May in Hanko & Lillmärsan Beach: A Wonderful Place by the Sea

Hanko is a remarkably exotic city: grand old ornate villas, long beautiful sandy beaches with changing cabins, and the scent and breeze of the Baltic sea coming from almost every direction are all hallmarks of this southernmost corner of mainland Finland, which stretches far out into the sea in western Uusimaa. Many Finns cherish Hanko as a wonderful summer town. It’s well worth the trip even from farther away to come and enjoy the Baltic nature and beautiful architecture.

Hanko

• Founded in 1874
• Finland’s southernmost city
• 30 km of sandy beaches
• Accessible by train from Karjaa (Karis), which is served by trains from both Helsinki and Turku
• Both the train and car journey from Helsinki take under 2 hours

Bellevue is one of Hanko’s most beloved beaches, where people love to spend time in a beautiful seascape on fine, pale sand, sheltered by villas and shore pines. Children find endless games to play, and the beach is shallow for a long stretch, making it very family-friendly. You can stop by the ice cream kiosk or one of the many nearby restaurants and cafés for refreshments. Hanko is a bilingual city, and you can be served in Finnish and Swedish as well as English.

On the opposite side of the Hanko Peninsula from Bellevue lies the small Lillmärsan beach. The sandy beach has a changing cabin, outdoor gym equipment, fitness stairs, and a disc golf course. There is also a long pier with a diving tower at the end for the daring.

Lillmärsan beach is set in a truly beautiful spot in the middle of an old, flowering forest, behind a large area of wooden houses. In addition to the sandy beach, you can wander along the shoreline rocks, which the early summer sun quickly warms to a pleasant temperature. In the May forest, wood sorrel and wood anemones are in bloom, and out at sea you can spot terns and oystercatchers nesting somewhere nearby. The impressive structures of Hanko’s shipyard also rise up in the landscape.

The Finnish language has a saying: “Hymyilee kuin Hangon keksi”, which translates literally as: Smiling like a Hanko biscuit. The expression describes someone who, for one reason or another, is so happy that their smile has spread into a full-on grin. Hanko was indeed once home to a biscuit factory, whose packaging featured a biscuit with an almost Cheshire Cat-like smile.

I myself visit Hanko a couple of times each summer, and I always love coming back. The town has everything at once: beauty and tranquility, charming houses and lovely nature, fresh sea breeze, wonderfully appealing scenery, and a range of services where I can find everything I might need — whether that’s a place to stay or delicious vegan food. I often head straight to Lillmärsan, whose beautiful and peaceful beaches, shoreline rocks, and clear water draw me back time and again.

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