Helsinki on a winter city break? Here are the top things to do
Think that exploring cities in winter is a bad idea? Well, that's not always the case.
There are places in the world where winter is worth embracing rather than avoiding. And Finland is one of those places.
Not only does the cold season there have all the fairytale traits (for one, a snow bonanza) but the country is also equipped to make what is a long and often harsh season bearable and even enjoyable. It cannot be a coincidence that in the 2024 World Happiness Report, Finland is the happiest country in the world for the seventh year in a row. It's safe to say that the Finns know how to savour life in all seasons, including their dark, long, cold winter.
Now, the country's capital and largest city is a delightful place to get a taste of that winter-embracing attitude.
Even if your core Finnish destination is not Helsinki, including a stop there can provide a pleasant introduction to the country and may even make your life easier when it comes to reaching other places. If you are headed to Lapland, for example, stopping in Helsinki will give you the chance to hop on the overnight Santa Claus Express train. I did that - twice - and I cannot recommend it enough.
I visited Helsinki in December and at the beginning of March - a month that still has winter traits in Finland. Both times I relished the friendly nature and relaxed pace of the city, admired some striking architecture - both modern and older, visited famous landmarks, and discovered some less talked-about gems.
Here is a map of all my favourite spots in the city and a couple more I haven't yet been able to tick off my list yet, but that I still suggest you take into consideration.
I have marked the indoor locations with red pins, so you know where to find some respite from the cold if it's getting a little too much.
You can zoom in and out using the + and - buttons in the bottom-left corner of the map or with your mouse wheel.
Clicking on any of the pins will open a side panel with the details on the location.
You can also click on the rectangle button on the top-right corner to view the map in Google Maps as a separate tab of your browser or in the relevant app if you are using a smartphone.
Most of these spots are not specifically linked to the winter season, but I have enjoyed them when temperatures were freezing, so I can guarantee they are a good option for you too.
And now let me tell you all about them.
Contents
1) Take your time at Helsinki Central Station
2) Head to Senate Square to tick off that famous white cathedral from your list
3) Explore enchanting Katajanokka district
4) Embrace the sauna culture
5) Explore lunch options at the old city markets
6) Loosen your purse strings in the Design District
7) Discover Finnish spirituality at the church in the rock
8) Sail across the frozen harbour on a ferry to the 'Fortress of Finland'
1) Take your time at Helsinki Central Station
Since the majority of trains and buses to Helsinki end their journey there, the central train station will probably be the first city landmark you will come across on your visit. And if after a day of travel you are too weary to put your luggage down and give this architectural beauty the attention it deserves, fret not: its very central location means that you are likely to see it again (and again) during more relaxed city explorations.
I have always arrived in Helsinki in the evening, and every time I have made my way across the almost empty central hall feeling at once welcomed and charmed. Large neoclassical chandeliers casting a gentle glow, high vaulted ceilings, vast reflective glass surfaces, and intricately carved walls; all these elements contribute to an understated sense of luxury and elegance.
Helsinki's central station periodically makes the cut for the world's most beautiful stations and is a great introduction to the city's distinctive architecture. Conceived by Finnish architect Eileen Saarinen, the building replaced a pre-existing station that could no longer serve the capital's growing population at the end of the 19th century. It was designed in a rationalised version of the national romantic style that peppers the city.
A striking combination of heavy granite and delicate glass, the station facade looks both stern and graceful, but the real showstopper for me are the huge Lantern bearers (Lyhdynkantajat in Finnish) at either side of the main entrance: created by Finnish sculptor Emil Wikström in 1914, these are four square-jawed, muscular granite statues straight out of a Nordic epic saga, proudly standing guard while holding spherical lanterns. Now part of Finland's vernacular, these four stone giants have become the mascots of VR, the government-owned railway company, and have been regularly featured as cartoon characters in their adverts. The actual statues were also seen donning KISS-inspired makeup when the band was in town for a concert, wearing face masks during the Covid pandemic, and sporting green boleros to encourage Käärijä, the singer representing Finland at the 2023 Eurovision. Even Finnish statues don't take themselves too seriously.
