fine.
Cycling: You can also get around the city by bike.
Car/caravan: You can drive to the city centre and park in the Kopparberget car park, for example, where parking is free of charge.

History of Naantali

1443: The nunnery of Naantali, a monastery of Our Lady, was moved here this year from the village of Karinkylä.
1628: The abbey church was emptied and badly damaged during the Reformation.
1660: Per Brahe the Younger remodelled the abbey church.
19th century: In the second half of this century, Naantali was a famous seaside resort.
1923: As of this year, the President has his summer residence, Gullranda, here.

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Lena - good for the soul says:

Have been to Naantali once when the children were small. We had taken a cruise to Turku and then visited Moominvalley in Naantali. I remember that I thought the city seemed nice and cosy, what little we managed to see. And get it confirmed by your post. Happy to go back.

Hug Lena

17 July 2023 - 20:26

Things to do in Naantali - 15 tips for a Finnish archipelago gem