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Helsinki: Design, foodie delights and green areas galore
Tucked away at the end of the Gulf of Finland, Helsinki is a seaside city with a long history and an even longer list of things to do. Like Copenhagen and Stockholm, art and architecture feature heavily, as does design, while its foodie scene – long regarded as a Baltic version of British cuisine – is improving rapidly.
Freezing in winter and balmy in summer, Helsinki’s many museums make it a year-round destination, although if you want to take advantage of its many alfresco beauties, June and July are best.
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24 hours in Torkkelinmäki, Helsinki
The best way to explore a city is on foot. In Helsinki, that’s easy to do as the Finnish capital is not very big, but it does have a number of trendy neighborhoods. On everyone’s lips right now is Torkkelinmäki, an area of the former working-class district Kallio.
It has a reputation for being liberal, unconventional and historically left wing – it’s where most trade unions used to have their headquarters. Pitkäsilta Bridge separates Torkkelinmäki from downtown Helsinki. When political camps agree in Finland, they are still sometimes described as having “crossed the Pitkäsilta.” Torkkelinmäki is also home to Helsinki’s red-light district.
The following tips and addresses can be downloaded as an iCalendar file (.ics) and imported into any of the usual calendar programs – experience Helsinki for yourself!
09:00 a.m.: Wake up at the Uman Hotel
00530 Helsinki
Finland
Tel. +358-44/987 93 20
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Despite the name, this is way more AirBnB than hotel – soft beds, small rooms with an integrated kitchen complete with bread-baking machine. Furnishings and design are of minimalist Scandinavian/purist persuasion, the color scheme muted. If you’ve ever been to IKEA, you’ll soon find your way around. Your balcony or terrace is the best place to enjoy the coffee you made on arrival because from there, you can also see the lay of the land. Everything in this neighborhood is designed for practicality: The buildings and apartments tend to be on the small side and entirely devoid of extravagant flourishes. On the way to breakfast, you pass by examples of typical architecture, such as Kallio Church on a hill two blocks away, which towers above everything else and is therefore visible from the hotel. Built in 1912, it was reputedly designed to emulate Solomon’s temple.
10:00 a.m.: Breakfast at the Rupla
00500 Helsinki
Finland
Tel. +358-50/468 43 34
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Opening times:
Mon-Fri 0800-1800
Sat-Sun 1100-1700
Feel free to dawdle or your walk to breakfast won’t last very long: It’s just 230 meters from the hotel to the Rupla. Yellowing sign on the doorstep, worn front door, and old wooden tables – all is exactly as it should be, since this place combines art with food. It serves up changing exhibitions along with sandwiches and good coffee. Lunch comes at a very reasonable price, tastes goods and is made from ingredients that would otherwise be thrown away. Single-speed bicycles are parked outside the door, while inside, the café is filled with bearded men and women who work as models: The Rupla is supposedly the hippest place in all of Helsinki. Second-hand clothes (mainly from the 1970s) are sold in back, and if you take a particular fancy to your chair while munching on carrot cake, you are welcome to take it with you because all of the furniture is also for sale. Hence the Rupla’s regularly changing decor.
12:00 a.m.: Buy a gift at Wahna Kaarle
00530 Helsinki
Finland
Tel. +358-50/598 10 84
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Opening times:
Mon-Sat 1200-1800
Sun closed
Only a few hundred meters further off, but this time in the other direction: It’s time to spare a thought for loved ones at home and buy them a gift. How about some impaled butterflies under glass from a Finnish industrialist’s collection? If so, then Wanha Kaarle is the place to head for. It is crammed with all manner of stuff: pots and pans, lamps, china ducks and plastic fruit, newspaper stands and tea cups, wooden train sets and dolls. This shop is so small that it even uses the street as a storeroom in good weather. Much of what is sold here is impractical, but few articles are truly ugly. In fact, the same premise can be applied here: Scandinavians and design simply go well together. And anyone needing a dress to match their newly acquired plastic dog can take a quick look next door, where Frida Marina stocks every possible style of clothing from the 1950s to the 1980s, most articles are very well preserved and many of them of Finnish design. Coffee is also served here – organic, naturally.
