Located on a hill not far from the centre of Helsinki you will find a theme park called Linnanmäki, translated into English this means ‘castle on the hill’. Unlike some theme parks where you have to buy a ticket to enter, at Linnanmäki visitors can either purchase a wristband, a multi ride ticket or pay individually for rides. This means that you can just wander around the grounds taking a look at the action if fast rides aren’t for you.
The ride our family like best is the traditional wooden roller coaster Vuoristorata. This is the park’s most popular ride, it’s of Danish design but was manufactured in Finland in 1952. The ride operates 47,000 times each summer on average and each journey takes 2 minutes 15 seconds. There are two cars and each one is operated by a brake man who can be seen at the back of the car. It’s the only place that I’ve seen ‘brake men’ and I do think it’s so nice to have a real person operating the car rather than for it to be controlled electronically as is the usual case.
Another fun ride is the Vonkaputous roller coaster which has some very quick turns at the top then as the ride nears its end the roller coaster hurtles down a 20 metre slide into a pool of water leaving everyone soaked but happy! We noticed that there are some ‘drying booths’, four or five people can squeeze into a cubicle, place €2 in a slot and then dry off after the water splash rides, rather like a giant hairdryer. I’ve never seen these before but they seemed popular even though it was a warm, sunny day.
The ride in the above photo is one that no one in our family dares to ride on even if it was free, it’s called the Ukko roller coaster and looks really scary, riders are spun upside down and plummet to the ground at 105 km per hour – definitely only for thrill seekers and a ride only for me to take photos of!
The park has more than 40 other rides including a giant Ferris wheel and a white water rafting track where round rafts take you down a raging torrent leaving you wet. This ride isn’t too scary and its one I’m happy to take a ride on if it’s hot weather.
The park features one free ride ‘Panorama’ where you sit on seats around a large pillar and the ride gently revolves and ascends to the top of the tower providing everyone with some birds eye views of Helsinki. Surprisingly although this ride is free, there was never much of a queue to climb on board.
Linnanmäki is pleasantly landscaped with many flowers – hanging baskets and tubs of bright red geraniums everywhere. There are several cafes but we didn’t eat at any, we just bought ice creams and sat on a bench to eat them. Getting to Linnanmäki is simple as there is a tram stop (no.3) just outside the park and it’s just a short journey from the city centre.
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My roller coaster days are past Marion, but this place looks like fun. Allan
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Linnanmäki is a very attractively laid out theme park and although I wouldn’t dream of going on some of the rides, many others I was comfortable with. Have a great day, Marion
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That looks like a really nice amusement park. Wooden rollercoasters are just about the only rides that don’t make me feel sick, so it’s nice to go somewhere where you only have to pay for the rides; otherwise I feel like I don’t get my money’s worth. I remember Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen and Praterland in Vienna having similar policies, so maybe it’s a Continental thing!
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Thank you for your interesting comments. I’d like to visit Tivoli Gardens sometime in the future too!
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Really nice… Had a real fun day it seems..
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Thank you – it was a fun place to go on such a warm, sunny day.
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We hope to be in Helsinki in 2017!
I live close to Busch Gardens and have walked through that park several times this summer. I wonder if I can get a terrific shot of one of the “up side down” roller coasters as you did?!
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Hello and thank you for taking time to look at my blog. My new camera has a burst function on it so I can take loads of shots and then select the best one for fast moving shots so that they don’t come out blurred!
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And I just have an iPhone 6! I need to get a “real” camera.
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Request one for Christmas!!
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Greetings from Mikkeli. Very nice and enjoyable post full with gorgeous photos. Yesterday we left our summer home in Oulu and drove to Mikkeli. It took only six hours with some stops. Yesterday evening we watched in the evening traditional Track and Field match between Finland and Sweden. This match is hold once a year and it started already in 1925.
I visited to Linnanmäki last time in 1986. I remember this year very well, because it was important in my life. When abroad, I visit some amusement parks occasionally. Last time was in L.A. when we visited to Knotts Berry Farm in 1998.
In the town of Tampere, there is also amusement park, not so big as this one in Helsinki, but anyway. I have some photos from it in this post:
Angry Birds and city of Tampere.
Tampere is easy to reach by train in 1½ hours.
Happy Sunday! Matti.
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Good Morning Matti! It’s good to read you had a safe return journey from Oulu and you are happily settling back into life at home. Yesterday the weather was dreadful here, torrential rain throughout the day – we could have made use of those ‘Drying Booths’ at Linnamäki! I’ll leave you to guess where the next post is from, it might be somewhere you’ve just mentioned ! M.
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Oh, I see. 🙂 Matti.
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Oh my, I would have to pass up the roller coaster rides – maybe 20 years ago, but not anymore. I love the dryers, how practical! Looks like a great park – give me the tame rides any day! Karen
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The ‘tame rides’ are definitely for me, too!
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That looks awesome, think I may have to add Linnamäki to my to do list! Though the upside down, plummet to the earth ride…might just watch that from a safe spot >_<
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Yes, that upside down one isn’t for me either – but lots of other fun rides at Linnamäki to try! Thanks for commenting on my post.
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It’s good that they have the wristband and “pay as you ride” option. I hate paying loads to go to a theme park then being too much of a wuss to go on half the big rides!
You’re welcome, I enjoyed your post 🙂
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Very interesting! And good photos. What an interesting place to visit.
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Thank you, it made a change!
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We went here a few years ago, I loved it especially since you could wander around for free and just pick the rides you wanted – unlike most other theme park type places these days. Our son was quite young at the time so we didn’t do any of the big thrill rides (relief on my part as I am a bit of a coward!). Lovely to revisit again in your post.
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Oh Joy, it’s so nice to read that you also visited Linnamäki. It’s such a pleasant place to wander round and so good that there is no entrance fee.
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What great fun Marion…
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It was, thank you!
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Oh this sounds like so much fun! I used to be such a dare devil when I was younger but have to admit that as a grown up I’ve become a bit of a wuss! 🙂
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I’m not so brave either, but sometimes I can be tempted.
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Yeah, me too!
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Oh I didn’t make it this year! Those drying booths really would come in handy, especially in Finland where it can be particularly cold if you get wet!
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I’m not really a theme park person but I do like Linnamäki as its more intimate. It’s also fun to return to our childhood once in awhile. Have a good weekend! We’re just eating brunch in a pub and it’s pouring down outside – hope it’s better with you xx
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Same weather here Marion 😮 At least last night, tropical downpour all evening!
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Looks like a fun day!
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It was a good place to go in a heatwave! Thank you for reading and commenting on my post.
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That looks like a great theme park. Not sure I could have managed the last one though – it looks so high!
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The Panorama ride didn’t feel scary but if you have a fear of heights it might not be a good idea. Thanks for commenting on my blog.
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I’m petrified of heights so it really wouldn’t be a good idea for me I’m afraid!
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