UltimateCity Guide Helsinki
Our favourites
The South Harbour, with Helsinki Cathedral rising above the waterfront The South Harbour, with Helsinki Cathedral rising above the waterfront Light falling through the ring of windows inside Temppeliaukio Church Porvoo’s red riverside storehouses The painted cupola and gilded chandelier inside Uspenski Cathedral

The city guide to Helsinki, Finland

Best of Helsinki

The white Cathedral above the harbour, a sea fortress fifteen minutes away by ferry, saunas by the sea, Aalto’s rooms and the design shops of the old blocks behind the Esplanadi.

Where to eatWhat to see

Your trusted, one‑stop guide to Helsinki

Helsinki is a capital on the water: the Market Square and the South Harbour, the island fortress of Suomenlinna, the Esplanadi and Senate Square, and new districts rising by the sea at Jätkäsaari and Kalasatama. It is a city of saunas, of Alvar Aalto and Finnish design, and of seasonal Nordic cooking, from two-starred Palace to the market halls. We list only places we have checked against their own websites and official sources.

Suomenlinna Sea Fortress

World Heritage

Suomenlinna, the sea fortress

Suomenlinna·UNESCO World Heritage Site

Built by Sweden in the second half of the 18th century on islands at the mouth of the harbour and listed by UNESCO in 1991, Suomenlinna is fifteen minutes from the Market Square on an ordinary HSL ferry ticket.

Plan your visit

Helsinki by neighbourhood

From the Esplanadi to Kalasatama: each area has its own guide.

Summer in the Esplanadi Park, by the Runeberg statueNeighbourhood guideKaartinkaupunki & Design DistrictThe Esplanadi and design shopsThe curved timber Kamppi Chapel on NarinkkatoriNeighbourhood guideKamppi & PunavuoriBulevardi and Amos RexThe painted cupola and gilded chandelier inside Uspenski CathedralNeighbourhood guideKruununhaka & KatajanokkaSenate Square and UspenskiLight falling through the ring of windows inside Temppeliaukio ChurchNeighbourhood guideTöölöThe Rock Church and the bayKallio Church above the Art Nouveau blocks of KallioNeighbourhood guideKallioMarket hall, sauna and barsEira’s villas and spires seen across the park from HernesaariNeighbourhood guideEira & UllanlinnaVillas and the shoreThe ramparts and King’s Gate path on SuomenlinnaNeighbourhood guideSuomenlinnaThe UNESCO sea fortressThe South Harbour, with Helsinki Cathedral rising above the waterfrontNeighbourhood guideJätkäsaariBy the West HarbourThe Kalasatama towers seen across the water from KorkeasaariNeighbourhood guideKalasatamaTowers and the new bridge

Plan your trip

The practical things to know before you go.

The wooden-ceilinged departure hall at Helsinki AirportBefore you goHelsinki essentialsEntry, money and getting aroundHelsinki Central Railway Station and its granite lantern-bearersGetting aroundGetting aroundThe airport train, HSL and ferriesHelsinki Cathedral at the top of its steps on Senate SquareItineraryA classic first dayThe essential HelsinkiA guest room at Hotel KämpLuxury guideLuxury HelsinkiThe finest addresses

Beyond Helsinki

An old town on a river, a national park, a medieval capital across the water, a castle and the islands.

Porvoo’s red riverside storehousesBeyond HelsinkiPorvooRed storehouses and an old townA forest lake in Nuuksio National ParkBeyond HelsinkiNuuksio National ParkForest lakes and HaltiaThe towers and red roofs of Tallinn’s Old TownBeyond HelsinkiTallinn by ferryA UNESCO Old TownTurku CastleBeyond HelsinkiTurkuThe castle and the riverThe channel between Suomenlinna and VallisaariBeyond HelsinkiThe archipelagoIslands by boat and footbridge

In depth: Helsinki’s back stories

The grand hotels, the sea, the sauna, how to eat and where to buy.

