Overview
Welcome to the Park Capital of the Nordics! In Kotka, you’ll find a delightful and diverse selection of specialty parks. Whether you’re a gardening enthusiast seeking tips or just a happy wanderer looking to soak in the greenery.
Our country’s most acclaimed parks are located in Kotka, and it’s what Kotka is known for nowadays. While Kotka has a strong history as an industrial city, park construction now plays a significant role in the city’s identity. Over the past few decades, Kotka has evolved into Finland’s most representative park city. This development has been driven by the vision of gardening consultant Heikki Laaksonen and its determined implementation.
Kotka’s national urban park encompasses about a dozen parks, some located on Kotka Island and others along the Kymijoki River. All parks are different from each other, with each having its own theme!
On a guided tour, you’ll experience the best of Kotka’s parks’ astonishing diversity and beauty. The park excursion includes a coffee break and lunch in beautiful surroundings, as well as a guided thematic park tour, including Sapokka Water Park, Katarina Seaside Park, Peony Park, and Fuksi Park.
Suitable for
Park and garden enthusiasts
Nature admirers
Fans of local culture and history
Urban explorers
Includes
Coffee break and introduction to the day’s program at Marina Café Laituri
Guided tours of Kotka’s parks
Lunch at Merisydän Cafe
Group size
Ideal for groups of minimum 8 people (guide for up to 25 people)
Itinerary
Greenery and Flavorful Experiences – Sapokka Water Park, Katarina Seaside Park, Peony Park, and Fuksi Park
We begin the day with a maritime touch at Marina Café Laituri. Located at the heart of Sapokka’s small boat harbor, Café Laituri offers delicious homemade savory and sweet treats. During coffee time, the guide will share insights about Kotka and the history of its parks.
Sapokka water park
From Café Laituri, we move on to the adjacent Sapokka Water Park. The water park is the most awarded park in Finland. The prevailing element of this park, loved by both locals and visitors, is water: besides the nearby sea, it flows in small streams and ponds, with a nearly 20-meter-high waterfall roaring on the southern slope of the park. In spring, the park blooms with tens of thousands of bulb flowers and continues to dazzle with colors until late autumn. In early summer, azaleas and rhododendrons bloom splendidly. The park hosts over a dozen animal-themed sculptures by Hannele Kylänpää. The Rose Terrace area and its surroundings feature seven sculptures by Eero Hiiros.
Katariina´s Seaside park
The guided tour continues to Katarina’s Seaside Park. This area was transformed into a maritime park after the cessation of oil port operations at the turn of the millennium. The characteristic of Katarina’s Sea Park is the feeling of spaciousness and freedom. Visitors walk across a wide area, enjoying the fresh sea breeze between different parts of the park.
In addition to stunning cliffs and sea views, the park offers much more to see and experience. At the highest point of the park stands Fort Katarina, the central fortress of the former Ruotsinsalmi fortress city, which the National Board of Antiquities has renovated. The southern tip of the peninsula features a islet, and its metal bridge can be heard “singing” during stormy weather. The anchor placed on the islet dates back to a sailboat from the 1800s. Furthermore, a contemplative labyrinth has been constructed in the park. Walking the labyrinth is said to be a spiritual experience, which one may find calming or invigorating!
Along the walking route, you can admire the ‘Tammisotilaat’ land art installation. In the naval Battle of Ruotsinsalmi fought in 1789–1790, an estimated 80 ships were sunk as the Swedish and Russian fleets clashed off the coast of Kotka. In the early 20th century, oak parts of wrecks were recovered from the sea. You’ll get to admire echoes of history!
Pionipuisto and Fuksinpuisto
Leaving Katarina Seaside Park, we’ll make a stop at one of Kotka’s newest parks. Peony Park boasts about 250 different varieties of peonies, mainly blooming in June. The autumn foliage of peonies is also charming. Peony Park is one of the largest of its kind in Europe, attracting admirers from all over Finland and the world.
On our way to Kotka’s city center, we’ll visit the beautiful Fuksi Park. Best known for having some of Finland’s most beautiful azaleas, which you should come to admire when they bloom in early summer. In the park, you can also explore plant species suitable for home gardens. The area features many ground-covering plants, berry bushes, apple, pear, cherry, and plum trees, as well as various clematis species. Additionally, the park is adorned with perennials such as irises, geraniums, daylilies, peonies, lilies, columbines, and perennial vines. Samuli Aaltonen’s artwork ‘Siivekkäät’ with dragonflies and butterflies adds more color to the lush park.
A light lunch is enjoyed at the atmospheric Merisydän Café, located next to the Maretarium Aquarium in Kotka’s Sapokka. If the weather is pleasant, lunch can be enjoyed on the terrace, where you can watch the marina traffic.
Services included in the package
Marina Café Laituri
Marina Cafe Laituri is located on the sandy beach, in the heart of Sapokka Small Boat Harbor. The café serves homemade savory and sweet treats. During the winter season, visitors can also enjoy the popular activity of cold-water swimming right by Laituri’s shore.
Merisydän Café
Merisydän Café is a charming café nestled in a beautiful setting at the Sapokka marina, right next to the Maretarium Aquarium. This delightful café offers daily changing lunch, a wide variety of delicious pastries, freshly brewed coffees, and refreshing salads.
During the summer, the sunny terrace invites you to enjoy a refreshing drink, such as sparkling wine or cold beer, while admiring the lively marina traffic and the soothing sound of the sea. Merisydän Café is the perfect place to relax and unwind, whether you’re alone, with a partner, or in a group.
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