2) Head to Senate Square to tick off that famous white cathedral from your list
Anyone planning a trip to Helsinki, me included, has Senate Square (Senaatintori) in mind as one of their compulsory stops. Recognisable worldwide for the towering presence of chalky Helsinki Cathedral (Tuomiokirkko), Senate Square is the monumental heart of old Helsinki. In 1812 German architect Carl Ludvig Engel planned the whole space with the intent of bringing together religious, political, scientific, and commercial powers. He designed the cathedral (north side), main university building (west side), and the current Government Palace (east side) in the same cohesive Neoclassical style. This part of town is without a doubt elegant and stately.
Here's what I recommend you do here:
if you visit in December, make sure you set aside some time for the Christmas market. That's the time of year I enjoyed my visit of the square the most.
Usually open between December 1st and 22nd, this is a great spot to soak in the yuletide cheer. The tall Christmas tree overshadows even the grand statue of Emperor Alexander II in the middle of the square, and dozens of colourful wooden stalls display all types of beautifully crafted gifts, ornaments, and local produce. There is a food court serving delicious hot fare. One thing you shouldn't miss is glögi, the Finnish mulled wine; nothing beats holding a warm cuppa as you peruse the merch on offer in the snowy square.climb the set of steps leading to the cathedral (or reach the top via the accessible ramps at the back) to fully appreciate the harmony and proportions of the buildings facing the square like a stage. As for the church interior, well, expect neither bells nor whistles: the airy space is an exercise in simplicity and restraint.
admire the elegant old buildings on the south side of the square (opposite the cathedral), and don’t skip past Sederholm House, Helsinki's oldest stone building, dating from 1757. Originally built for the richest merchant in town, it now hosts the City Museum together with a few surrounding buildings and courtyards. The museum has free admission (uncommon in Helsinki) and it's a great spot to kill a few hours learning more about the city if the temperatures outside plummet below your tolerance levels.
if you are nearby around 5:30pm, make sure you linger until at least 5:49pm to hear the Sound of the Senate, a carillon-style music track playing in the square and bouncing around the surrounding buildings. I must confess that I have never managed to be there at the right time, so I would love to hear your impressions if you do happen to catch it.
THE LOWDOWN
WHEN
‧ Christmas Market opening hours: Sun-Thu 11am-7pm, Fri-Sat 11am-8pm
‧ Helsinki Cathedral opening hours: Mon-Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 11am-6pm Sep-May | Mon-Thu 9am-5pm, Fri 9am-2pm, evenings 6pm-9pm Jun-Aug
‧ Helsinki City Museum opening hours: Mon-Fri 11am-7pm, Sat-Sun 11am-5pm
‧ The Sound of the Senate plays every day at 5:49pm
PRICE
‧ Admission to the Christmas Market is free of charge
‧ Helsinki Cathedral admission: €5 (voluntary) Sep-May | €8 (voluntary) or free evening admission Jun-Aug
‧ Admission to Helsinki City Museum is free of charge
3) Explore enchanting Katajanokka district
It may have a very central location and host a majestic cathedral, but the island of Katajanokka remained a mainly underdeveloped and unsanitary district until the early 20th century. However, when it finally attracted the attention of the city architects, the whole western side of the district was developed in the same graceful Art Nouveau style and became a harmonious enclave of rather beautiful residential buildings, still appreciated today as a one of a kind in Europe.
Katajanokka can easily absorb a couple of hours in your city exploration, but even if you are short on time, I recommend you make an effort to include it in your itinerary, at least for a quick stroll. It sits right next to the old city centre on the eastern side of the harbour, and it is host to a few points of interests:
‒ Uspenski Cathedral
The sizeable, red-bricked building that you will see peeping above the city centre's rooftops is another major landmark of the city: the orthodox Uspenski Cathedral. Known as the largest orthodox church in Western Europe and built in prominent position atop a rocky outcrop, it claims a prime position in the city harbour skyline, and it is striking evidence of the influence Russia had over Finland. Despite being conceived at the same time as the Lutheran cathedral, the two buildings couldn't be more different. Designed by Russian architect Aleksey Gornostayev and completed in 1868, it is an elaborate red-brick triumph topped with verdigris roofs and golden onion domes. The bricks, all 700,000 of them, were rescued and barged to town from a demolished fortress in the Åland Islands, hundreds of miles away.
