Things to do in

Helsinki

Head to the water and experience a canal cruise on your visit to Helsinki. Admire the most beautiful shorelines of the city and see many of its top attractions from the comfort of your boat. You’ll pass by the historic Suomenlinna Maritime Fortress, the Helsinki Zoo on Korkeasaari Island, the impressive fleet of icebreakers, and stunning Degerö Canal. On this 90-minute ride you’ll also hear about Helsinki’s fascinating history from commentary that’s provided during the cruise. Enjoy a refreshing drink, a beer, a glass of sparkling wine, or a cup of coffee and a pastry in the boat’s cafeteria.

Discover Helsinki the easy and economical way! The Helsinki Card is the key to a unique Helsinki experience for the individual traveler. With the Helsinki Card you can save time, money, and energy. The Helsinki Card gives you free entry to the city’s main sights, museums, and public transportation options – along with a wide variety of discounts and bonuses. You can choose 24-hour, 48-hour, or 72-hour validity. All of the following are free with the Helsinki Card: All year round: • Free Panorama Sightseeing by bus (limited timetable 2021-22)• Free entry to the city’s major sights and museums; like Amos Rex, Design Museum, The National Museum of Finland, and much more• Free ferry to Suomenlinna Sea Fortress and Suomenlinna Museum and Guided Tour• Free travel on public transport within Helsinki• Discounts in restaurants, cruise to Tallinn and other attractions, such as Helsinki Zoo, SkyWheel Helsinki and Flying Cinema Tour of Helsinki Summer season (May - September): • Free Canal Route sightseeing by boat• Free 24-Hour Hop-on Hop-off bus tour Some of the benefits and discounts: • Finnair city buses (35% off) • Cruise and tour to Tallinn • Leisure activities, swimming, concerts, and more • Sights: Helsinki Zoo, SkyWheel Helsinki, Flying Cinema Tour of Helsinki • Shopping • Restaurants (up to 20% off)

Explore Helsinki with a friendly local who is passionate about the city and eager to share all the tips and hints that will help you make the most of your trip. Choose from 2-6 hour private tour options. Meet your guide at your accommodation and head out to get familiar with the neighborhood. Learn about the best places to eat and shop, the easiest ways to get around and the top things to see and do. By the end of the tour you'll feel more comfortable navigating the city and confident that you have all the information you need to thoroughly enjoy your stay.

Explore Helsinki according to your own interests and schedule with a 24 or 48-hour ticket for the open-air, hop-on and hop-off sightseeing bus. Take a full loop of the route in just 90 minutes to get an orientation of the city, or jump off at any of the stops to explore the attractions that interest you the most. Drive past the Sibelius Monument, and the imposing Rock Church (Temppeliaukio Church). Jump off at the Flea Market or Market Square, and see the buildings built for the 1952 Summer Olympics, including the Olympic Stadium. Your full price ticket entitles you to discounts at participating partners, including cafés, restaurants and shops. Free Wi-Fi is available on-board the bus so you can keep up-to-date with your friends and family back home and make them jealous with social media updates of your experience. In the event of bad weather, the roof of the bus can be swiftly retracted to protect you from the rain. Free rain ponchos are also provided. You can start your tour from any stop along the route. Add on an optional cruise from the Cruise Terminal, and get a different perspective of the city from the water. Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Stops: 1. Senate Square/ Helsinki City Museum 2. Olympia Terminal (Silja Line) / Mannerheim Museum 3. Cafe Ursula/ Kaivopuisto Park 4. Compass Square 5. Eira 6. Hernesaari Cruise Terminal (stop in use only on certain cruise ship days) 7. Löyly 8. Flea Market/ Bulevardi/ Sinebrychoff Art Museum 9. Swedish Theater/ Design Museum/ Museum of Finnish Architecture 10. Market Square (departure point for Beautiful Canal Route) 11. Kiasma/ Helsinki Art Museum/ Amos Rex / Central Railway Station 12. Temppeliaukio Church (Rock Church) 13. Sibelius Monument 14. Olympic Stadium  15. National Opera/ Linnanmäki/ Töölönlahti Bay 16. National Museum/ Parliament House/ Helsinki Music Center 17. Ateneum Art Museum/ Central Railway Station 18. Botanic Garden

See the Helsinki tourist attractions that interest you most and avoid wasting time on an organized tour with this hop-on hop-off bus tour. Hop on and off as many times as you like at any of the 22 stops on the itinerary over a 24-hour or 48-hour period. You could choose to admire the unique rock architecture of the Temppeliaukio Church, visit the Parliament House, admire the neoclassical architecture in Senate Square or search for a bargain in Market Square. Enjoy an onboard audio commentary available in 10 languages and avail of excellent views from the top deck of your double-decker bus. Don't worry if the weather isn't great as the bottom deck is completely protected from the elements.