12:30 p.m.: Grab a shave at The Barber Shop
00120 Helsinki
Finland
Tel. +358-40/159 11 97
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Opening times:
Mon-Fri 0930-1930
Sat and Sun closed
We exit Torkkelinmäki briefly in the interests of looking good for our evenings’ activities and in search of The Barber Shop. It is also located in a hipster area, Punavuori, the coolest place in town before Torkkelinmäki became the coolest place. This doesn’t worry owner Rody Maher, a Brit, who’s been in business here for the past 25 years. He trims beards by appointment and old English custom, which more or less means that everything here is rather conservative and/or has a very Victorian feel to it.
02:00 p.m.: Enjoy the sun in Karhupuisto Park
00530 Helsinki
Finland
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Back to Torkkelinmäki. See and be seen. This park with a bear monument at its center is a popular meeting place for young and old alike, especially in the summer. Because more and more LGBT events are being held here, it has also been the focal point of gay life in the Finnish capital for years. There are plenty of bars and restaurants close by, but the simply named Bear Park Café is the most popular. The flowers in the middle of the park were planted in the late 1990s with the idea of driving the drunks away with the beauty of the plants and the bustle of the volunteer gardeners, who today number more than 100 today. The plan was not entirely successful, and a lot of drinking still goes on here on weekends. Style-conscious visitors always bring an intellectual magazine along to the park.
03:00 p.m.: Sweet treats at Cafe Cardemumma
00510 Helsinki
Finland
Tel. +358-45/355 81 50
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Opening times:
Mon-Fri 0730-1700
Sat 1000-1500
Sun closed
Been a while since your last cup of coffee? Quick, head to the Cardemumma. The wait staff may blow hot and cold like the wind on the Baltic, but the cinnamon buns here are the best in town. They are gigantic, served warm and by Finnish standards almost given away. And there’s no need for the more health-conscious to steer clear of the place, either, because the menu also includes salad and changing daily specials. These are not the main focus, however, which is on sweet treats: In addition to the cinnamon buns, there’s a vast array of cakes, biscuits and various sweet rolls. You’ll likely find yourself spotting your first familiar faces again here because Rupla and Wahne Kaarle are not far off. In the summer, this really small café simply spills out onto the street. You’ll see hipsters sitting alongside people who have been living in the neighborhood for decades here.
04:30 p.m.: Sweat at Kotiharjun Sauna Oy
00500 Helsinki
Finland
Tel. +358-9/753 15 35
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Opening times:
Tue-Sun 1400-2000
Mon closed
Admission 13 Euros
If you want to see nice, friendly Finns getting into a heated debate, just tell them it was the Russians who invented the sauna. Suddenly, the people all around you will become extremely communicative. Part of the evidence they cite to prove that the Finns can outdo their eastern neighbors where the sauna is concerned is the year, 1929, in which this particular sauna was built and opened. Not only is it the oldest in the city, but it is entirely in concrete, too, so the stone on which you sit is really hot. Towels are nevertheless frowned upon and even the small wooden seat planks are used only by crybabies. The only wood in the hot room is birch, which is burned to heat the place up to 100 degrees Celsius. Infusions here are also more on the rustic side – if you want to heat things up a little, you just pour water onto the embers around the stove (and then quickly turn away to avoid the rising ash). To cool off, you step outside the door onto the street – just two meters away from passersby lugging shopping bags or taking their dogs for a walk or their kids to the bus. Obligatory: a beer at the end of each session in the hot room. Gin and vodka mixers are also available here, but they count as non-alcoholic.
08:00 p.m.: Line your stomach at the Naughty Burger
00120 Helsinki
Finland
Tel. +358-40/516 40 40
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Opening times:
Tue-Sat 1100-2200
Sun 1200-1900
Mon closed
We make another quick detour to hipster neighborhood Punavuori. That’s easy because in Helsinki (almost) everywhere is within walking distance. And the good reason to go there now is the Naughty Burger, which supposedly serves the best burgers in Helsinki. Evil tongues might say that’s hardly a feat; Helsinki is, after all, the capital of fast food chain Hesburger, which certainly doesn’t employ such magnificently tattooed wait staff. And where else can you listen to heavy metal from Biohazard or Anthrax while you wait for your fries? Still, you will see plenty of young moms with small children here. Please note: on sundays, the Naughty Burger closes at 7 p. m.
