About

About ULTIMATE Helsinki City Guide

ULTIMATE Helsinki City Guide is an independent guide for visitors to Helsinki, Finland. We publish 14 curated lists: restaurants, cafés, bars, hotels, sights, museums & arts, parks, walks, shopping, saunas & health, property, developments, motoring and getting around. We cover Kaartinkaupunki and the Design District, Kamppi and Punavuori, Kruununhaka and Katajanokka, Töölö, Kallio, Eira and Ullanlinna, Suomenlinna, Jätkäsaari and Kalasatama, with day trips to Porvoo, Nuuksio National Park, Tallinn, Turku and the archipelago.

Our editor

ULTIMATE Helsinki City Guide is edited by Tara de la Motte, who oversees the guide’s articles and magazine features.

How we choose

Every place in our lists has been checked against its own website or an official source: MyHelsinki (the City of Helsinki’s visitor guide), hel.fi, HSL, Finavia, the Finnish Tax Administration, the national museums, UNESCO and the MICHELIN Guide. We never accept payment for inclusion, and we don’t publish ratings or property prices.

Before you go

Opening hours, entry rules and timetables change often. Please check directly with each place, and with official sources, before you travel. Prices are in euros (€).

For venues

Run a venue in Helsinki and spotted something to update? We review our lists regularly and welcome corrections.

