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Information about
Helsinki & Finland

Year after year, Finland has been chosen as the happiest country in the world, and as such, we've made it our mission to share the methods to our happiness with everyone. We believe that tapping into your inner Finn is the key to unlocking your happiness. This year, it’s time to find your inner Helsinkian in the capital of the happiest country in the world – Helsinki.


Nestled along the picturesque shores of the Baltic Sea, Helsinki is a bustling metropolis bursting with energy and creativity, where simplicity reigns supreme and joy is found in everyday moments. Here, the rhythm of life is attuned to the gentle ebb and flow of the seasons, each one offering its unique palette of colors and experiences.


Helsinki airport is modern, practical and one of northern Europe’s most accessible travel hubs. All domestic destinations are easily reached from Helsinki. Visitors can also utilise the frequent daily ferries from Stockholm, Tallinn.

You need a valid national passport or another equivalent that satisfactorily establishes your identity and nationality. If you are not a citizen of Finland or another European Economic Area (EEA) country, you may also need a visa. Please check here.

Helsinki is a city where the neoclassical meets the Art Nouveau. Wide handsome cobblestone streets run through the neoclassical city center where you will find boulevards with plentiful parks. The sights are only enhanced by the harbor, right in the heart of Helsinki, from where a number of the top tourist attractions are within walking distance.

Sights

Most of the top sights in Helsinki are accessible by foot or on a bike, and the city offers an excellent public transportation system that includes ferries to the islands and trains to other destinations in Finland. Apart from the stunning nature and archipelago Helsinki includes gems worth seeing such as museums, churches and other tourist cultural attractions.

Oodi
Töölönlahdenkatu 4

Oodi is Helsinki's Central Library and a living meeting place in the city center on the Kansalaistori Square. Oodi is a venue for events, a house of reading and a diverse urban experience. It provides its users with knowledge, new skills and stories, and will be an easy place to access for learning, story immersion, work and relaxation. Oodi is a library of a new era, a living and functional meeting place open for all.

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Amos Rex
Lasipalatsi, Mannerheimintie 22-24

Amos Rex's exhibition programme extends from the newest, often experimental, contemporary art to 20th-century Modernism and ancient cultures. Amos Rex aims to present captivating and ambitious art refreshingly and exuberantly. A permanent exhibition with Sigurd Frosterus' post-impressionist art collection is also on display. Amos Rex is a meeting place for art and urban culture, consisting of new underground exhibition spaces, the old Lasipalatsi building ("glass palace") from 1936 and its Bio Rex cinema, as well as a vibrant event forum on Lasipalatsi Square, which serves as the roof of the exhibition hall. 

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Olympic Stadium
Paavo Nurmen tie 1

The newly renovated Olympic Stadium is delightfully dashing and fantastically functionalist. The Helsinki Olympic Stadion, built in 1938, was designed in functionalistic style by the architects Yrjö Lindegren and Toivo Jäntti. The Olympic Games were held in 1952 in Helsinki. Today the Olympic Stadium hosts both national and international sporting events and outdoor concerts. The Stadium Tower is 72 meters (235 feet) high and at the top you can admire the urban landscape and all of central Helsinki. The Finnish Sportsmuseum is also located at the Olympic Stadium as well as a restaurant, Bistro Stadion

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Helsinki Cathedral
Unioninkatu 29

The Helsinki Cathedral, by Carl Ludvig Engel, rising on the northern side of the Senate Square is the stage of national and academic festive services and one of the most popular tourist sights. The church is part of Helsinki's Empire era centre and a landmark for those arriving by sea. It has become the symbol of the whole of Helsinki. Earlier called St. Nicholas Church and Great Cathedral, the current main church of the Helsinki Diocese was completed in 1852. Sculptures of the twelve apostles guard the city from the roof of the church. Exhibitions at the Crypt (Kirkkokatu 18), in summer also a souvenir shop Cathedral Shop.

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Senate Square
Senaatintori / Senate Square

The Senate Square and its surroundings form a unique and cohesive example of neoclassical architecture. The square is dominated by four buildings designed by Carl Ludvig Engel: Helsinki Cathedral, the Government Palace, the main building of the University of Helsinki and the National Library of Finland. A statue of Alexander II stands in the middle of the Senate Square. Helsinki Cathedral is arguably Finland's most famous and photographed building. The oldest stone building in Helsinki is the Sederholm House located on the southeast corner of the square. Today the building hosts the Helsinki City Museum. The Esplanade Park and the Market Square are just a block away. The Senate Square also hosts a sound installation called the Sound of the Senate Square. It is a modern version of the European glockenspiel and can be heard every day at 17.49 as it travels from one building to the next. The composition runs for 5 minutes 18 seconds and is composed by Harri Viitanen and Jyrki Alakuijala.