09:00 p.m.: Enjoy a drink at the Pulmu
00500 Helsinki
Finland
Tel. +358-40/559 36 17
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Opening times:
Daily 1800-0200
Everyone can be a DJ here and include their own songs on the playlist, but the music still isn’t terrible, which speaks for the guests. The Pulmu is also proud of a long drink that was created especially for the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki and which it serves in practical, large tumblers. The interior decor is reminiscent of a travel agency of the legendary American airline Pan Am in the 1950s: everything here is generally reminiscent of aviation and specifically of the legendary US airline. As the Pulmu is small, the atmosphere is quite intimate, making it another place to discover how very communicative the Finns are. Any claims to the contrary are plain wrong!
11:00 p.m.: Dance at the Kaiku
00530 Helsinki
Finland
Tel. +358-45/111 14 66
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Opening times:
Wed-Sun 2200-0400
According to the Guardian, the Kaiku is one of Europe’s top nightclubs. In Helsinki, it’s described as “Berlin-style.” Be that as it may, it is certainly one of the few clubs in town to have bouncers on the door. It occupies a former industrial building that housed a match factory that also produced metal clips for spring mattresses, as well as an industrial bakery. The operators of the Kaiku took the old division of space as the basis for their concept for a club with different floors. Electro is the dominant music genre here, but the intensity varies. International and Finnish DJs alternate, the sound booming from the speakers is superb, and when exhaustion sets in, dancers can step out onto the balcony or terrace for a breath of fresh air. It’s the perfect place to spot trendsetting Finns in golden jackets and swim caps. Worth remembering: On weekends, there’s a very long line outside the door.
These tips and addresses can be downloaded as an iCalendar file (.ics) and imported into any of the usual calendar programs – experience Helsinki for yourself!
Flight and accommodation
Top 10 sights in Helsinki

Suomenlinna
00190 Helsinki
Finland
Tel: (029) 533 8410
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Once the greatest sea fortress on the Baltic, Suomenlinna occupies an entire island and was built by the Swedes in the mid-1700s and, along with the historic castle, now houses theatres, bars and restaurants.
Helsinki Cathedral
00170 Helsinki
Finland
Tel: (09) 2340 6120
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Opening times:
Daily 0900-0000 (Jun-Aug)
0900-1800 (Sep-May)
Designed by Carl Ludwig Engel, the magnificent 19th-century Helsinki Cathedral looks more like a Greek temple than a church but is utterly spectacular from the inside.
Linnanmäki Amusement Park
00510 Helsinki
Finland
Tel: (010) 572 2200
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Opening times:
Late April to late October (times vary; check website for details)
More than half a century old, the Linnanmäki Amusement Park is a charming old funfair complete with traditional rides and a wooden roller coaster that’s as old as the park.
National Museum of Finland
00100 Helsinki
Finland
Tel: (040) 128 6469
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Opening times:
Tue-Sun 1100-1800
More than 170 years old, the National Museum of Finland charts Finnish history from prehistory to present day via a series of often eye-opening exhibits.
Temppeliaukio
00100 Helsinki
Finland
Tel: (09) 2340 6320
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Opening times:
Mon-Sat 1000-1745
Sun 1145-1745 (Jun-Aug)
Mon-Sat 1000-1700
Sun 1145-1700 (Sep-May)
Hewn out of solid bedrock, the Temppeliaukio (rock church) opened in 1969 and has been wowing tourists and locals alike ever since. Designed by architects Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen, it doubles as a concert venue.
Sibelius Monument
00250 Helsinki
Finland
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Unveiled in 1967, the vast Silbelius Monument commemorates composer Jean Sibelius and was designed to resemble a set of organ pipes by architect Eila Hiltunen.
Helsinki Zoo
00570 Helsinki
Finland
Tel: (09) 3103 7901
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Opening times:
Daily 1000-1600 (Oct-Mar)
1000-1800 (Apr and Sep)
1000-2000 (May-Aug)
One of the oldest zoos on the planet, Helsinki Zoo opened in 1889 and is home to more than 1,000 different species of plant and 200 different types of animal.
Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art
00100 Helsinki
Finland
Tel: (0294) 500 501
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Opening times:
Tue and Sun 1000-1700
Wed-Fri 1000-2030
Sat 1000-1800
With a focus on art created from the mid-1960s onwards, the Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art has pieces by all the modern masters as well as an on-site theatre specialising in experimental dance.
