Naantali

Naantali is a seaside town on the coast of southwestern Finland. Located only 14 km from the city of Turku and right next to the archipelago, Naantali is an important tourist destination and resort.

On Ferryhopper, you can find all the information you need for your holiday in Naantali. Discover the best sights and activities, and find out how to get there. Check all available routes and book ferry tickets to Naantali from Sweden and Åland at no extra cost!

The lush-green coastline and industrial scenery of Naantali

Vacation in Naantali

Naantali is often called “the sunshine town of Finland”. Its convenient location in the older part of the country, just 16 km west of Turku, makes it a popular holiday pick for the Finns as well as international travelers. The enchanting Finnish archipelago is just around the corner and the famous archipelago trails cross through Naantali.

Vacation in this historical Finnish town means enjoying wonderful sights and cultural events, fascinating architecture, and great food. Naantali is also the birthplace of the Moomins, the adored characters of Tove Jansson’s stories, that will welcome you to their home island!

Fan fact: Naantali also hosts the president of Finland’s summer residence!

How to get to Naantali

You can easily reach Naantali by ferry from the port of Kapellskär in Sweden, as well as from the port of Långnäs in Lumparland, Åland. Find more details about ferry routes and schedules to Naantali below.

If you are already located in southwestern Finland, local buses operate frequent trips to Naantali from the nearby Turku, where many trains and buses arrive daily from all over Finland. However, there is no direct train line from Turku to Naantali.

The closest airport to Naantali is the Turku airport, 21 km far from Naantali (30 minutes). Flights from Riga, Helsinki, Stockholm, Tenerife, and Krakow land there regularly.

What to do in Naantali

Naantali is really the jewel of the Finnish archipelago. Its picturesque Old Town has beautiful wooden houses, winding streets and is a blend of living stories, with every building having a name of its own. A guided tour there is definitely worth your time!

In Naantali, you can have relaxing strolls, explore medieval churches and a town history museum, do some shopping, enjoy lunch and drinks by or even on the sea, and have some active exercising. And, of course, you can hop on a cruise and discover the exceptional nature of the archipelago, or explore the islands on a bike via the Archipelago trail.

Sightseeing in Naantali

One of the oldest towns in Finland, Naantali was founded around a medieval Brigittine convent. The town has a long and rich history that you can explore in the Naantali Museum. You will also discover the town's incredible 15th-century church (the second largest medieval church in Finland), some rare palatial architecture in Finland and a significant Finnish artist’s atelier.

There are many culturally important sights near Naantali and its island area. If you are wondering what to see in Naantali, we recommend:

• Naantali Museum
• Casa Haartman (painter Alex Haartman’s artist residence)
• Louhisaari Manor (17th century)
• Naantali church (medieval convent church)
• The museums of Merimasku and Rymättyl
• Views from the cliffs of Kuparivuori hill

Would you also like to check the President of Finland's summer residence? You can see the villa from Naantali’s old town harbor and it is even possible take a guided tour there in the summer.

Tip: many of the sights are open only in the summer season. During this time, we recommend booking tickets to places of interest with an entrance fee in advance.

The imposing medieval convent church of Naantali

Activities in Naantali

aantali is a perfect destination for spa lovers. There are spas and saunas inside the town and on some of the islands, such as Naantali Spa and Herrankukkaro - Archipelago spa and sauna. The town’s spa culture makes up an authentic cultural and eco-friendly experience for visitors who are looking for some relaxation.

One of the most thrilling experiences in Naantali is visiting the island area of the archipelago. Naantali is part of the Archipelago trail which is perfect for cycling, especially in the summertime. The shorter Small Archipelago Trail passes through Naantali and takes travelers from Naantali’s Rymättylä region to Nagu via Seili island. So, leave your motor vehicle in Naantali, grab a bike and start your adventure!

You can always take guided tours and group excursions around the islands, all the way up to Åland and Seili island. You can also try a lovely cruise on a steamship or a traditional sailing ship, get to know the archipelago and its attractions, and enjoy great food.

Finally, you can’t miss a visit to the Moominworld theme park, on the island of Kailo, to meet the beloved characters of the Moomin books and have good fun with the children!

Tip: we recommend visiting Naantali on 25-27 July for the Sleepy Head Festival, which signifies the end of the summer. The “Sleepy Head of the year” (usually a celebrity) is thrown into the sea on the last day, in front of a cheering crowd. Events during these days include a flea market and live music.

