Senast uppdaterad: 10/13/21 | 13 oktober 2021
När jag landade i Helsingfors förstod jag inte riktigt vad jag kan förvänta mig. Av alla finansieringsstäder i norra Europa får Helsingfors minst “surr.”
Helsingfor grundades på 1500 -talet av kungen av Sverige och grundades ursprungligen för att konkurrera med den livliga handelshamnen i Tallinn. Tyvärr var tillväxten långsam som de flesta av staden dog under pesten 1710. Det var inte förrän ryssarna annekterade regionen som den började etablera och växa till staden den är idag.
Medan små (mindre än 1 miljon människor bor här) såväl som inte så populära som Stockholm eller Köpenhamn, är Helsingfors ett höft, modernt finansieringshus till en livlig konst såväl som musikscen. Det spricker med museer, kaféer och miljövänligt utrymme. Du kan snabbt göra det mesta av din sightseeing i staden till fots eftersom det är kompakt. Bäst av allt, Helsingfors ser en bråkdel av turisterna som andra skandinaviska huvudstäder får.
För att hjälpa dig att få ut det mesta av ditt besök, här av alla de bästa sakerna att göra i Helsingfors:
1. Ta en gratis vandringstur
En av de allra första sakerna jag alltid gör när jag dyker upp i en ny destination är att ta en gratis vandringstur. Du får se de viktigaste sevärdheterna, lära dig om historien såväl som kultur och har en lokal professionell som erbjuds att svara på alla dina frågor.
Green Cap Tours erbjuder en gratis 1,5-2 timmars turné som fungerar som en solid introduktion till staden. Se bara till att tippa din guide i slutet!
För en alternativ titt på de mindre kända delarna av stadens förflutna såväl som dess arbetarklasshistoria, ta den gratis andra sidan av Bridge Tour. Det ger en djupgående, alternativ titt på Helsingfors.
2. Kolla in postmuseet
Ett museum om posttjänsten låter helt tråkigt men jag upptäckte det förvånansvärt intressant. Museet belyser posttjänstens historia i Finland, från fartyg och slädar på 1600-talet till dagens tjänst. Det finns massor av reliker, gallerier och kortfilmer om exakt hur de fick posten att arbeta i en så glesbefolkad såväl som hård miljö. Det gör en exceptionell uppgift att ta ett tråkigt ämne samt göra det roligt, tillgängligt och pedagogiskt.
Alaverstaanraitti 5, +358 03 5656 6966, postimuseo.fi. Öppet tisdag-söndag från 10:00 till 18:00. Tillträde är 13 EUR.
3. Koppla av i Sinebrychoff Park
Denna lilla stadspark var tidigare den privata trädgården för en rysk affärsman. Idag är det en populär plats för picknick, avkopplande, evenemang samt släde på vintern. Det finns massor av kaféer i närheten så ta ett mellanmål och komma här för att lounge och se dagen gå. Det är super populärt bland lokalbefolkningen på sommaren.
4. Kolla in National Museum of Finland
Som en historisk buff uppskattar jag alltid ett bra museum. Jag har varit på mer än min rättvisa andel av nedslående och underfinansierade museer under åren. Lyckligtvis var detta inte en av dem.
Museet öppnades 1916 och täcker Finlands historia från stenåldern till nutid. Den har en stor samling av artefakter, ger massor av detaljer och skapar en kronologisk berättelse och erbjuder anständiga beskrivningar så att du alltid förstår vad du tittar på. För en liten finansieringsstad är det ett mycket, mycket utmärkt museum. Missa inte det!
Mayheimintie 34, +358 29 5336000, Kansallismuseo.fi/en/kansallismuseo. Öppet varje dag från 11 till 18 (stängt på måndagar på vintern). Tillträde är 14 EUR men det är gratis på fredagar mellan 16:15 till 18:00.
5. Vandra Suomenlinna -fästningen
Suomenlinna är en UNESCO: s världsarv som byggdes av Sverige 1748 på en ö strax utanför kusten. Ursprungligen namngiven ”Sveorg” (slottet i svenskarna), byggdes det som ett avskräckande mot rysk expansionism. Så småningom döptes det till ”Suomenlinna” (Castle of Finland) 1918 när landet fick självständighet. En utcheckning här är ett avkopplande sätt att tillbringa en halv dag eftersom du kan kolla in fortet, vandra ön eller kyla i en av de många parkerna.
