Quick Read: Are you having a stopover at Helsinki for a few days but unsure what to do there? Below are 10 interesting activities that you should consider while you’re there! Helsinki is the perfect example of a modern city and nature both preserved and co-existed side by side. In less than an hour out of city and you’re right in the hearts of their wilderness.
In my recent posts, I shared plenty of travel tips, reviews and thoughts on visiting Finland for a holiday.
And there’s a good reason you should give it a try.
I recently came back from a 14 days trip to Finland for late winter holiday in March, and I had a blast! It’s the 3rd time we’ve stepped foot into this amazingly beautiful country, and I still can’t get enough of it.
Not only is it a country full of friendly people, but it’s also culturally rich and embraces all.
No matter where you come from, you’re sure to find food that’s suitable for you – Spanish, Italian, Western, Chinese, Singapore, definitely Finnish or Scandi, and many more.
But you’re here for a reason. You might be visiting Helsinki for a couple of days and wondering what can you do there right.
I’ve got you covered. No, Helsinki had you covered, fed and makes sure you had a blast when you’re there.
So given my humble experience, I’ve put together the top 10 activities worth checking out in Helsinki for you.
Of course, you can’t do all of them in 3 days, so you will have to pick them based on your preference.
Tip: They are not sorted in any order, so have your own way at it. Be mindful that some are in certain seasons and there are certainly many more things to do in Helsinki than just these 10. You may want to do even more research if you can’t find what you like here.
Take a day trip to Tallinn from Helsinki with 3 different ferry operators to choose from
Any given travellers who had visited Europe a couple of times, would’ve come to hear of the beauty in Estonia.
Quite literally, the people there, the views and their towns.
A good news for you, if you haven’t already heard of. There are frequent ferries round trip from Helsinki to Estonia’s famous old town Tallinn.
Located at the coast of Estonia along the Gulf of Finland, this extremely beautiful town is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Almost everyday, there are more than 10 sailings available for you to have a chance to do a day-trip to this wonderful place.
Wondering what to expect? Take a look into the town from a day trip there
Currently, there are 3 ferries operating this service, namely Tallink Line, Viking Line and Eckero Line.
Tip: As you’d have already guessed much, with competitors there’s always more options. So the common sense tip here is, make sure you check and compare the 3 ferry operators price, timing and services first, before booking. Sometimes, you do get a better deal. Alternatively, you should book your Tallinn ferry tickets from Klook if you’re already a user there.
Since it’s a day trip, be sure to head there early so you can have enough time viewing this amazing town before heading back to Helsinki.
The ferry ride is approximately 2 to 3 hrs, so make sure to have some entertainment on board, or simply take the outside cabin for an unparalleled view of the ocean.
Where: All 3 ferries terminal are located in 3 different areas. Check which ferry line you bought first. I tried to show all 3 in Google Maps for you, but this is the best I can do. Should be good enough right?
Check out Helsinki’s most iconic cathedral
If you’re going to Finland and staying in Helsinki for a couple of days, you’ve got to check out their most iconic landmark in the entire country.
You can’t say you’ve been to Finland if you didn’t even see this Cathedral!
I wouldn’t say it’s the most beautiful Cathedral in Europe, but it’s certainly magnificent on its own.
If you visit this place at the right time of the year and early in the morning, there are significantly lesser crowd.
In my case, I got lucky and there was no crowd at all! I’m free to shoot a perfect image this time around.
Where: Unioninkatu 29, 00170 Helsinki, Finland, just 2 streets behind Kluuvi. Alternatively, try spotting the edges if it’s close to the sea. Once you find that bearing, try walking towards it.
Finland offers great diversity of cultural food exchange, right in the heart of the city
Finland has quite a diversified community and embraces multicultural approach.
And for food lovers, that’s always a good news. It means you get a wide variety of food options!
From Northern Europe’s unique Scandi taste, to Central Europe’s extravagant flavours, and to the Eastern Asia’s all-time favourites, you have it all.