Hotel Kämp lit up at dusk on the EsplanadiThe back storyThe grand hotelsKämp to the Waldorf AstoriaThe South Harbour, with Helsinki Cathedral rising above the waterfrontThe back storyHelsinki by the seaThe harbour and SuomenlinnaLöyly’s timber-clad sauna building by the sea at HernesaariThe back storyThe Finnish saunaHow to sauna in HelsinkiCounters and stalls inside the Old Market HallThe back storyEating in HelsinkiTwo stars to the market hallAn Art Nouveau villa in EiraThe back storyBuying in HelsinkiShares, tax and the rulesThe Christmas market on Senate Square at duskFun factsHelsinki fun factsThings you might not know

ULTIMATE City Guides: Europe & beyond

Planning a longer journey? Each city in the network has its own independent guide, written with the same care and checked place by place. Here are the guides that are live, with more on the way.

The Acropolis of Athens by day, seen from Philopappos HillGreeceULTIMATE AthensThe Acropolis and the Plaka, rooftop bars facing the Parthenon, the Athens Riviera and the Greek islands: our original guide, and our deepest.Visit the guide The old town of Belgrade above the Sava, with the spire of the Cathedral Church of St MichaelSerbiaULTIMATE BelgradeWhere the Sava meets the Danube: a buzzing capital of art, classical music and famous nightlife, with a new waterfront and the mountains of Zlatibor and Kopaonik.Visit the guide The Romanian Athenaeum in its gardenRomaniaULTIMATE BucharestBelle Époque palaces, concerts at the Athenaeum, a buzzing food and coffee scene, and the castles and mountains of the Carpathians.Visit the guide The Hungarian Parliament lit up at night on the DanubeHungaryULTIMATE BudapestThermal baths, grand coffee houses, ruin bars and MICHELIN-starred dining on both banks of the Danube, with day trips to the Danube Bend and Lake Balaton.Visit the guide Blue domes of Oia above the Santorini calderaGreeceULTIMATE Greek IslandsIsland hopping made easy: Mykonos, Santorini, Paros, Naxos, Milos and the Cyclades, plus Crete, Rhodes and Corfu, with ferries, beaches, hotels and tavernas.Visit the guide The Blue Mosque at nightTurkeyULTIMATE IstanbulTwo continents, one city: Hagia Sophia and the bazaars, Bosphorus ferries, meyhanes and rooftop bars, Sinan’s hammams and the car-free Princes’ Islands.Visit the guide The Triple Bridge over the LjubljanicaSloveniaULTIMATE LjubljanaSlovenia’s green, car-free capital of river cafés and Plečnik’s bridges, an hour from Lake Bled, the Julian Alps, the caves and the Adriatic.Visit the guide The Palace of Westminster and the Elizabeth TowerUnited KingdomULTIMATE LondonRoyal palaces and the Thames, world-class museums, West End theatre, grand hotels, and the restaurants and bars of Soho, Mayfair and the City.Visit the guide Yachts in Puerto BanúsSpainULTIMATE MarbellaWhitewashed lanes and orange trees in the Old Town, the yachts of Puerto Banús, beach clubs on the Golden Mile and day trips to Ronda and Gibraltar.Visit the guide Monaco from above, Port Hercule and Monte-Carlo below the mountainsOur sister guideULTIMATE MonacoThe Casino and Monte-Carlo’s palace hotels, the Prince’s Palace on the Rock, superyachts in Port Hercule, Larvotto’s beach clubs and the Grand Prix streets.Visit the guide The Millennium Bridge over the MoračaMontenegroULTIMATE PodgoricaMontenegro’s relaxed capital of rivers and café terraces, and the gateway to the Bay of Kotor, Lake Skadar, Cetinje and the mountains.Visit the guide The Sebilj fountain and the square of BaščaršijaBosnia & HerzegovinaULTIMATE SarajevoWhere East meets West at a line in the pavement: an Ottoman bazaar, Habsburg boulevards, Bosnian coffee and the 1984 Olympic mountains, with Mostar two hours away.Visit the guide The Stone Bridge over the VardarNorth MacedoniaULTIMATE SkopjeA 15th-century stone bridge between a 21st-century square and an Ottoman bazaar, Kenzo Tange’s concrete city, Matka Canyon, and Lake Ohrid three hours away.Visit the guide St Alexander Nevsky CathedralBulgariaULTIMATE SofiaRoman