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15 Helsinki trips. Compare tour itineraries from 14 tour companies. 349 reviews. 4.7/5 avg rating.
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Top Helsinki Attractions
- Hopping on a 20-minute ferry ride to explore Suomenlinna, the “Fortress of Finland.”
- Indulging in Napoleon cake, strong coffee and abundant handmade pastries at Cafe Ekberg, the city’s oldest cafe.
- Marveling at the Rock Church (Temppeliaukio Church), built directly into the bedrock that surrounds it and boasting an impressive copper dome, granite walls and superior acoustics.
- Hanging out like a local at Esplanadi, Helsinki’s favorite outdoor spot for people-watching, listening to music and other street performers and ducking into classic cafes.
- Peeking into the Russian influence on Helsinki at Uspenski Cathedral in the Katajanokka district - this is the largest orthodox church in western Europe.
- Strolling, snacking, strolling and snacking some more on Finnish delicacies at the lovingly renovated Old Market Hall, the city’s oldest food market.
- Visiting the neoclassical Helsinki Cathedral on Senate Square - have a coffee in the gloomy, yet curiously appealing crypt, now a cafe.
- Partaking in the Finnish sauna tradition - try Kotiharjun Sauna in Helsinki (one of just three traditional public saunas that remain in the city).
- Riding the popular 1951 wooden rollercoaster at Linnanmäki Amusement Park.
Helsinki Tours & Travel Guide
Helsinki Attractions & Landmarks Guide
Finland's capital city is a great destination for a vibrant arts and culture scene, outdoor activities, and museums. The city is beautifully laid out, on the bank of the Gulf of Finland, and provides many picturesque cafes to spend an afternoon. Enjoy a walking tour through the historic streets.
Helsinki Overview
Where eastern and western Europe meet, Helsinki is awash in Russian and Estonian influence, a cosmopolitan culture, a fantastic design and architectural scene and a pleasing waterside ambiance. It’s little wonder much of the world seems to have its eye on northern Europe these days - embracing the minimal design and fashion, amazing food and take on such world issues as feminism and welfare.
People-watching is a top activity in Helsinki, the perfect blend of Scandinavia, thanks to the myriad alfresco summer bars (or terrassits), in the city center. Water plays a huge role in the Helsinki layout - the city grew up on several peninsulas and islands along the Baltic coast and Gulf of Finland, resulting in seaside roadways, bridges, ferries to accommodate locals and travelers alike.
With a current population - encompassing great Helsinki, including Espoo and Vantaa - of more than a million residents, Helsinki has become a larger urban presence since World War II. Most of what you’ll want to visit is centered on one peninsula - home to most of Helsinki’s sights, hotels, eateries, museums and more.
Everywhere you go during your Helsinki tour, you’re likely to meet friendly, welcoming locals - there’s a congenial sense of community throughout the city, made all the more apparent by the widespread use of the English language. Easy to communicate, easy to get around and tons to see - Helsinki is a not-to-be-missed northern European city!
Helsinki’s Top Neighborhoods
- Kamppi: If you’re looking for the most shopping and dining options in Helsinki, look no further than the Kamppi district. (Also, from here, it’s easy to hop on a bus to go visit Espoo or Porvoo.) Among the top sites in Kamppi, Helsinki: Kamppi Chapel, The Old Church and the Natural Museum.
- Kallio: Kallio is perhaps the hippest of Helsinki neighborhoods, with a casual ambience and a huge array of dining options, bars and cafes. Look for craft beers at many of the bars and fusion-style cuisine at the restaurants, all of which attract the local musicians, artists, writers, students and other young locals of Helsinki. Look for poetry slams, music concerts, flea markets and the annual Kallio block party if you time your visit right.
- Töölö: In Töölö, you’ll find the famous Helsinki park named after Finland’s most renowned composer, Jean Sibelius. Don’t forget to snap a photo of the monument dedicated to the musical great. Other Töölö attractions include the Rock Church, the National Museum, the Opera House, Olympics Stadium and Finlandia Hall.
- Punavuori, Eira and Ullanlinna (Design District Helsinki): The Helsinki design scene is on an epic rise - check it out in these three neighborhoods in the center of the city. Twenty-five streets house countless shops, galleries, antiques shops, museums, restaurants, showrooms, design studios and more that celebrate Helsinki’s renowned designers.
- Katajanokka: Check out the Hotel Katajanokka, formerly a prison, jet out to the fortress island of Suomenlinna and visit the Uspenski Cathedral - just a few of the top reasons to visit Katajanokka.
