Helsinki was not at the top of my list when planning our Northern Europe trip. It felt like the kind of city you visit because it’s closeby, not because you’re desperate to go. I was completely wrong about that. The city has a quiet atmosphere, which draws you in. It’s calm, beautiful and surprisingly easy to navigate.
This Helsinki travel guide covers everything practical you need before visiting, from when to go, how to get there, getting around, where to stay and costs to what’s worth booking in advance.
If you want a detailed itinerary, see my well-paced 1-day itinerary instead.
- When to Visit Helsinki
- How Many Days to Spend in Helsinki
- How to Get to Helsinki
- By Air
- By Ferry
- By Train
- Getting Around Helsinki
- Transport Options
- Buying Public Transport Tickets in Helsinki
- Accommodation in Helsinki: Where to Stay
- Costs and Budget Tips
- Helsinki Sightseeing Cards
- Additional Practical Tips for Visiting Helsinki
- Things to Book in Advance for Visiting Helsinki
- Safety in Helsinki
- SIM/E-SIM Card
- Food and Coffee in Helsinki
When to Visit Helsinki
The best time to visit Helsinki is during the summer months, when the weather is mild and the city is very walkable.
The weather is especially important if you are planning to visit Suomenlinna, where temperatures and ferry frequency can affect your experience. I’ve covered this in more detail in my guide to visiting Suomenlinna.
Besides, many other things in the city, from sightseeing buses to cruise options to opening times of the sites you will be visiting, are more convenient throughout the months of May-September, as this is the period when tourists usually visit.
Although keep in mind that Helsinki as a Scandinavian city can get very cold, even on the summer days. While you might come prepared for mild summer weather, the windchill and dropping temperatures can happen suddenly. So bring extra layers.
Winter months can be appealing to lovers of snow, as the sites can be beautiful and you can experience a completely different atmosphere. But keep in mind that visiting throughout October to April could limit some of your experiences.
I traveled together with my sister and both of us being cold averse, we visited in summer. This was a good decision, especially for Suomenlinna. The weather was still quite unpredictable though, and even in August it felt much colder in the morning and evening. Still, we were quite lucky with the weather, as it was sunny and not too cold.
How Many Days to Spend in Helsinki
Helsinki is small enough that one well-planned day covers the main highlights comfortably — and I say this as someone who actually did it.
For details on what to see in one day, see my detailed Helsinki 1-day itinerary with a step-by-step route.
If you want to go deeper into the museums, spend a proper half day on Suomenlinna rather than rushing it, or simply enjoy the city without a packed schedule, two to three days would be a much more relaxed pace. I wouldn’t say Helsinki needs more than three days for most visitors though, unless you want to revisit the same places – well I would definitely not mind visiting Oodi about a dozen times.
How to Get to Helsinki
Getting to Helsinki is very straightforward, whether you are visiting from abroad or planning a short trip within the region. You can fly, take a ferry from Tallinn or Stockholm, or travel by train if you are already in Finland.
By Air
If you are arriving by air, you will land at Helsinki Airport. Getting into the city from the airport is easy by train, which will get you to the main train station within 30 minutes. The main train station Helsingin Päärautatieasema is located in the heart of the city, so if you are staying nearby or doing a day trip, you can simply walk from here.
Buses are also available, but unless you have a lot of luggage, the train is usually the most convenient choice.
If you’re traveling with a lot of luggage, arriving late, or in a group, a taxi via Bolt or a pre-arranged private transfer is worth considering over public transport.
By Ferry
One of the most popular ways to get to Helsinki, especially if you are already in the region, is by ferry. There are frequent connections across the Baltic Sea, including routes from Tallinn and Stockholm. The journey itself is part of the experience, as the ships are large and feel more like small cruise liners than simple transport.
If you are traveling from Tallinn, the ferry takes around 2 to 2.5 hours and runs multiple times a day.
If you are traveling by ferry, see my detailed Tallinn to Helsinki ferry guide with schedules, prices, terminals, and what to expect on board.
Ferries arrive either at Katajanokka Terminal, which is within comfortable walking distance of the city center, or at West Terminal 2, which is slightly further but still not difficult to reach by tram.
We arrived by ferry and it was one of the highlights of the whole trip. The ships are enormous and comfortable, and sailing into Helsinki harbor with the islands coming into view around you is an experience in itself.
By Train
If you are already in Finland, getting to Helsinki by train is another excellent option. The rail network is efficient, and connections from other Finnish cities are frequent and comfortable. As mentioned above, the main train station is very centrally located and will hardly require any transport to your accommodation. However, there are tram and bus connections you can use.
Getting Around Helsinki
Helsinki is a very walkable city, especially in the central areas covered in this itinerary. But when your legs need a break or you are covering longer distances, if offers excellent public transportation.
Transport Options
Trams: the tram system is an efficient and environmentally friendly form of transportation.
Ferry: Public ferry to Suomenlinna is a cool form of transportation (that I cover in more detail in my practical guide to visiting Suomenlinna).
Buses: The city has a big network of buses as well. We never used them though, there are so many better options.
Metro: Helsinki also has metro with 2 lines. But unless you’re heading to the outskirts, you probably won’t use it. It’s clean and efficient, but it skips most of the tourist landmarks.
