Another of the many often-overlooked European capitals that I love is Helsinki. There is so much to do in Helsinki, regardless of the weather, and you’d be surprised at how modern, fun, and friendly it is. It’s called the daughter of the Baltic which I think accurately reflects the city’s easy going personality.
Whether you’re here to relax in a Finnish sauna, to perhaps experience cosmopolitan Finland, or just to explore a new Scandinavian destination, you can’t go wrong with Helsinki. Here are my top tips for the best Helsinki experience.
Outdoor Sightseeing
Despite being in what’s a fairly cold place, Helsinki has a ton of fantastic stuff to do outside. The city centre is on a peninsula which means there’s lots of gorgeous shoreline to explore and islands in the harbour to see. Must-sees:
- Sibelius Monument: these 600 metal organ pipes welded together are a huge tourist attraction, and for good reason: this is one of the best pieces of outdoor art I’ve seen. It’s gorgeous from far away and close up. The light is best towards mid-late afternoon.
- Töölönlahti: a park just behind the main rail station. It’s a total urban oasis, and you can walk or jog here and see some great sights. It’s also beautiful at night with the buildings reflecting against the lake.
- Esplanadi Park: a small but totally chic park in the middle of the city.
- Suomenlinna: a must, must, must see!! From little hidden beaches to courtyard cafes, museums, and the old sea fortress, this is a top attraction and the ferry ride over is fantastic!
There are many, many other parks, such as Kaivopuisto by the sea and Central Park to the north. If you want fresh air and need to stretch your legs, Helsinki has plenty of options.
Museums & Churches
The Fins love good art, and their appreciation shows in the capital. My personal favourite is Kiasma, which is their contemporary art museum just smack in the middle of the city. It’s quite a cool, sort of open air building, and the collection draws on strengths in many media, including film and installations. For Finnish art, the Ateneum is where you’ll want to go, with its massive collection. Contrast it with the weird and wonderful displays in the Design Museum – it highlights “consumer goods design.” Intriguing indeed.
The city’s churches are also museums in and of themselves; the Lutheran Cathedral (pictured above) is an icon symbol but I feel compelled to point out it’s a bit more exciting from the outside than the inside. Far more interesting is the Church in the Rock (Temppeliaukio). Go and see if you can figure out why someone thought that was good design! And for a bit of flair, stop by the Upenski Cathedral, which is definitely my favourite of all the churches, both outside and in.
Shopping
It isn’t cheap, but the shopping is good in Helsinki. Stockmann – Finland’s major department store – is a fun place to start where you can check out Finnish fashions, as well as their own souvenir shop (which, unfortunately, is just as pricey as the souvenir shops elsewhere – so might as well get the good stuff here). Once you’ve finished there, head for the Design District, a bohemian neighbourhood full of boutiques everything from furniture to art. There are approx. 170 shops across 25 streets, so you’re bound to spark some creative juices during any visit.
Best Restaurants in Helsinki
You won’t go hungry (or thirsty) in Helsinki: trust me. Just bring your wallet 
Breakfast
The Finnish people drink more coffee per capita than any other nation, supposedly – but one mug of a fresh coffee from a local cafe will start your day off properly. Two things that are best enjoyed with a morning coffee include krovapuusti (an oversized cinnamon roll, translated as ‘a smack on the ear’) and pulla (a cardamom-flavored coffee cake). Great cafes to relax with a coffee or tea include Cafe Engle on Senate Square, Cafe Fazer at Kluuvikatu, and Cafe Fazer.
Lunch
If you have the benefit of decent weather, then stop by a supermarket and then go picnic on Suomenlinna. It is the it thing to picnic out here, and you won’t be alone. There’s a supermarket by the ferry station in Suomenlinna but it gets awfully crowded so shop in advance if you can.
If the weather is nice but you don’t fancy a picnic, try Cafe Ursula, pictured above – it has great views from the seaside location.
Otherwise, you will want to find yourself at Kappeli, a place that has witnessed much history as a favourite haunt for Finnish poets, musicians, and literary figures. They do a good lunch or evening meal as well.
Dinner
I think it might be the sauce, but every time I had pizza in Helsinki, it was amazing. There are a lot of pizza places too – so don’t be shy and think “oh this is the lame tourist option” – the pizza is good!!
For Finnish food, I loved Baker’s on Mannerheimintie. They don’t really tell you but the bread bar is a self-serve and kind of all-you-can-eat deal, so don’t be shy. But you don’t need a lot with the huge burgers, tasty reindeer, not to mention ice cream sundaes for those with a sweet tooth.
Ravintola Savoy also serves traditional Finnish cuisine in a gorgeous 1930s building, with a great view and vibe. Try their Vorschmack ,a meat dish with onion and either anchovies or herring.
Daytrips from Helsinki
As much as I love Helsinki, there is plenty of opportunity to get out of the city for the day. My two top recommendations:
- Porvoo: It’s a riverside city of adorable wooden houses (pictured above) with old fashioned shops in them. It’s slightly touristy but still quite enjoyable. Head for the houseboat coffeeshop for some fantastic ambience and a great cup of joe. Walk around, get away from the crowded markets and just soak up rural life. You can get here via bus, via boat, or a combination of the two. I couldn’t take the boat because it was full, so make reservations ahead of time if you plan on choosing this option!
- Nuuksio National Forest in Espoo: You don’t have to head to Lapland to experience extreme Finnish forests, just take the short trip to Espoo. It’s endless forests, unspoilt lakes, and the freshest air you’ll find in Europe. There are places to overnight here too, and to be honest if I had it to do again, I’d probably take a couple of days out here to just detox.
Helsinki: What’s not to like?
Photos by Andy Hayes except Design District & Food photos by IKs World Trip
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
“Does Helsinki sound like a Baltic travel dream come true?”
- Yes it is a travel dream come true, but a Nordic one and not Baltic. Helsinki is the daughter of the Baltic Sea, that´s the difference. (If you go to a bar in Helsinki and call the country Baltic you might get a korvapuusti.)
Still I loved the article, you´ve caught the essential. And found all the best places to eat in the city!
Jess – No, I know that, though Finland was once considered a Baltic state. The tagline was a play on words, but I never turn down a korvapuusti, regardless of the circumstances.
Great job on making a Nordic city sound absolutely fantastic. Haven’t been to Helsinki, though I grew up near Stockholm, and regret not visiting. Finns are great people as well, though can be somewhat ‘Nordic’ in nature (i.e. reserved and shy).
Andy, your posts always move the places I haven’t been yet right to the top of the list! Beautiful photo selection and excellent info. Thanks!
Great article I’m off to Helsinki soon this has been a great help.
I’ve met lots of Finnish friends while on Erasmus (exchange studies) which also helped make my visit to Helsinki one of my best holidays. Finns are VERY shy and reserved, as evident by the greetings (a wave and a ‘moi’) but once they deem your worthy, you will have friends for life.
One side mention – take tram 6 or 8 to Arabia to the outlet shops for beautiful Finnish glassware and other kitchen essentials. They make the very high quality kitchenware that lasts forever.
And of course, drink lots of “Grape Long Drink” or lonkero. It’s refreshing, tasty and great on the terrace in summer.