Naantali: Visiting Finland’s Summer Town

Even before I met my Finnish girlfriend, I had long been interested in Finland and had actually visited the country multiple times. However, it took me a while before I finally made the trip to Naantali—even though it had long been on my list of places to visit. 

When the two of us and her family decided to take a summer trip to the southwest of Finland, I was excited to see what the town was all about. It’s not the biggest place, meaning that it’s ideal for both a day trip and staying overnight. We did the latter, and I have no regrets. 

Besides wanting to visit Naantali for a while, I had also really wanted to write a detailed guide to the town. Long before visiting, I was already thinking about what it could potentially look like. Now that I’ve been (and seen what is and isn’t worth your time), I’ve put together this article with everything you need to know. 

Once you’ve read this guide, you’ll have a better idea of what you can do in Naantali. But that’s not all. I’ll also show you the easiest ways to get there and provide some more recommendations to ensure that you’re fully prepared. My aim is not only for you to read this guide once, but also to bookmark it for future reference whenever needed.

Useful Early Disclaimer: Naantali’s Charm Lies Away From What You’ll Initially See

Paradoxically, this is a rule you can apply to most of the pretty Finnish towns you see on Instagram. It’s the case with Rauma, for example, which is also in the southwest of the country. The Old Town of Naantali is beautiful, but I suggest toning down your expectations when you first arrive. 

The outskirts of Naantali are not pretty at all. The buildings are pretty modern, and they’re a big contrast from the streets of wooden homes you’ll find elsewhere in the town. As a general rule, Naantali gets more beautiful as you get closer to the water.

I would, however, recommend parking your car on the outskirts. There isn’t much parking space in the main parts of town, and as a result, parking outside will significantly reduce your stress levels. After all, you came here to relax. 

I Don’t Usually Say This About Places, But… Naantali Is Very Much a Summer Town

Anyone who has read my blog posts for a while will know that I’m a big fan of autumn and winter. But after visiting Naantali in the summer, I can say with the utmost confidence that June through August is the best time to visit this town. 

First and foremost, Moomin World—the main attraction in Naantali—is open during the summer. So, if this is your primary reason for visiting, you pretty much have no other choice. 

Many of the restaurants and attractions in Naantali are only open during the summer, too. Moreover, the town is best explored by being outdoors and active. During the summer, you have infinitely more opportunities to actually enjoy being here. This is partly because it’s warmer, but also because the daylight hours are significantly longer. The sun doesn’t set until after 23:00 on the longest day of the year.

Here’s What I Did in Naantali

While Moomin World is the main reason that people visit Naantali, the town has lots more to offer. Whether you’re visiting as a family, on your own, or as part of a trip with your friends or partner, there’s something for everyone. 

I was pretty active during my trip to Naantali, and below, I’ll list some of the best things I did on my visit.

1. Visit Naantali’s Main Church

Finland has no shortage of beautiful churches, and in my opinion, the stone church in Naantali is one of the country’s top five. 

Naantalin Kirkko is the town’s most recognizable building, and it’s well worth seeing when you visit. The church dates back to the 15th century and is an important part of Finnish heritage. During the summer, you can hear an evening prayer from the tower. 

Besides visiting the church itself, I recommend exploring the park surrounding it. Moreover, you can get great views of the building from the harbor in Naantali. The church looks stunning at sunset, but any time is good to see it.

2. Take a Sunset Stroll Along the Harbor

I have the privilege of visiting Finland yearly, and in my opinion, its towns and cities have some of the prettiest harbors you’ll see in Northern Europe. Naantali is no different in this respect, and one of the best things I did when visiting was to take a sunset stroll along the water. 

The sunsets here are stunning, and beyond that, it was nice to just observe others. For example, I still saw plenty of people taking their boats out to the nearby islands. You can actually see some of these islands from Naantali, too. 

Wandering along the harbor was also good for spotting various birds, including gulls and Arctic Terns. If you’ve had a big dinner, it’s also a nice way to burn off a few of those calories before you go to bed. 

3. Explore Naantali’s Old Town

As someone who enjoys taking my camera wherever I go, I’m always a big fan of cute towns with colorful, wooden houses. Unsurprising, I guess, since I started a whole blog that focuses mainly on travel in Northern Europe… but anyway. 

Naantali has one of the prettiest Old Towns in Finland. You’ll find numerous streets lined with houses in a traditional Finnish style, and they blend with the surrounding landscapes very well. 

You’ll notice lots of random details, too, if you look close enough. For example, some of the signs on these houses look pretty cool. You can also visit the Naantali Museum in the Old Town during the summer.

Keep in mind, however, that people still live in many of these buildings. Be respectful of people’s privacy when you walk around, and keep noise to a minimum.

4. Check Out Naantali From Kuparivuori Hill

I’m always on the lookout for natural viewpoints when I travel, which maybe is because I live in a city known for being flat. I found precisely that in Naantali at Kuparivuori Hill, which is not too far from the town center.

You can visit at any time, but we went for sunset and I have zero regrets. It’s quite easy to climb, and you don’t need any special hiking equipment. I literally went in the same clothes and shoes I had been wearing all day anyway.

While we weren’t the only people to watch the sunset from this spot, it wasn’t overly busy. Close to the viewpoint, you’ll also see a small military bunker from the Second World War.

5. Take a Day Trip to Turku

I had already visited Turku on one previous trip to Finland in July 2023, which was a day trip from Helsinki. My initial impressions were not positive, but I actually quite liked the city by the time we were ready to leave. In the few years since, I had wanted to return. 