5 Must-See Helsinki Attractions
1. Suomenlinna - Known as the fortress island, this Helsinki treasure dates back to the mid-18th century when Finland became a part of Sweden. Beyond being a top attractions for locals and tourists alike, the six linked islands of the fortress are actually also home to approximately 800 Helsinki residents.
The massive sea fortress and its surrounding nature area showcase artillery and defensive walls and walking trails that crisscross the islands, allowing for easy sightseeing. Check out the King’s Gate drawbridge, the Suomenlinna Museum and the Submarine Vesikko.
2. Temppeliaukio Church (Rock Church) - Set in Helsinki’s desirable Toolo neighborhood, this famed Finnish church was designed by Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen. It is built directly into the bedrock that surrounds it, showcasing beautiful granite walls.
Thanks to its extraordinary design, the acoustics are unbeatable - the Rock Church is a popular spot of music concerts. See if you can make one part of your Helsinki tour itinerary.
3. Helsinki Cathedral - The can’t-miss Helsinki Cathedral (or Lutheran Cathedral) on Senate Square is a popular Helsinki tour stop. Look for the sculpture of the 12 apostles that adorn the roof of the church and are said to guard the city. Carl Ludvig Engel is the neoclassical mastermind behind the Lutheran Cathedral and its iconic green domes, which have now become a symbol of Helsinki.
4. Market Square - Looking for the best food in Helsinki? Make sure your Finland tour includes a stop at the country’s most famous market, Helsinki’s Market Square. Here, on the eastern side of central Helsinki, you’ll find local flavors, from produce to meats to baked goods, as well as local art and crafts. Warm up with salmon soup and rye bread.
Or, pick up a pair of reindeer-skin gloves to bring home as a unique Helsinki souvenir. If you’re visiting in October, stop by for the famous Baltic Herring Market. And year-round, shop for cheese, bakery items, chocolate, Alko liquor, deli meats and coffee at the market hall, Kauppahalli.
5. Senate Square - Fronting the iconic Helsinki Cathedral, Senate Square is home to a statue of Alexander II, buskers upon busker, Government Place, a University of Helsinki main building and the Sederholm House - in fact, this latter sight is central Helsinki’s oldest building, dating to 1757.
There are myriad shops, cafes and restaurants - and if you’re in Senate Square in the evening (5:49 PM to be exact) listen for the digital carillon bell music.
Off-the-Beaten-Path Attractions in Helsinki
1. Helsinki Winter Garden
Not just a cold-weather garden, the Helsinki Winter Garden is a botanical garden that is open year-round. Take a break from your frenetic sightseeing pace and wile away an hour or two amidst the exotics plants and gardens. There are more than 200 different varieties of plants here, including camellia trees over a hundred years old, island pines, palmettos, King Sago Palms, a noble bat tree, succulents and cacti. Christmas time in Helsinki brings the blooming of azaleas, tulips, amaryllises and lilies of the valley and at Easter, you’ll see daffodils and tulips.
2. Yrjӧnkatu Swimming Hall
Take a dip in Helsinki’s oldest swimming pool - in face, the oldest public swimming pool in Finland. This is a great spot to include a Finnish sauna experience in your Helsinki tour - there are three saunas, including infrared, steam and traditional wooden version.
3. Akateeminen Kirjakauppa (Academic Bookstore)
A delightful place to slow down and browse the aisles, Akateeminen Kirjakauppa is Scandinavia’s largest bookstore. What looks like a regular sized establishment from the outside becomes a magnificent work of architecture (designed by Alvar Aalto, no less) inside. Amongst the marble structure throughout the interio, wander the 450,000 titles, curl up on a comfy sofa and stay awhile.
4. Kampink Kappeli (Chapel of Silence)
Combine two Helsinki tour stops - the Academic Bookstore and the Chapel of Silence - which are quite near each other. Here, in the busiest part of Helsinki stands this spectacularly designed, wooden, oval chapel that, boasts a lovely alder-lined interior and skylight that allows in the arctic sun. Take a break from Helsinki’s hustle and bustle and take your time to enjoy the space - built as part of the World Design Capital program in 2012.
5. Tallinn Day Trip
While not a Helsinki attraction - of course - it’s worth adding Tallinn, Estonia, on to your Finland tour. It’s just a two-hour ferry ride away from the Helsinki harbor and is a delightful way to experience the Estonian culture in a day. History comes alive in the city’s cobblestone streets, medieval structures and historical district - complemented by 21-century coffee shops, restaurants and galleries. Don’t miss the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.
Helsinki’s Design Scene
Not to be outdone by its Scandinavian neighbors, Helsinki’s streamlined, stylish yet functional Finnish design has become world-renowned. The capital city is Finland’s creative center - take time to visit the boutiques and galleries of the Helsinki Design District as well as the excellent Design Museum.