During my multiple visits there, I appreciate the option to ocassionally indulge back in the Asia’s treats, just so I don’t miss them too much.
But I strongly recommend giving the Northern Europe’s unique taste a shot. Really, it’s quite delightful.
Rest assure that all meats here are harvested in the most appropriate manner and without damaging the wild population.
Finland just had that special care for their wildlife and always strongly believes that its a part of them too. But Elks are considered a fair bit more harmful to the forest ecosystem as it damages it quite considerably. Elks are also one of the highest reasons for traffic accidents in this country too.
Where: Arctic Snow Hotel’s Ice Restaurant at Lehtoahontie 27, approx 26km from City Centre. Book your shuttle trip up there through Arctic Snow’s website to reach there.
Make your reservation here: Book a private dinner night with Snow restaurant today!
Reserve a seat on the bus: Book your transport with the hotel
If you would like a taste of the Central Europe, without having to make a trip there, you have it. Right in the heart of the city.
I strongly recommend the Santa Fe Restaurant for a taste of the Spanish food!
Where: Aleksanterinkatu 15, Santa Fe Restaurant. Walk towards Kluuvi and you will find a small alley or walkway. Walk through it and you will find it tucked in a corner, right beside the Grande Grill restaurant.
Recommended ski resort near Helsinki – Messilä Ski Resort
What’s a winter holiday trip without skiing? No, of course you aren’t going to miss that out!
But if you haven’t plan this in as part of your itinerary, that’s fine. Helsinki’s got you covered.
Take a ski bus up to this nearby ski resort, Messilä and have your way down that slope!
Reserve a seat now: Make sure to reserve your seats on the ski bus before booking anything!
While this ski resort is small and compact, it still offers a decent variety for you to choose from.
If you’re not a professional or seasoned skier, it may not matter much to you. Just go there and have some real fun!
Messilä ski resort also provides accommodations, food options such as restaurants and cafes right up there.
So no need worry about crashing for the night or food to chew on when you’re hungry!
Hint: While the ski resort is small, it has hosted a record-breaking 7 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships before! Wildly impressive isn’t it? So if you’re worried that it’s not going to be fantastic ski resort, I don’t think you have to worry further! I’m sure you will have similar great fun times up at this resort.
Where: Located in Lahti, nearer to Hollola, you should absolutely book their ski bus for greater convenience. Alternatively, you may also drive up directly from Helsinki if you’ve already booked for a car rental.
Checkout the next best places to visit near Helsinki!
Not as well known as Lapland, the lakeland of Finland as well as the Eastern side also had a great deal of things to offer too.
While majority of the attractions and traffics are directed to Lapland for its great winter landscape, the Southern and Eastern side of Finland have also began to receive a bit more attention in the recent years too.
Beyond Lapland in the North, Finland still has plenty to offer around Helsinki.
Just 30mins away from Helsinki, Espoo would offer you familiar experience back in Lapland.
If your itinerary or time doesn’t permit you to explore the Northern side of Finland, Espoo would be a great alternative for you.
Spend a day there and I’m pretty sure you can have lots of fun too!
Tip: You should absolutely check out their Nuuksio National Park while you’re in Espoo for a spectacular nature adventure!
Where: Nuuksio National Park nearer to Espoo. You can travel directly from Helsinki City Centre or if you’re staying in Espo, it’s about 20 minutes closer.
You mentioned Lakeland in Finland didn’t you? What’s that?
Yes I did! Oh, you’re going to be so stoked about this place!
If you have about 3 days and looking for a great adventure out in the nature, you might as well visit the Lakeland of Finland.
Finland’s Lakeland district is one of the largest in Europe with over 180,000 lakes and islands. In the Summer, spend quality time swimming in the lakes or canoe down the streams of water to experience the Summer breeze and admire the untouched view.
Stay there for two nights and enjoy the true nature experience and outdoor activities. Be it in the winter time or summer, this place has plenty to offer!
