The Perfect 3 Days in Helsinki Itinerary for Your First Visit
I'll come out and say it right off the top: Helsinki is one of my favorite cities in the Nordic region!
This might be surprising to anyone who's visited, say, Stockholm or Bergen or Copenhagen, but hear me out on this.
Helsinki has so many things that I love in a city: lots of green spaces, ample coffee shops, unique architecture, and interesting history, just to name a few. It's safe, not super touristy, and has a really nice vibe to it – plus, it's the capital of the happiest country in the world!
Helsinki makes for an excellent long weekend getaway, or an add-on to a longer trip around Scandinavia/the Nordics.
If you're looking to visit Helsinki for yourself, here's my idea of the perfect 3 days there!
A note on Scandinavia vs. the Nordics: This is sort of a “Great Britain vs. the UK” situation. Scandinavia includes the countries of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, while the Nordics include Scandinavia plus also Finland, Iceland, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and Åland. In case you were curious.
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When to visit Helsinki
There's *one* small caveat to all my effusive praise of Helsinki: it mostly applies to Helsinki during the warmer months of the year. I've actually been to Helsinki in both the summer and the winter, and I'll admit that the city is much more charming in the warmer months!
I'm not saying that you can't enjoy Helsinki in the winter – you definitely can! But if you want to fully appreciate all the parks and islands and long days, then you should consider a trip from May-September.
Summer in Helsinki is hard to beat – the sun shines the most from May-July, and the city gets roughly 18 hours of daylight during that time. Helsinki also doesn't suffer from overwhelming summer tourist numbers like some other European spots.
My first visit to Helsinki was in June, and it quickly rocketed up to one of my favorite European capital cities.
3 days in Helsinki itinerary
This is my idea of the perfect 3 days in Helsinki, based on my own two trips there. Feel free to use this to inspire your own trip!
An intro to Helsinki
Helsinki has a long and interesting history; even its more “modern” history spans hundreds of years, as the city was founded in 1550 by Swedish King King Gustav I, back when Finland was part of the Swedish empire. The city (and all of present-day Finland) was then conquered by the Russian empire in 1808, and remained under Russian rule until Finland gained its independence in 1917.
Helsinki, therefore, has an eclectic mix of architecture, businesses, and overall vibes the reflects its melded cultural history. Parts of it do feel a bit Russian, while other parts feel Scandinavian, while still other parts don't feel like either.
It's perhaps most impressive to me that, despite all the centuries under foreign rule, the Finnish people still hung onto their unique cultural identity and language – which is completely different than Russian or any of the Scandi languages.
The Helsinki Card
Helsinki offers a city card that includes free entry or discounts to most of the paid attractions in the city, from museums to bus tours to even some day trips and restaurant discounts. The Helsinki Card City and Helsinki Card Region include all public transit, too. A 72-hour card costs anywhere from 93-97 EUR, and can definitely save you money if you do most of the activities in this itinerary. Find the full list of what's included here. (Just note that with the City and Region cards, you'll need to pick up a physical card in-person, which you can do at the airport. Info here.)
Day 1: Central Helsinki
Today, get a feel for this unique capital with all the highlights around Helsinki's city center.
Morning: Walking tour
I recommend starting out with a walking tour of the city center, as this is a great way to get some context of the city's history, while at the same time seeing some of the most iconic spots in Helsinki like Senate Square, both cathedrals, and the south harbor/Market Square.
I did a free walking tour with Free Tour Helsinki (i.e. Red Umbrella Tours), and we visited so many places in just two hours, including some spots I may not have found on my own. The tour is free (you're just expected to tip your guide after), though they do recommend booking a space online in advance.
The places you'll see on a central Helsinki walking tour (or that you can visit on your own if you'd prefer to skip the tour) include:
Helsinki Cathedral / Senate Square
Start in Senate Square, at the bottom of the steps leading up to the Helsinki Cathedral. This is the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran cathedral, and it's known for its grand green dome and massive granite staircase leading up to it. The cathedral was built between 1830 and 1852 as a tribute to Tsar Nicholas I of Russia (who was ruling Finland at the time), and has become a symbol of Helsinki.
You can go inside the cathedral outside of worship hours – though note that it's not nearly as ornate on the inside! It looks like a grand Catholic church from the outside, but a austere Lutheran church on the inside.
National Library of Finland
Right across the street from Helsinki Cathedral you'll find the National Library of Finland. The Finns LOVE their libraries – there are more than 700 of them throughout the country of just 5.6 million!
The National Library is free to visit (you'll just need to leave coats and bags in the cloakroom), and is well worth a quick peek. The library shows off Helsinki's symmetrical Neoclassical architecture both inside and out, with the rotunda being my favorite part.