Olympic Stadium
00250 Helsinki
Finland
Tel: (09) 436 6010
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Opening times:
Mon-Fri 0800-2000
Sat-Sun 0900-1800
Completed in 1938 and used as the centrepiece for the 1952 Olympic Games, Helsinki’s Olympic Stadium remains one of the Finnish capital’s main sport and music venues. It also boasts a museum and a 72m (236ft) tower, complete with a viewing platform at the top.
Eduskunta
00102 Helsinki
Finland
Tel: (09) 432 2027
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Opening times:
Mon-Fri 0900-1615 (guided tours)
Helsinki’s Parliament building might not be the prettiest but it is impressively large and contains a number of interesting exhibits as well as its very own café.
Flight and accommodation
Country Information
Country overview
Finland is the big surprise of the Nordic countries, a natural wonderland with more trees than people and more islands than any other nation in the world. With endless miles of wilderness and 188,000 lakes on their doorstep, the Finns are uniquely in tune with their surroundings.
Even committed urbanites retreat to wooden cottages in the country during the brief warm summers to swim and fish in the lakes and gather wild berries and mushrooms in the woods, before unwinding with a sauna and a glass of kossu (Finnish vodka).
Geography
The history and politics of Finland has been shaped by its location, wedged between Sweden to the west, Norway to the north and Russia to the east. The national character of the Finns has been further coloured by the water-logged landscape – the country is hemmed in by the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland and 10% of its landmass lies underwater. Finland has more islands than any other country on earth – 30,000 off the Finnish coast and a further 98,000 islands in its 188,000 inland lakes – and the Saimaa Lake system in the southeast of the country is the largest inland water system in Europe.
By European standards, Finland is very sparsely populated.
Around 69% of the country is covered by the pine forests that define the northern coniferous zone. In the south and southwest, the forest is mainly pine, fir and birch; in Lapland, in the far north, scattered dwarf birch forests give way to Arctic tundra. Most of the national forests are managed for timber, which is used for the manufacture of furniture, paper and fibreboards and for domestic heating and warming Finland’s 1.6 million saunas. Finland’s forests are said to be the most sustainably managed in Europe. Only 8% of the land is used for agriculture – more than 50% of Finns work in manufacturing or the service sector.
General knowledge
Facts
Population: 5266114
Population Density (per sq km): 16
Capital: Helsinki.
Language
There are two official languages: Finnish, mother tongue for 91.6% of the population, and Swedish, first language of 5.5% of the population. Swedish Finns have a distinct cultural identity and often speak English more fluently than they speak Finnish. The Finnish language is related to only Estonian and Hungarian. Around 2,000 people in Lapland speak one of the dialects of the Sámi language, while Karelian dialects still survive amongst older people in the east of the country. English is taught as the first foreign language.
Currency
Euro (EUR; symbol €) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of €500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of €2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10 and 5 cents. Note that 1 and 2 cent coins, while valid in other eurozone countries, are not used in Finland.
Electricity
230 volts AC, 50Hz. European two-pin plugs are standard.
General business opening hours
Mon-Fri 0800-1615, though some places stay open till 1700.
Public Holidays
Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2019 – December 2020 period.
2019
Uudenvuodenpäivä (New Year’s Day): 1 January 2019
Loppiainen (Epiphanias): 6 January 2019
Pitkäperjantai (Good Friday): 19 April 2019
Pääsiäispäivä (Easter Sunday): 21 April 2019
2. Pääsiäispäivä (Easter Monday): 22 April 2019
Vappu (May Day): 1 May 2019
Helatorstai (Ascension Day): 30 May 2019
Helluntai (Whitsunday): 9 June 2019
Juhannuspäivä (Midsummer): 22 June 2019
Pyhäinpäivä (All Saints’ Day): 2 November 2019
Itsenäisyyspäivä (National Day, Independence Day): 6 December 2019
Joulupäivä (Christmas): 25 December 2019
Tapaninpäivä (St. Stephen’s Day): 26 December 2019
2020
Uudenvuodenpäivä (New Year’s Day): 1 January 2020
Loppiainen (Epiphanias): 6 January 2020
Pitkäperjantai (Good Friday): 10 April 2020
Pääsiäispäivä (Easter Sunday): 12 April 2020
2. Pääsiäispäivä (Easter Monday): 13 April 2020
Vappu (May Day): 1 May 2020
Helatorstai (Ascension Day): 21 May 2020
Helluntai (Whitsunday): 31 May 2020
Juhannuspäivä (Midsummer): 20 June 2020
Pyhäinpäivä (All Saints’ Day): 31 October 2020
Itsenäisyyspäivä (National Day, Independence Day): 6 December 2020
Joulupäivä (Christmas): 25 December 2020
Tapaninpäivä (St. Stephen’s Day): 26 December 2020
All information subject to change.