In practice, we ended up walking most of the time. The city is compact enough that you don’t really need to rely heavily on transport. We only used the public ferry and tram, both of which were an experience. We never really had to worry about logistics, which made the visit much more enjoyable.
Buying Public Transport Tickets in Helsinki
Depending on your needs, you can either purchase a single ticket, multiple tickets of 10 or a 1, 2 or 3-day pass. Either of these types of tickets cover entire transport network of the city, including trams, buses and even the public ferry to Suomenlinna. Check the official website for the ticket fares.
The single ticket can be bought just by tapping your bank card on the transport itself. We did this for the ferry at the terminal, as well as for the tram.
On the other hand, if you wish to purchase multiple tickets or day passes, you should do so at the ticket machines, or online via the HSL official website or the app.
Accommodation in Helsinki: Where to Stay
For first-time visitors, especially those with limited time, staying in the downtown area makes the most sense.
The best areas to stay in Helsinki are near Senate Square, the train station, or the harbor. This allows you to walk to most of the main attractions and saves a lot of time. We didn’t stay overnight in Helsinki ourselves, but this felt like the most convenient base while exploring the city.
Here are a few great centrally located hotels:
Hobo Helsinki sits right by Senate Square and has a genuinely interesting design, far from that of a standard chain hotel.
Radisson RED Helsinki has a perfect location near the train station and Kaisaniemi Park. They provide great discounts, if you book well in advance.
NH Collection Helsinki Grand Hansa is the upscale option, if you want something more classic and 5-star.
Costs and Budget Tips
Helsinki is noticeably more expensive than most of Europe, although for a Nordic city, it’s not exorbitantly so. Sightseeing and transport are manageable, but accommodation and food add up quickly.
That said, cafés are an important part of the experience, so it is still worth budgeting the stops for coffee and snacks.
Helsinki Sightseeing Cards
We didn’t end up buying any cards, because we never used sightseeing buses and cruises, or guided tours. However, for some visitors Helsinki Card can be cost-efficient.
Helsinki Card offers 3 main options: 24-hour pass (51 EUR), 48-hour pass (62 EUR) and 72-hour Pass (72 EUR). If you purchase the pass with public transportation included, the price increases relevantly.
Personally, I would only consider this if you plan to include several paid attractions in one day. Otherwise, it’s easy to spend less just paying individually. Here is the list of attractions included in the pass or providing discounts.
The 24-hour card will be worth it if you want to include:
- Hop-on Hop-off sightseeing bus (29-36 EUR without a pass)
- Ateneum Museum (23 EUR without a pass).
- City Highlights Cruise and/or Canal Cruise (28 EUR without a pass).
- Suomenlinna guided tour (16 EUR without a pass).
An important note: the sightseeing buses and cruises are only available during the May-September season, so double check if you are visiting another time.
Other available Helsinki passes do not appear to be worth it for most visitors.
- Helsinki City Pass has only a few inclusions, which don’t really justify the 44 EUR price for 24 hours.
- Finland Museum Pass is a yearly pass, which is great for residents, but not worth it for visitors.
Additional Practical Tips for Visiting Helsinki
Things to Book in Advance for Visiting Helsinki
Helsinki, unlike very touristy cities, is far more chill. Even if you don’t prebook anything at all, you will be perfectly fine and won’t miss out on anything. However, if you have a very short time in the city and/or are visiting during the busy summer months, arranging certain things in advance will certainly save you time and money.
- While you can find a place to stay last minute, I recommend booking accommodation in advance. This will not only save you time on the spot but also more likely give you discounts if booked long in advance.
- If you want to join a guided walking tour, book in advance. Group tours only run with minimum numbers and can fill up or get cancelled without enough sign-ups.
That’s practically it. You can easily buy any of the tickets for the sightseeing spots, for transport, etc. We didn’t prebook much ourselves and had no issues at all, which made the visit feel quite relaxed compared to more tourist-heavy cities.
Safety in Helsinki
Helsinki is one of the safest cities I have visited, where walking around alone, even as a solo female traveler feels comfortable. The city felt genuinely safe throughout our visit. We never felt uncomfortable at any point, including in the evening.
As with anywhere, keep an eye on your belongings in crowded tourist areas, but honestly Helsinki doesn’t require the level of vigilance you’d need in busier southern European cities.
SIM/E-SIM Card
To navigate using maps and public transport apps, you will need mobile data during your trip.
If you are coming from outside the EU, you can buy a local SIM card, like Orange or O2. To prearrange an E-Sim in advance, Saily offers great coverage.
Within the EU, your local provider’s roaming will work with the same rates, as at home. As we traveled from inside the EU, we didn’t need to switch our already existing plan.
Food and Coffee in Helsinki
Helsinki has a genuine café culture and honestly, it’s one of the more enjoyable parts of spending time in the city. Cafés are everywhere in the center and the quality is generally great. Expect to pay more than in Southern or Eastern-Central Europe. That said, stopping for coffee is not optional, it’s part of the experience.
Café Eckberg near Senate Square is worth seeking out specifically. When I entered, it felt like a Viennese coffee house, which I wasn’t expecting at all. For something more casual and easier to find anywhere in the city, Espresso House is a reliable local chain with a lot of branches in Helsinki.
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