We know that all good things must come to an end, and the end of my Nordy Forty, 2-week, 40th-birthday trip around 80% of the Nordic nations concluded with 3 days in Helsinki, Finland.
And what a glorious conclusion it was. I can’t even begin to convey in words how much I love this city. The highest praise of a traveler is, “I could live there.” And well… I could live there. Even visiting in January when the city is cold and dark and covered in slush, there is something magical about Helsinki.
Please note any prices listed are approximate and will depend on the exchange rate while you’re there so please don’t quote me on any of them. Kthanks.
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Helsinki 101
Location & Climate
Helsinki, the capital city of Finland, sits on the southern edge of the country. Nicknamed “Daughter of the Baltic,” the city sits on the shore of the Gulf of Finland. It spreads across a peninsula as well as a whopping 315 islands.
While winter temperatures in Helsinki are more temperate than their neighbors owing to the Baltic Sea and North Atlantic Current, there is a significant amount of cold, snow, and slush one should prepare for if you’re visiting in winter. If you’re lucky enough to be visiting in the summer, you can expect mild temperatures topping out around 72°F/22°C.
Language
The official language is Finnish, but everyone we interacted with spoke perfect English. We had a lot of fun learning a few basic words like “thank you” – kiitos, and “cheers” – kiipis. If you want to pick up some words on the go or translate text, download the Finnish package in your Google Translate app.
Currency
Finland uses the Euro. I always use the xe.com mobile app to get current rates on the road, but for some frame of reference, as of Apr 2, 2024, $1 USD was equal to €0.93.
We never had any need for cash while in Finland, but make sure AmEx is not the only card option in your wallet as it was not as widely accepted as Visa or MasterCard.
Getting There
There are several means for getting to Helsinki depending on where you’re arriving from.
Helsinki Airport (HEL) sits 12 miles/19km from the city center. If you opt for a taxi, the trip will take approximately 27 minutes. But you can also take a 40-minute commuter train to Helsinki’s central station. Train tickets run approximately $4.50 USD one-way and a taxi will cost around $60 USD.
We happened to arrive in Helsinki by boat, having taken the Tallink Silja overnight cruise from Stockholm. The approach via the icy waters providing an amazing view of the harbor skyline including the giant SkyWheel and the iconic sister churches – the Uspenski Cathedral and the Helsinki Cathedral.
We also took our round-trip voyage up to Finnish Lapland out of the Helsinki central train station. There was very convenient and reasonably priced luggage storage lockers, a couple of convenience shops, and around two or three bars you could enjoy a drink at while waiting for your train.
Getting Around
Helsinki is not an exceptionally large city and is extremely easy to navigate by foot or via their public transit system. We walked extensively, but also took the bus and several trams.
Helsinki is one of the most unique cities I’ve ever visited in terms of architecture. Some of the buildings are very utilitarian, with a very eastern block vibe, while others are ornate and artistically detailed. The best way to see all of her faces is to wander through Helsinki on foot. At least the public transport being based on trams and buses means you still get above ground views if that is your preference for making your way through town.
If you’re thinking of using the public transport system, I suggest downloading the HSL app. You can easily buy tickets and passes as you’re planning your next move. There are electronic mini-kiosks when you get on to the bus or tram, but they are only for buying a ticket. If you have a mobile app ticket, simply have it handy to show in case of an inspection.
Where to Sleep
For this last stop, we kept right on with the theme of “treat yo self” and opted to stay at the Lapland Hotels Bulevardi. We stayed in the Arctic Deluxe Spa room. Even though I’m not particularly a bath girl, the pictures of the giant tub were too good to pass up.
You can tell this stop was at the end of our trip because I somehow managed to get zero pictures of the room, but it was perfection. The staff was amazing, kind, and helpful. The location was quiet, but close to everything. We would 10/10 recommend this as a place to stay in Helsinki.
Cost: $690 USD for two nights.
Other hotels worth considering would be the Klaus K Hotel if you’re into more of an artistic, avant-garde vibe or the Hotel Indigo if you’re looking for something more economically priced but no less beautiful.
Food
Breakfast
Cafe Regatta – This is not the only place we had breakfast, but I prefer to focus on the positive, so this will be the place I rave about because it deserves all the love it has gotten.