Flight and accommodation
Getting around
Public Transport:
Helsinki has a comprehensive integrated transport system, with trams, buses and metro all included on the same ticket, although it is possible to buy tram-only tickets if you prefer. All tickets have to be bought from ticket machines – while you can pick up tickets on some forms of transport, tram drivers will not sell you anything. Choose from single, which for €2.50 will give you unlimited travel within Helsinki for an hour, regional which includes Espoo, Vantaa and Kauniainen, and day. Alternatively, there’s the Travel Card, a reloadable smart card that lets you pay on a pay-as-you-go basis and is available from all the main stations.
Taxis:
Cabs are easy to pick up and fares are regulated by the government, so are never uncomfortably high. Hailing a cab will cost you €5 (€9 after 9pm) and the meter ticks over at €1.52 per kilometre.
Flight and accommodation
Nightlife in Helsinki
Despite their morose reputation, Finns love a party and as a result, Helsinki’s bars are packed on weekends and Wednesdays.
There’s no shortage of choice either, although the death metal and Viking metal bars are probably best avoided.
Ateljee Bar
00100 Helsinki
Finland
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Incredible views thanks to its location on the 14th floor of the Sokos Hotel.
Café Cavalier
00100 Helsinki
Finland
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A super-chic gay bar in central Helsinki. Live music and great cocktails.
CUBA!
00120 Helsinki
Finland
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Caribbean-themed fun and excellent mojitos.
Bar Bäkkäri
00100 Helsinki
Finland
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A popular rock ‘n’ roll themed bar that thankfully eschews death metal.
Tavastiaklubi
00100 Helsinki
Finland
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A Helsinki institution, Tavasiaklubi is ridiculously popular with the style set.
Flight and accommodation
Restaurants in Helsinki
Finland isn’t known for its food although, as in the UK, that is starting to change. As befits a sea port, Helsinki’s restaurants
are excellent for seafood as well as local delicacies such as cold smoked herring and delicate semi salty Åland Islands lamb.
A21 Dining
00100 Helsinki
Finland
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Price: Expensive
Dishes are themed by the part of Finland they come from and everything is fresh and organic.
Restaurant Nokka
00160 Helsinki
Finland
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Price: Expensive
Voted Helsinki’s best restaurant four years in a row, Nokka is the place for gourmet Finnish fare.
G.W. Sundmans
00130 Helsinki
Finland
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Price: Moderate
The grand dame of Helsinki restaurants, G.W Sundmans serves Finnish classics with a twist.
Bryggeri Helsinki
00170 Helsinki
Finland
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Price: Moderate
Good beer and new Nordic food of the sort more often found in Copenhagen.
Sea Horse
00140 Helsinki
Finland
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Price: Cheap
A taste of Finnish home cooking for those on a budget.
Flight and accommodation
Calendar of events
Lux Helsinki
5 – 9 January 2019
Website
Venue: Various venues
When Helsinki plunges into darkness during the long winter, Lux Helsinki literally lights up the city centre with magical light art. The main route stretches from the Olympic Stadium past the Amphitheatre at the Finnish National Opera, Hesperia Park, Kansalaistori and Kiasma to Baana and Senate Square. Impressive light installations by Finnish and international artists can be viewed every night when the sun sets.
World Village Festival
25 – 26 May 2019
Website
Venue: Kaisaniemi Park and Railway Square
Cultures from all over the world meet annually during this Festival in Helsinki. There is a lot happening from music, circus, dance, theatre, art to various fun filled activities. The Festival also offers new perspectives on tolerant multiculturalism and global issues.
Helsinki Festival
16 August – 1 September 2019
Website
Venue: Varous Venues
The Helsinki Festival is the largest multi-arts festival in Finland, lasting two weeks, and featuring everything from classical music to pop and world music, from theatre to contemporary dance, and from the visual arts to cinema and children’s events. Related events include art-themed urban culture, as well as Night of the Arts.