Det finns också många fascinerande byggnader här (inklusive sex olika museer) såväl som några out-of-the-way stränder.
Tillträde till fortet är gratis, även om varje museum har sin egen antagningsavgift.
6. Kolla in Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art
Detta museum öppnade 1990 och är inrymt i en riktigt unik modern byggnad inte långt från postmuseet. Samlingen består av över 8 000 verk (jag är inte en betydande samtida konstfan så jag personligen inte känner igen någon typ av namnen). En del av det finska nationella galleriet, Kiasma är finsk för “chiasma” som är en term som beskriver korsningen av nerver eller senor.
Mayheiminaukio 2, +358 29 450 0501, kiasma.fi/en. Öppet tisdag från 10:00 till 18:00, onsdag-fredag från 10:00 till 20:30, lördagar från 10:00 till 18:00, samt Sundays from 10am-5pm. Admission is 15 EUR as well as complimentary on the very first Friday of the month. currently closed until spring 2022 for renovations.
7. See the Finnish museum of Photography
This museum houses an amazing collection of photography from both Finnish as well as worldwide artists. There are rotating exhibits as well as exhibits by new as well as emerging photographers. There’s always something fascinating right here so check the website to see what’s on screen during your visit.
Tallberginkatu 1, +358 9 68663610, valokuvataiteenmuseo.fi. open Tuesday-Sunday from 11am-6pm (8pm on Wednesdays). Admission is 10 EUR.
8. marvel at the Helsinki Cathedral
This cathedral was built in the 19th century as a tribute to Czar Nicholas I. located next to the bank Museum, it towers over the city as well as is one of the most recognizable facets of the capital’s skyline. If you’ve visited a lot of cathedrals won’t likely walk away thinking this is one of the biggest cathedrals in Europe, however I think it’s one of the best in Scandinavia. They have a (free) short organ recital every Wednesday at 5pm.
Unioninkatu 29, +358 9 23406120, helsinginseurakunnat.fi. open most days from 9am-11:45am as well as 12:30pm-6pm (11am-6pm on Sundays) however times can vary so check the website. Inträde är gratis.
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9. stroll around the central Market
For souvenir shopping, tasty local food, fresh produce (including lots of berries in the summer), as well as excellent people-watching be sure to head to the central Market. It’s located near the harbor, which sits on the coastline of the Baltic Sea. In October, the herring market begins which is a significant local event. the market has heated tents when it gets chilly as well as there are plenty of restaurants as well as cafes around making it a fun place to check out any type of time of the year. While it is typically swarming with tourists, I heard sufficient Finnish to understand it isn’t a total tourist trap.
Open 6:30am-6pm Monday-Friday, 6:30am-4pm on Saturdays, 10am-5pm on Sundays. Inträde är gratis.
10. check out the Sinebrychoff Art Museum
This is the only museum in the city that focuses on older European paintings as well as portraits (from the 14th-19th centuries). Housed in a building built in 1842, there are around 4,000 items in the collection. Not only are there some extraordinary as well as historic works right here however part of the museum is composed of the Sinebrychoff residence itself. You can walk through the old Sinebrychoff estate as well as see what life was like for the affluent in Helsinki in the 19th century.
Bulevardi 40, +358 29 4500460, sinebrychoffintaidemuseo.fi. open Tuesday-Friday from 11am-6pm (8pm on Wednesdays) as well as 10am-5pm on weekends. Admission is 16 EUR.
11. check out the bank of Finland Museum
Admittedly, a bank museum sounds even more boring than a post museum however this museum was one of the coolest museums I’ve seen in a long time. very first as well as foremost, it paints a clear as well as insightful picture of the history of money in Finland. They likewise host rotating exhibitions on all sorts of related topics (such as counterfeit money). however what I discovered the museum really did well was to explain the history of modern finance. It makes the topic so clear as well as concise that I really learned a lot during my visit.
Snellmaninkatu 2, +358 9 183 2626, rahamuseo.fi/en. open Tuesday-Friday from 11am-5pm as well as 11am-4pm on the weekend. Inträde är gratis. currently closed due to COVID. check website for up-to-date information.
12. relax in Esplanade Park
This park, known as Espa to the locals, is a popular place to spend an afternoon when the weather is nice. In the warmer summer months, there are street musicians as well as performers around as well as lots of eco-friendly space as well as benches for any individual looking to lounge with a book or a picnic. opened in 1818, the park likewise has some walking as well as jogging trails too. It’s just a nice place to relax as well as soak in the city.
