Rastila Camping Helsinki

Pets are welcome, and there’s a minimum four-metre gap between tents and camper vans. The site has a playground, beach, BBQ area, kitchen, laundry room with dryers, and very clean showers and toilets. Laundry tokens cost €5 each. We cooked on a gas stove. Open fires and barbecuing are only allowed in the roomy camper van parking areas, and disposable grills aren’t allowed. Quiet hours run from 23:00 to 06:00, with no vehicle entry from midnight until 06:00.

They’ve thought of pretty much everything you might need while away from home. It’s a great campervan and campsite, with an easy bike ride into Helsinki city centre. The metro is also an easy option, though right now a bus covers the first couple of stops because of renovation work on the rail bridge.

The ride into the city is about 10 km, with cycle paths all the way. We used our bikes, and there’s a metro nearby too. We’d recommend the site and would come back. We arrived straight from the ferry before 3pm, and that was no problem. The staff were friendly, helpful, and caring, and the place was well organised and clean. We chose a bigger pitch near the metro, but it still wasn’t noisy during the day. The showers and toilets were very clean, with lovely warm water. We also booked the large sauna, which has a shower and cooking facilities, and you can use the lake. The laundry is well equipped but a bit expensive, €5 for a wash and €5 for a dryer. Two wash loads fit in one dryer, and there are clothes racks and linen for drying too.

The staff were helpful and informative, and the campsite is well placed for Helsinki. There’s a supermarket nearby and the beach is just a two-minute walk away. Plenty of space, with at least four metres between tent pitches, and good facilities including three shower and toilet blocks.