Uspenski Cathedral
Your walking tour will meander through the city center and eventually over towards the harbor and the city's other cathedral: Uspenski Cathedral. This ornate red brick cathedral dating back to 1868 is the largest orthodox church in Western Europe, and is even more lavish on the inside.
Lunch: Vanha Kauppahalli
After your walking tour (either guided or just on your own), it'll be time for lunch. I recommend visiting Vanha Kauppahalli on the market square, which is a traditional indoor market from the 1800s where you can find all kinds of Finnish food.
Grab a stuffed baked potato from Kumpi Peruna (try it with reindeer meat!), some traditional fish soup from SOUP+MORE, and licorice gelato at La Gelateria (the Finns LOVE their licorice). There are also stalls selling everything from caviar to fresh salmon, and a few bakeries, too (try a tippaleipä, which is the Finnish version of a funnel cake!).
Afternoon: SkyWheel
After lunch would be a good time to head up the SkyWheel, the giant Ferris wheel overlooking the city and harbor. Add a glass of bubbly to enjoy as you get whisked above the city.
(You can book ahead, but you don't necessarily have to; I bought my ticket on arrival.)
Near the SkyWheel you'll also find the Allas Sea Pool, an outdoor pool and sauna facility right on the harbor. Here you'll find three saunas and three outdoor swimming pools of varying temperatures, including the sea pool that's filled up by the Baltic Sea. This is a popular spot for locals that you might also want to try if you bring your swimsuit with you (but I'll also recommend another sauna experience later in this itinerary!).
Late afternoon: City museum
If you skip the sea pool, head over to the Helsinki City Museum on Senate Square next. This small museum is completely free, and showcases moments from Helsinki's history through photos, art, artifacts, and more.
It's a quick museum to pop into (and it's open until 7 p.m. on weekdays), and rounds out the main highlights in this part of Helsinki.
Evening: Esplanadi Park and dinner
Take a stroll through Esplanadi Park, a narrow park in central Helsinki that's a popular spot for strolling. It features a live music stage, plenty of benches for people-watching, and is close to lots of restaurants.
For dinner tonight, you could try Kappeli (fine dining right in Esplanadi Park), Restaurant Savotta (traditional Finnish), Helsinki Bryggeri Brewhouse (brewery with food), Ravintola Emo (Scandinavian bistro), Pizzeria Via Tribunali (very popular pizza spot), or Ravintola Rioni (Georgian spot). I'd recommend reservations wherever possible!
Day 2: Let's get artsy
Today you'll visit a nice park and have plenty of museum time!
Morning: Sibelius Park
Start out your morning with a short trip to Sibelius Park just north of the city center. This forested park is a lovely place for a stroll, and is also home to one of the most charming cafes in Helsinki.
Start out with a coffee and cinnamon roll at Cafe Regatta, which is a little cabin-shaped cafe that sits right on the water. The Finns LOVE their coffee – light-roasted filter coffee, to be exact – and drink more coffee per capita than people in any other country in the world!
So do as the Finns do and enjoy a coffee here as you take in the views. (You can also rent things like kayaks and SUPs here, if you want to get out on the water.)
From the cafe, it's a short walk to the Sibelius Monument, a monument dedicated to Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. The monument, designed by Eila Hiltunen, comprises 600+ steel pipes that form a shape meant to represent the melody of music. It's very cool!
Late morning: Temppeliaukio Church
On your way back into the city center, consider making a stop at Temppeliaukio Church in the Töölö neighborhood of Helsinki.
This round church is very unique, with rough stone walls and a shiny copper dome. It was built directly into solid rock, and is therefore sometimes also called the Church of the Rock or Rock Church. This is still a working church, but also a popular concert venue thanks to its excellent acoustics.
Visiting the church costs €8 per adult, and you can purchase a ticket in the church lobby or online in advance.
Afternoon: Museum time!
Helsinki has SO many museums, so today is a great time to explore at least one or two of them.
I personally would recommend 1 history museum and 1 art museum, though you might want to visit fewer or more, depending on your personal preferences and how long you spend at each one.
The top history museum (that's not far from Temppeliaukio Church) is the National Museum of Finland, or Kansallismuseo. This museum is an excellent place to learn more about Finland's history as a whole, from prehistoric times through the present day. However, this museum is closed for renovations until 2027!
There are lots of art museums to choose from in Helsinki, too, including several that are in close proximity to one another near the train station. These are:
- Art Museum Ateneum – Located in a grand 19th-century building, this art museum focuses mostly on Finnish works from the 1700s onwards. It also has a few international pieces, including ones from the likes of Van Gogh and Rodin.
- Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma – Part of the Finnish National Gallery, Kiasma focuses mostly on Finnish contemporary art, and is in a very cool building.
