Top 15 places to visit in Helsinki

1. Cathedral on Senate Square

Let's start with the very heart of the Finnish capital — the Cathedral. It's a great place to start a walk and, at the same time, the city's calling card. The neoclassical cathedral was built from 1830 to 1852 in parallel with the construction of St. Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg. This explains the similarity of the cathedrals. Take a seat on the steps of the cathedral, admire the panorama, have a coffee and go exploring the Finnish capital.

Address: Unioninkatu 29

Opening hours: 9:00-18:00

2. Helsinki City Museum

Right next to Senate Square, opposite the Cathedral, is the Helsinki City Museum. Even if you're not a fan of museums, we recommend a visit. Here you can get acquainted with the 450-year history of the city, learn what it lived in the past and how the citizens live now. The museum is compact and its visit will not take much time, but it will acquaint you with the history of Helsinki. Entrance is free.

Address: Aleksanterinkatu 16

Opening hours: daily 11:00-19:00, Saturday-Sunday 11:00-17:00

3. Temppeliaukion Church

Ever seen a church in a rock? Well, you will. This round church is located inside a cliff in the middle of an ordinary residential area, covered with a transparent dome and symbolizing the organic symbiosis of nature and technology. In addition to religious activities, concerts and organized performances are often held here. In 2006, Finland's first metal mass was even held here, when church chants were accompanied by heavy rock. For a schedule of current concerts, visit the website.

Address: Lutherinkatu 3

Opening hours: Monday, Wednesday-Friday — 10:00-17:00, Tuesday — 12:00-17:00, Saturday — 10:00-11:45, 13:45-17:00; Sunday — 12:00-14:45, 15:45-17:00.

4. Assumption Cathedral

If you arrive in Helsinki from the sea, this cathedral is one of the first things you'll notice. It is the largest Orthodox church in Northern Europe and the second largest building in Helsinki! It looks majestic inside and out, and the square in front of the cathedral offers a great view of the harbor and the city.

Address: Kanavakatu 1

Opening hours: Tuesday-Friday 9:30-19:00, Sunday 12:00-15:00, closed on Monday.

5. Market Square

Trading started here in the XVIII century, when fishermen began to dock here with fresh catches. In the evening it is quite a normal promenade, but from morning to lunchtime it is bustling with life. The square is flooded with dozens of tents with all sorts of stuff and local goodies — soup, sandwiches, mushrooms and berries — you can't go hungry here, and you can buy souvenirs.

By the way, be on your guard — local seagulls and cormorants will not hesitate to steal your tasty sandwich.

You can book a hotel in Helsinki with a discount of up to -65% on the website.

Address: Eteläranta

Opening hours: 8:00 - 17:00

6. Kampi Chapel of Silence

This orange barrel is hard to miss! Built in 2012, this chapel is one of the most striking examples of Helsinki's newest architecture. But let's face it, without knowing the backstory, you'd never guess that this futuristic building is a chapel. When you are tired of the city bustle, come here just to sit in silence and think about your own. Here you will hear how silence sounds.

Address: Simonkatu 7

Opening hours: daily from 8:00 to 20:00, Saturday-Sunday from 8:00 to 18:00.

7. Amos Rex Museum

As you see the hills and moon craters in the square near Kamppi Chapel, know it's Amos Rex. A brand new attraction in the Finnish capital and Finland's largest private museum and the rebirth of the Amos Anderson Art Museum. In 2018, it was named by the BBC as one of Europe's most innovative new architectural complexes. Be sure to stop by here to join in the cultural life of Helsinki.

Address: Mannerheimintie, 22-24

Opening hours: Monday and Friday — 11:00 to 18:00; Wednesday and Thursday — 11:00 to 20:00; Saturday and Sunday — 11:00 to 17:00; Tuesday — closed.

Admission costs €22, €15 for students.

8. Sibelius Monument

Jan Sibelius is the pride of Finnish music, the author of its unofficial anthem and a composer who once made his country famous throughout Europe. In honor of his outstanding countryman Finns built a monument, which is now one of the most visited places in the capital. The bulky monument made of several hundred pipes is considered to be the most visited monument in Helsinki. After waiting for a group of Chinese tourists to finish taking selfies with it, walk under it and shout into the pipes. At least it will be more fun than just taking photos.

Address: Sibeliuksen puisto, Mechelininkatu

9. Hietaniemi Cemetery

Your way to the Sibelius Monument will most likely pass through Hietaniemi Cemetery. Put aside gloomy associations and don't avoid this place. It's a familiar walking spot for locals. Why? There are wide shady alleys, lots of greenery, and on the west side behind the cemetery is the town beach.

Address: Hietaniemenkatu 20.

10. Sveaborg Fortress (Suomenlinna)

Formerly a defense fortress, now Suomenlinna is a residential area of Helsinki with a population of about 800 people. It's worth stopping here for a walk around the bastions and a picnic overlooking the sea and passing liners. If you're visiting the island with children, take them to the Toy Museum, which has hundreds of different Finnish toys.

Getting to the island is easy: ferries run regularly between the island and the pier at the Market Square.

11. Aleksanterinkatu Street

Got a hankering for a shopping spree? Head to Aleksanterinkatu, the city's main shopping street. Here, check out Stockmann, the local department store, and the Galleria Esplanad and Aleksi 13 shopping centers. If you don't want to spend a lot of time shopping in Helsinki, you can at least have a quick look at Scandinavian mass-market stores such as H&M and COS.

12. Kiasma Museum

Nothing short of a modern art museum! If you like that kind of thing, you should definitely stop by — both for the art and to check out the interior of the museum.

Address: Mannerheiminaukio 2

Opening hours: Tuesday — 10:00-18:00; Wednesday-Friday — 10:00-20:30; Saturday — 10:00-18:00; Sunday — 10:00-17:00; Monday — closed.

Thecost of the entrance ticket is €22.

13. Allas Sea Pool

Finland has 3.3 million saunas for a population of 5.5 million. Needless to say, this is Finland's favorite pastime? Nowadays almost every Finnish house has a sauna, and you can easily find them in the city. For vivid impressions we recommend Allas Sea Pool complex.

The sauna is located in the very center of the city right next to the Market Square. The complex has a pool right in the sea, so you can warm up well and plunge into the waters of the Gulf of Finland. It's better to bring a towel with you, as it costs €10 to rent one. Trust me, your Helsinki experience won't be complete without a sauna, so this is a must!

Address: Katajanokanlaituri 2a

Opening hours: Weekdays — 6:30-21:00; Saturday — 9:00-21:00; Sunday — 10:00-20:00.

Entrance fee — €18-22

14. Sompasauna

If your budget is limited, don't sweat it. Or rather, you should! Helsinki also has a free sauna, which is maintained by volunteers — Sompasauna. After it you can also dip into the icy sea — the impressions will be enough for a long time. By the way, it works around the clock.

Address: Sompasaarenlaituri

15. Sauna Arla

This is one of the oldest saunas in Helsinki, which has been operating since 1929. It's worth a visit if you want to appreciate the atmosphere of the most trashy Finnish steam room. Admission costs €12.

Address: Kaarlenkatu 15

Opening hours: Wednesday-Friday — 15:00-22:00; Saturday-Sunday — 14:00-22:00; Monday, Tuesday — closed.

P.S. And also from Helsinki you can get to Tallinn by ferry in a few hours, so you can see these two cities in one trip. Read about the most interesting places in Tallinn in this article.