The interior is quite colourful, with heavily patterned ceilings, gold leaf galore, opulent chandeliers, and a show-stopper iconostasis. They definitely went the opposite direction from the Lutheran cathedral, and I can't say it didn't work.
‒ The residential 'old side' of the island
As soon as you leave the cathedral behind and start making your way towards the old residential portion of Katajanokka, you will see it: a succession of apartment blocks painted in pastel colours and displaying the distinctive traits of Jugendstil, the German take on Art Nouveau: stained-glass bay windows, curvilinear motifs, pointy-roofed turrets projecting from corners, and decorative carvings with patterns and subjects inspired by nature. If you don't look up, you miss half of the show: take your time and look for unexpected details like stone owls staring at you from beneath a bay window or large bear statues on rooftops. My favourite streets are Luotsikatu, Kauppiaankatu, and the streets connecting the two.
‒ SkyWheel Helsinki
Probably not for those of you who dislike heights (or who are budget-oriented), the 10-12 minute so-called 'flight' on this 40-meter-high Ferris wheel delivers on panoramic views over the harbour and the old part of the city. And since we are in Finland, guess what? There is a sauna cabin available between April and November, where you can sweat away while up in the air. Definitely something to write home about.
I confess I did not ride the SkyWheel, but on a very snowy evening was instead lured by the nearby Flying Cinema, a 5-D cinema providing an immersive sightseeing 'trip' of Finland from the air. Sadly, I can't suggest you do the same, as I felt that the footage didn’t do justice to the country and even fell victim to motion-sickness.
THE LOWDOWN
WHEN
‧ Uspenski Cathedral opening hours: Tue-Fri 9:30am-4pm | Sat 10am-3pm | Sun 12pm-3pm | Monday closed
‧ SkyWheel opening hours: Mon-Fri 12pm-6pm | Sat 11am-7pm | Sun 11am-5pm
The 'Sauna Gondola' is available between April and November, between two hours after the regular opening and half an hour before closing.
PRICE
‧ Admission to the cathedral is free of charge
‧ SkyWheel admissions:
- Standard cabin fitting up to eight people: adult (+12 years old): €15 | child (3-11 years old): €10 | child (0-2 years old): free.
- VIP cabins with leather seats, glass floors, and tinted windows: €195 for a whole cabin fitting up to four people. It comes with a bottle of Champagne and the ride lasts 30 minutes instead of 10.
- SkySauna: starting at €240/hour. The sauna cabin fits up to four people.
4) Embrace the sauna culture
I am quite a staunch believer in the When in Rome... motto and I love few things more than immersing myself in a different culture to better understand a place and its people. And if there is a cultural staple that is integral to Finnish culture and is really easy to immerse yourself into (see what I did there?), it's the sauna. So much so that in 2020 the 'sauna culture in Finland' was listed by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Please don't leave the country without taking at least one: it is almost guaranteed to provide you with some unforgettable memories. I have a few of those and I am grateful for them.
While it's not uncommon to find a sauna in your Finnish accommodation, in Helsinki it's probably easier to resort to a public one.
And to that effect, your most convenient option in town is Allas Sea Pool, right on the city harbour and with stunning views, especially from sunset onwards.
Not that this complex of pools, saunas, and restaurants is a lesser choice. Regularly frequented by locals, don't be surprised if you find it full on a Saturday afternoon.
You will have access to three saunas (female-only, male-only, and mixed), two pools, a cafe, a restaurant, and a rooftop bar.
One pool has unheated sea water (not for the faint-hearted in winter), and the other is heated to a lukewarm 27°C (80.6°F).