- Amos Rex – An art museum showcasing modern and contemporary art in a very cool space, with an outdoor space (Lasipalatsi Square) that's fun to visit.
Most of these art museums are on the smaller side, so if you're skipping the National Museum of Finland, you could definitely visit 2 or potentially all 3 of them in an afternoon. (And they're all free with the Helsinki Card!)
Early evening: Oodi Library
Lastly, you need to stop in to the Helsinki Central Library Oodi, which is a new(ish) design-forward library that opened in late 2018. I know that this is the second library I'm recommending in this itinerary, but they really are worth seeing!
Oodi library oozes sleek design both inside and out. Along with normal library-type offerings, you can also find two cafes, an outdoor terrace, and spaces you can rent for everything from recording music to playing video games to cooking a meal (yes, there's a kitchen space in this library!).
Oodi is open until at least 8 p.m. or 9 p.m., too, so you can easily pop in either before or after dinner.
Evening: Wine bar and dinner
An excellent option for dinner tonight is Wine Bar Apotek (Viinibaari Apotek), which is indeed a wine bar that also serves full meals. It's a small space, though, so reservations are recommended.
Other places to consider tonight include Ravintola Nolla (a no-waste restaurant with tasting menus available), Lappi Ravintola (a cozy spot serving Finnish food), Boon Nam (upscale Thai), or Yeastie Boi (fun bagel sandwich spot).
Day 3: Suomenlinna and sauna
You've hit up most of the Helsinki highlights, so let's head a little further out today!
Morning and early afternoon: Suomenlinna
Helsinki is located on an archipelago made up of roughly 330 islands. And one of the top things to do in Helsinki is to take a ferry out to a collection of those islands called Suomenlinna.
These islands are not just islands – they're actually a massive fortress. Back in the 1740s, Sweden (remember, Finland used to be a part of the Swedish Empire) decided to build a great sea fortress to help protect against the growing power of the Russian Empire. The fortress, called Sveaborg, consisted of 8 separate small islands, of which six were fortified with defensive walls.
Interestingly, the Russians did eventually take this fortress in 1808, but no battles were ever actually fought here; the Swedes simply surrendered. Russia retained the fortress until Finnish independence in 1917 – and Finland changed the name from Sveaborg (Castle of the Swedes) to Suomenlinna (Castle of Finland) in 1918.
Today, Suomenlinna is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is a popular half-day trip from Helsinki.
Head to Market Square (Kauppatori) and take the FRS water bus to Suomenlinna (check the schedule here). You'll buy your ticket onboard, and note you save money with a Helsinki Card.
You'll cruise past several other islands and arrive in about half an hour to Suomenlinna. Once there, allow at least a couple hours to explore! Even though it's an historic site, Suomenlinna is also home to about 800 permanent residents and there's a lot to see.
A guided walking tour is offered each day if you want to learn more about the history of the fortress (sign up at the visitor center, or get your ticket in advance – the tour is also included with a Helsinki Card), but you can also explore freely on your own.
There are several cafes and restaurants to enjoy, too. I recommend sticking around for lunch at either Adlerfelt or Cafe Bar Valimo.
Afternoon: Sauna experience
Once you head back to Helsinki from Suomenlinna, it's time to get a taste of Finnish sauna culture!
The sauna (pronounced SAUW-nuh) is a staple in Finnish culture. It's very common for apartments and family homes in Finland to have their own private sauna. Your hotel or apartment in Helsinki might even provide one for you to use.
But going to a public sauna is a whole different experience! Head to Löyly this afternoon, which is located at the end of Heliga Birgittas Park (Pyhän Birgitan puisto) on the waterfront to the south of the city center.
The Löyly sauna complex includes two mixed-gender sauna rooms (one modern smoke sauna and one traditional wood-heated sauna) and ladder access into the Baltic Sea (for the all-important cold plunge). There's also a large outdoor terrace and a glass-fronted restaurant with multiple bars. It's a beautiful space!
Entrance to the Löyly sauna is €26 per person, which includes 2 hours of sauna time, a towel, shampoo, and a seat cover, plus access to the terrace where you can also buy drinks. You do need to book a timed reservation online in advance.
A note for my American readers: Most public sauna facilities in Finland will have gender-specific sauna options alongside mixed sauna rooms. Löyly only has mixed saunas, and swimwear is required. But if you go to other saunas in Finland, they might be clothing-optional within gender-specific rooms. (And even in swimwear-required saunas, you'll probably see people walking around the changing rooms naked. It's completely normal here.)
Evening: Dinner and Kaivopuisto Park
You can book a table at Löyly for dinner, or walk back towards the city center along the waterfront and see what else you find (Restaurant Birgitta Hernesaari is another good option, with lots of outdoor seating in the summer).