The space is cozy and eclectic. The vibe combined with the warming and delicious coffee and food begs for you to relax and stay a while. Our favorites were the blueberry pie with vanilla sauce, the cinnamon bun, the eromanga salmon-rice pastry, and the light roast coffee.
The vibe inside is cottage chic, but there is also plenty of seating and ambiance outside. These outside ables offer a view of the Gulf of Finland and provide access to a fire pit over which you can cook sausages or marshmallows. Absolutely worth making the effort to get to.
Cost: $21 USD for the pastries and two coffees.
Lunch
SOUP+MORE Vanha Kauppahalli – Located in the Old Market Hall (Vanha Lauppahalli), this spot is perfect for trying the local go-to of salmon soup. They offer a wide variety of soups, but the salmon soup reigns supreme. It is flavorful, creamy, hearty perfection. They also offer free slices of bread along with a herbal oil dipping sauce.
Cost: $15 USD for a large soup. Bread and water were free.
Löyly Sauna – If sauna’ing is on your to do list while in Helsinki (which it had better be), Löyly is a place where it’s at. I’ll get into their sauna services in a minute, but they also offers a small menu so you can fuel up while sweating it out. Between trips to the sauna and the arctic Baltic waters, we opted to split the Löyly sausage and chips (fries to us Americans). This is a separate menu and experience from the onsite restaurant that can be enjoyed without disconnecting from the relaxation of sauna.
Cost: $20 USD for two drinks and a shared sausage plate.
Dinner
Pub Peräkammari – We popped into this place on a whim wandering around town our first day and ended up going back we loved it so much. It exudes a classic pub vibe in its casual cool way. Long Drink flowed and the food was cozy, warming, and delicious. We tried the moose meatballs, which were an interesting twist on the classic Nordic dish, and the moose burger that was made of shredded moose and a lingonberry aioli.
Cost: $65 USD for two dinners and two drinks.
Restaurant Salve – While house and babysitting for us, my parents found this spot in a YouTube vlog. Thank goodness they did. The star of the show was the escargot with garlic and blue cheese. The tang of the blue cheese blew my mind and added a depth and interest to this classic French dish. The Hash à la Bellman was also a delicious and interesting plate combining potatoes, fried egg, slow-cooked brisket, smoked pork belly, and sausage.
The waitress here was the cutest, sweetest lady we met our entire trip and I wanted to take her home as my new Finnish Granny.
Cost: $110 USD for an appetizer, two dinners, and many, MANY rounds of Long Drink.
Things to Do
Sites
Kamppi Chapel – Located in the very center of town, surrounded by shopping, restaurants, and general urban bustle, Kamppi Chapel provides silence and reprieve to people of all faiths. Lights highlight minimalist windows where the curved, wood walls meet the ceiling. It’s worth taking a moment to pop in and enjoy a moment of quiet within an architectural gem.
Helsinki Cathedral – Located in Senate Square, this iconic Helsinki landmark rises into the sky with its impressive green and gold domes. In addition to enjoying views of the church, many people, my husband included, used the latest snow fall to turn the 43 stairs into their own sled slope.
The square in front of the church is also the location of the annual Helsinki Christmas Market which I am desperate to get back for.
Uspenski Cathedral – Built at the same time as its Lutheran sister, the Helsinki Cathedral, the Orthodox Uspenski Cathedral sit high on a hill overlooking the Helsinki harbor. The green and gold roofing contrasts beautifully against the dark brick and gray winter sky.
Old Market Hall (Vanha Kauppahalli) – We went here specifically so I could gorge on the salmon soup at SOUP+MORE. We had a great time wandering around after my hanger had been abated and ended up trying a few more local snacks in addition to picking up some souvenir cloudberry jam.
The Ultimate Finnish Cultural Experience
Löyly Helsinki Sauna – Sauna is the national pastime of Finland. In a nation of less than 6 million people, there are 3 million saunas. Not only do the Finns appreciate slow-cooking themselves in the sauna, they love to juxtapose the heat and sweat with a quick roll in the snow or a dip in icy cold waters.
There are some important sauna etiquette rules to keep in mind for your not-mandatory mandatory Finnish spa experience:
- Rinse off in the shower before going in to the sauna.
- You’ll receive two towels. The large one should stay outside of the sauna for after sea swims or showering and the small one is for you to sit on while in the sauna.
- If you pour water to up the steam factor, you need to hang out in the sauna until it finishes. No steaming and running.
