How to Spend a Weekend in Helsinki

With a city full of wood-fired saunas, cozy cafes and friendly people, Helsinki remains one of the most underrated cities we’ve ever visited. Ideally situated on the Gulf of Finland within the Baltic Sea, Finland’s capital is refreshingly sparse and green while still retaining it’s charming architecture, city bustle and links to the rest of the Nordic region and Europe.

Having had the opportunity for a short but sweet visit this past Spring, the city piqued our interest so much that we wanted to book a trip back immediately. Whether you’re just passing through, or planning a longer stay, here are what we believe to be the best ways to spend a weekend in the capital:

The incredible Helsinki Cathedral and Senate Square from the waterfront. The cathedral was built while Finland was joined to Russia in the early 1800’s and was originally named ‘the Nicholas Church for Nicholas I, the Russian tsar. as well as for St Nicholas. After independence, the name was changed to Suurkirkko in Finnish (Storkyrkan in Swedish), the Great Church. In 1959, when the Diocese of Helsinki was formed, the name was changed to Helsinki Cathedral’*

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1. Go for a Sauna

Sauna is an integral part of Finnish culture, with an estimated three million across the country and more per capita than anywhere in the world. However long your stay is in Finland, sampling the Sauna culture is an absolute must!

With more traditional Finnish spas enjoyed in the nude and with men and women typically in separate areas, we looked to try a more tourist-friendly sauna where we’d be able to enjoy the experience together and came across Löyly Spa, which is located right on the sea. We highly recommend this sauna, especially with it’s access to the sea and it’s visitor friendly policies. However, there are loads of more traditional saunas around the city, we recommend asking a local where their preferred spot is.

Löyly Spa has two wood-fired saunas and sea access, making it a top-rated spot for visitors and locals alike. Book ahead to avoid disappointment as the sauna is popular and makes reservations for two hour spots (which we found is more than enough time to enjoy).

Bonus… take a dip in the Baltic

Quite a few of the saunas throughout the city are positioned right on the sea-front and include an area to dip into the sea for the brave. Steve and I both took a dip from these very steps when we visited Löyly and it’s safe to say that the saying ‘it’s Baltic’ is apt.

2. Explore Market Square

For a sample of authentic Finnish cuisine in an idyllic setting, definitely head to bustling Market Square, or Kauppatori, between 8am and 4pm. Selling everything from salmon soup and fresh vendace to flowers and Finnish souvenirs, it’s a great place to eat outside and people watch.

Centrally located, you’re right on the harbour front and can catch a boat to Sueommelina or the other islands (see more below), or you can head north a block or two to check out Senate Square and the Cathedral.

While here…. check out the old markets

Located less than half a mile south of Market Square on the harbour, Vanha Kauppahalli is a 19th century venue that features the best of Finnish specialities, including fresh seafood, game and pastries. Either take a seat in one of the quaint wooden stalls to enjoy your meal or get it to go and enjoy while watching the nearby ferries depart. We supremely recommend the salmon tartare breads.

3. Cafe-hop

While wandering through the city, drop in to a few of the cafes dotted around the centre for a coffee and pastry. Especially in the warmer months, you’ll see the sidewalks outside of the best cafes completely full of locals and tourists alike.

If you’re in the city centre, head to Pohjoisesplanadi, the street that overlooks the Esplanadi in between Helsinki Central Station and Market Square. It’s a total sun trap in the afternoons, and there are loads of patrons sunning themselves out on the sidewalks while enjoying pastry.

We recommend….

Cafe Regatta, located northwest of Central Station in Töölö right on the seaside to the Gulf of Finland (Seurasaarenselkä). This wee cafe is very popular for a reason! Featuring loads of outdoor seating and an open fire pit, the cafe was built in 1887 and is known for it’s delicacies and it’s likeness to traditional fishing huts.

One of our highlights of the entire trip, I’ll come back to the city one day just for one of their hot chocolates and blueberry pies.

4. Get on the Water

Whether it’s with a tour departing from market square or enjoying a watersport in the summer, making use of Helsinki’s coastal location is well worth it. There are a few spots that offer watersport rentals by the hour (one being the aforementioned Cafe Regatta), but we recommend waiting to see what the weather is looking like before booking ahead as the summer months can experience a lot of rain.

If you have the time, many of the tour operators around Market Square offer 1 hour- 2 hour long tours, and aren’t located far from the train station. Although there are plenty of smaller islands, the most popular is to Sueommelina, an 18th-century sea fortress with walking trails and loads of history (it also boats of a few waterside restaurants and it’s own brewery).

If you’re visiting in the winter, check out the numerous pop-up ice rinks that are found throughout the city centre

5. check out the city’s unique architecture

The Uspenski Cathedral, completed in 1868, is the largest orthodox chuch in Western Europe and is a nod to Russian’s influence on Finnish history.

Plan a self-guided walking tour that takes in the incredible architecture around the city centre, which reveals quite a lot about Finland’s history which was greatly influenced by it’s neighbours to the east and west. Start in the centre and check out Senate Square, Helsinki Cathedral and nearby Uspenski Cathedral and then work your way across Market Square to the centre and coast, where even the smaller residential areas and sculptures and monuments in the numerous parks are worth a look.

Our favourite piece of architecture was the famous Temppeliaukion Church in Töölö, built into the rocks and forming an impressive amphitheatre (it’s well worth the €5 to sit in and watch their choir practice).

Museum-hop

If you’re visiting on a rainy or chilly weekend, consider warming up through a museum- hop. Check out the National Museum of Finland and the Natural History Museum, or if you’re more into the art scene, head to Ateneum or Sinebrychoff. Their libraries such as the Central Library Oodi and National Library are also considered landmarks for their architecture and design.

6. Relax in one of the many green spaces

Sibelius Park, Sibeliuksen puisto, is close to the waterfront in Töölö and features the incredible Sibelius monument.

Helsinki has an incredible amount of green space, with parks (puistos) dotted all around the city centre. Grab a coffee, takeaway, or ice cream from one of the pop-ups along the waterfront spaces, and relax in the sun.

We recommend the above Sibelius park in the northwest (on our way to Cafe Regatta), Meripuisto south of the city centre to walk along the harbour boardwalk (on our way to Löyly), and Vanha kirkkopuisto, or Old Church Park, which is right near the Esplanadi. The latter has a unique history, but is still very popular for picnics and pop-up events.

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This underrated capital city is a well-kept secret, and the perfect getaway for those of you looking for a city break that has delicious fresh seafood and wide open spaces while remaining well connected to the rest of the Nordic region and beyond! I’m definitely already planning our next trip back on our way up to Lapland.

Happy Travels,
Sam

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