The idea is that you get adjusted to the sauna temperature by alternating it with a plunge in a pool or even just a walk on the outside deck area. You may think it's something only stoic Finns can tolerate but trust me: when your body is a sweaty mess that has absorbed enough heat, the outside freezing temperature will be a welcome change, one that your warm body will be able to handle well. And in turn, once you've cooled off, you will love the hot embrace of the sauna again! It's quite an addictive game that will leave you warm and energised for the rest of your day.
On a slightly higher-end level, further from the city centre, but perhaps closer to locals' hearts is Löyly, named after the 'spirit' in the steam released when water is poured on the hot sauna stones. In the beautiful modern building you will find two mixed public saunas: a smoke sauna and a traditional wood sauna; or you can rent your own private sauna for up to 10 people. To cool off you can relax on the outside decking area or take a plunge in the Baltic. Which in winter is probably frozen but hey when in Rome...
To reach Löyly, you can hop on tram number 6 at the stop Rautatieasema in front of the railway station (direction Eiranranta), get off at Eiranranta (the final stop), and walk the remaining 300 metres. A taxi from the same origin should cost between €8 and €15.
THE LOWDOWN
WHEN
‧ Allas Sea Pool winter opening hours: Mon-Fri: 6:30am-9pm | Sat-Sun: 8am-9pm. Last entry is 40 minutes before closing time and the pools close 20 minutes before closing time.
‧ Löyly winter opening hours: Mon: 4pm-10pm | Tue-Thu: 1pm-10pm | Fri: 1pm-11pm | Sat: 9am-11am and 1pm-11pm | Sun: 11am-9pm
PRICE
‧ Allas Sea Pool admissions:
- adult (+12 years old): Mon-Thu and Fri up to 2pm: €18, Sat-Sun and Fri after 2pm: €22
- children (2-12 years old): Mon-Thu and Fri up to 2pm: €10, Sat-Sun and Fri after 2pm: €13
- children up to 2 years old: free entry
Admission is for up to two hours from the time of purchase.
At the time of writing (April 2024) tickets could only be purchased in person.
Löyly admissions:
- adult (+10 years old): Mon-Thu €24 | Fri-Sun €25
The price includes a towel, seat liner, shampoo, and shower gel.
Admission is for up to two hours from the time of purchase; additional hours are charged at €10.00 per hour.
- children (0-10 years old): free of charge, provided they share a locker with a parent/guardian.
- private saunas: Mon-Thu €500, Fri-Sun €600. Prices are for up to two hours and include the use of a private shower room and terrace area, lockers, towels, and some shampoo and body wash for a group of 10 people. Additional people pay €25 each.
Advance booking via the official website is recommended for all Löyly sauna types.
5) Explore lunch options at the old city markets
The traditional market square (Kauppatori) facing the city harbour has been Helsinki’s commercial heart since the 1800s, when local fishermen would dock at what was just a muddy inlet and sell their catch of the day. The oldest public monument in town, a red granite obelisk topped by a bronze double-headed eagle on a globe, was erected here in 1835 to commemorate the first city visit by Russian Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. Yet another remnant of the past Russian domination. Market Square is also where ferries and waterbuses to the Helsinki archipelago leave, so expect some fairly lively pedestrian traffic.
It may now be a cobbled expanse bordered by elegant neoclassical buildings on one side but, still true to its name, on weekdays it hosts a multitude of stalls selling fresh food, warm meals, and souvenirs.
Between spring and fall, that is.
In winter it is unlikely you will even notice it is the market square. There are a couple of souvenir stalls and very few stands selling food from their heated orange tents; I tried their fare, and I can't say I left with the desire to go back. Which is just as well, because I have a much better place to recommend for a hot lunch on a cold winter day: the nearby Old Market Hall (Vanha Kauppahalli).