Nightlife in Naantali

A relaxing holiday destination, Naantali has a lot to offer in terms of good food and drinks. There are great restaurants and bars right by the sea where you can just leave everything behind while listening to the sound of the water. Naantali has many fine-dining restaurants for elevated degustation experiences. In certain resorts, such as Kultaranta Resort, you can combine luxury meals with water activities or golfing.

The town also has charming cafés and bistrots, with a fairytale-like atmosphere and decoration, such as The Peculiar café and Café Akseli, where you can enjoy tasty cake and pies, and great coffee.

Romantic country doorway in the Old Town of Naantali

Food in Naantali

Naantali has several great restaurants, especially in the Old Town on the way to Moominworld, that can keep the demanding foodies satisfied. In this town, you can have from small local bites to fine-dining experiences. The options are countless: you can have Italian or gourmet food, asian or more local Scandinavian-style cuisine. Seafood is, of course, prominent in the town’s and neighboring islands’ dishes!  

Tip: for the finest seafood dining experience, consider taking the SS Ukkopekka steamship trip around the archipelago.

Dinner by the sea in Naantali with a sunset view

Useful information about Naantali

Naanali, a treasure of the Finnish archipelago, receives thousands of travelers every year and is a very developed destination. Naantali also promotes sustainable tourism, and green and environmentally-friendly choices: the town is part of the Sustainable Travel Finland program by Visit Finland. The town also has all necessary visitor amenities available, including hospitals and a medical center.

As for accommodation, there are numerous options in the town center, the Old Town or even the archipelago. You can book an apartment, a hotel room at a simple or a fancy hotel, a whole cottage, or have a luxury stay at an all-inclusive resort.

A great alternative that will allow you to connect with nature is the Naantali Camping on the beautiful Kuparivuori Hill by the sea, only 0.5 km from the center of Naantali. The camping site has many amenities, such as electricity, grocery stores, a café, a children’s playground and a sauna. There are also cottages to rent.

Important phone numbers for your stay in Naantali

Here are some useful contacts for your trip to Naantali:

• Naantali Port Authority: +358447334550
• Southwestern Finland Police Department: +358295440501
• Naantali health center: +35824362760
• Turku Airport: +358207084717
• Naantali taxi services: +358400132801
• European emergency number: 112

Transportation in Naantali

Depending on how long you want to stay in Naantali and whether you want to explore the region around Naantali,  you can combine walking, public transport, a bike, and a motor vehicle (yours or a rental). The Old Town is easy to cover on foot, and the local bus service offers some routes to nearby cities.

Naantali has several excellent cycling trails, which is why biking is very popular across the archipelago. Many recurring tourists rent bikes for a day or a few days, to either sightsee on their own or take organized bike tours. If you want to travel longer distances, you can always hire a car from a car rental agency. However, you might have a hard time parking, as city traffic increases in the high season.

If you want to reach the Archipelago islands, you don’t need to have a boat of your own. There are commuter vessels which will take you to the farthest inhabited islands and most of these ferries are free of charge.

Sunny day on a ferry about to reach the beautiful Naantali

Ports in Naantali

The harbor in Naantali, often called the “port that never sleeps”, is one of Finland’s most important ports and has a comfortable and welcoming vibe. It is located only 5 minutes from the town center and there are always available bus and taxi services to Naantali or Turku.

The Naantali harbor serves cargo and passenger traffic all year round. Many essential businesses requiring sea transportation have their manufacturing units installed near the port of Naantali, which gives it sort of an industrial character.

Naantali ferry: schedules and tickets

Ferries to Naantali travel all year round from Kapellskär in Sweden and Långnäs in Åland. Both routes are operated by the Finnlines ferry company. More specifically:

• The Kapellskär - Naantali ferry connection is usually served 2 times daily. The ferry trip lasts 9.5-10 hours and tickets start at around €31.
• There are usually  2 daily ferries from Långnäs to Naantali. The ferry trip duration is about 5 hours and tickets start at around €31.

Ferries to Naantali normallyb have cabins and can carry motor vehicles.

Tip: if you can’t find ferry tickets to Naantali, you can always book a trip to Turku from Stockholm, Tallinn, Långnäs, or Mariehamn, and then drive or take a bus/taxi to Naantali which is only 16 km away.

Blood red sky at the coast of Naantali

Where to book ferry tickets to Naantali online

On Ferryhopper, you can find all ferry routes to and from Naantali in Southwest Finland. Compare prices, offers, timetables and companies, and book ferry tickets to Naantali online, at the same prices as ferry companies!