There are so many amazing things to do in Helsinki. Whether you are visiting during those long summer days, during the beautiful shoulder seasons, or in the chilly winter months, there is plenty to keep you busy in the Finnish capital.
The city is packed with incredible museums, which makes visiting during any season a fun experience. It’s also home to delicious food, beautiful islands, and one of the best public transportation networks in Europe.
Helsinki is sits in an archipelago that is made up of 330 different islands. That means there are plenty of beaches, forests, and waterfront views to enjoy when visiting in the summer.
It also means that visiting in winter can bring in an icy chill from the Baltic Sea. Our guide to packing for Copenhagen in winter gives you a good idea of what to pack for these conditions.
How to Get to Helsinki
There are a few ways to get to Helsinki depending on where you are traveling from.
It’s a very easy addition to any Baltic itinerary. You can simply hop on the ferry in Tallinn and in two hours you’ll be in Helsinki.
It’s the most fun I have ever had on a ferry. There is karaoke, a bar where you can get cheap drink deals, and plenty of outdoor seating to soak up some sunshine if the weather permits it.
The Helsinki Airport is also well connected to other parts of Europe and the US. Finnair is a fantastic airline that has direct flights from New York, London, Tokyo, and plenty of other smaller hubs around Europe.
Getting Around Helsinki
The public transportation network in Helsinki is exceptional. There are buses, trams, trains and metros, and even ferries!
You can use the same ticket across all of the different modes of transport as long as it is still valid, which makes it incredibly affordable as well.
Download the HSL app for Apple here and for Android here. With this you can purchase single or multi-journey tickets. You can also purchase day tickets for your entire stay if you think you’ll be using the public transportation a lot.
Many of the more budget hotels and hostels are a quick train or tram ride away, so you’ll save by staying further out and using the transit network to explore.
If you are only here for a few days and want to make stops only at the best things to do in Helsinki, consider getting a hop-on, hop-off bus ticket.
You can get one for 24 or 48-hours and you can get on and off at all of the best tourist attractions in the city without worrying about which metro or bus stop to get to. Book a hop-on, hop-off bus ticket here.
One of the best things to do in Helsinki is to simply wander the cobbled streets of the downtown area.
Where to Stay in Helsinki
With over 300 islands and tons of great neighborhoods around Helsinki, it can be hard to narrow down exactly where to stay.
If you only have a few days, staying around the city center is the best way to make the most of your time. In particular, the Katajanokka neighborhood is a fantastic location.
This is close to the ferry terminal and many of the hotels here have views back over the city center. It’s easily walkable and well connected by trams if you get tired at the end of a busy day of exploring.
I stayed at Noli Studios while I was in this neighborhood and I absolutely loved being so central. There was a kitchen to self-cater and save a little bit of money. They also have a sauna and hot tub for guests to use as well as free bikes for exploring the city (saving you even more on public transportation).
Read my full review of staying at Noli Studios or book the hotel directly here.
These are some other fantastic centrally located hotels in Helsinki worth considering:
The Best Things to Do in Helsinki
If you are planning on visiting more than two of the museums or attractions in Helsinki on this list then I highly recommend getting the Helsinki Card. I used the 24 hour ticket during my most recent trip to Helsinki and it was perfect for day that we had terrible rain.
I visited four museums during that day and it includes free public transportation so you can easily get everywhere. And on this day, it almost meant I could stay dry!
You can get it for 24, 48, or 72-hours. Grab your Helsinki Card here.
The Oodi Library is one of the most beautiful places to spend some time during your trip to Helsinki.
1. Helsinki Central Library Oodi
This is perhaps the most spectacular library I have been to in the entire world.
This enormous feat of Finnish architecture is home to the Helsinki Central Library, but it is so much more than that. It is a huge public space with three floors and endless possibilities.
The bottom floor has a cafe and restaurant, space to sit and collaborate with others, as well as some books. The central floor of the library is where you will find the public computers (with photo and video editing software completely free to use!). There is a recording studio, instruments that you can rent, 3D printers, and workspaces and quiet rooms to use for meetings.
On the top floor is where the majority of the books are. The layout here is so stunning with sloping floors and an outdoor balcony that allows you to take in the views over the city below.
Whether you love libraries or not, this building is well worth stopping into when you are visiting Helsinki.
2. Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art
The Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art is a must for any art lover visiting Helsinki. There are constantly rotating exhibits that push boundaries and leave you questioning what makes something art.
The museum has huge exhibitions from international artists as well as highlighting Finnish artists whenever possible. Expect all types of mediums including paintings, sculptures, photography, audio visual, and even virtual reality.
