The harbour is the social centre of Naantali in summer, and it earns that role without trying too hard. Sailboats from across the Baltic fill the guest berths from June onwards, and the quayside restaurants do a brisk trade in grilled fish and local beer. An ice cream shop at the end of the pier does particularly good business on warm evenings.
The footbridge to Moominworld's Kailo Island leaves from near the harbour, so there is a constant gentle traffic of families heading back and forth. The harbour is also where archipelago boat trips depart. On July 27 — Sleepyhead Day — the harbour is where the laziest local resident is ceremonially thrown into the water at dawn, a tradition that draws a crowd even at that hour.