THE 20 best things TO SEE as well as do in HELSINKI

Last Updated: 10/13/21 | October 13th, 2021

When I landed in Helsinki, I didn’t really understand what to expect. Out of all the funding cities in northern Europe, Helsinki gets the least “buzz.”

Founded in the 16th century by the King of Sweden, Helsinki was originally established to rival the bustling trading port of Tallinn. Unfortunately, growth was slow as well as most of the city died during the plague of 1710. It wasn’t until the Russians annexed the region that it started to establish as well as grow into the city it is today.

While small (less than 1 million people live here) as well as not as popular as Stockholm or Copenhagen, Helsinki is a hip, modern funding house to a vibrant art as well as music scene. It’s bursting with museums, cafes, as well as eco-friendly space. You can quickly do most of your sightseeing in the city on foot since it’s compact. best of all, Helsinki sees a fraction of the tourists that other Scandinavian capitals get.

To assist you make the most of your visit, right here of all the best things to do in Helsinki:
 

1. Take a complimentary walking Tour

One of the very first things I always do when I show up in a new destination is to take a complimentary walking tour. You get to see the main sights, learn about the history as well as culture, as well as have a local professional offered to response all your questions.

Green Cap tours offers a complimentary 1.5-2 hour tour that acts as a solid introduction to the city. just be sure to tip your guide at the end!

For an alternate look at the lesser-known parts of the city’s past as well as its working-class history, take the complimentary other Side of the Bridge tour. It provides an in-depth, alternate look at Helsinki.
 

2. check out the post Museum

A museum about the postal service sounds absolutely boring however I discovered it surprisingly interesting. The museum highlights the history of the mail service in Finland, from ships as well as sleds in the 1600s to the modern-day service. There are tons of relics, galleries, as well as short films about exactly how they made mail shipment work in such a sparsely populated as well as harsh environment. It does an exceptional task taking a boring subject as well as making it fun, accessible, as well as educational.

Alaverstaanraitti 5, +358 03 5656 6966, postimuseo.fi. open Tuesday-Sunday from 10am-6pm. Admission is 13 EUR.
 

3. relax in Sinebrychoff Park

This small city park used to be the private garden of a Russian businessman. Today, it’s a popular spot for picnics, relaxing, events, as well as sledding in the winter. There are lots of cafes nearby so grab a snack as well as come right here to lounge as well as watch the day go by. It’s super popular with the locals in the summer.
 

4. check out the national museum of Finland

As a history buff, I always appreciate a great museum. I’ve been to more than my fair share of disappointing as well as under-funded museums over the years. Fortunately, this was not one of them.

Opened in 1916, the museum covers the history of Finland from the stone Age to the present. It has a big collection of artifacts, provides lots of detail as well as creates a chronological narrative, as well as offers decent descriptions so you always understand what you are looking at. For a small funding city, it’s a very, very excellent museum. Don’t miss it!

Mannerheimintie 34, +358 29 5336000, kansallismuseo.fi/en/kansallismuseo. open everyday from 11am-6pm (closed on Mondays in winter). Admission is 14 EUR however it’s complimentary on Fridays between 4:15pm-6pm.
 

5. wander the Suomenlinna Fortress

Suomenlinna is a UNESCO world Heritage site constructed by Sweden in 1748 on an island just off the coast. originally named “Sveaborg” (Castle of the Swedes), it was built as a deterrent against Russian expansionism. Eventually, it was renamed to “Suomenlinna” (Castle of Finland) in 1918 when the country gained independence. A check out right here is a relaxing way to spend half a day as you can check out the fort, wander the island, or chill in one of the many parks.

There are likewise a lot of fascinating buildings right here (including six different museums) as well as some out-of-the-way beaches.

Admission to the fort is free, though each museum has its own admission fee.
 

6. check out the Kiasma museum of contemporary Art

This museum opened in 1990 as well as is housed in a really unique modern building not far from the post Museum. The collection consists of over 8,000 works (I’m not a significant contemporary art fan so I personally don’t recognize any type of of the names). part of the Finnish national Gallery, Kiasma is Finnish for “chiasma” which is a term that describes the crossing of nerves or tendons.

