My travels in Helsinki have at all times come after seeing someplace extra thrilling, be that the reindeer forests close to the Arctic Circle in Finnish Lapland, or the islands of the nation’s Gulf archipelago. Indeed, they’ve been perfunctory: I’ve spent an evening in Helsinki, right here or there, as a result of it made sense to take action.
I body the dialogue like this to start out with an admission: Helsinki is many issues, however a vital journey vacation spot isn’t one among them.
At the identical time, I gained’t go as far as to saying Helsinki isn’t price visiting, even when I’d most likely solely advise you to take action if it is sensible throughout the parameters of a extra thrilling journey to Finland.
Where to Stay in Helsinki
One cause I do really feel Helsinki is price visiting, no less than in case you occur to seek out your self within the metropolis for an evening or two, is that the city core isn’t very massive. If you keep central—resulting from Helsinki’s dimension, most locations you’d select to remain are central—you’re both taking a look at 15-20 minute walks to most locations (on hotter, dryer days) or handy rides utilizing the town’s trams when the climate is much less hospitable.
nother superior factor about spending a while in Helsinki? Hotels are surprisingly low cost, given the widely excessive price of dwelling in Finland. Even in peak season, it’s uncommon to pay greater than €150 for a room at boutique properties akin to Hotel Mestari and Scandic Helsinki Hub. Even in case you determine to splurge on one thing extra luxurious, you’ll be stunned at how far your cash goes in Finland’s oft-maligned capital. Alternatively, go for one of many Baltic cruises which can be on supply, which let you go to Helsinki both for a day or in a single day, along with different Scandinavian capitals like Copenhagen and Stockholm.
What to Do in Helsinki
Get the traditional cathedral selfie
Of the only a few correct “tourist attractions” inside Helsinki, the Helsinki Cathedral is before everything amongst them. I think about you’ll be stopping by right here no less than as soon as, and taking no less than one selfie, albeit most likely not from any boats you occur to take throughout your Helsinki journey.
(Or simply get misplaced)
Indeed, sights aren’t most of what makes Helsinki price visiting. Instead, it’s typically simply form of good to get misplaced in an ostensibly European metropolis that’s extraordinarily secure, even when there was few landmarks of observe, aside from church buildings and small city inexperienced areas.
Take a cruise to Suomenlinna
Getting out of Helsinki, oddly, is without doubt one of the greatest methods to have a very good time if you’re in it. Head all the way down to the waterfront, for instance, and take a ship to Suomenlinna, an island simply exterior within the bay with an outdated fortress constructed onto it.
(Or into the Helsinki Archipelago)
Traveling into the Helsinki Archipelago is a little more sophisticated than doing the identical in, say, Stockholm. While private and non-private cruises can be found, it’s actually greatest if you already know somebody who has their very own boat (and favourite islands). I did, and it’s a giant a part of why I discovered Helsinki (or no less than the Helsinki space) so price visiting!
See the remainder of Finland
Ultimately, Helsinki is nothing if not an introduction to the remainder of Finland, and Scandinavia extra broadly. If you don’t fly north to Rovaniemi and keep in an aurora-exposed igloo, you could possibly as an alternative head to Stockholm or Oslo, and even throughout the water to underrated Tallinn, Estonia.
How Much Time Do You Need in Helsinki?
Unless you might have a selected cause to be in Helsinki, my recommendation could be to maintain your time right here temporary. Given that the amount of issues to see in Finland’s capital is fairly low, you possibly can supercharge the standard of your time by limiting the variety of days you keep right here. In observe, this implies only a evening and a full day, or possibly two nights in case you occur to reach fairly late within the night.
What is the very best month to go to Helsinki?
Like most different Nordic capitals, Helsinki might be chilly and wet nearly any day of the yr. Simply visiting between June-August doesn’t assure heat or sunshine, even in case you might be the evening shall be brief. Price-wise, winter is a superb deal cheaper than summer time, so if that’s a motivator for you shoot for January as an alternative of July.
Can I see Northern Lights in Helsinki?
No. In addition to being marred by comparatively dangerous gentle air pollution, Helsinki is far too far south to see the Northern Lights on a standard evening. Even if the aurora are seen at decrease latitudes than standard, you will have to drive a minimal of 20-Half-hour exterior the town to see them.
Robert Schrader is a journey author and photographer who’s been roaming the world independently since 2005, writing for publications akin to “CNNGo” and “Shanghaiist” alongside the best way. His weblog, Leave Your Daily Hell, supplies a mixture of journey recommendation, vacation spot guides and private essays masking the extra esoteric facets of life as a traveler.