Since Turku is so close to Naantali, it was a logical choice for us to take another trip here. Finland’s former capital has a lot of charm when you dig deep enough, and I especially recommend visiting Turku Castle. It’s an easy bike ride from the town center. 

On that note, Turku is one of Finland’s most bike-friendly cities. You definitely should rent some bikes when you visit. We rented the yellow Föllari bicycles, which you can get in the Donkey Republic app. 

Turku Cathedral is worth seeing, too, and the riverfront is also pleasant. Parking spots can be hard to find in the city, but you can also easily get here from Naantali by bus. It takes around 20 minutes to drive from Naantali to Turku, and roughly 25 minutes via public transport. 

6. Generally Just Enjoy Being Outside

I really enjoy being outdoors, and for me, Naantali was the perfect place to spend a few days. You’ll find a whole host of walking, running, and cycling trails nearby; the town center itself is nice to go for a run around.

Naantali is within easy reach of the tens of thousands of islands that you’ll find in Southwestern Finland. For example, we went to the Turku Archipelago on one of our days in Naantali. You’ll need a car to reach these (or your bike; there are plenty of popular cycling routes along these islands). 

While outside in more rural areas, you will need to deal with horseflies (the bane of my existence) and mosquitoes. So, I recommend bringing some repellent; the former of these can get seriously annoying, in particular. 

My Top Food Recommendations for Naantali, Finland

We spent our evenings in Naantali having good food by the water and taking life very easy. It was the perfect reset, and on this trip, I found a couple of places I recommend that you also eat at. Note that these are seasonal and generally open during the summer, like most restaurants in Naantali. 

Pizzeria 450ºC

We went to Pizzeria 450ºC on our first night in Naantali, and it was really good. This place serves Neapolitan-style pizza, and you’ll find a comprehensive menu. The dough was precisely as I like it; I also had the pizza with salmon, which was great. 

You will find a large amount of indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor seating is nice if the weather is warm, even though there are a number of birds who also want to try and get some dinner. Shoo them away if they try any funny business, and you’ll be fine. The pizzas here are pretty affordable, and the portions are large. 

We had to wait a while for our food, but it was worthwhile. In the meantime, you can always choose from various drinks on the menu. While the pizzeria in Naantali is only open during the summer, you’ll also find one in Turku that’s open year-round.

While this place is busy, we personally had no issues getting a seat without a reservation.

Address: Mannerheiminkatu 1, 21100 Naantali

Website (in Finnish): https://pizzeria450.fi/

Ravintola Merisali

On another of our nights in Naantali, we went to Ravintola Merisali. This restaurant is close to the main church and along the harbor stretch, where you’ll find a number of other places to eat and drink. 

I just had a burger and fries here, which were pretty good. Like Pizzeria 450ºC, we didn’t have issues getting a table. However, we also went close to its closing time.

The outdoor seating at Ravintola Merisali has lovely views of the marina. If it happens to rain, don’t worry; the whole area is covered. 

Address: Nunnakatu 14, 21100 Naantali

Website (in Finnish): https://merisali.fi/

Here’s Where I Stayed in Naantali

We stayed for two nights in Naantali and based ourselves at the Bridget Inn. It’s on the fringes of the Old Town, and I personally enjoyed retreating here at the end of a long day to get away from the crowds. 

The Bridget Inn is super charming, and while our rooms were small, they were comfortable. I also really enjoyed the breakfast, which featured Karelian pies—the GOAT Finnish food—and a continental board. 

We paid quite a lot of money for the Bridget Inn as we booked at the last minute. It cost us over €300 (we went in late July), but I was happy with our stay. 

Important Note: Naantali is super busy in the summer, and accommodation fills up fast. I strongly recommend booking a good few months in advance. You’ll also likely find accommodation for less than we did if you book early. Booking in advance is especially important if you’re visiting around Midsummer in June. 👉 Book a Stay in Naantali

If Naantali proves too expensive for accommodation, you can also look for something in Turku if you’re willing to travel. 

Getting to and From Naantali

Naantali is easier to reach from Turku than from Helsinki. However, both are viable options.

From Turku, you only need to drive for around 20 minutes to reach Naantali. Otherwise, you can get buses daily. You can buy tickets via the Föli app. 

Otherwise, you can rent a car in Helsinki and drive to Naantali. If you’re planning to visit the islands near Naantali and Turku, this is a good option. It takes around two hours to drive from Helsinki to Naantali. 

Do I Recommend Visiting Naantali?

Despite visiting Finland multiple times before going to Naantali, this was mainly an issue of logistics more than anything else. I really enjoyed staying in the town and exploring its surroundings, and I would happily return. 

If you’re already visiting Southwestern Finland (and especially if you’re taking the ferry from Stockholm to Turku), Naantali is well worth your time. If you have more time, and you’re mainly going to be in Helsinki, Naantali is also worth a detour. 

I would, however, not recommend visiting Naantali if you only have a few days in Finland and will mainly be in Helsinki. It’s not really a day trip option from the Finnish capital, unless you have a car—and even then, I recommend either going to Porvoo or Tallinn. Both are more convenient. 

Final Thoughts

Visiting Naantali was worth the wait, and I’d really like to revisit at some point. The Old Town is beautiful, even if the initial impressions from its outskirts aren’t so positive. You’ll also find some great food, along with some of the most beautiful sunsets in Northern Europe. 

Naantali is easy to reach from Turku, and if you have some more time in Finland, you might find it a worthy detour from Helsinki for a few days. And if you want to visit Moomin World, you definitely should also spend some time in Naantali itself. 

Summer is the best time to visit, since most things will be open. It’s also, however, when accommodation fills up fast—and as a result, I recommend booking as far in advance as possible.  

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