Mannerheiminaukio 2, +358 29 450 0501, kiasma.fi/en. open Tuesday from 10am-6pm, Wednesday-Friday from 10am-8:30pm, Saturdays from 10am-6pm, as well as Sundays from 10am-5pm. Admission is 15 EUR as well as complimentary on the very first Friday of the month. currently closed until spring 2022 for renovations.
 

7. See the Finnish museum of Photography

This museum houses an amazing collection of photography from both Finnish as well as worldwide artists. There are rotating exhibits as well as exhibits by new as well as emerging photographers. There’s always something fascinating right here so check the website to see what’s on screen during your visit.

Tallberginkatu 1, +358 9 68663610, valokuvataiteenmuseo.fi. open Tuesday-Sunday from 11am-6pm (8pm on Wednesdays). Admission is 10 EUR.
 

8. marvel at the Helsinki Cathedral

This cathedral was built in the 19th century as a tribute to Czar Nicholas I. located next to the bank Museum, it towers over the city as well as is one of the most recognizable facets of the capital’s skyline. If you’ve visited a lot of cathedrals won’t likely walk away thinking this is one of the biggest cathedrals in Europe, however I think it’s one of the best in Scandinavia. They have a (free) short organ recital every Wednesday at 5pm.

Unioninkatu 29, +358 9 23406120, helsinginseurakunnat.fi. open most days from 9am-11:45am as well as 12:30pm-6pm (11am-6pm on Sundays) however times can vary so check the website. Admission is free.
 

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9. stroll around the central Market

For souvenir shopping, tasty local food, fresh produce (including lots of berries in the summer), as well as excellent people-watching be sure to head to the central Market. It’s located near the harbor, which sits on the coastline of the Baltic Sea. In October, the herring market begins which is a significant local event. the market has heated tents when it gets chilly as well as there are plenty of restaurants as well as cafes around making it a fun place to check out any type of time of the year. While it is typically swarming with tourists, I heard sufficient Finnish to understand it isn’t a total tourist trap.

Open 6:30am-6pm Monday-Friday, 6:30am-4pm on Saturdays, 10am-5pm on Sundays. Admission is free.
 

10. check out the Sinebrychoff Art Museum

This is the only museum in the city that focuses on older European paintings as well as portraits (from the 14th-19th centuries). Housed in a building built in 1842, there are around 4,000 items in the collection. Not only are there some extraordinary as well as historic works right here however part of the museum is composed of the Sinebrychoff residence itself. You can walk through the old Sinebrychoff estate as well as see what life was like for the affluent in Helsinki in the 19th century.

Bulevardi 40, +358 29 4500460, sinebrychoffintaidemuseo.fi. open Tuesday-Friday from 11am-6pm (8pm on Wednesdays) as well as 10am-5pm on weekends. Admission is 16 EUR.
 

11. check out the bank of Finland Museum

Admittedly, a bank museum sounds even more boring than a post museum however this museum was one of the coolest museums I’ve seen in a long time. very first as well as foremost, it paints a clear as well as insightful picture of the history of money in Finland. They likewise host rotating exhibitions on all sorts of related topics (such as counterfeit money). however what I discovered the museum really did well was to explain the history of modern finance. It makes the topic so clear as well as concise that I really learned a lot during my visit.

Snellmaninkatu 2, +358 9 183 2626, rahamuseo.fi/en. open Tuesday-Friday from 11am-5pm as well as 11am-4pm on the weekend. Admission is free. currently closed due to COVID. check website for up-to-date information.
 

12. relax in Esplanade Park

This park, known as Espa to the locals, is a popular place to spend an afternoon when the weather is nice. In the warmer summer months, there are street musicians as well as performers around as well as lots of eco-friendly space as well as benches for any individual looking to lounge with a book or a picnic. opened in 1818, the park likewise has some walking as well as jogging trails too. It’s just a nice place to relax as well as soak in the city.
 

13. See Uspenski Cathedral

This big red cathedral is difficult to miss. It’s an Eastern Orthodox church with big domes as well as gold crosses as well as absolutely has avery Russian feel to it. Consecrated in 1868, it’s really the largest Eastern Orthodox church in all of Western Europe. The interior is lavishly decorated too, with a big vaulted ceiling as well as lots of Eastern Orthodox icons (though some of the most popular icons have really been stolen in recent years).