Admire the main attractions of Finland's crown jewel on the Historical Helsinki route. Don't miss a beat as your boat weaves through the waterways of the Helsinki archipelago. Bask in the natural beauty, amazing architecture, and clean air of this Scandinavian gem. Depart from one of Helsinki's most famous sights, Market Square, and head out to sea. See famous UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as the Fortress of Suomenlinna, as well as the Finnish ice breakers and Korkeasaari Zoo. Enjoy both natural and man-made phenomena during this maritime experience. Enjoy views of the most beautiful neighborhoods of Helsinki, including Eira, Katajanokka, and Kruununhaka. Listen to historical tales of local lore from your guide about all the various hot spots, before the journey ends where it began, at Market Square.

If you’re planning a visit to Helsinki, be sure to include a half day for a trip to Nuuksio National Park, located within the boundaries of greater Helsinki. It takes about an hour and a half by public transportation to reach the park from the city center. You’ll be met in the center of Helsinki, and travel by commuter train to Espoo center and then take a local bus to the park entrance. The park is ranked among the top 10 nature attractions in Finland and is a must-see. To get the most from your visit, it’s best to let an experienced guide and professional naturalist lead the way. Enjoy the scenic beauty of the tall coniferous or mixed forest, with trees growing around enormous primeval rocks, in an area that’s rich with mosses and ferns. You’ll come across numerous small forest lakes, and you can stop to enjoy a swim. The forest is inhabited by various animals, including such rare species as the Siberian flying squirrel, found in Europe only in Finland and Estonia. With your biologist guide you’ll trek through the tall forest, learn about the natural features of Finland, enjoy scenic views, and hopefully spot some wildlife.

Estonia’s capital, Tallinn, lies across the Gulf of Finland from Helsinki: an easy day trip by ferry for those keen to experience its medieval charms. Secure your place on the ferry with a convenient crossing time. Cruise across the Gulf, and enjoy up to 10 hours to explore independently. Delve into Tallinn’s UNESCO-listed Old Town and enjoy the museums, shops, and restaurants. Tickets include entry on board and seating. You can spend your time on board visiting one of the restaurants, shopping at the Traveller Superstore, or enjoying the scenery of the archipelago passing by. It is about a 20-minute walk from the Tallinn D-terminal to the old town, or you can take a taxi from the terminal building. You can also visit different museums like the KUMU art museum or the baroque architecture of the Kadriorg Palace. Depending on the chosen departures you will have up to 10 hours to explore Tallinn.  Upgrade your experience and and book into the Comfort Class or Business Lounge. Comfort Class: • Travel comfortably while enjoying the sea view. The upgrade price includes snacks (with ingredients to make sandwiches), coffee, tea, refreshments, daily newspapers, and free WiFi Business Lounge: • Travel in style and add some luxury to your journey. The upgrade includes food and drinks at the Business Lounge buffet. Newspapers, magazines, and free WiFi available

Discover Helsinki in an easy and economical way. The Helsinki Card is the key to a unique Helsinki experience for the individual traveler. With the Helsinki Card Region, you will save time, money, and energy. It gives you free entry to the city's main sights, museums, and public transportation options – along with a wide variety of discounts and bonuses. You can choose from 24-hour, 48-hour, or 72-hour validity. All of the following are free with the Helsinki Card: All year round: • Free Panorama Sightseeing by bus (limited timetable 2021-22)• Free entry to the city’s major sights and museums; like Amos Rex, Design Museum, The National Museum of Finland, and much more• Free ferry to Suomenlinna Sea Fortress and Suomenlinna Museum and Guided Tour• Free travel on public transport within Helsinki• Discounts in restaurants, cruise to Tallinn and other attractions, such as Helsinki Zoo, SkyWheel Helsinki and Flying Cinema Tour of Helsinki Summer season: • Free Canal Route sightseeing by boat (May – September) • Free 24-hour hop-on hop-off bus tour (May - September) Some of the benefits and discounts: • Cruise and tour to Tallinn • Leisure activities, swimming, concerts, and more • Sights: Helsinki Zoo, SkyWheel Helsinki, Flying Cinema Tour of Helsinki • Shopping • Restaurants (up to 20% off)

Get to know central Helsinki like a local on a small-group walking tour with a city planner. Take in the sights, culture, and history with your PhD student and professional city planner guide who knows the city inside out. Ask any questions you like.  Find out tidbits of Helsinki’s past, from the plague in the middle ages to Lenin’s stay in the 20th century. As you tour Helsinki city center, find out why Helsinkians picnic at gravesites, which statue is most discriminated against by seagulls, and why an orthodox cathedral exists in the city.  Visit many of Helsinki’s most important landmarks, with a typical itinerary (weather, holidays, and events permitting) including: Senate Square, Market Square, Uspenski Cathedral, Helsinki Cathedral, National Library of Finland, the Presidential Palace, Allas Sea Pool, Esplanadi Park, Kappeli, Old Church Park, the Central Railway Station, Oodi, Lasipalatsi, Kamppi Chapel, and Amos Rex.