How to Have a Good Time in Helsinki
Where to go, eat, and explore
Often overlooked in favor of other Nordic capitals like Copenhagen, it’s time for Helsinki to shine. It’s extremely walkable, yet still has easy-to-navigate buses, trams, ferries, and subways (we took them all). Everyone we met was friendly and welcoming. There is great food, even better drinks, cool design, and amazing shopping. And the sauna culture is unmatched, especially in the winter.
I immediately fell in love with Helsinki and need more people to make it a priority destination in 2025. Here’s how to have the best time in Finland’s capital.
What to do
Walking Tour
I almost always start any trip with a walking tour. It’s one of the best ways to get the lay of the land, a quick overview of the area’s history and cultural landmarks, and tips from local guides.
Usually known for being quiet and reserved, we saw a whole new side to the Finnish people the morning of our walking tour. Celebrating their first-ever Olympic gold medal in hockey, the people packed Market Square singing and cheering. We saw someone running down the streets with a Finnish flag and witnessed firsthand the Helsinki tradition of decorating the Havis Amanda statue with a hockey jersey. You couldn’t help but raise a glass and cheer along, too.
Suomenlinna Sea Fortress
Surprisingly, this was one of our favorite stops in Helsinki. A World Heritage Site, the sea fortress tells the story of Finland’s rule under Russia, Sweden, and finally independence. We took the ferry from downtown, grabbed a soup and sandwich at the cafe, and then spent hours walking around the islands exploring the fortress. We even got to see a spectacular winter sunset over the bay.
If you’re a history or architecture fan, this is a must stop.
Kamppi Chapel
The simple yet impressive design of Kamppi Chapel makes it a must-see in Helsinki. Take a few minutes to enjoy a quiet reflection point in the heart of the city—no phones or photos are allowed inside.
Löyly
By now you know I love a sauna, and Löyly is the place that cemented the practice in my heart. Finnish sauna culture runs so deep, that it’s said there are more saunas in Finland than people.
Löyly is a trendy public sauna with a traditional wood-fired sauna, electric sauna, and restaurant on site. The coolest part (literally), is the cold plunge directly into the Gulf of Finland, aka the Baltic Sea. In February, climbing into the sea felt like floating in a slushie. I lasted about 30 seconds, but we met someone who did a full two minutes in the freezing water.
Allas Sea Pool
Public pools are also a longstanding tradition in Helsinki, and Allas Sea Pool has it all—thermal pools, saunas, cold water pools with water from the sea. Unfortunately, it was closed during our trip for construction, but I have it at the top of my list for a return trip.
Design Museum
If you need a break from the cold, check out the Design Museum. From the history of Finnish design to an architecture lab for kids, you could spend all day here.
Where to eat and drink
Ekberg Cafe
A Helsinki institution, brunch at Ekberg is a must. We opted for the breakfast buffet and a round of Korvapuusti (cinnamon and cardamom buns famous in Finland). You’ll want to try Korvapuusti at every bakery.
BasBas Kulma
A cool wine bar with an underground feel, we stopped in for a late dinner after sauna-ing at Löyly. We shared a bunch of small plates, like crudo, a waffle topped with caviar, creme fraiche and dill, crispy potatoes, and a cheese plate. Everything was incredible.
Ravintola Teerenpeli
We did a bar crawl around downtown Helsinki on our first night, but I’m calling out Teerenpeli specifically because it was the first place I had a long drink. A long drink is a classic Finnish cocktail of gin and grapefruit soda, but more modern versions can include vodka or other types of mixers. Teerenpeli makes its own house version of the long drink, but you can now find the original canned version from Hartwell in the US. Kippis!
Hakaniemi Market
A historic market filled with vendors, you could spend hours sampling all the Finnish delicacies. The hall was under construction during our trip, so many stalls were closed, but I would recommend Soup + More to try a traditional Finnish salmon soup.
Vanha kauppahalli (Old Market Hall)
Similar to the above, but downtown, Old Market Hall has amazing architecture and a few more home goods and other shopping vendors than Hakaniemi. It’s worth a stroll.
Where to shop
Stockmann’s
A traditional mega-department store a la Macy’s, Stockmann’s is a massive storefront in downtown Helsinki. With everything from clothing to home goods and decor to cosmetics to food and even a vintage store, you can spend hours browsing the goods in here (and we did).
Relove
With six stores around the city, including in Sotckmann’s, Relove is one of the easiest places to find vintage clothing and handbags on your trip. If you’re looking for a less curated selection, try a UFF. It’s similar to a Goodwill and there are locations all over the city.
Iittala & Arabia - Flagship Esplanadi
A great home goods store with china, pottery, cutlery, and more. We each took home a few small pieces from this store.
Where to stay
Airbnb
Our time in Helsinki was split in two, and this is where we stayed on the first half of our journey. The apartment was lovely with plenty of space for our group of six. It was across the street from Hakaniemi Market and the Hakaniemi subway and bus stops. But, we also easily walked to the city center.
Hotel Finn
On the second half of our time in Helsinki, we stayed right in the city center at Hotel Finn. A step up from a hostel, but still focused on budget and convenience, the hotel was clean and convenient with luggage storage.
Hotel Kämp
If you want to splurge, this is the place to do it. Hotel Kämp is an iconic Helsinki hotel with world-class dining. I will be infinitely jealous if you call this place home during your time in Finland. Even if you don’t stay here, it’s worth a visit.
In my opinion, Finland is best visited in the winter. Next week, I’ll do a deep dive on our four days in Lapland snowmobiling and aurora hunting. See you then!