Helsinki Baltic Herring Fair
October 2019
Website
Venue: Helsinki Market Square
Fishermen have been gathering round Helsinki Market Square at the beginning of October to sell their wares ever since the 18th century. The tradition continues to this day when Helsinki hosts the Baltic Herring Fair, one of the city’s oldest traditional events. The market is packed with salted, pickled and marinated fish and special events also take place. As well as traditional marinade recipes, there are also exotic options on offer too ranging from lemon and rowanberry to cayenne pepper and garlic. Some stalls also sell items such as socks, hats and jumpers made from the wool of sheep living on the remote islands, as well as loaves of the delicious black bread so popular in the Finnish archipelago. On the Saturday of the Helsinki Baltic Herring Fair, traditional sailing ships race each other just off the Helsinki shore, where crowds gather to watch the spectacle. After the race, the ships dock at Market Square for the sailors to attend the Traditional Sailing Ship Meet on the Sunday. The ships are also open for the public to jump on board and look around.
St Thomas Christmas Market
December 2019
Venue: Esplanade Park
Several stalls selling Christmas treats and seasonal crafts line the street of Esplanade Park and Aleksanterinkatu. The Lucia Parade is another seasonal favourite; starting from Senate Square, the parade features elves, horses and historic cars.
All information subject to change. Please check the dates on the relevant event organizer’s website.
Flight and accommodation
Hotels in Helsinki
From simple B&Bs to palatial five-star hotels, there’s no shortage of places to stay in Helsinki – whatever your budget.
Most are stylish, with quirky Marimekko prints popping up almost everywhere, and in true Finnish style, nearly all have saunas.
Hotel Kämp
00100 Helsinki
Finland
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Category: Expensive
A glamorous pile in central Helsinki, Hotel Kämp is well worth the price tag.
Klaus K
00120 Helsinki
Finland
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Category: Moderate
A seriously stylish boutique hotel conveniently located in central Helsinki.
GLO Hotel Kluuvi Helsinki
00100 Helsinki
Finland
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Category: Moderate
Chic neutrals and a private entrance to the Kämp Galleria shopping centre make this a good choice for design fans.
Flight and accommodation
Best time to visit
Today: Friday, 06.12.2019 21:00 UTC

light rain showers
temperature
6°C
wind speed
8.125 mphhumidity
95%7 days forecast
Saturday
07.12.2019
7°C / 6°C
Sunday
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4°C / 2°C
Monday
09.12.2019
6°C / 3°C
Tuesday
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Wednesday
11.12.2019
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Thursday
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Friday
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Climate and best time to visit Helsinki
Finland is the land of the fabled midnight sun, and although Helsinki, at the southern end of the country, doesn’t suffer from either extreme dark or continual sunshine, it does get dark during the winter months. With just a few hours of light each day, this is the best time to come if you’re planning to hit the museums, but not great for any sort of outdoor plans. Summers, by contrast, benefit from lovely long evenings and mellow temperatures, making it the best time to visit.
Climate & best time to visit Finland
Finland has a reputation as a land of ice and snow, but summers are warm and sunny, with daytime temperatures reaching 25-30ºC (77-86ËF), and even spring and autumn can be surprisingly mild. The sun never truly sets in midsummer and locals take full advantage of the midnight sun for late-night sports, barbecues and parties. Finland only really deserves its frosty reputation in winter, from November to mid March, when temperatures plummet to -20ºC/-4ºF or lower. Winter days are short and in Lapland, the sun may not clear the horizon at all. In the far north, the snow cover can last from as early as October till as late as May. Rainfall is distributed fairly evenly throughout the rest of the year. During June and July, forested areas are plagued by gnats and mosquitoes, particularly in the north of the country. Bring plenty of insect repellent.