13. See Uspenski Cathedral
This big red cathedral is difficult to miss. It’s an Eastern Orthodox church with big domes as well as gold crosses as well as absolutely has avery Russian feel to it. Consecrated in 1868, it’s really the largest Eastern Orthodox church in all of Western Europe. The interior is lavishly decorated too, with a big vaulted ceiling as well as lots of Eastern Orthodox icons (though some of the most popular icons have really been stolen in recent years).
Kanavakatu 1, +358 9 85646100, hos.fi/en/. open Tuesday-Friday from 9:30am-7pm, Saturday from 10am-3pm, as well as Sunday from 12pm-3pm. closed during ceremonies. Inträde är gratis.
14. Take a Food Tour
If you’re a foodie like me, you have to take a food tour. They’re the best way to sample the local delicacies as well as traditional foods, such as fresh fish, craft beer, as well as Finnish porridge. Heather’s Helsinki offers a tasty tour of the city that lasts 4-5 hours as well as includes 9 different stops around the city for just 85 EUR per person. You’ll not only get to eat some excellent food however you’ll learn a lot about the history as well as culture behind the cuisine.
15. check out the Helsinki City Museum
Opened in 1911, this is an exceptional city museum with plenty of descriptions as well as top-notch exhibits as well as photos. It’s really the third-best city museum I’ve come across in Europe (after the Amsterdam as well as Barcelona museums). Missa det inte. You learn a lot about the city as well as about exactly how it has changed as well as evolved over the centuries.
Aleksanterinkatu 16, +358 9 31036630, helsinginkaupunginmuseo.fi. open weekdays from 11am-7pm as well as weekends from 11am-5pm. Inträde är gratis.
16. chill out in Kaivopuisto Park
This significant park is tucked away in the southeast corner of Helsinki. during the winter, tobogganing is popular here. lots of events held right here as well, such as Vappu Day (May 1st) celebrations. The park overflows with thousands of locals who come to picnic, listen to music, as well as drink away the day. since it’s so out of the way, you barely ever see tourists here.
17. hit the Sauna
You can’t check out Finland without going to a sauna. The word itself is Finnish as well as there are over 3 million in the country (which is a lot since there are only 5.5 million people in Finland). There are plenty of public saunas in Helsinki, most of which expense around 10 EUR as well as have separate sections for men as well as women. You can usually rent towels as well, as well as while going nude is the traditional method there’s no shame in wearing a towel either.
Some of the best saunas in the city are:
Kotiharjun Sauna
Sauna Hermanni
Allas Sea Pool
18. check out Seurasaari Island
This island just north of the city is house to an open-air museum featuring traditional style Finnish buildings. Guided tours are offered everyday in the summer as well as take you around the buildings as well as shed light on exactly how Finns lived from the 17th-19th centuries. The museum, which opened in 1909, collected the buildings from all around the country so you aren’t seeing replicas here.
Meilahti, +358 295 33 6912, kansallismuseo.fi/en/seurasaarenulkomuseo. open from May-September. check website for specific hours. Admission is 10 EUR.
19. check out the style Museum
Finnish design, like its Scandinavian counterparts, is incredibly popular, known for seamlessly integrating style elements into regular life. The museum teaches you about Finnish architecture as well as style history over the last century as well as a half. opened in 1873, the style museum holds over 75,000 objects, 40,000 drawings, as well as 100,000 photographs.
Korkeavuorenkatu 23, +358 9 6220 540, designmuseum.fi/en/. open 11am-6pm Tuesday-Sunday (open until 8pm on Wednesdays) in winter as well as 11-6 everyday in summer. Admission is 12 EUR.
20. check out Amos Rex
Named after Amos Anderson, a Finnish patron of the arts Amos Rex is an art museum that opened in August 2018. It has a rotating series of temporary exhibitions from local as well as worldwide artists (check the website for details) as well as is already one of the most popular in Helsinki. I’m not a modern art fan, however I’m told this gallery has really great exhibitions.
Mannerheimintie 22–24, +358 9 6844 460, amosrex.fi/en. open 11am-8pm on weekdays (closed on Tuesdays) as well as 11am-5pm on weekends. Admission is 20 EUR.
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Helsinki is a city that deserves more praise than it gets. fortunately for you, since it typically overlooked, you can check out without dealing with the crowds that so many other European capitals are plagued with.
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