Helsinki (Finland): what to see in the capital


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What to see in Helsinski, itinerary including the main monuments and places of interest, including Suomenlinna, central station and the national museum.


Tourist information

The main commercial center and capital of Finland, Helsinki is located on a small peninsula, bathed on three sides by the Baltic Sea and surrounded by islets including the Suomenlinna fortress.

Founded in 1550 by Gustavo Vasa on the banks of the Vanda river and subsequently moved, in 1640, to its present location.


Helsinki, capital of Finland also known as the white pearl of the North, is a city surrounded by the sea which, with various bridges that connect it to the mainland, changes its appearance with the changing seasons that with their colors give it an immense charm .

The center of Helsinki developed around the Senate square and mainly includes neoclassical buildings.

What see

The main places to visit in Helsinki are the Uspenski Orthodox Cathedral, the old Senate Senaatintori, the university, the Kauppatori market square with the statue of Havis Amanda, the national and contemporary art museum Kiasma, the Opera, the church carved out of the rock Temppeliaukion Kirkko, the modern center of Kamppi and the Esplanadi avenue.


A breathtaking panorama is visible from the terrace of the cafe on the thirteenth floor of the Torni hotel located in Kalevankatu, a street that intersects Mannerheimintie near Stockmann or the department store considered the largest in Europe.

In Helsinki you can also admire examples of modern architecture such as the central station and the house of concerts called Finland.

It is very interesting to visit the island of Suomenlinna, fortified at the time of the Swedish occupation and perfectly preserved, where you can admire the sophisticated defense systems that make it one of the main tourist attractions.


For those who love to shop, the ideal is to move to the Esplanade, the commercial area where shops are concentrated among green streets and gardens.

Visitors to Nordic fairy tales are advised to visit Seurasaari, an open-air museum that has traditional lifestyle as its theme.

Recommended readings
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  • Finland: useful information
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  • Rovaniemi: what to see in the city of Santa Claus

We should not forget the importance of the landscape which constitutes a further attraction to be observed in its entirety and complexity, consisting of many islands and islets connected to the mainland through comfortable bridges and regular lines of passenger ferries.

The Helsinki landscape represents one of the main attractions of this city.

First of all, the very fact of seeing this city spread over a large number of small islands makes it very special, thanks to the numerous connecting bridges and the ferry service.

The landscape changes greatly between the summer period, when lush vegetation prevails, and the winter period which sees it completely whitewashed, cold but always fascinating.

Keep in mind that the climate of Helsinki is very cold in winter and never hot in summer when temperatures do not exceed 20 degrees.

In Helsinki, although this urban center remains outside the Arctic circle, it is also possible to admire the evocative landscape created by white nights, a phenomenon in which it is never completely night and which is repeated for a few weeks during the course of the year.

It is a permanent twilight that occurs for about 15 days around June 21 and during which the sun remains just below the horizon, not darkening the sky completely.


Among the main economic activities, the textile, paper, furniture, naval, sugar industry as well as distilleries to visit Helsinki stands out.

12 THINGS TO DO IN HELSINKI | Guide to Finland's Capital (February 2024)


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