What to do in Helsinki: A day in Finlands capital of cool
The capital of Finland, Helsinki, is built up of 330 islands scattered across the Baltic sea just south of the country. Finland is widely known for it’s Santa Claus village in Lapland but Helsinki is home to comforting local seafood food, activities out on the water and buildings designed by some of the world's best mid-century modern architects. Read on to find out what to do in the capital of the world's happiest country, Helsinki Finland.
The Basics
Location - Northern Europe
Currency - Euro
Language - Finish + Swedish
Religion - Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland
Drive Side - Right
Plug - C + F
To Stay
Hey Big spender: St George
Meet me in the middle: Hotel Lilla Roberts
Drop it low: UNITY Helsinki
On a shoestring: The Yard Hostel
Morning
To try and beat the crowds the first place to head on your 24 hours in Helsinki is one of the capital's most famous landmarks Temppeliaukio Church. The plot was bought in the 1930s but the war halted all plans and the country went into debt. In 1961 Finland paid off its reparations and held a design contest for the plot which was won by brothers Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen. The design intended to use natural rock for walls and a skylight held up by a copper-lined dome but this was met with disdain from the locals who wanted a more traditional design. It was also feared that the money could be used to help people rebuild their lives after the war so the initial designs were scaled back and the church did end up being a huge hit and is one of Finland's most visited tourist destinations.
Only a 10-minute walk away and a more modern piece of Finnish architecture is Oodi, Helsinki's new national library. The distinctive swooping structure of the library is clad in Finnish spruce and has been designed to feel as though it is reaching out to the national parliament building which sits opposite. The internal layout is just as impressive and there is a viewing platform for visiting with views over the square.
Finland is highly regarded in the world of art and design and there is no better place to showcase this than the Artek store. A 10-minute walk from the Oodi library this two-storey shop stocks the best in Scandinavian home textiles, curtains, furniture, lighting, books and more in both historic and contemporary designs. My top 5 would be Alvar Aalto, Juha Leiviskä and Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec.
If you would rather stay on the architect's path skip this and walk to the Helsinki Cathedral. The city's largest landmark was built in honour of the Tsar Nicholas I of Russia and was also known as St Nicholas's Church until the independence of Finland in 1917. It is no surprise then the design is influenced by St.Peterburgs most famous landmarks The Hermitage Museum and The Church Savior on the Spilled Blood. You can do this either self-guided or as part of an organised tour.
Midday
By this stage in the day, you'll want to wander through Esplanadi which is a small but pretty park that runs parallel between two central streets towards the island of Katajanokka. Once you arrive in Katajanokka you'll find a row of edgy coffee shops, restaurants and bars by the water's edge overlooking the sailing boats that glide in and out of the bay. There is a mix of options available from the pizza restaurant Niska to Crazy Wine bar if you want a mid-day drink or a classic deli sandwich option which we opted for at Johan & Nyström.
Afternoon
This lunch spot leads perfectly to the next location which is only a 5-minute walk away, The Allas Sea Pools. Open year-round they offer three pools built on top of the sea: a children's pool, a warm pool and a seawater pool, as well as a sauna and a café. I visited in summer so the temperature of the ocean pool was bearable if not still a little chilly but ice swimming is traditional in nordic countries. It has been proven to provide people with better resistance to cold weather, support the immune system, helps control the breath and improves sleep and stress levels. What makes this worth an afternoon is an outdoor experience with views of the Presidential Palace, Market Square or out to sea towards the islands of the inner archipelago.
Evening
With only a day to spend in Helsinki trying traditional food is a must and the best non-touristy spot has to be Restaurant Seahorse. Established in 1934 the restaurant survived WWII and was taken over by Anna-Liisa Paukku in 1959 who took in struggling artists and allowed them to eat for free. The restaurant became a homely escape and creative hub for local people but fell into disrepair due to a lack of funding.
It was then bought in 1999 and refurbished using local trades and artists' who used to dine there. With almost 90 years in business, many of the artists or designers who have visited The Seahorse have since gone down in history for their work. It is because of this that the restaurant has such an authentic and unique feel to the food, interiors and hospitality. The menu is small with Finish classics such as crispy fried herrings, steak and Vorschmack.
Finland has a rich history in beer production so head to Bier Bier to find a vast selection of local and traditional beers to try. Craft beer is their speciality so if you want to try a local Finnish beer with a friendly atmosphere and mid-century modern interiors this is the place to go. The bar also has a wide selection of ciders or wines and spirits.
Other Points of Interest
Realistically you need 2-3 days to see Helsinki without the need to rush around. If you have this amout of time I would make sure to add the following to the itinerary:
If you have 3-4 days take a day trip to the capital of Estonia, Tallinn, which is a beautiful city abundant with medieval houses and cobbled alleyways. The ferry is around 2 hours and is very walkable when you arrive. Make sure to read The Perfect 48 Hours in Tallinn to find out the best the city has to offer.
With such a range of things to see and do Helsikini is perfect for a long weekend or as the starting point for a longer trip to either Lapland, Estonia or Russia. Being part of Scandinavia Helsikini is an expensive country therefore even the smallest items such as water on the go or lunch out do come at a cost which is why Finland tends to attract more mature tourists. This should not put off anyone from visiting as long as money is managed well as Helsinki is the best city for those with a love of design and the great outdoors.
You may also like The Perfect 48 Hours in Tallinn, Estonia or The ultimate 4-day Road Trip, Kraków to Wrocław
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