When heading for an absolute dream trip to Lapland in March 2020, I figured it would be remiss of me not to spend at least one day in Helsinki. So that’s exactly what I did.
I decided to do this after Lapland, and before I headed back to Dubai… little did I know I would be one of the only people in the city that day! Because it was right before lockdown started.
It was definitely interesting to see a city so deserted.
Anyway, I’ve put together this guide to help you plan what to see and do in Finland’s capital – whether it’s on a cruise stop, a layover, or a quick city break addition.
You likely won’t be able to do every single one of these, but there’s enough to choose from the best, depending on your interests.
Let’s get to it!
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Best Things to do in One Day in Helsinki
Before I get started, if you only have a few hours on a flight layover, you might want to catch one of these quick layover tours:
- Fantastic Walking Tour With Local Guide
- Helsinki Bus Tour with Audio Guide
- Helsinki & Porvoo Tour with Private Guide
- Helsinki Authentic Food Tour
- City Tour in Electric Tuk Tuk
- Helsinki Tram Tour
Visit the Temppeliaukio Church
Temppeliaukio Church, better known as the Rock Church, is exactly what it sounds like. It’s built straight into solid bedrock. Not beside it. Not on top of it. Actually carved into it.
From the outside, it’s fairly understated. If anything, it’s easy to miss. You’re walking through a quiet residential area and suddenly there’s what looks like a low stone mound with a copper dome sitting on top. It doesn’t scream cathedral. Actually, it doesn’t even scream church.
But step inside and it’s a completely different story.
The interior is circular, with raw rock walls left exposed the whole way around. The copper dome ceiling lets in soft natural light, and the acoustics are so good that concerts are regularly held here.
It’s not a long stop. You don’t need long here. I’d allow around 20 to 30 minutes, longer if you’re really into architecture or photography.
A few things worth knowing:
- There’s a small entrance fee, which you can pre-book here
- It opens later on Sundays due to services
- It’s about a 15 minute walk from the city centre
- Trams also stop nearby if you don’t fancy walking
Why I Book With Get Your Guide
I use GetYourGuide for almost all my activities when I’m travelling, mainly for these reasons:
‣ Free cancellation on most bookings: Plans change. It’s good to know you can cancel and get a refund if needed.
‣ Clear, detailed listings: You can see exactly what’s included, how long it takes, where to go, and what to expect before you book.
‣ Verified reviews: Makes it easier to avoid wasting time or money on something that isn’t worth it.
‣ Instant confirmation: Especially useful if you’re booking things last minute.
‣ Mobile tickets: No printing, no collecting tickets, everything is on your phone.
Stroll down Aleksanterinkatu
Aleksanterinkatu is Helsinki’s main shopping street and one of the busiest parts of the city. It cuts right through the heart of Helsinki and connects Senate Square to the waterfront.
It’s wide, walkable, and lined with a mix of big Finnish brands, department stores and cafés,
You’ll pass historic buildings, tram lines running straight down the middle, and plenty of spots to stop for a coffee or pastry if you need a break. It’s also where you’ll find the famous Stockmann department store, which has been a Helsinki institution for over a century.
Even if shopping isn’t on your agenda (it’s rarely on mine), it’s still worth the stroll.
Visit a Museum
Helsinki is big on museums, but if you’ve only got one day, you’ll want to be selective rather than trying to cram in too many.
The good thing is most of the main ones are right in the city centre, so you won’t lose time travelling across town.
Here are my top choices:
- If you’re into classic art, the Ateneum Art Museum is the obvious choice. It’s right by Central Station and houses famous Finland’s paintings and sculptures. You can get through it in about an hour without rushing.
- If modern art is more your thing, Kiasma is the one people tend to gravitate towards. The building is curved and minimalist from the outside, all glass and clean lines, and inside you’ll find rotating exhibitions rather than a fixed collection. Installations, video pieces, and conceptual works are the norm here, so it’s a different pace to a traditional gallery.
- For something more design focused, the Design Museum is a good shout. Finland is known for its furniture, textiles, and everyday functional design, and this museum ties it all together.
- And if the weather is good and you’ve time to venture slightly further out, Seurasaari Open-Air Museum is a completely different experience. It’s set on an island and showcases traditional Finnish wooden buildings relocated from around the country. It’s more of a half-day feel though, so probably one to skip if you’re sticking strictly to a one day city route.
Realistically you’ll only have time to visit one museum if you’re trying to see Helsinki in a day. And now you’ve got my top picks to choose from.
FOR PEACE OF MIND, FIND OUT HOW MUCH IT COSTS TO SAFEGUARD YOUR TRIP
Have Lunch at the Old Market Hall
If you’re near the harbour around lunchtime, head for Old Market Hall. I ended up here more by chance than planning, but it turned out to be one of my favourite food stops of the day.
It sits right beside Market Square in a beautiful long red-brick building along the waterfront. Inside, it’s a row of food counters rather than restaurants, so you can walk the length of it first before deciding what to order.
Seafood is the main event.
You’ll see salmon everywhere. Smoked, cured, layered onto rye bread, or served as soup. I went for the salmon soup purely because it seemed to be what everyone else was having, and it was yum!
If fish isn’t your thing, there are bakeries, sandwiches, cheeses, and hot dishes as well. Oh and reindeer is also on the menu!
If you’re a major foodie, you might want to take this food tour with tastings, which passes through Old Market Hall.
Stroll Through Esplanadi Park
Just a couple of minutes back from Market Square you’ll land in Esplanadi Park, a long green stretch that cuts through the centre of Helsinki toward the main shopping streets.
