Helsinki is the capital city of Finland. The small capital city is full of history, cultural sites, shops, restaurants, and other activities. Helsinki is filled with beautiful and unique architecture and the atmosphere is an experience in itself.
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Here are 8 things you can do in Helsinki.
1. Market Square/ Kauppatori
Kauppatori is a great place to explore Finnish culture; taste local flavors, buy souvenirs, and try traditional Finnish delights. It also has musical performances on the go that you will definitely enjoy while just walking around or having lunch at a nearby restaurant.
2. Visit Löyly Sauna
Saunas are part of the Finnish tradition and something loved by the Finnish. If you are in Finland, this is definitely one of the things you have to try. You can find both public and private saunas at the Löyly and have drinks on the terrace.
It’s an urban oasis occupying a stretch of beautiful Helsinki waterfront that offers a warm welcome and many delights for locals and visitors just 2km away from the city center.
3. Temppeliaukio Church/ Rock Church
This is a must-see place as it stands out amongst European churches. It is partially underground and excavated directly into solid rock. The rock church is situated in the heart of Helsinki. It’s one of the main attractions in Helsinki because of its special architecture. The church hall is covered with a dome lined with copper and supported on the rock walls by reinforced concrete beams while the interior walls are of rugged rock and rubble walls.
4. Linnanmäki Amusement Park
This is a great destination for families with children. The amusement park is free to visit. There’s no excuse to skip it. It’s a small but exciting amusement park located in downtown Helsinki. It has a lot of unique flat rides, dark rides, and roller coasters.
Linnanmäki Amusement Park is the oldest and most popular park in Finland. It is owned and operated by a non-profit Children’s Day Foundation, which donates the Parks income to charity.
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Rides to try: Pellen Talo, Kehra, Kingi, Kirnu, Kammokuja, Kieputin, Taikasickus, Ukko, Magia, Vuoristorata, Taiga, Salama, Kyopelinvouren hotelli and Hurjakuru.
5. Helsinki Cathedral
This is one of the most famous landmarks in Helsinki and was constructed in honor of the Grand Russian Duke of Finland. The gem is designed in the shape of a Greek cross. It has a timeless elegance, once you gaze up to the roof from outside, you’ll see large statues of the 12 apostles looking down over the square.
6. Suomenlinna Fortress
This is a slice of heaven you surely don’t want to miss while visiting Helsinki. It’s a 15 minutes ferry ride from the city center. It’s a giant maritime fortress spread across seven islands. There are also museums with guided tours and restaurants on the island. You can also have a picnic on the island and swim. This part of the country has changed hands a few times, it was once owned by Russia then Sweden, and now Finland.
7. Helsinki Panorama Bus Tour
It’s an affordable and great way to see most parts of the city. It shows the most important sights and gives you a great view of Helsinki’s past and present. The bus takes you to Historical Centre, Temppeliaukio Church, Sibelius Monument, Finlandia, Opera House, and the Parliament buildings. There are free WIFI and pre-recorded audio guides available in 10 languages on the bus.
8. Sibelius Monument & Park
This Park contains the monument to Finland’s most famous composer gene Sibelius which is made to look like a pipe organ. It’s a good central location to relax and listen to some live classical music.
The park is one of the most exciting and scenic tourist places in Helsinki. The park is located at the seaside spot and the memorial located within it happened to be an exciting and historic destination. Tourists can come here to enjoy the kinetic music sculpture which is installed in the park. It is in fact a collection of 600 steel tubes with the ability to capture the wind like a pipe organ and send out melodious tunes.