Kanavakatu 1, +358 9 85646100, hos.fi/en/. open Tuesday-Friday from 9:30am-7pm, Saturday from 10am-3pm, as well as Sunday from 12pm-3pm. closed during ceremonies. Admission is free.
 

14. Take a Food Tour

If you’re a foodie like me, you have to take a food tour. They’re the best way to sample the local delicacies as well as traditional foods, such as fresh fish, craft beer, as well as Finnish porridge. Heather’s Helsinki offers a tasty tour of the city that lasts 4-5 hours as well as includes 9 different stops around the city for just 85 EUR per person. You’ll not only get to eat some excellent food however you’ll learn a lot about the history as well as culture behind the cuisine.
 

15. check out the Helsinki City Museum

Opened in 1911, this is an exceptional city museum with plenty of descriptions as well as top-notch exhibits as well as photos. It’s really the third-best city museum I’ve come across in Europe (after the Amsterdam as well as Barcelona museums). Do not miss it. You learn a lot about the city as well as about exactly how it has changed as well as evolved over the centuries.

Aleksanterinkatu 16, +358 9 31036630, helsinginkaupunginmuseo.fi. open weekdays from 11am-7pm as well as weekends from 11am-5pm. Admission is free.
 

16. chill out in Kaivopuisto Park

This significant park is tucked away in the southeast corner of Helsinki. during the winter, tobogganing is popular here. lots of events held right here as well, such as Vappu Day (May 1st) celebrations. The park overflows with thousands of locals who come to picnic, listen to music, as well as drink away the day. since it’s so out of the way, you barely ever see tourists here.
 

17. hit the Sauna

You can’t check out Finland without going to a sauna. The word itself is Finnish as well as there are over 3 million in the country (which is a lot since there are only 5.5 million people in Finland). There are plenty of public saunas in Helsinki, most of which expense around 10 EUR as well as have separate sections for men as well as women. You can usually rent towels as well, as well as while going nude is the traditional method there’s no shame in wearing a towel either.

Some of the best saunas in the city are:

Kotiharjun Sauna

Sauna Hermanni

Allas Sea Pool

18. check out Seurasaari Island

This island just north of the city is house to an open-air museum featuring traditional style Finnish buildings. Guided tours are offered everyday in the summer as well as take you around the buildings as well as shed light on exactly how Finns lived from the 17th-19th centuries. The museum, which opened in 1909, collected the buildings from all around the country so you aren’t seeing replicas here.

Meilahti, +358 295 33 6912, kansallismuseo.fi/en/seurasaarenulkomuseo. open from May-September. check website for specific hours. Admission is 10 EUR.
 

19. check out the style Museum

Finnish design, like its Scandinavian counterparts, is incredibly popular, known for seamlessly integrating style elements into regular life. The museum teaches you about Finnish architecture as well as style history over the last century as well as a half. opened in 1873, the style museum holds over 75,000 objects, 40,000 drawings, as well as 100,000 photographs.

Korkeavuorenkatu 23, +358 9 6220 540, designmuseum.fi/en/. open 11am-6pm Tuesday-Sunday (open until 8pm on Wednesdays) in winter as well as 11-6 everyday in summer. Admission is 12 EUR.
 

20. check out Amos Rex

Named after Amos Anderson, a Finnish patron of the arts Amos Rex is an art museum that opened in August 2018. It has a rotating series of temporary exhibitions from local as well as worldwide artists (check the website for details) as well as is already one of the most popular in Helsinki. I’m not a modern art fan, however I’m told this gallery has really great exhibitions.

Mannerheimintie 22–24, +358 9 6844 460, amosrex.fi/en. open 11am-8pm on weekdays (closed on Tuesdays) as well as 11am-5pm on weekends. Admission is 20 EUR.
 

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Helsinki is a city that deserves more praise than it gets. fortunately for you, since it typically overlooked, you can check out without dealing with the crowds that so many other European capitals are plagued with.

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