It runs between two roads, almost like a landscaped boulevard.
In the warmer months, this is where locals spill out once the sun appears. People sitting on the grass, eating takeaway lunches, listening to buskers, or just stretching out on benches with a coffee.
You’ll also spot the glass-fronted Kappeli restaurant sitting right in the park, which has been here since the 1800s and is one of the more recognisable buildings along the strip.
Experience Floating in a Survival Suite
This is one of the more unusual things you can do in Helsinki, and definitely not something you’ll have done in many other cities. And we all know I love to choose random, unusual things to do when I travel – I’m talking hot air ballooning, ziplining, jumping into freezing ice water (more on that later).
Anyway, this tour is exactly what it sounds like. You’re taken out onto the water and fitted into a full neoprene survival suit, the kind designed to keep you afloat and insulated in freezing conditions. Once you’re zipped in, you step straight into the sea and float.
No swimming required.
The suit keeps you completely warm and dry, even in icy water, so it’s more relaxing than you’d expect rather than a shock-to-the-system cold plunge (which is on the menu for later). You’ll probably end up lying back and drifting, arms out, just looking up at the sky.
Instructors are there the whole time and talk you through basic sea survival and rescue techniques, including how the suits work and what would happen in a real cold-water situation. Cool, right?
Why I Use Airalo eSIM When Travelling
I’ve started using Airalo on most of my trips now, mainly because it removes the hassle of sorting out data when I arrive in a new city.
It’s a digital SIM card, meaning I don’t need to insert anything into my phone (unlike local SIMs). I just need to install the eSIM before I travel and as soon as I land, I’ve got data.
Here’s what I generally use it for:
• Google Maps
• Checking train and bus times
• Booking activities or looking up opening times
It’s not at all complicated to set up. You buy a data plan in the app, follow a few steps to install it, and then switch it on when you arrive.
Take in the Architecture and Monuments
Helsinki is one of those cities where you don’t need to go looking for landmarks. You’ll pass most of the major ones just by walking the centre, and each has a completely different architectural style.
Some of the standouts to look out for:
- Helsinki Cathedral
Sitting at the top of Senate Square, this is the white domed cathedral you’ll see on postcards and city skyline shots. The staircase leading up to it is almost as famous as the building itself, especially in summer when people sit along the steps. Inside is fairly minimal compared to the exterior, but it’s worth stepping in if the doors are open. - Uspenski Cathedral
Across the harbour on a raised hill, this one is hard to miss once you spot the red brick and onion domes. It’s Eastern Orthodox, which explains the Russian architectural influence. You’ll get some of the best views of it from the waterfront rather than right at the entrance. - Helsinki Central Station
Even if you’re not travelling by train, the building itself is worth seeing. Built from Finnish granite, with a tall clock tower rising above the entrance. The four stone figures holding globe lamps outside have become one of the city’s most recognisable features. - Sibelius Monument
Located in Sibelius Park, this one feels very different from the others. It’s an abstract sculpture made from hundreds of hollow steel pipes clustered together, designed to represent musical sound waves in honour of Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. It’s a bit outside the main centre, but tour buses and trams stop nearby if you want to include it. - Alexis Kivi Memorial
Found in front of the National Theatre near Central Station, this statue honours Finland’s national author, Alexis Kivi. It’s easy to pass without realising its significance, but it’s one of those cultural landmarks that Finns hold in high regard.
If you don’t want to miss a single thing, I highly recommend this architectural highlights guided tour. You’ll get to see all of the above, plus a ton more (including the National Library of Finland,Johan Ludvig Runebergin Muistomerkki and Kansalaistori.
Take the Ferry to Suomenlinna
One of the most worthwhile things to do with your Helsinki itinerary is getting out onto the water, and the ferry over to Suomenlinna is the easiest way to do it.
The ferry leaves from Market Square and runs regularly throughout the day as part of the city’s public transport system, so you don’t need to prebook anything. It’s more like hopping on a commuter boat than a tourist cruise.
The crossing takes about 15 minutes.
You’ll pass small islands and open stretches of the Baltic before pulling into Suomenlinna, which is a UNESCO-listed sea fortress spread across several linked islands.
Once you step off the ferry, you’ll be met with gravel paths, grassy ramparts, old stone walls, and cannon-lined viewpoints looking back toward Helsinki.
There isn’t a single “site” to see here. You just need to wander by the fortress tunnels, wooden houses, defensive walls, and open coastal viewpoints.
Some areas feel almost park-like, while others still carry that military, fortified feel from when it was originally built in the 18th century.
If you keep walking toward the outer edges of the island, you’ll reach the more rugged shoreline sections where the sea hits directly against the rocks.
If you fancy learning while walking, pre-book this guided walking tour of the island.
Relax in a Sauna
You absolutely cannot go to Finland without experiencing a sauna. It’s a rule… Ok, not quite, but did you know there are over 3 million saunas in Finland?
It’s such a huge part of Finnish culture that it would feel like skipping espresso in Italy. Locals don’t treat it as a luxury or spa activity. It’s routine. Weekly, sometimes daily, and done year-round regardless of the weather.
Helsinki has plenty of public saunas you can visit, but my pick is Löyly sauna, sitting right on the Baltic Sea.
The building itself is all angular timber on the outside, with floor-to-ceiling windows facing the water. Inside, you’ve got a mix of smoke saunas and standard saunas, plus direct access to the sea if you want to do the full hot-cold cycle. Which I HIGHLY recommend!
It’s the perfect way to finish up a day in Helsinki.
