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Onkilahdi recreation route

—•Walking Trails

10.2 km

Route

P 1

Description

City of Vaasa – Onkilahti (natural environment)+

Description

Onkilahden ulkoilureitti is about 10.2 km of urban waterfront walking in Vaasa, linking the Suvilahti shoreline, Hietalahti parks, the inner harbour, and the Onkilahdi–Palosaari shore. It is a point-to-point style city trail: you can start from Suvilahden kuntoradan parkkipaikka and follow the paved and gravel paths past beaches, sports venues, and fishing spots toward Onkilahdi Activity Park and Palosaari. For birdlife, birch shoreline woods, and Putusilta bridge across the bay, the City of Vaasa’s Onkilahti page is the best seasonal guide. South of the centre, the City of Vaasa’s Eteläinen kaupunginselkä page describes Eteläinen kaupunginselkä bay, the Kaupunginselän reitti stages, partly lit and mostly unobstructed walking and cycling along the shore to Majakkakivi, with nature signs and rest places. From the Suvilahti end, the route passes Suvilahden koulun liikuntasali and Ahvensaaren uimaranta, then Vaasan Sähkö Areena before reaching Hietalahden kuntoradan ulkokuntoilupaikka and Hietalahden puisto – Sandviksparken with parking, baseball and winter ice facilities. Kustaanlinnan uimaranta and Kalaranta bring you onto the inner-bay shore: Veneenlaskupaikka – Kalaranta, fishing piers, winter-swimming spots, and Setterbergin puisto lead through the harbour front toward Onkilahdi, where Onkilahden ulkokuntosali, Onkilahden skeittiparkki, and Onkilahden laivapuisto add outdoor gym, skate park, and seasonal ice and beach-volleyball areas. Near the northern shore, Onkilahden nuotiopaikka and fishing spots sit close to Palosaaren parkkipaikka. The route shares corridors with Hietalahden kuntorata and Hietalahden kuntoradan latu around Sandviksparken, Suvilahden kuntorata and Suvilahden kuntoradan latu near the Suvilahti track parking, and Palosaaren kuntorata and Palosaaren urheilukentän latu toward Palosaari if you want a shorter fitness or ski loop beside the walk. Within Onkilahti itself, a separate short accessible nature trail in Onkilahti opened in 2025 east of the activity park: roughly 220 metres on metal grating with handrails, pets allowed with care on the grate, benches and wildlife signs including Braille planned for early 2026, and no winter maintenance on that short forest loop. Ilkka-Pohjalainen columnist Erkki Rantamäki describes how the southern Onkilahdi shore has gained a high-quality shared path, skate facilities, outdoor gym, and a traffic park—popular with residents year-round.

Length & route

The trail is about 10.2 km as one continuous urban waterfront line. Allow roughly 2–2.5 hours at an easy walking pace with breaks at beaches and parks. The route is not a closed loop; you can return on city streets or public transport or walk back along the shore. The Kaupunginselän reitti project south of the centre adds a longer signed shore network in stages; the first about 7 km section from Kalaranta toward Risö is described on the City of Vaasa’s Eteläinen kaupunginselkä page, overlapping the spirit of this waterfront corridor without replacing the 10.2 km geometry here.

Getting there

A practical start is Suvilahden kuntoradan parkkipaikka on Suvilahdentie with room for cars; Hietalahden kuntorata – Sandviksparken and Hietalahden puisto – Sandviksparken offer parking near the Hietalahti section, and Palosaaren parkkipaikka sits near Urheilukatu toward the Onkilahdi end. Local buses serve Vaasa city centre about 1.5 km from Onkilahti bay per official descriptions; combine walking from Matkakeskus with the city’s green-shore routes when planning a full day.

Good to know

Birdwatching peaks May–August with early mornings best. The short accessible nature trail in Onkilahti is not maintained in winter. Dogs on the metal grating section should be supervised. For the latest on shore projects and closures, check the city’s outdoor pages.

Managed by

Vaasa

Official Maintenance

Trail info

Typically walked from the Suvilahti end toward Onkilahdi and Palosaari, or the reverse; either direction works on the shared waterfront paths.

Route direction

Wheelchair Accessible

Accessibility

Stroller Friendly

Accessibility

Open / Good Condition

Activities allowed

Run

Activity

Hike / Walk

Activity

Terrain & conditions

10.2 km

Distance

2–2.5 hours

Est. Time

Asphalt and gravel shared-use waterfront paths; short metal-grating section on the separate 220 m accessible nature loop in Onkilahti.

Surface

Point-to-Point, Wide Track

Route Type

Moderate Traffic

Traffic

Partial Shade

Shade

City of Vaasa – Accessible nature trail in Onkilahti (news)

Location

63.07339°N, 21.66385°E

Parking coordinates

FinlandCountry

OstrobothniaRegion

VaasaCity

Walking TrailsCategory

Explore nearby

Suvilahden koulun liikuntasali

118 m

Ahvensaaren uimaranta

80 m

Free

Vaasan Sähkö Areena - Curlingrata

127 m

Vaasan Sähkö Areena

127 m

Hietalahden pesäpallostadionin luistelualue

100 m

Free

Rantakenttä

66 m

Kalarannan kalastuslaituri

56 m

Setterbergin puiston luistelukenttä

182 m

Free

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Answers to your questions

Our data was researched from Vaasa, and other trusted sources, in March 2026. Our route / place GPX data comes from Metsähallitus / Lipas, last updated March 2026. Always check their official website for safety-critical updates.

Finland Ostrobothnia Vaasa Walking TrailsOnkilahdi recreation route