If there’s a specific experience that I may recommend, it would be to stay in a tent up in the trees.
I haven’t been there personally, but just by looking at it, I’m already excited to check it out! I mean, who wouldn’t?
Ladies, it’s shopping time at Helsinki’s Stockmann for branded goods
Ok, normally I wouldn’t place these activities into my top 10 or even part of my itinerary. Cause, I’m not so keen on city-ish activities like that.
But hey, we all have partners who would, occasionally, like to indulge in a bit of a branded goods. Wouldn’t you agree?
Then look no further than in the hearts of the city. An outstanding building that’s known for not just being a departmental store, but offers quite a deal you wouldn’t want to miss.
Stockmann is one of the largest departmental store in the region and represents a strong cultural and symbolic building in Helsinki. Carrying all the luxury goods in the world and a wide variety of food options within the building, Stockmann is repotted as the high-end shopping mall in Finland.
I don’t shop a lot, but I’ve personally find this shopping mall incredibly nice to browse around too.
Or maybe it’s just because the prices tend to be cheaper than what we have here. Ahem.
Regardless of your reasons why you should visit Stockmann, it’s a fact that there’s no better place in Finland to shop for luxury goods and cure your shopping-spree desire.
Where: Stockmann is located in the centre of Helsinki city, and is quite noticeable with it’s large building and orange-brown facade. It’s also hard to miss it’s large font-sized building name “STOCKMANN” at the entrance too.
Gents, it’s time to gear up for sports at Kluuvi for their largest XXL store in Helsinki
Guys, do you think I would miss you out? And to be fair, this is very much suitable for your ladies too!
In Finland, XXL is one of the largest sports retail store and possibly the largest in the Nordic region too.
Find all your sporting gears and needs in this amazingly huge Norwegian sports store! I had personally gotten great deals such as Helly Hansen bags and down jackets there.
If you kept your eyes open while shopping in here, you will find sections around the store where items are going on crazy deals.
Like, I mean, crazy cheap. Euro 10 to 30 anyone? Oh, of course, it’s usually branded too!
I snapped my Helly Hansen down jacket for only eur30 bucks!
We also spotted their Helly Hansen 50L and 70L sporting bags going for a deal.
Trust me, it’s cheaper there. Much cheaper.
Tip: Since Helly Hansen is a Norwegian brand, naturally it’s even cheaper over in Norway. I’ve been there, and I’ve actually walked into a H/H distribution store where everything is going on fire sales. It’s crazy! You get quality branded goods at dirt cheap prices!
In XXL, every conceivable sports you can think of, they had it in store. At least, I believe so. (I haven’t yet seen one that they don’t have?)
Ranging from casual running and leisure walks, to hiking or mountain climbing, to golf, ski, snowboarding, and many more!
So perhaps on your last day in Helsinki, take at least 2 hours out to make sure you grab whatever you need before flying back!
Where: Kluuvi is also located in central Helsinki, and is easily a walkable distance from Stockmann.
Take a dip in their Allas Sea Pools for a hot and cold experience (the Finnish way)
It’s come with no surprise that in every recommended list for a Nordic country, the hot and cold experience always get thrown into the mix.
Because it’s unique enough for everyone to recommend, and I have every reasons to believe so too.
So since it’s available in most of the popular places, what’s so special about this then?
First off, if you had somehow missed it in your itinerary, or Helsinki is just a stopover for you, then you’re in for a treat.
Travel no further than Helsinki, it’s readily available urban spa for you to shake off the cold and take a dip into their hot fresh seawater.
Oh, you heard it right! It’s fresh. Sea. Water. And it’s public. That means non-enclosed.
It’s a really nice setup and great to stay “outdoor” with a nice view, if you asked me.
Ok, anything with a hint of outdoor would interest me because we’ve all become indoor creatures now. So yes, when I get the chance, I would love to stay outdoor for all the nature buzz please.
