Welcome to Vallila Allotment Garden (English summary)
The Garden
Founded in 1932, the Vallila Allotment Garden (Vallilan siirtolapuutarha) is the third oldest of its kind in Helsinki, and closest to the city center. It is located in the Vallila valley between St. Paul’s Church (Paavalin kirkko), Helsinki University's Kumpula Campus area and the Arabia shopping mall, and it provides its tenants with the pleasures of both city and rural life.
The garden is easily reachable from the city center with northbound trams 6 and 8 (to Arabia), and buses 70, 71, 73, 74, 75, 77 and 78, as well as most other buses with a route ID starting with 7. Hop off at the stop Paavalin kirkko – Paulus kyrka, then cross the street towards the west and follow the path down (about 400 meters) to find the main entrance at the address Elisabeth Kochin tie 1.
Initially, the purpose of allotment gardens was to provide people of lower income with a means not only to enhance their moral and physical status, but also to grow their own vegetables, fruits and berries. Today, allotment gardens do not provide so much of daily nutrition but instead lots of joy and pleasure of the soul to city farmers. Each tenant brings their own personal style to the design of their gardens and enjoy living in their cottages.
Similar to other allotment gardens in the city, the Vallila Allotment Garden is also a public park area, which is open to everyone to visit during the summer between April 30th and September 15th, from 9 am to 9 pm. Please note, however, that individual gardens are private areas that are the private property of their tenants and should not be entered unless invited! Nevertheless, you are welcome to walk freely along the pathways, admire the gardens, and you may also visit the cafe (see below) and the museum (open Sundays 1 pm to 3 pm). Welcome to the Vallila Allotment Garden!
Museum
One of the smallest museums in Finland, the Vallila Allotment Garden Museum is open with guided tours during the summer time on Sundays 1 pm - 3 pm, as well as during special occasions, such as the International Allotment Garden Day and the Harvest Festival. See more here.
Outside the opening hours, you can just walk around in the museum garden. The museum offers you the possibility to travel back in time to the 1930s in the lovely little cottage and garden with an abundance of flowers from that time period, while our own guides describe what it was like to live in an allotment garden in those days.
Cafe
The cafe in the Vallila Allotment Garden is a perfect place to have a rest when visiting the garden. Come and enjoy a nice cup of coffee, tea or a soft drink along with freshly baked sweet or savory pastries and snacks!
In 2024, the cafe is open every day from 11 am to 7 pm. Exception: before May 22, it is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Next to the cafe you will also find a large children's playground. So, bring your kids and enjoy a lesurely afternoon.
Harvest Market
Our locally grown vegetables, fruits, berries and flowers are on sale every Saturday between 12 pm and 2 pm from June to August, in the field opposite the Cafe. *
*Exception: on week 33, the Market is also open on Sunday, August 18, 2024, during the Harvest Festival.