The museum is free on the first Friday of every month or you can enter for free if you purchase the Helsinki Card.
The National Museum of Finland is housed in a stunning building and is packed with history.
3. National Museum of Finland
This is a fantastic museum to come with the family because it has some fun interactive exhibits made just for kids.
But it’s not just for kids. It’s a fantastic history museum that covers Finnish history all the way back to the Stone Age.
The museum is housed in the estate of the Fleming and Mannerheim families which dates back to the 17th century. If you want to learn more about Finland while you’re here, this is the place to come to do it.
Please note that the museum is currently closed for renovations. Check the website to find out whether it will be back open for your upcoming trip.
4. Amos Rex
A relatively new museum to the art scene in Helsinki, this gallery only opened its doors in 2018. It is a fantastic art museum with a focus on contemporary and modern art.
From the outside it looks more like a retro diner or department store, but inside is one of the most creative spaces in the city. There are permanent collections as well as new exhibits and events that take place throughout the year. Check their website to see what else is on at the museum during your visit.
Be sure to explore the courtyard of the museum where the museum’s picture windows offer a unique sight to see from the outside.
The Amos Rex Museum starts your curiosity from the outside and it only gets better once you go in to explore the art here.
5. Helsinki Art Museum
The Helsinki Art Museum is the city’s main art museum and home to the city’s collection of art which consists of over 10,000 pieces.
The majority of the works here are from Finnish artists in the 20th and 21st centuries. However, there are some older pieces as well as several pieces from international artists as well.
There are also regularly rotating exhibits from international and Finnish painters, sculptors, and photographers. Tickets are free if you purchase the Helsinki Card. Otherwise, general admission is €18.
There are monthly free days, but they don’t follow a particular schedule. Check the website to find out if there is a free day during your visit.
6. Vanha Kauppahalli
The oldest market hall in Helsinki, construction on the market began in 1888. Inside you’ll find everything from canned bear meat to cured reindeer.
You can purchase food to take home with you, as well as food to eat onsite. There is a small cafe and bakery in the middle where you can have cardamom buns, sandwiches, or other baked goods.
There are also a few food stalls and small restaurants where you can have classic Finnish dishes like salmon soup and other freshly cooked seafood dishes.
Outside of the market hall there is an outdoor food market where you will find more lunch options at a slightly lower price. Here you can have meatballs, fried white fish called vendace, and salmon.
The Vanha Market is a great place to visit in Helsinki. It’s historical as well as being packed with delicious places to eat.
7. Helsinki Cathedral & Senate Square
The Helsinki Cathedral was originally built between 1830 and 1852 for the Grand Duke of Finland, Emperor Nicholas I of Russia. At that time it was named St. Nicholas.
In 1917, Finland declared its full independence and the cathedral was renamed as the Helsinki Cathedral. It is an Evangelical Lutheran Church. It is free to enter and explore during opening hours which are 9-5 on weekdays and 12-3 on Sundays. It is closed to the general public on Saturdays.
It sits atop a hill of stairs in Senate Square. If you are visiting during the summer months, this is a wonderful place to sit and enjoy the sunshine. There are a few small pop-up bars along the opposite side of the square where you can have an Aperol Spritz or a beer while looking back over the Cathedral.
8. Allas Sea Pool & Sauna
Going in a sauna is a very popular activity when visiting Finland. They are literally everywhere.
When I spoke to the Helsinki Tourism board while planning my most recent trip to the city, they sent me the most poetic response to help me understand the true nature of sauna culture in Finland.
As sauna is such an integral part of Finnish culture, we don’t believe that it’s something that you can experience once and then “tick the box”. Each sauna is different and unique, so it really depends on what you are looking for in a sauna. The most important thing to keep in mind with the Finnish sauna culture is that you include all four elements: earth = wooden sauna building, close to or amidst nature, fire = the stove inside the sauna, water = inside the sauna but also swimming or taking dips in between – we usually go shower – sauna – water – sauna – water – sauna – shower, as many times as you feel like 😃 And air, this is what usually is forgotten. While doing sauna, don’t miss taking in fresh air in between. If you go swimming in between, this comes naturally, but if you don’t swim/take dips in the water in between, please remember to take in fresh air while doing sauna. Only in this way, we Finns think that the sauna experience is complete as you’re in interaction with the natural elements.
Most of the hotels have them, many beaches along the coast have them, and there are tons of private and public saunas around Helsinki that you can test out at varying price points.
I personally love the sauna and pool at Allas because it’s right in the center of all of the action and you can easily experience all four of the elements mentioned above. Heat up in the sauna, jump into the sea pool, take in the fresh air around you, and back into the sauna (made of wood).
