Top things to do in Helsinki: insider tips for your next Finland trip

Satu Vänskä-Westgarth

November 24th

The best things to do in Helsinki include a Finnish breakfast, a public sauna, the Design District, the city's market halls and galleries, and a day on the islands of Suomenlinna and Seurasaari.

Helsinki sits between forest and sea, and much of its character comes from that position. Nordic design, a layered history and easy access to nature shape everyday life here. Whether this is your first visit or a return trip, this guide covers some of the best things to do in Helsinki, from rye bread at breakfast to an evening in a public sauna.

Helsinki city in winter

Start with a Finnish breakfast

A traditional Finnish breakfast is simple and filling, built around rye bread, open sandwiches, porridge and strong coffee. In Helsinki, visit Café Engel near Helsinki Cathedral and try a Karelian pastie or rye bread topped with smoked salmon, dill and a poached egg. For something sweet, Fazer Café has been serving cakes and pastries since 1891. Finns drink more coffee per person than any other nation, around four cups a day.

Breakfast here follows a simple logic. Finnish food has always followed the seasons and what the land can provide. Rye bread has been a staple for centuries because rye grows well in the Nordic climate and gives lasting energy through long, cold winters.

Finnish breakfast of rye bread with smoked salmon

Wander through the Design District

Helsinki was the World Design Capital in 2012, and design is still part of everyday life here, from furniture and textiles to public buildings. Helsinki's Design District is the easiest place to see it, with design shops, galleries and small boutiques spread across several neighbourhoods. Spend a few hours at stores like Artek for classic Finnish furniture and Marimekko for its bold prints. The Design Museum tells the longer story of Finnish design. Then walk through Punavuori and Eira, with their Art Nouveau buildings and the small shops locals return to. Our guide to shopping areas in Helsinki and Stockholm has more ideas.

Finnish design is more than aesthetics. It reflects a Nordic way of thinking where function, durability and a closeness to nature come first. Alvar Aalto co-founded Artek in 1935, and in the decades after the Second World War, Finnish design gained international recognition through his work and through brands such as Marimekko, founded in 1951. The Design District shows how that thinking still shapes daily life.

Colourful houses in the Eira and Punavuori area of Helsinki

Relax in the city's parks

Green space is never far away in Helsinki. Take a slow walk or have a picnic in Esplanade Park in the city centre, or follow the seafront through Kaivopuisto park.

Nature is woven into Finnish culture. The principle of jokamiehenoikeus, or everyone's right, gives the public access to forests, lakes and open land, and it grew from a long history of living alongside them. Even in the capital, locals head to parks to unwind and to mark the seasons.

Esplanade Park in central Helsinki

Where can you try a Finnish sauna in Helsinki?

Public saunas are the easiest way for visitors to try a Finnish sauna in Helsinki, and the city has options ranging from historic neighbourhood saunas to modern waterfront designs. Three of the best are Löyly, Kotiharjun Sauna and Yrjönkatu Swimming Hall. Löyly is modern, with timber architecture, a swim in the sea and a terrace for afterwards. Kotiharjun Sauna in Kallio, dating back to 1928, is the last traditional wood-heated public sauna in Helsinki. Yrjönkatu Swimming Hall, also from 1928, is the city's oldest public swimming hall, where swimming and sauna culture meet in an elegant historic building. The contemporary Kulttuurisauna is another option. For more, see our guide to visiting a local sauna in Helsinki.

Saunas are central to Finnish life, a place for rest, health and conversation. There are around 3 million saunas for 5.5 million people, in homes, offices and even Parliament. Historically, saunas were treated as sacred spaces for cleansing body and mind. Today they remain places to unwind and talk, sometimes even about politics, a tradition known as "sauna diplomacy".

Yrjönkatu Swimming Hall in Helsinki

Where can you eat traditional Finnish food in Helsinki?

Traditional Finnish food is easy to find in central Helsinki, at established restaurants, market halls and cafés, where dishes such as salmon soup, Karelian pasties, reindeer and Arctic char are regulars on the menu. Savotta, near Senate Square, is a good place to try classic dishes like reindeer stew. For a contemporary take on Finnish ingredients, Olo is a Michelin-starred restaurant known for its tasting menus. Helsinki's food scene is built on fresh, local and seasonal produce, and our guide to restaurants in Helsinki has more recommendations.