Following in the footsteps of the design boom, Helsinki architecture is acclaimed as well. If you’re an architecture buff, your Helsinki tour should include the Kiasma museum of contemporary art, the Musiikkitalo concert hall, Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen’s rock church, Temppeliaukio, and the city’s gorgeous train station, a stunning example of Finland’s National Romanticism movement.
What to Eat in Finland
Farm-to-table has gained momentum worldwide as the next big culinary movement, and yet, Finland, and Helsinki in particular, have long been pioneering the practice of growing, foraging and creating with ingredients in their own backyard. Look for dishes with reindeer, elk, bear, salmon, arctic char, lingonberries and cloudberries, forest mushrooms and more.
Here, our top 10 things to eat on your Helsinki tour:
Runeberg torte - Look for these circular rum cakes topped with icing and jam that are named after Johan Runeberg, Finland’s national poet. They’re time-specific, however - sold only from the beginning of the year until Runeberg Day, February 5th.
Pea soup - Usually part of a special when ordered at a Helsinki restaurant, and typically served with rye bread, the Finnish pea soup features pork and mustard.
Baltic herring - You knew this already, but herring is pretty popular in Finland and therefore Helsinki. There’s a Baltic herring festival every October - if your Finland tour doesn’t coincide with that, head to one of the markets on the south harbor and stop by the fishmonger or a local restaurant. You’ll likely eat the herring in Helsinki (regular or pickled) with new potatoes.
Berries - Be on the lookout for other popular Finnish berries: the tart lingonberry and the sour cloudberry, available only for a short period each summer.
Grillimakkara - Summer is short in Helsinki, so residents take advantage of the long sunny days to grill up these juicy sausages. They’re made all the better with mustard and local beer.
Pulla - Sweet craving? Helsinki’s tastiest treat looks similar to a cinnamon bun and is just as scrumptious. Pull are shaped a bit more like a roll and are generously topped with icing and walnuts.
Salted licorice (salmiakki) - While it’s not for everyone, if you want an authentic Helsinki souvenir, grab some salted licorice, a popular Finnish candy.
Cabbage Rolls (kaalikääryleet) - Take some steam cabbage and roll it up around beef, onion and spices - then top it with lingonberry jam? That’s the unexpected, yet delicious flavor you’ll get when you try a Helsinki cabbage roll.
Karelian pies (karjalanpiirakka) - Breakfast person? Indulge in a Helsinki breakfast favorite, a karelian pie made with rye bread and stuffed with rice, butter and boiled eggs.
Fried muikku - Look for pan-fried Finnish vendance at outdoor food markets and festivals in Helsinki and throughout Finland. These are teensy fish that are breaded, fried and eaten whole. Try them for one of the most authentic tastes of Helsinki you’ll experience!
Top Ideas for Outdoor Activities in Helsinki
If you’re the type for whom a Finland or Helsinki tour is not complete without a bike ride or a hike, here are a few ideas for outdoor activities in the country’s capital city. From boating to garden strolls, snowshoeing and ice fishing, Helsinki and its archipelago islands provide much in the way of outdoor adventure.
Consider:
- Private Helsinki Forest Tour - Your Helsinki tour can include a private walk through the city’s nature reserves, pointing out seasonable plants, herbs, berries and mushrooms and offering insight into how integral nature is to the Finnish lifestyle.
- Jet Boat Ride Through the Helsinki Archipelago - Dress in layers, then embark on a private sightseeing boat tour from Helsinki harbor, getting to see top sights such as Kaivopuisto Park, the Presidential Palace and the Suomenlinna fortress.
- Sleigh Ride - Visiting Helsinki in the winter months? In lieu of a jet boat ride, take a private sleigh ride tour through the Helsinki archipelago, perhaps trying ice fishing and taking time to warm up with lunch and warm drinks on one of the islands.
- Explore Nuuksio National Park in Espoo - Perhaps the easiest Finnish national park to visit during a Helsinki tour, Nuuksio is awash in placid lakes, lush forests and countless trails for all level of hiker.
- Helsinki Bike Tour - See Helsinki like a local on a guided bike tour through this Finnish capital. Your tour guide can share stories of living here, show you their favorite spots and make sure you don’t get lost! Explore the secret corners of Helsinki and tailor your bike tour to your interests, whether that’s architecture, good food or art
Helsinki Reviews & Ratings
Well organised and interesting however I felt
Well organised and interesting however I felt the itinerary let the leader and trip down when we visited the Aland Islands, where everything was closed and we wander...
Most of the trip was very nice
Most of the trip was very nice, however Lillihammer and Mora were questionable stops and Åland was a total bust. I realize Lillihammer and Mora are somewhat dictate...
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