streets beneath the city, golden domes, warm mineral springs and a mountain at the end of the main boulevard.Visit the guide Skanderbeg Square with the Et’hem Bey MosqueAlbaniaULTIMATE TiranaAn Ottoman mosque painted with waterfalls, museums in bunkers, Blloku’s cafés and the Dajti cable car, with Berat, Gjirokastër, the Alps and the Riviera within reach.Visit the guide The tiled roof of St Mark’s Church in Zagreb’s Upper TownCroatiaULTIMATE ZagrebCroatia’s elegant capital of cafés, museums and markets, and the gateway to Plitvice Lakes, Istria, Dubrovnik and the islands of the Adriatic.Visit the guide Goat Cay and the turquoise shallows of the ExumasOur sister guideULTIMATE The BahamasSeven hundred islands: Nassau and Paradise Island, the Exuma Cays and the swimming pigs, Harbour Island’s pink sand, marinas and island hopping.Visit the guide The golden sand and calm water of Paynes Bay, St. JamesOur sister guideULTIMATE BarbadosThe Platinum West Coast and Sandy Lane, UNESCO-listed Bridgetown, rum where it was born, Friday nights in Oistins and the wild Atlantic east.Visit the guide Bixby Creek Bridge on the Big Sur coastUSAULTIMATE CaliforniaSan Francisco, Napa and Sonoma, Big Sur and the Pacific Coast Highway, San Diego, Palm Springs, Lake Tahoe and the national parks.Visit the guide The beach at Rosemary Beach on the Gulf of MexicoUSAULTIMATE FloridaOrlando and the theme parks, Palm Beach, Tampa Bay, Sarasota, St. Augustine and Scenic Highway 30A.Visit the guide The Las Vegas Strip at duskNevadaULTIMATE Las VegasThe Strip and its shows, MICHELIN dining, Sphere and Fremont Street’s neon, with Red Rock Canyon, Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon beyond.Visit the guide Griffith Observatory with downtown Los Angeles beyondCaliforniaULTIMATE Los AngelesHollywood and the Walk of Fame, Beverly Hills’ grand hotels, the Sunset Strip, the Getty and the beaches from Santa Monica to Malibu.Visit the guide Art Deco hotels on Ocean Drive, Miami BeachFloridaULTIMATE MiamiSouth Beach and the Art Deco district, Wynwood’s murals, the Design District, Little Havana’s cafecito and the beaches of Key Biscayne.Visit the guide Sunset at the Naples PierFloridaULTIMATE NaplesWhite-sand beaches and sunsets on the Gulf of Mexico, Fifth Avenue’s terraces, grand beach resorts and golf, with the Everglades and Marco Island close by.Visit the guide The New York City skyline from Top of the RockNew YorkULTIMATE New YorkManhattan’s grand hotels and MICHELIN dining, Broadway and the Met, Fifth Avenue shopping, Central Park and the walk across the Brooklyn Bridge to DUMBO.Visit the guide Gros Piton and Petit Piton, the twin volcanic spires of the UNESCO-listed PitonsOur sister guideULTIMATE St LuciaThe UNESCO Pitons and Soufrière’s drive-in volcano, Marigot Bay, Rodney Bay and the Gros Islet street party, reefs, rum and cocoa.Visit the guide An aerial view of a small island ringed by reef in the MaldivesOur sister guideULTIMATE MaldivesUndersea restaurants and overwater bars, Hanifaru Bay’s mantas, the whale sharks of South Ari, private islands and the little capital, Malé.Visit the guide The Taj Mahal Palace and the Gateway of India from the harbourIndiaULTIMATE MumbaiThe Taj and the Gateway of India, Marine Drive’s Queen’s Necklace, three UNESCO sites, modern Indian restaurants and day trips to Elephanta and the Ghats.Visit the guide The Lujiazui skyline across the Huangpu River from the BundChinaULTIMATE ShanghaiThe grand hotels of the Bund facing the towers of Pudong, every MICHELIN star, Yu Garden, the two Shanghai Museums and day trips to Suzhou and Hangzhou.Visit the guide The ramparts of Galle FortOur sister guideULTIMATE Sri LankaColombo, the ramparts of Galle Fort, the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, the tea country by train, Sigiriya and leopards in Yala.Visit the guide

HOT TOPICS · Have Your Say

The latest from our readers: visitors and locals talking about Helsinki, its restaurants, theatres, museums and neighbourhoods.