Reindeer stew, a traditional Finnish dish

Explore Helsinki's market halls

Helsinki's market halls are the best places to see everyday Finnish food culture, with fresh fish, seasonal produce, baked goods and ready-to-eat dishes under one roof. For a local and eclectic experience, head to Hakaniemi Market Hall or Hietalahti Market Hall, the latter known for its vintage shops. The Old Market Hall by the harbour is the most convenient of the three. Look for Finnish specialities like salmon soup, pastries and cheeses, and stop at Roobertin Herkku at Fredrikinkatu 19 for Finnish sweets.

Markets have long been gathering places in Finland. They reflect a Nordic sense of community and a wish to know where food comes from. A visit to a market hall gives travellers a view of everyday Finnish life, from seasonal berries to local crafts.

Old Market Hall by the harbour in Helsinki

Discover Helsinki's art and culture

Helsinki's museums and landmark buildings offer a compact introduction to Finnish art and architecture, most within walking distance of the city centre. See Finnish art at the Ateneum Art Museum or contemporary work at Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, both close to the main railway station. In Töölö, Temppeliaukio Church is carved directly into solid rock.

Finnish architecture draws on nature and function, two hallmarks of Nordic design. Architects like Alvar Aalto worked with organic forms and natural materials to create buildings that sit comfortably in their surroundings. Temppeliaukio Church, completed in 1969, follows the same thinking by working with the bedrock rather than removing it. Finnish art tells a similar story, from romantic paintings of forests and lakes to contemporary work that questions and experiments. Ateneum and Kiasma together trace that journey.

Beyond the major galleries, Helsinki and the rest of Finland have many small local museums that are easy to miss. The free Finnish Museums app maps more than 1,100 of them, shows the ones nearest you with directions and describes each in English. It is a useful companion for a free afternoon between planned activities.

Temppeliaukio Church in Helsinki's Töölö district

Which islands can you visit from Helsinki?

Helsinki's coastline includes more than 300 islands, and many can be reached by public ferry, bridge or boat tour. Suomenlinna and Seurasaari are the easiest to visit from the city centre. Suomenlinna, a short ferry ride from Market Square, is a UNESCO World Heritage site with 18th-century sea fortifications, museums and wide views across the water. Seurasaari is reached by a footbridge, and its open-air museum preserves traditional wooden buildings brought from across Finland, with walking trails through the forest between them. To go further, take a boat tour or rent a kayak to explore the outer islands.

Finland's identity is tied to water, and its lakes and islands shape much of the country's culture. The archipelago gives locals a quiet escape from the city, and Suomenlinna in particular brings together the love of the outdoors with Finland's maritime history.

Seurasaari island in the Helsinki archipelago

How do you get around Helsinki?

Helsinki is easy to get around by tram, bus, metro and ferry. Download the HSL app and buy a day ticket, which also covers the ferry to Suomenlinna. Trams 2 and 3 follow a scenic route past many of the city's main sights. If you plan to visit several museums, the Helsinki Card combines public transport with free entry to almost 50 museums.

Tram in central Helsinki

Visit the Moomin shops

The Moomins, created by Finnish artist and writer Tove Jansson, have become one of Finland's best-known cultural exports. In Helsinki, the official Moomin Shop has books, gifts and homeware inspired by the characters. The Moomin Café offers themed snacks and drinks in a relaxed Nordic setting. It is a gentle way into Finnish literature and art, and into a story many Finns grew up with.

Moomin Shop on the Esplanade in Helsinki

How many days do you need in Helsinki?

Two to three days is enough to see Helsinki's main sights at an unhurried pace, which is why many of our itineraries include two nights in the city. Add a day if you want to spend longer on Suomenlinna or take a day trip to Porvoo, one of Finland's oldest towns. Our insider's guide to Porvoo has more.

When is the best time to visit Helsinki?

Summer, from June to August, is the most popular time to visit Helsinki, with long light evenings, outdoor cafés and easy access to the islands. Midsummer in late June is celebrated mostly at summer cottages, so the city itself is quieter that weekend. December has short days but brings the city's Christmas markets, and winter works well for travellers combining Helsinki with Lapland. For more on the warmer months, see summer in Helsinki with locals and Midsummer in Finland.

Take it at Helsinki's pace

Helsinki rewards a slower visit. Spend time outdoors, take the tram rather than a taxi and leave room in the day for what you find along the way. Finns can seem reserved at first, but many are glad to recommend a favourite café or sauna if you ask.

Helsinki is a city of contrasts, where history and new ideas sit side by side and nature is part of everyday urban life. These tips are a starting point. The rest is found by walking, noticing and staying a little longer than planned.