Allas Sea Pool offers one of the best, natural way to enjoy the great winter outdoors while you steam off the cold from the weather in Helsinki.
Check out: See some of the reviews of Allas Sea Pool at TripAdvisor
Where: Allas Sea Pool at Katajanokanlaituri 2a, 00160 Helsinki. Walk along the stretch of Helsinki’s city park, Esplanadi and continue walking straight until you see a harbour-like place with Ferris wheel.
JÄÄPUISTO Ice skating in the centre of Helsinki
It’s just ice skating. Don’t get all too excited about it. There’s nothing special about this.
Except that it’s outdoor where you can feel the breeze, see the crowd walking by and hear the birds chirping in the morning. What a good way to start off the weekend!
I don’t know about you, but I do enjoy the occasion urge to just “swish-swoosh” for a few rounds in the skating rink in Singapore.
Typically cooling, it’s one of the best way to let off some steam and a small getaway from the heat of our usual weather.
But it’s all indoor isn’t it?
What if you could skate outdoors too?
We’ve all been indoors all day long. Some outdoor moments are certainly much appreciated isn’t it?
And I bet you wouldn’t be surprised. Given the cold weather abroad, it’s not hard to imagine having a solid piece of ice for skaters right then and there.
Ok not literally like it’s that easy to make and maintain one of course, but you know what I mean.
And yes, quite a handful of countries do have an outdoor ice skating rink for the community to have fun.
The entry price is not expensive too, if you ask me. For a single ticket, all it costs is just SGD 10 per pax to skate on the rink.
They also do provide skate rental right on the spot at just SGD 10 too!
Recommended: They do provide a combo ticket, where you get to also access the Allas Sea Pools mentioned above, at just SGD 27 per combo ticket! So if you fancy to try out both, you should absolutely grab this instead.
If you’re interested: Check out their website for more details
Where: The ice skating rink is located right next to the Helsinki Railway station. It’s really quite easy to spot it though.
Alright, that’s all I have for you now! Wait, it’s 9 isn’t it? Where’s number 10 for me to consider?
Oh yes, certainly. Number 10 I thought it wouldn’t have been anything special, but it went into my list. Not sure about you.
Quick Mention: Helsinki’s Railway station had one of the biggest and most beautiful Burger King restaurant in Finland
You just got off the flight from Singapore to Helsinki. It’s a gruelling 12 hours long.
You’re hungry.
And now you’re also probably a little cold.
You just want something nice to chew on, and a hot sip to rejuvenate your stiff body.
You got off the subway train and started walking into Helsinki’s Railway station.
Ala-kazam! A gigantic Burger King stood in front of you with their beautiful burgers and tasty flavours.
I’ve never seen anything like this. Or, maybe it’s just me.
But if you combine the above feeling when you got off a long flight and seeing this beautiful facade of a fast-food restaurant, how could you resist?
It’s big. It’s beautifully furnished. Soo European styled. And you’ve got plenty of seats to choose from.
Ring any bells from back in Singapore? No seats, small and generally not well-maintained, is all I can remember of BK.
And if anything, the prices there are decent compared to Singapore, with a few variants going cheaper.
When I visited again in 2020, they had this breakfast deal which is superbly cheap and good!
Ok, maybe hunger got over us. I don’t know. You shall be the judge of how I reacted when you’ve experienced it I guess.
Anyhow, I don’t think I need to introduce much about BK to you, do I? If you need me to, I seriously wonder where you came from.
But I think it really does deserve a spot in the list.
Something that all of us took for granted that it exists, but no one bothers giving honourable mentions in the lists of top 10s.
So there you go, top 10 in Helsinki. Sorry, the last one isn’t really quite an activity is it.
The list is a good mix of day-trips, a night out there, or a short activity. Ultimately, you will have to figure out how you wish to spend your 3 days in Helsinki!
If you need winter related activities recommendation, why don’t you check out my other article below?
Let me know how you end up spending your time in Helsinki, share your story and what new things you’ve encountered.
See you around!
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