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Old Market Hall
Eteläranta, South Harbour

The Old Market Hall in Helsinki has served its customers since 1889. Merchants sell all sorts of cheese, fish, shellfish, vegetable, fruit and cakes to spices, coffee and tea. They are also more than happy to help with any special orders. Here you can also find the smallest Alko shop for wines and beverages, as well as cafes and restaurants.

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Helsinki Zoo
Mustikkamaanpolku 12

Helsinki Zoo is home to more than 150 animal species and almost 1000 plant species that show the diversity of nature. Helsinki Zoo is one of the few zoos located on an island. The zoo was established in 1889, which makes it one of the oldest zoos in the world. It also participates in the work to protect the habitats in the original homes of the various species. The rhino sign will take you to the animals that belong to the zoos' shared protection program. On the island, you'll also find a souvenir shop and cafés & restaurants.

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Jean Sibelius' Monument
Sibeliuksen puisto / Sibelius Park

The world famous composer Jean Sibelius' monument by Eila Hiltunen is located at the Sibelius park. It was unveiled 7 September 1967. The Sibelius Monument, resembling organ pipes, is made of welded steel with over 600 pipes and with the bust of the composer on one side. The monument is one of Helsinki's most popular statues and one of the most well-known tourist attractions.

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Suomenlinna sea fortress
Suomenlinna

A Unesco World Heritage site, Suomenlinna sea fortress is one of the most popular tourism destinations in Finland. Suomenlinna is also a suburb of Helsinki with around 800 residents. The fortress was shaped by three historic eras when it helped to defend first Sweden, then Russia and ultimately Finland. There are six kilometers of walls, 100 cannons, exciting tunnels and beautiful parks in the fortress. There are also museums, guided tours, events and restaurants in Suomenlinna. Private guided tours of the fortress, in several languages, can be booked in advance. Possible public guided tours are announced in the events calendar on the Suomenlinna webpages. The fortress is easily accessed all year by public transport (HSL) ferry from the Market Square. The travelling time is approx. 15 minutes. In summer, from May to September, also other waterbuses operate to Suomenlinna.

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Market Square
Eteläranta, South Harbour

These days food and souvenirs are sold at the Market Square, but it’s also a popular place to sit and enjoy coffee and sugar donuts – either by the waterfront (curiously named the “Cholera Pool”) or inside the iconic orange coffee tents in wintertime. The Tsarina’s Stone itself is the oldest public monument in Helsinki and reflects the many layers of history in the nation’s capital.

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Temppeliaukio church
Lutherinkatu 3

Excavated directly into solid rock, the Temppeliaukio church is situated in the heart of Helsinki, at the end of Fredrikinkatu. Because of its special architecture, the church, completed in 1969, is one of the main attractions in Helsinki. The church hall is covered with a dome, lined with copper and supported on the rock walls by reinforced concrete beams. The interior walls are of rugged rock and rubble wall. Before noon, the light spreads from the row of windows surrounding the roof periphery to the altar wall, where an ice-age crevice serves as the altarpiece. Due to its excellent acoustics the church is a popular venue for concerts.

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Seurasaari island
Seurasaari

The Seurasaari island provides a nice setting for outdoor recreation, sun worshippers and walkers. The tame ducks, swans and geese swarming around the bridge welcome everybody. Having crossed the white wooden bridge a visitor can't help running into the happy little squirrels of the island. At the Open-Air Museum of Seurasaari the traditional Finnish way of life is displayed in the cottages, farmsteads and manors of the past four centuries that have been relocated from all around Finland. The Kalevalakehto Installation (2010) by students from American and Finnish schools of architecture and design is situated on the south bank of the island and is ment for relaxing and enjoying the silence. At Seurasaari you'll also find Cafe Mieritz, kiosks and swimming opportunities. Barbecuing is also possible at the grill by the Festival Ground kiosk. 

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Facts

  • Population: 5.6 million

  • Life expectancy: Men 79 years, women 85 years

  • Languages: Official languages are Finnish (spoken by 85.9%) and Swedish (5.2%). Sámi is the mother tongue of about 2,000 people, members of the indigenous Sámi people of northern Lapland

  • Area: 338,462 km² (131,991 square miles), the fifth-largest country in Western Europe

    • Greatest length from north to south: 1,157 km (717 miles)

    • Greatest width from east to west: 542 km (336 miles)

    • Capital: Helsinki (1.6 million inhabitants in metropolitan area)

    • Climate: Great contrasts – cold winters and fairly warm summers (2019 extremes: coldest day in Utsjoki -39.1 C/-38.4 F, warmest day in Porvoo 33.7 C/92.7 F)

  • Religion: Christianity; 65.2% Lutheran and about 1.1% Orthodox. In practice, society is fairly secularised.