Photo credits

• The wooden-ceilinged departure hall at Helsinki Airport, by kallerna, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Allas Sea Pool on the Katajanokka quay, with the SkyWheel behind, by kallerna, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The domed square above Amos Rex, beside the Lasipalatsi tower, by Suyash Dwivedi, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A salon in the Sinebrychoff Art Museum, by Bengt Oberger, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Helsinki Cathedral at the top of its steps on Senate Square, by JIP, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Kiasma, the Museum of Contemporary Art, lit up at dusk, by ArildV, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The cycle and foot lanes on Kruunuvuorensilta, Finland’s longest bridge, by Pete, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Summer in the Esplanadi Park, by the Runeberg statue, by Ввласенко, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The South Harbour, with Helsinki Cathedral rising above the waterfront, by Ввласенко, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Helsinki Cathedral at the top of its steps on Senate Square, by JIP, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Senate Square, framed by the Cathedral and its neoclassical buildings, by Matti Mattila, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Porvoo’s red riverside storehouses, by FrDr, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Architecture & Design Museum on Korkeavuorenkatu, by Vadelmavene, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The cycle and foot lanes on Kruunuvuorensilta, Finland’s longest bridge, by Pete, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Eira’s villas and spires seen across the park from Hernesaari, by Ximonic (Simo Räsänen), licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Eira’s villas and spires seen across the park from Hernesaari, by Ximonic (Simo Räsänen), licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• An Art Nouveau villa in Eira, by Jeff Reuben, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Summer in the Esplanadi Park, by the Runeberg statue, by Ввласенко, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Alvar Aalto’s white Finlandia Hall, by Daderot, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The red-brick Hakaniemi Market Hall, by Jisis, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The South Harbour, with Helsinki Cathedral rising above the waterfront, by Ввласенко, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Löyly’s timber-clad sauna building by the sea at Hernesaari, by Vadelmavene, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The South Harbour, with Helsinki Cathedral rising above the waterfront, by Ввласенко, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Hotel Kämp lit up at dusk on the Esplanadi, by Vadelmavene, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Hotel Kämp lit up at dusk on the Esplanadi, by Vadelmavene, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The South Harbour, with Helsinki Cathedral rising above the waterfront, by Ввласенко, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Summer in the Esplanadi Park, by the Runeberg statue, by Ввласенко, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Lawns and flowerbeds in Kaivopuisto Park, by Vadelmavene, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Kalasatama towers seen across the water from Korkeasaari, by Kotivalo, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Kalasatama towers seen across the water from Korkeasaari, by Kotivalo, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Kallio Church above the Art Nouveau blocks of Kallio, by Ximonic (Simo Räsänen), licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Kallio Church above the Art Nouveau blocks of Kallio, by Ximonic (Simo Räsänen), licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Hotel Kämp lit up at dusk on the Esplanadi, by Vadelmavene, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The curved timber Kamppi Chapel on Narinkkatori, by Vadelmavene, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The curved timber Kamppi Chapel on Narinkkatori, by Vadelmavene, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A guest room at Hotel Kämp, by Saruwine, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Kiasma, the Museum of Contemporary Art, lit up at dusk, by ArildV, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The painted cupola and gilded chandelier inside Uspenski Cathedral, by Sinikka Halme, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Löyly’s timber-clad sauna building by the sea at Hernesaari, by Vadelmavene, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A guest room at Hotel Kämp, by Saruwine, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Counters and stalls inside the Old Market Hall, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The red-brick Old Market Hall on the South Harbour, by Scott Edmunds, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The glass and copper façade of the Helsinki Music Centre, by Daderot, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Acropolis of Athens by day, seen from Philopappos Hill, by A.Savin, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Goat Cay and the turquoise shallows of the Exumas, by DrGvago, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The golden sand and calm water of Paynes Bay, St. James, by Barry haynes, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The old town of Belgrade above the Sava, with the spire of the Cathedral Church of St Michael, by Tatil Dükkanı, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Romanian Athenaeum in its garden, by Jorge Franganillo, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Hungarian Parliament lit up at night on the Danube, by Tom Ek, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Bixby Creek Bridge on the Big Sur coast, by Diliff, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The beach at Rosemary Beach on the Gulf of Mexico, by Miamireader, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Blue domes of Oia above the Santorini caldera, by Norbert Nagel, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Helsinki Cathedral above the South Harbour, by Ввласенко, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Blue Mosque at night, by Nan Palmero from San Antonio, TX, USA, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Las Vegas Strip at dusk, by Dietmar Rabich, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Triple Bridge over the Ljubljanica, by Fred Romero from Paris, France, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Palace of Westminster and the Elizabeth Tower, by Domob, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Griffith Observatory with downtown Los Angeles beyond, by The Fun Chronicles, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• An aerial view of a small island ringed by reef in the Maldives, by Luka Peternel, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Yachts in Puerto Banús, by kallerna, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Art Deco hotels on Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, by Robbschultz69, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Monaco from above, Port Hercule and Monte-Carlo below the mountains, by Spike, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Taj Mahal Palace and the Gateway of India from the harbour, by iMahesh, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Sunset at the Naples Pier, by pmarkham, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The New York City skyline from Top of the Rock, by Dillan Payne, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Millennium Bridge over the Morača, by Desemeus, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Sebilj fountain and the square of Baščaršija, by Yukof, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Lujiazui skyline across the Huangpu River from the Bund, by Zhang Zhang (张涨）), licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Stone Bridge over the Vardar, by kallerna, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, by Julian Lupyan, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The ramparts of Galle Fort, by Daibo Taku, licensed CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Gros Piton and Petit Piton, the twin volcanic spires of the UNESCO-listed Pitons, by xiquinhosilva, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Skanderbeg Square with the Et’hem Bey Mosque, by Andrew Milligan sumo, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The tiled roof of St Mark’s Church in Zagreb’s Upper Town, by Bernard Gagnon, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A forest lake in Nuuksio National Park, by Lauri Rantala, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The upper reading floor of Oodi, the Central Library, by WanderingTrad, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Finnish National Opera across Töölönlahti Bay, by Paasikivi, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Lawns and flowerbeds in Kaivopuisto Park, by Vadelmavene, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Porvoo’s red riverside storehouses, by FrDr, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• An Art Nouveau villa in Eira, by Jeff Reuben, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• An Art Nouveau villa in Eira, by Jeff Reuben, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Counters and stalls inside the Old Market Hall, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A wooden villa and the footbridge on Seurasaari at dusk, by Tevfik Teker, licensed CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The skylit atrium inside Stockmann’s flagship department store, by Lindex Group, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A salon in the Sinebrychoff Art Museum, by Bengt Oberger, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Helsinki Central Railway Station and its granite lantern-bearers, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The skylit atrium inside Stockmann’s flagship department store, by Lindex Group, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The ramparts and King’s Gate path on Suomenlinna, by Leonhard Lenz, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The ramparts and King’s Gate path on Suomenlinna, by Leonhard Lenz, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The towers and red roofs of Tallinn’s Old Town, by Yamen, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Light falling through the ring of windows inside Temppeliaukio Church, by Ypsilon from Finland, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Light falling through the ring of windows inside Temppeliaukio Church, by Ypsilon from Finland, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Helsinki Central Railway Station and its granite lantern-bearers, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Turku Castle, by kallerna, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The painted cupola and gilded chandelier inside Uspenski Cathedral, by Sinikka Halme, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The channel between Suomenlinna and Vallisaari, by Ввласенко, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Eira’s villas and spires seen across the park from Hernesaari, by Ximonic (Simo Räsänen), licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Christmas market on Senate Square at dusk, by Marit Henriksson, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.