A delightful building with a striking red and white exterior, it's inside that this covered market delivers all its charm: think dark wooden stalls lining two aisles with all sorts of tempting food options. The main star seems to be Finnish salmon, and you will have no difficulty in finding the staple creamy salmon soup or a buttery smoked salmon tartine. However, there is generally a well curated culinary offer, from delis selling caviar, reindeer cold cuts, or cheese, to Vietnamese or Middle Eastern food, to stalls specialising in baked potatoes. Sweet choices aren't scarce either: you will find pastry shops and cafes, and even a gelato parlour. I am growing hungry just writing about it.
The atmosphere is relaxed and cheerful, and you will never find this market empty, especially around lunch time. In fact, try arriving a little early or you may find the small seating areas full.
THE LOWDOWN
WHEN
‧ Market Square opening hours: officially, there is a market on weekdays between 6.30am and 6pm, but in winter it only consists of a few souvenir stalls and a couple of food joints.
‧ Old Market Hall opening hours: Mon-Sat 8am-6pm
PRICE
Admission is free to both markets
6) Loosen your purse strings in the Design District
If you have an aesthetic eye, are a design-aficionado, or simply enjoy some world-class shopping (including window shopping), then Helsinki Design District should pull at your heartstrings. And frankly, even if you don't fit in any of the above categories, the city love for design runs so deep that you may have some difficulty not giving in to its charms and walking into one of numerous seductive shops.
Roughly centred around Dianapuisto park (aka Kolmikulma, about 15 minutes' walk south of the train station), the Design District is not so much a defined geographical area as it is a constellation of businesses bonded by a common link with the design world. Currently counting over 150 members scattered all over the city centre and identified by the round "Design District Helsinki" black sticker, the association includes not only usual suspects such as design and fashion boutiques, art galleries, and showrooms, but also jewellery and antique stores, hotels, restaurants, and the leading design and architecture museums in Finland. Quite a choice if you are looking for some inspiration and some respite from the outside cold.
The Design District official website has a member directory that can be filtered by category, plus a map with all the members location. However, as a rule of thumb, you will find most businesses along either side of the Esplanadi (the Littala and Arabia flagship store is a particularly good one) and walking up and down the bottom half of Fredrikinkatu, Korkeavuorenkatu, and all the streets in between.
You shouldn't miss the internationally renowned Design Museum if you are interested in gaining a better understanding of the roots and ethos behind Finnish design. It is a beautifully lit, colourful space where you won't regret spending a couple of hours.
THE LOWDOWN
WHEN
The opening hours of the various businesses can be found on the official website of the association.
However, they all tend to observe normal business hours, with Sunday being the most common day of closure.
Design Museum opening hours:
- Sep-May: Tue 11am-8pm | Wed-Sun 11am-6pm
- June: Mon-Sun 11am-6pm
- Jul-Aug: Mon-Fri 11am-8pm | Sat-Sun 11am-6pm
PRICE
Design Museum admission: adult (+18 years old): €20 | pensioners, job seekers, students, and persons in service: €12.
Admission is free every last Tuesday of the month, and always for children (0-17 years old) and Museum Card holders.
7) Discover Finnish spirituality at the church in the rock
Deserving a separate mention in the design landscape of the city is an extraordinary church: Temppeliaukio Church (Temppeliaukion kirkko).
Conceived by Finnish architects and brothers Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen, and opened to the public in 1969, I consider this building almost the key to understanding Finland.
Its uniqueness - and what makes it a top tourist attraction in town - is the fact that the church is literally carved inside a rocky hill. At street level it looks just like a lump of granite, but step past the stern, unassuming entrance and you will find yourself right inside that granite mass, in a circular space defined by natural, roughly hewn stone walls. You may be picturing this as a 'cave' church but instead the space has a bright and airy atmosphere, courtesy of a huge circular ceiling skylight surrounding a central 24m-wide (79 feet) copper dome.
Now, this is a Lutheran church, so if you are Christian, please don't go inside expecting grand altarpieces, statues of saints, or painted religious scenes. My recommendation is to respect the faith of this space and explore it with an open mind. This church is not 'weird' (as I have seen it described in way too many reviews) but unique, and absolutely beautiful in its own right. At least I think so.
