My travels in Helsinki have at all times come after seeing someplace extra thrilling, be that the reindeer forests close to the Arctic Circle in Finnish Lapland, or the islands of the nation’s Gulf archipelago. Certainly, they’ve been perfunctory: I’ve spent an evening in Helsinki, right here or there, as a result of it made sense to take action.
I body the dialogue like this to begin with an admission: Helsinki is many issues, however an important journey vacation spot isn’t one in all them.
On the identical time, I received’t go as far as to saying Helsinki isn’t value visiting, even when I’d in all probability solely advise you to take action if it is sensible throughout the parameters of a extra thrilling journey to Finland.
The place to Keep in Helsinki
One motive I do really feel Helsinki is value visiting, not less than for those who occur to search out your self within the metropolis for an evening or two, is that the city core isn’t very large. In the event you keep central—resulting from Helsinki’s measurement, most locations you’d select to remain are central—you’re both taking a look at 15-20 minute walks to most locations (on hotter, dryer days) or handy rides utilizing town’s trams when the climate is much less hospitable.
nother superior factor about spending a while in Helsinki? Lodges are surprisingly low cost, given the widely excessive value of residing in Finland. Even in peak season, it’s uncommon to pay greater than €150 for a room at boutique properties corresponding to Resort Mestari and Scandic Helsinki Hub. Even for those who determine to splurge on one thing extra luxurious, you’ll be shocked at how far your cash goes in Finland’s oft-maligned capital. Alternatively, go for one of many Baltic cruises which can be on supply, which let you go to Helsinki both for a day or in a single day, at the side of different Scandinavian capitals like Copenhagen and Stockholm.
What to Do in Helsinki
Get the traditional cathedral selfie
Of the only a few correct “vacationer sights” inside Helsinki, the Helsinki Cathedral is at first amongst them. I think about you’ll be stopping by right here not less than as soon as, and taking not less than one selfie, albeit in all probability not from any boats you occur to take throughout your Helsinki journey.
(Or simply get misplaced)
Certainly, sights aren’t most of what makes Helsinki value visiting. As an alternative, it’s typically simply form of good to get misplaced in an ostensibly European metropolis that’s extraordinarily secure, even when there was few landmarks of notice, other than church buildings and small city inexperienced areas.
Take a cruise to Suomenlinna
Getting out of Helsinki, oddly, is likely one of the finest methods to have a very good time whenever you’re in it. Head all the way down to the waterfront, for instance, and take a ship to Suomenlinna, an island simply exterior within the bay with an outdated fortress constructed onto it.
(Or into the Helsinki Archipelago)
Touring into the Helsinki Archipelago is a little more sophisticated than doing the identical in, say, Stockholm. Whereas private and non-private cruises can be found, it’s actually finest if you already know somebody who has their very own boat (and favourite islands). I did, and it’s a giant a part of why I discovered Helsinki (or not less than the Helsinki space) so value visiting!
See the remainder of Finland
Finally, Helsinki is nothing if not an introduction to the remainder of Finland, and Scandinavia extra broadly. In the event you don’t fly north to Rovaniemi and keep in an aurora-exposed igloo, you might as an alternative head to Stockholm or Oslo, and even throughout the water to underrated Tallinn, Estonia.
How A lot Time Do You Want in Helsinki?
Except you have got a particular motive to be in Helsinki, my recommendation could be to maintain your time right here transient. Provided that the amount of issues to see in Finland’s capital is fairly low, you possibly can supercharge the standard of your time by limiting the variety of days you keep right here. In follow, this implies only a night time and a full day, or possibly two nights for those who occur to reach fairly late within the night.
What’s the finest month to go to Helsinki?
Like most different Nordic capitals, Helsinki will be chilly and wet virtually any day of the yr. Merely visiting between June-August doesn’t assure heat or sunshine, even for those who will be the night time might be brief. Value-wise, winter is a good deal cheaper than summer time, so if that’s a motivator for you shoot for January as an alternative of July.
Can I see Northern Lights in Helsinki?
No. Along with being marred by comparatively unhealthy mild air pollution, Helsinki is way too far south to see the Northern Lights on a standard night time. Even when the aurora are seen at decrease latitudes than ordinary, you’ll need to drive a minimal of 20-Half-hour exterior town to see them.
Robert Schrader is a journey author and photographer who’s been roaming the world independently since 2005, writing for publications corresponding to “CNNGo” and “Shanghaiist” alongside the best way. His weblog, Depart Your Day by day Hell, offers a mixture of journey recommendation, vacation spot guides and private essays masking the extra esoteric points of life as a traveler.
