What to see in Helsinki in one day?

Helsinki also nicknamed ” the daughter of the Baltic” is the capital of Finland and is surrounded
by 315 small islands, also boasts more than 50 museums.
The city of Helsinki is easily accessible, by plane or by sea, which is one of the elements that characterize Helsinki.

The capital is very well organized, clean, tidy, and safe. The architecture of Helsinki
is characterized by the Nordic style, the characteristics of which are elegance and sobriety.
The residential buildings in the historic center largely date back to the early twentieth century.

The city has small dimensions and it is easy to move on foot or by bike or use public
transport which is very organized.

We came to this city expecting nothing, because “there is not much to do in Helsinki”, but
I can assure you that there are many things to do and it will be one of those cities that
will steal your heart!

Even though it was July, the maximum temperature was 19 degrees, and the sunset was
at 22:30 and sunrise at 4:30!

Temppeliaukion Church [Temppeliaukion Kirkko]

From the outside, you would never say that it is a church …! Even more surprising is
its interior as it is very different from what you would see in other churches in Europe.

It is a rock-hewn Lutheran church designed by architects Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen and consecrated in 1969.

The interiors are bare, but it is worth seeing for its architecture, atmosphere, and acoustics,
in fact, it is often used as a concert hall and choir performances.

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Address: Lutherinkatu 3
Opening hours: Monday – Friday 10 – 17, Saturday 10 – 14.45, 15:45 – 17pm
Closed: Sunday
Price: € 4
Official site

Heading towards the central station, you will find a huge wooden building in a spacious square!

Kamppi’s Chapel of Silence [Kampin kappeli]

This ecumenical chapel was completed in 2012, and you immediately notice it as
it has an unusual shape.
This wooden building blocks any outside noise, so it is a real oasis of silence in the center
of Helsinki, where you can meditate.

 Address: Simonkatu 7, 00100 Helsinki
Opening hours: 10 -18
Price: free
Official site

In the same square, there was a heavy metal concert.
Finns love being outdoors and appreciate alternative music
Frequent musical events are held and an ice rink is set up in winter, making it
a reference square.

Kamppi Shopping Center

The square is also home to the Kamppi Center shopping mall.

There are shops, restaurants, bars, supermarkets… even the long-distance bus terminal
and the metro station.

Inside there are also large supermarkets, great for souvenirs and the famous
Finnish brand “Marimekko”.

 Stockman is the largest Scandinavian department store

Walking on Esplanadi street, you will find many shops and a large park

Esplanadi Park

The Esplanadi park is very popular in the summer by the Finns for a picnic.
There are many musical performances

From Esplanadi Park to Senate Square it is a 4-minute walk

The Helsinki Cathedral, the symbol of Helsinki, rises above the Senate Square

Helsinki Cathedral [Helsingin tuomiokirkko]

The Helsinki Cathedral, which overlooks the Senate Square is the symbol of the city.
It was renovated in a neoclassical style in 1852.
With a green roof and gold-on-white decorations, it displays a different beauty than the Uspenskin Cathedral.

The interior of the church is surprisingly small, but the pipe organ inside the cathedral is very beautiful, absolutely not to be missed!

Address: Unioninkatu 29
Opening hours: Monday 9-12.30, 13.30-18 Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 9-18
Thursday 14-18, Sunday 11-18
Price: free
Official site

Heading towards the Uspenskin Cathedral you will find this small bridge with padlocks attached .. it reminds me a lot of Paris!

Uspenskin Cathedral [Uspenskin katedraali]

The Uspenskin Cathedral is the largest Orthodox church in Scandinavia.
The brick building, the green roof, and the gold decoration on the roof are very impressive and beautiful.

The entrance to the church was narrow and the interior was very simple.
Cannot take pictures.

Address: Kanavakatu 1
Opening hours: Tuesday – Friday 09: 30-19, Saturday 10-15, Sunday 12-15
Closed: Monday
Official site

Heading towards the harbor you will notice a large Ferris wheel

Ferris wheel with sauna [maailmanpyörä Helsinki]

The Ferris wheel was inaugurated on June 3, 2014, and is 40 meters high.
This is the first sauna in the world on a Ferris wheel.

Enjoy a sauna with a maximum internal temperature of 90 degrees
while you look at the beautiful view.

Address: Katajanokanlaituri 2
Opening hours: Friday 13-18, Saturday 12-19, Sunday 12-17
Closed from Monday to Thursday
Price: € 13 / € 9.50 (3-11 years)
Official site

If you go up the wooden stairs there is an observation deck to enjoy a magnificent view of Helsinki. You can see the Market Square and the Helsinki Cathedral in the distance

It was really cold in Helsinki, but I saw some people swimming in the pool…
I then discovered that they were heated outdoor pools! [Allas Sea Pool]

Head to the square full of white and orange awnings …

Market square [Kauppatori]

A very rich market square!
Stalls with fruit, fish, vegetables … popular Finnish crafts and souvenir shops

It’s now lunchtime, so we headed to the market!

The Old Market [Helsingin Vanha kauppahalli]

Already near the market you will smell a strong smell of fried fish!

Inside the building, there are two corridors, one with fresh fish and meat and one withn sweets shops.

Some shops have a small eating space in front of the store, so it’s ideal for a quick lunch!

Helsinki is quite expensive, so if you eat here rather than in a restaurant, you can save money by eating well!

Address: Eteläranta
Opening hours: 10 -18 Closed: Sunday
Official site

The visit to the beautiful city of Helsinki has come to an end.

From the market we walked 8 minutes to Olympia Terminal where we took the Silja Line ship to go to Stockholm.

Helsinki Souvenirs

The best way to find souvenirs abroad is to go to a supermarket.
Not only is it cheap compared to the airports but you can also find something original and typical of the place.

In Finland, Moomin products are popular as souvenirs!

The K-Supermarket is quite cheap and you can find typical products that are not available at the airport such as the shopping bag of Moomin or various everyday products of Moomin.

Fazer is a very good Finnish chocolate brand and a bar costs only € 0.70. (at the airport kiosk, 1 euro)
It has many different flavors, one better than the other.

In addition to Moomin and chocolate, check out the tea! Finnish tea smells delicious.

In conclusion

Helsinki is one of the safest cities in Europe, so you can visit it safely.

If you don’t plan to stay in Helsinki much, the main attractions can be seen in one day.
Helsinki also serves as an excellent starting point for visiting many other cities.
For example you can take the train to visit Turku and Tampere (Moomin village)

Or take the ship and go to Tallinn, Stockholm or Riga.