  • Independence: Declared on December 6, 1917. Previously a grand duchy in the Russian empire for 108 years, and a part of Sweden for 600 years before that.

  • Form of government: Republic, parliamentary democracy

  • Parliament: 200 members in one chamber, elected every 4 years in a direct vote (next elections in 2027)

  • Cabinet: Multiparty coalition cabinet. The current Cabinet is run by Prime Minister Petteri Orpo.

  • Head of State: President of the Republic, elected every 6 years, two-term maximum. Currently Mr Alexander Stubb, elected in 

  • International cooperation: Member of United Nations since 1955 and European Union since 1995 and Nato 2023

  • Key features: High standard of education, social security and healthcare, all financed by the state

  • GDP per capita: 42,441 euros (2022)

  • Main exports: Electrotechnical goods, metal products, machinery, transport equipment, wood and paper products, chemicals

  • Main imports: Raw materials, investment goods, energy, consumer goods (for example cars and textiles)

  • Currency unit: Euro

Wine and Dine

Helsinki has a comprehensive selection of restaurants to satisfy all tastes, budgets and moods. The city’s markets, market halls and a vibrant food culture are a blessing not only for residents, but especially for visitors.
 

Taste at least
•    Lonkero – gin and grapefruit soda – a readymade cocktail invented for the 1952 Olympics.
•    Local beers – almost every bar servers locally brewed beer.
•    Reindeer dishes  - just try it!
•    Sea food – salmon, pike and herring.
•    Karelian pie – you can usually find this little pie at hotel’s breakfast table.
•    Rye bread – served everywhere.
•    Salty licorice – salmiakki in Finnish.
•    Cinnamon roll – sweet bun with cinnamon.

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Good places to try Finnish food

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If you are more to Michelin restaurants, we have them too! Here a list of this restaurants that the Michelin Guide recommends.

Saunas

There is an array of public saunas all over Helsinki, that cater to varying tastes. Whether you are looking for a marine spa and an oasis of urban culture right at the heart of the city, or a sauna in a modern neighborhood that serves as a combination of a relaxing sauna and a restaurant, you'll find it all.


The Finns believe that saunas are not only a fun recreational activity but also a relaxing way to unwind. Public saunas are somewhat of a unique experience in Helsinki that one must cherish as not only are they refreshing but also a communal activity to partake in. If you are a newbie, remember to read up on sauna etiquette.

Allas Sea Pool
Katajanokanlaituri 2a

Allas Sea Pool is a marine spa and an oasis of urban culture right at the heart of the city. It offers new ways of enjoying the Baltic Sea, just a stone's throw away from the Market Square and other main attractions. Allas is open all year round, providing unique experiences and recreational activities for townies and travelers. The marine spa has three saunas, two warm water pools and one sea water pool, to which the water is pumped from nearby streams and filtered clean. In addition to these, an outdoor gym, restaurant, bar & café services, guided wellness & sports lessons and culture events are on offer.

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Löyly
Hernesaarenranta 4

Löyly is a public sauna and restaurant complex in Hernesaari district on the southern tip of Helsinki. The complex includes a traditional Finnish smoke sauna and two other wood-heated saunas, a year-round terrace and a restaurant. The saunas offer direct access to the outdoor seating area and the sea, where it is possible to enjoy a refreshing swim, all year round. There are separate changing rooms and shower facilities for men and women but as the saunas and other public areas are mixed, it means that customers are respectfully asked to wear swimming costumes at all times. The restaurant, favoring ecological and locally produced ingredients, offers lunch, dinner and brunch on Saturdays.

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Uusi Sauna
Välimerenkatu 10

Uusi Sauna in Jätkäsaari is a modern neighbourhood sauna, a combination of a public sauna and a restaurant. Uusi Sauna restaurant seats 100 and has two outdoor terraces. The saunas, separate for men and women, are heated with wood pellets. There's also one electric heated sauna which can be booked for private use.

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Sauna Hermanni
Hämeentie 63

Sauna Hermanni is one of the three remaining public saunas in Helsinki serving its customers since 1953. The Iki-Kiuas stoves give you nice mellow and relaxing experience. The saunas are separate for women and men. It is possible to rent a towel. Small snacks are also available. Cupping and massage available upon request.

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Kotiharjun Sauna
Harjutorinkatu 1

Kotiharjun Sauna is the last genuine wood-heated traditional public sauna in Helsinki and has welcomed sauna-goers since 1928. Hardy washing ladies are still on hand to scrub the living daylights out of you should you wish, and massage, cupping and manicures and pedicures are also available by booking in advance. Washing available on Thursdays and Saturdays. Towels to rent.

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