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absolute max | absolute min | Ø absolute max | Ø absolute min | relative humidity | Ø precipitation | days with deposit > 1mm | sunshine duration | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jan | 8 °C | -34 °C | -3 °C | -8 °C | 85 % | 41 mm | 9 | 1.3 h |
Feb | 9 °C | -31 °C | -3 °C | -8 °C | 84 % | 32 mm | 7 | 2.6 h |
Mar | 12 °C | -24 °C | 0 °C | -5 °C | 82 % | 35 mm | 8 | 4.3 h |
Apr | 19 °C | -16 °C | 6 °C | 0 °C | 75 % | 37 mm | 7 | 6.0 h |
May | 27 °C | -4 °C | 13 °C | 6 °C | 67 % | 31 mm | 6 | 8.9 h |
Jun | 30 °C | 0 °C | 18 °C | 11 °C | 68 % | 41 mm | 7 | 9.9 h |
Jul | 31 °C | 6 °C | 20 °C | 13 °C | 73 % | 60 mm | 9 | 8.9 h |
Aug | 31 °C | 2 °C | 19 °C | 12 °C | 78 % | 74 mm | 11 | 7.2 h |
Sep | 26 °C | -4 °C | 14 °C | 8 °C | 82 % | 73 mm | 11 | 4.5 h |
Oct | 17 °C | -10 °C | 8 °C | 4 °C | 83 % | 71 mm | 10 | 2.9 h |
Nov | 11 °C | -18 °C | 3 °C | 0 °C | 86 % | 67 mm | 12 | 1.2 h |
Dec | 9 °C | -29 °C | 0 °C | -5 °C | 86 % | 59 mm | 11 | 0.9 h |
year | 31 °C | -34 °C | 8 °C | 2 °C | 79 % | 621 mm | 108 | 4.9 h |
Flight and accommodation
Phone calls & Internet
Telephone
Country code: +358
Mobile telephony and Internet
Since June 2017, EU citizens traveling within the EU, and also in Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein have been able to use their cell phones and surf the Net without incurring any extra charges: In other words, customers pay the same price for phone calls, text messages and data volume as they do at home. Restrictions do apply to the constant use of SIM cards abroad, however, and caps may be set on data packages. For full details, contact your mobile telephony provider in your country. Travelers using a SIM card from a non-EU state do not benefit from the new arrangement.
Free Internet access via Wi-Fi is possible in many busy tourist spots. When using public Wi-Fi networks, it is a wise precaution to ensure encryption of all passwords, credit card details and banking TANs entered. Use of a VPN app or security software to check the safety of a hotspot is recommended.
Flight and accommodation
Shopping in Helsinki
Key Areas
Most of the shopping action in Helsinki happens in and around Aleksanterinkatu (fondly known as Alexi to the locals), which is where you’ll find most of the international names as well as Finnish favourites such as Marimekko and Stockmann – the largest department store in Scandinavia. Elsewhere, the Kampii area is where most of the malls are to be found, while Uudenmaankatu is the hub for homeware design.
Markets
Most of Helsinki’s markets open only in summer but when they do, there’s plenty of choice. Top pick is the Hakaniemi Market Hall and open-air market which sells local food and handicrafts.
Shopping Centres
With 240 shops, Itäkeskus is the largest mall in Scandinavia, while the nearby Kämp Galleria is the place to go for upmarket local design.
Flight and accommodation
Traveller etiquette
Social Conventions
Shaking hands is customary as a greeting and guests are expected to refrain from drinking until the host or hostess toasts their health with kippis or skol (cheers). Most Finns prefer practical, casual clothing, except for special occasions. Many younger Finns rebel against this social norm through body piercing, dressing in ‘Gothic’ clothes and listening to heavy rock bands such as Lordi.
Although renowned for their liberal attitudes, Finns can appear to be rather reserved with strangers, so do not be alarmed if conversations start slowly. Shoes should be removed when entering someone’s home.
Flight and accommodation
Health
Main emergency number: 112
Campers and trekkers should take precautions against tick bites and consider immunisation against tick-borne encephalitis if visiting the Åland Islands. Mosquitoes are a pest during the damp summers, particularly in the north – bring mosquito repellent and topical cream to stop bites becoming infected.
Contractual physician of Lufthansa
Dr. Lindberg, OttoEIRA HOSPITAL
Laivurinkatu 29
0150 Helsinki
Finland
Tel. +35-80-16201
Please note that Lufthansa accepts no responsibility for the treatment nor will it bear the cost of any treatment.
Flight and accommodation
Visa & Immigration
IATA Travel Centre
The IATA Travel Centre delivers accurate passport, visa and health requirement information at a glance. It is a trusted, centralized source for the latest international travel requirements. The IATA Travel Centre is the most accurate source available because it is based on a comprehensive database used by virtually every airline, and information is gathered from official sources worldwide, such as immigration and police authorities.