Temppeliaukio means ‘Temple Square’ and to me it really feels like a temple, one where faith and nature come together and even support each other. The sense of awe evoked by the ancient sheer rock complements perfectly the solemnity of religious elements like the stunning organ.
There is no pretentiousness in sight: this is a welcoming, down to earth (I know, sorry) kind of place. And it is this subtle humility and the central role conferred to nature that make me see Temppeliaukio Church as a fitting representative of the Finnish character.
Finally, if you still think that rock walls don't belong to a place of worship, at least appreciate them for a concert hall. The rock itself has great acoustic properties, and the church regularly hosts musical performances.
THE LOWDOWN
WHEN
Temppeliaukio Church opening hours: Mon-Fri 10am-5pm | Sat 10am-5pm with a one-hour break at 11:45am and 1:15pm | Sun 12pm-5pm | closed on winter Mondays.
PRICE
Admission: adult (+18 years old): €8. Admission is free for children (0-17 years old) and holders of Museum Card, Helsinki card, and Helsinki City Pass.
Please note that the admission covers literally only the church interior. There is no museum or other place to explore past the entrance.
HOW TO GET THERE
Trams no 2 and 4 will take you from Senate Square to Temppeliaukio in about 10 minutes. In addition to numbers 2 and 4, you can also catch numbers 1 and 10 from the railway station. Get off at Sampogatan and walk the final 240m to the church.
On foot you can reach the church from the central station in about 15/20 minutes.
8) Sail across the frozen harbour on a ferry to the 'Fortress of Finland'
I can't deny that it was with slight trepidation that I boarded the ferry to the island-fortress of Suomenlinna on my most recent visit of Helsinki. The city harbour had barely started thawing and looked like a jigsaw puzzle of ice blocks. Would the ferry be sailing smoothly on those big, sharp, frozen wedges?
I'm happy to report that the answer turned out to be yes, and the scenic crossing between Market Square and the island fortress was quite an intriguing experience. We could see the ice blocks getting swallowed under the boat as the hull hit them, and while the ferry vibration was at first a little unsettling, seeing how the locals were completely unfazed by it set my heart at peace: we were going to make it!
The thrill of sailing on ice, the beautiful coastal scenery, and the city views from the harbour can easily make the ferry ride in winter one of the highlights of a visit of Helsinki.
Suomenlinna itself is a UNESCO-listed group of six traffic-free fortified islands connected by bridges. Built by then-ruling Sweden in the 18th century to face Russia's threatening expansion, this military complex of bastions, star-shaped fortifications, tunnels, and shipyards is now a picturesque residential district. It is best enjoyed in the summer months, when all the museums are open, and locals enjoy the island vibes while picnicking on the grassy areas. However, if you are interested in military architecture, Suomenlinna is for you any time of the year; bring comfortable shoes and walk to the island of Kustaanmiekka, where you will find the highest concentration of defensive walls and bastions. The blue signs should lead you there, but you can also join guided tours in English that will ensure you don't miss any of the most fascinating spots. There even is a Second World War submarine! It is only open to the public in summer, but even looking at it from the outside made me feel claustrophobic. If you are not into military heritage, don't worry: there are teahouses and restaurants for you to cosy up as you wait for the ferry back to the city.
THE LOWDOWN
WHEN
‧ The harbour is frozen between January and mid-March.
‧ The ferry is part of Helsinki public transport network (HSL) and they sail year-round every forty minutes approximately. You can find the exact timetables on the Suomenlinna online guide; select the 'Traffic' tab on the left of the map.
PRICE
For public transport purposes, Suomenlinna falls within the A area of the city like the rest of central Helsinki. The ferry crossing requires an ordinary €2.95 single ticket valid for 80 minutes.
But there are also various passes (multi-journey or day tickets) usable interchangeably on all types of public transport. They are a good choice if you are planning to also hop on buses or on the cool old trams zipping around the city. All options are clearly listed on the HSL website.
I bought my ticket at one of the machines by the ferry dock on Market Square, and it was a very straight-forward process. However, HSL also have a convenient app that can be downloaded on your mobile device.