When you purchase a single ticket, you get 3 hours to enjoy the saunas and swimming area for between €18-22 depending on what time of day or what day of the week you are visiting. Check out all of the ticketing information on their website.
The markets in Helsinki have interesting things to try like bear and reindeer.
9. Hietalahden Kauppahalli
If Vanha Market is for the tourists, then Hietalahden is for the locals. This market tucked away to the west of the city center in the Hietalahti neighborhood of Helsinki.
Although it is believed that the building was originally designed to be a stable for horses, it has been a market hall ever since it first opened its doors in 1903.
It closed it’s doors at the start of the 21st century before reopening in 2001 as an organic food market. It proved an unsuccessful business model and was quickly turned into an antiques market in 2003.
Again, the market hall closed its doors in an attempt to rebrand. In 2013, it reopened as a food hall and has operated as a restaurant hub ever since. This is the place to come for fusion and international foods like Japanese, Vietnamese, and Italian.
There is also a fantastic cafe with locally roasted beans and delicious sandwiches. Grab a table outside in the square or dine inside if the weather is less than ideal.
The square outside of the market also hosts a daily flea market where you can find clothing, art, antiques, and home goods.
Suomenlinna is a beautiful island to explore and a great place to go to the beach during the summer.
10. Suomenlinna Island
Of all of the 330 islands that make up Helsinki, Suomenlinna is one of the easiest to visit and is packed with tons of great things to do.
Take the ferry from the downtown area and head across the water on a short 15-minute ride to the nearby island. Ferries run all day until 2am, so you can really enjoy a full day here without worrying about when the next ferry will come.
The island is packed with history and is in fact an old fortress. It was built by Sweden in 1748 due to its strategic location at the mouth of the Helsinki Harbor. After Sweden, it was used by the Russian Empire, and then eventually by the Republic of Finland. The island is still home to an active military base.
You can walk along the edges of the fortifications and see the ruins of what was once a center of power to protect the city. Much like the city of Heslinki, Suomenlinna is packed with museums to learn more about the history of this island.
Check out the Military Museum which houses tons of artifacts, planes, boats, and artillery that were used throughout the history of the island. There is also a submarine on the island that you can walk into and see what it must have been like to live on this claustrophobic vessel underwater.
If you are visiting in the summer, there is a beach here, so pack your towel and bathing suit to enjoy a dip in the waters to cool off.
There is also a fantastic brewery on the island. The Suomenlinna Brewery is the oldest building on the island. When builders moved to the island to build the fortress, their first priority was to build somewhere that they could brew some beer. It has remained a brewery over the years and is producing some fantastic beers that you can sample in the outdoor garden.
If you would prefer to explore the island with a guide, you can book a private tour and meet your guide at the ferry once you arrive in Suomenlinna. They will then take you to all of the main sites while explaining all about the history of this fascinating place. Book a private guide here.
Lammassaari Island has so many beautiful trails. It feels miles from the city center and is so peaceful.
11. Lammassaari Island
If you want to explore another of the city’s beautiful islands, Lammassaari is a great option for exploring some of Helsinki’s natural beauty. You can take buses 55 or 71 or the number 6 tram to get close to the island and then you can walk to the entrance.
The island is home to tons of trails for walking as well as some stunning summer cottages that people come to on the weekends. The main draw here is the duckboards path that is made up of wooden boards that take you through the tall grasses of the marsh.
There is a stunning viewpoint area where you can sit and have lunch and look back over the city. It’s also a popular spot for bird watching, so if that’s your thing, be sure to pack your binoculars.
There are some bathrooms at the entrance to the park, but otherwise be sure to bring your own food and plenty of water since there are no other amenities around.
12. Kaivopuisto
If you want to enjoy some green space without traveling too far, this city park is the perfect spot.
It is one of the oldest parks in Helsinki and is in the same neighborhood as many of the residences for foreign ambassadors to Finland including the US, UK, Spain, and Italy to name a few. Needless to say, it is quite a nice neighborhood to wander around.
If you’re here on May Day (May 1st), this is the place where thousands of locals head for picnics in costumes and traditional outfits.
Even if you’re not here in May, if the weather is good, this is the perfect place to come for a picnic with friends or family. There are tons of grassy areas as well as a few hills that offer viewpoints back over the water.
Be sure to sample some Salmon soup while you’re here. This is an iconic Finnish dish!
13. Temppeliaukio Church
Also sometimes referred to as the Church of the Rock or Rock Church, Temppeliaukio is one of the most famous things to do in Helsinki.