You can also walk past a city beach and into Kaivopuisto, a waterfront park with lots of walking paths, sea views, cafes, and ice cream stands. On a summer evening, this is a great place to be.
After dinner, if you're up for a unique cocktail bar, seek out Bob's Laundry, a speakeasy-style bar “hidden” inside a small laundromat in the Punavuori neighborhood.
If you have more time…
It's pretty easy to fill 3 days in Helsinki, especially during the summer months. But if you have even *more* time, here are some other things you might want to do:
- Explore the Design District – Helsinki is designated as a UNESCO City of Design and even has its own appointed “Chief Design Officer.” You can explore the designated Design District, which encompasses 25 streets around Helsinki in the Punavuori, Kaartinkaupunki, Kamppi and Ullanlinna neighborhoods. A lot of notable shops can be found in Kaartinkaupunki, especially along both Pohjoisesplanadi and Aleksanterinkatu just north of the Esplanadi.
- Visit Seurasaari Open-Air Museum – Located on Seurasaari Island in Helsinki, this museum-park calls itself “rural Finland in miniature,” as all the buildings throughout the park have been brought in from across Finland to give visitors an insight in to what rural life was like in Finland years ago. You could easily spend half a day here.
- Take a day trip – You can book day tours to places like Nuuksio National Park for some hiking, or Porvoo for its history. But the most popular day trip is actually to Tallinn, Estonia! You can take one of the huge ferries (seriously, they're like cruise ships) across the Gulf of Finland in just 2 hours, and spend most of the day exploring the historic city of Tallinn. (See my Tallinn tips here.)
Where to stay in Helsinki
On my own first trip to Helsinki, I opted to rent an apartment because I needed a space to get some work (and laundry) done. I booked an apartment at Bob W Koti Ullanlinna, which is in the Design District.
The Bob W chain of apartments does a great job of putting you in a safe, quiet neighborhood that's still close to all the main attractions. (Mine was right next to the Design Museum and a tram line.) Everything is contactless, and you enter using a code on a keypad. Bob W has several other locations in Helsinki, too, including Bob W City Centre, Bob W Koti Katajanokka, and Bob W Kluuvi.
If a hotel is more your speed, though (or if you need more than 1 bed), these Helsinki hotels would be my picks:
- Hotel F6 – A boutique hotel in a great location, this is the top-rated hotel in Helsinki.
- Hotel Kamp – Top luxury hotel in Helsinki.
- Hotel Fabian – Another good boutique hotel option, this one is close to Vanha Kauppahalli.
- Clarion Hotel Mestari – A good central location plus a great breakfast spread; this is where I stayed during my winter trip to Helsinki!
- Marski by Scandic – Good value for money, and the Scandic brand of hotels is always a solid choice in the Nordics.
Visiting Heksinki FAQ
Here are a few more things to know about visiting Helsinki:
How do you get to Helsinki?
You can fly to Helsinki from tons of cities throughout Europe (and abroad) through Helsinki Airport (HEL). Finnair (the national airline of Finland) operates the most flights in/out of HEL, but other airlines with many weekly flights include British Airways and American Airlines.
You can also reach Helsinki via boat (ferry) from nearby cities like Stockholm, Sweden (on an overnight ferry) and Tallinn, Estonia (2 hour ferry ride).
How can I get around in Helsinki?
Helsinki is a very walkable city, so the easiest and cheapest way to get around is via your own two feet! After that, the public transportation system of trams, buses, the metro, and local trains is robust, and you can get single ride and day tickets through HSL (and the HSL app) – though I had trouble with this on my most recent trip. There are also city bikes and taxis/rideshares.
I mostly got around by walking and using the trams (you can even take a tram from the ferry port to the city center, and from there take the train all the way to the airport).
If you get the Helsinki Card City, it includes public transit around the city center (including trams and buses), while the Helsinki Card Region also includes the train to the airport.
What's the best time to visit Helsinki?
June-August will have the best weather and most daylight hours, though May and September are also excellent options if you want even fewer crowds (though Helsinki did not feel crowded at all to me in early June!).
You can of course visit Helsinki from October-April, too, though you'll find fewer activities and the city does get very dark and grey during the winter months.
Who's ready to plan a trip to Helsinki?
Amanda Williams is the award-winning blogger behind A Dangerous Business Travel Blog. She has traveled to more than 60 countries on 6 continents from her home base in Ohio, specializing in experiential and thoughtful travel through the US, Europe, and rest of the world. Amanda only shares tips based on her personal experiences and places she's actually traveled!
As I have said before; Finland has much to see and immerse into. Not just museums and restaurants. Do try to soak up the mindset of the Suomi citizens. Engage in meaningful dialogue or at least simply ponder why so much has higher quality standards than elsewhere. That may lead to explaining why they are what they are!