- Finnish sauna is a social experience. Feel free to chat it up with the people around you.
Cost: $50 USD for two hours of sauna access.
Mini Finnish Pronunciation Guide
Sauna
In Finnish, every letter in a word is pronounced. So while in English we say “saw-nuh,” in Finland it’s pronounced “sow-nuh.”
Löyly
In Finnish, ö is pronounced like the “ea” in the word learn and y is pronounced like a hard u, making this word’s pronunciation “luh-ulu.”
Stores to Shop
Stockmann – This centrally located, enormous department store provides anything and everything you could possibly need or want. Before catching our train to Lapland, we popped in to pick up any final cold-weather gear we needed. Our last afternoon Matt decided to check out a local barber shop so I used the opportunity to wander around Stockmann for any final souvenirs before our trip home.
Moomin Shop – If you haven’t heard of the Moomins before, you should definitely get acquainted before traveling to Finland. Written and illustrated by Tove Jansson between 1945 and 1970, the Moomin books are beloved in Finland. The stories were adapted into a cartoon in the 1990s and several of the episodes are free to watch on YouTube.
Anyone who has fallen in love with Moomin or Snorkmaiden or Little My before arriving in Helsinki will want to pop into the Moomin Shop. There are two locations very near one another in town – the Lasipalatsi location has a cozy vibe or the newly opened, larger Esplanadi location. If you miss both, you’ll have one more chance to load up on adorable Moomin gear at the shop located near Gate 21 at Helsinki Airport.
Lankakauppa Snurre – For those who have been reading my Nordy Forty guides from the start, you knew there had to be a yarn store for Finland, and here it is. Snurre completely knocked my socks off. The walls were lined with shelves packed with colorful skeins that inspire. In addition to my Finnish wool, I picked up a set of needles and some adorable stitch markers to add to my collection back home.
Departure
Even three months later, thinking about leaving Helsinki makes me want to cry. I just really loved this city. Since I had to leave though, I have to say the airport experience in Helsinki was really great.
HEL is on the cutting edge of liquids security and has increased the limit to 2L per person with no limit on the size of the liquids container. We did not know this at the time, but it makes total sense because the woman at security looked at Matt like he had lost it when he rushed to chug his water as we made our way through the line.
Once you’re beyond security, the airport offers several options for food and shopping. Owing to the overwhelming number of Long Drinks we had consumed the night before, we were in need of grease and carbs and opted to try Richie’s Gourmet Hot Dogs. It was a perfect last taste of the loaded up, Nordic style hot dog we still crave all these months later.
And just like that, we were back in the air and on our way home. Until next time, Helsinki.
Places We Didn’t Get To This Go Around
Allas Sea Pool – This was the other top option we found when researching where to have our Finnish sauna and Baltic swim experience.
SkyWheel Helsinki – This giant ferris wheel sits right on the harbor in central Helsinki. It rises 40 meters (131 ft) into the sky to offer views of the city. In addition to a normal ride, you can also find SkySauna, Veuve Clicquot VIP, and champagne ride experiences available to book.
SpåraKOFF – This tram turned pub on tracks offers tours of Helsinki with booze. It wasn’t running while we were there, but they offer tours in the warmer months and around Christmas.
Sibelius Monument – A monument to Finnish composer Jean Sibelius sitting at the center of his namesake park. It’s conveniently located very close to Cafe Regatta.
Hotel Torni – In Season 4 of Travel Man, Richard Ayoade meets up with Paul Rudd for 48-hours in Helsinki. As part of their experience, they took in a panorama view of the city… from the ladies’ toilet at the hotel’s top-floor Ateljee Bar.
Restaurant Savotta – This restaurant features highly rated, traditional Finnish food.
Restaurant KotKot – Created by Michelin chef Kim Mikkola in 2020, KotKot’s aim is to provide luxurious fried chicken to anyone and everyone.
Jaskan Grilli – A simple grill dishing out late night eats. It was good enough for Bourdain, so I would love to try it.
North Outdoor – This local brand sells merino wool clothing out of their flagship store.
Helsinki: Google Maps
Click here for a saved Google Map list with everywhere mentioned above.
Over to You
Have you been to Helsinki? If not, are you intrigued by this Nordic capital?
What travel destinations have you been saddest to leave or most inspired to relocate to?
Let’s discuss in the comments! ✨
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