This Lutheran Church was built directly into the rock and the architects designed it to feel almost like a cave church. A competition for the design of the church took place as early as 1930, but it wasn’t completed and consecrated until September 1969.
The church was created to have excellent acoustics and is sometimes used as a concert venue. Check out this events website to see if there is something going on there during your trip.
14. Teurastamo
Teurastamo translates literally as abattoir, which is what this area of the city used to be. However, it couldn’t be further from it’s meat-packing roots these days.
This area is now home to one of the coolest food venues in all of Helsinki and is a great place to come if you want to hang with the locals for a meal.
A few places not to miss are B-Smokery, a barbecue restaurant, the Helsinki Coffee Roastery for a cup of coffee, Tukkutorin Kala for a seafood lunch, and Helsinki Distillery for some locally made gin and whiskey.
Cafe Regatta was not only a haven from the rain, but home to some of the best pastries I had during my trip to Helsinki.
15. Cafe Regatta
There are truly endless amazing bakeries around Helsinki. There is the centrally located St. George Bakery, the historic Fazer Cafe, and the cute Café Engel.
But if I lived in Helsinki, the cafe I would return to again and again (and over the course of the week, I may have returned a few times), is Cafe Regatta.
This little cafe is inside a quaint red wood cabin along the waterfront. I was strolling through the nearby park when it started absolutely pouring with rain. I spotted this red building in the distance and ran inside for cover.
It was steamy inside as all of the water evaporated from the customers’ wet clothes in the warmth of this tiny cafe.
There are a few tables outside and a few inside. They have one coffee option, simply coffee with or without milk. It is strong and nutty, a perfect pairing with one (or more) of the homemade desserts.
The cardamom bun here was one of the best I have ever eaten in my life. The blueberry pie was sweet and sour and crumbly and buttery. I also loved the cardamom doughnut; light and fluffy and packed with cardamom flavor.
If you want something more savory, they also have sandwiches, but the pastries here should not be missed.
16. TAHTO Sports Museum
Sports lovers or families with children won’t want to miss a visit to the TAHTO Sports Museum. If you have the Helsinki Card, then entrance is free.
It’s a small museum but is packed with sports history from around Finland. There are some fun interactive exhibits where you can test out your soccer skills or see if you are as quick to react as an F1 driver.
There is memorabilia from past olympic games and other international tournaments. It’s a fun place to learn more about the sports history of Finland.
If you only go into one of the museums in Suomenlinna, be sure to check out the submarine. It is a unique and fascinating place to explore.
17. Take a Walking Tour
If this is your first trip to Helsinki, consider taking a guided walking tour. There are tons of different options out there to suit your travel style and budget.
You can opt for something like a free walking tour where you give a tip at the end as payment based on how much you liked the tour. You can book a spot on one of those free walking tours here.
If you want to learn more about the architecture of the city, consider taking a tour with an expert like this architecture-focused walking tour.
Want to get to know the city while also sampling some local foods along the way? This walking food tour is a fantastic way to combine two things to do in Helsinki in a single day tour.
You’ll stop at many of the attractions on this list as well as into the market for some snacks to keep you going all with a knowledgeable local guide. Book that tour here.
If you have specific sites you want to see and simply want to have a private guide for the day, you can book a private tour and work out the itinerary directly with the guide so that you only stop at all of the best Helsinki attractions on your must-see list. Book a private guide here.
18. Archipelago Cruise
Want to see more of the 330 islands that make up Helsinki? The best way to do that is to get out on the water.
Consider taking an archipelago cruise which will take you past 15 different destinations located on several different islands all with commentary available to learn more about each destination and why it was or continues to be an important part of Helsinki.
The boat has a cafe onboard so you can buy drinks to enjoy while you cruise around. The cruise is about an hour and a half and starts and finishes right in the main downtown port in town, close to the Vanha Market. Book a ticket to this Archipelago Cruise here.
Seeing the enormous ice breaker ships up close is a fun thing to do in Helsinki.
19. Ice Breakers
Helsinki is home to six enormous ice breaker ships. During the winter months, these ships head out into the frozen waters in order to clear the shipping lanes and keep trade routes open all year long.
All six of these ships were built right here in Helsinki. The oldest of the ships, Voima (meaning strength) was launched back in 1952!
Once the ice thaws in the spring, they are parked up in Merikasarmi Quay. You can visit them for half of the year and see these impressive ice breakers up close.
A particularly fun thing to check out is their colorful mailboxes. They are painted different colors so that each ship’s mailbox can be distinguished from the other.
Disclosure: I was gifted the Helsinki Card during my most recent trip to the city so that I could explore many of the museums mentioned above. All opinions are my own.