    Have your say in HOT TOPICS

    Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art

    This week’s pick

    Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art

    Kluuvi·Contemporary art

    At Kiasma: Emma Ainala (to 14 February 2027) and, from 6 November, Oliver Beer. Across the square, Amos Rex shows The Other Side of the Mountain until 21 March 2027.

    Find out more

    Every list in the guide

    Plan your day

    Helsinki Cathedral at the top of its steps on Senate SquareItineraryA classic first day in HelsinkiOne day, on footThe ramparts and King’s Gate path on SuomenlinnaItineraryIslands and saunaOne day, by ferry and on footLight falling through the ring of windows inside Temppeliaukio ChurchItineraryDesign and architectureOne day, on foot and by tramAn Art Nouveau villa in EiraItineraryA property viewing day: Eira, Kruununhaka, Töölö and the new districtsOne day, by tram and carThe towers and red roofs of Tallinn’s Old TownItineraryHelsinki to Tallinn and backOne day, by ferry

    Know your neighbourhoods

    Our favourites right now

    Restaurants

    1. 1Eating in Helsinki: the back storyHelsinki · In depth
    2. 2PalaceSouth Harbour · Modern cuisine
    3. 3GrönKamppi · Creative
    See all 34

    Cafés

    1. 1EkbergPunavuori · Bakery café
    2. 2Café EngelSenate Square · Café
    3. 3Karl Fazer CaféKluuvi · Café
    See all 12

    Bars

    1. 1Kupoli Cocktail BarKluuvi · Cocktail bar
    2. 2Ateljee BarKamppi · Rooftop bar
    3. 3St. George WintergardenKamppi · Hotel bar
    See all 13

    Hotels

    1. 1The grand hotels of Helsinki: the back storyKaartinkaupunki · In depth
    2. 2Hotel KämpKaartinkaupunki · Grand hotel
    3. 3Waldorf Astoria HelsinkiKruununhaka · Grand hotel
    See all 21

    Sights

    1. 1Helsinki by the sea: the back storySouth Harbour · In depth
    2. 2Suomenlinna Sea FortressSuomenlinna · UNESCO World Heritage Site
    3. 3Helsinki CathedralSenate Square · Cathedral
    See all 16

    Museums & Arts

    1. 1Ateneum Art MuseumKluuvi · Art museum
    2. 2Kiasma Museum of Contemporary ArtKluuvi · Contemporary art
    3. 3Amos RexKamppi · Art museum
    See all 17

    Parks

    1. 1Esplanadi ParkKaartinkaupunki · City park
    2. 2Kaivopuisto ParkKaivopuisto · Seaside park
    3. 3Tähtitorninvuori (Observatory Hill)Ullanlinna · Hill park
    See all 14

    Walks

    1. 1The Esplanadi to Senate SquareKaartinkaupunki · City walk
    2. 2The Design District loopPunavuori · City walk
    3. 3Töölönlahti Bay and the Sibelius MonumentTöölö · Waterside walk
    See all 7

    Shopping

    1. 1StockmannKluuvi · Department store
    2. 2Kämp GalleriaKaartinkaupunki · Shopping arcade
    3. 3ForumKamppi · Shopping centre
    See all 18

    Saunas & Health

    1. 1The Finnish sauna: the back storyHelsinki · In depth
    2. 2Emergencies: call 112Finland · Emergency number
    3. 3HUS Helsinki University HospitalHelsinki · Hospital group
    See all 19

    Property

    1. 1Buying in Helsinki: the back storyHelsinki · In depth
    2. 2Snellman Sotheby’s International RealtyKaartinkaupunki · Estate agent
    3. 3HuoneistokeskusHelsinki · Estate agent
    See all 7

    Developments

    1. 1Kruunusillat and KruunuvuorensiltaKalasatama · Bridge and light rail
    2. 2KalasatamaKalasatama · New district
    3. 3JätkäsaariJätkäsaari · New district
    See all 6

    Motoring

    1. 1Mr CharlesHelsinki · Chauffeur service
    2. 2LähitaksiHelsinki · Taxi
    3. 3Taksi HelsinkiHelsinki · Taxi
    See all 5

    Getting Around

    1. 1Helsinki Airport (HEL)Vantaa · Airport
    2. 2Air Serbia: Belgrade–Helsinki from 2027Helsinki Airport · Airline route
    3. 3FinnairHelsinki Airport · Airline
    See all 11

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