Hey there, fellow travelers! Today, we’re talking about what NOT to do on a trip to Helsinki, the capital of Finland. While many travel blogs will tell you all the fun things to do in Helsinki, we want to be sure you know what you should NOT do when you plan a Helsinki trip.
Don’t Be Shocked by the Modern Architecture
Many people who visit Europe, especially from the United States, expect to see a lot of historic architecture. So it may come as a surprise to see so much modern architecture in Helsinki. It’s actually one of the design centers of the world, and you feel that all around you when you visit Helsinki. St. Louis Arch was designed by a Finn. (There are historic buildings, too, but the modern architecture is super impressive!)
Don’t Worry About Getting Around Helsinki
Public transportation in Helsinki is super efficient and will get you wherever you need to go. There are buses and trams to get you all over, even coming in from the airport. There’s also a Hop On Hop Off bus if you’re visiting Helsinki for the first time and want to get the lay of the land. If you do use public transportation, don’t be loud! Finns are very chill and not loud people in general.
Helsinki is a very walkable city, so you may not use anything other than your two feet to get around. There are also cheap bike rentals all over the city, and it’s very bike-friendly, so that’s another option for getting around Helsinki.
If you stay out late and the trams have stopped running, it’s easy to get a taxi in Helsinki. They’re not cheap, but nothing is cheap in Helsinki!
Don’t Worry About Safety in Helsinki
I lived here in the 90s and have visited many times with friends and family and I am totally comfortable calling it a safe city. It’s one of the safest capital cities in Europe. Obviously, use your street smarts and don’t be a target, but the most you’ll likely see is some drunk people out on the weekends.
Don’t Expect to See the Northern Lights in Helsinki
Many people think of the Northern Lights when they think of Finland. In the summer, there’s too much daylight so the chances are pretty nil. In winter, there’s a small chance you can see them, but you really need to go farther north in Finland if you want a better shot at seeing the Northern Lights. Besides, summer really is the best time to visit Helsinki, so just come and enjoy the extra hours of sunlight and great weather!
Don’t Miss the Suomenlinna Fortress
If you follow the Esplanadi to the Market Square area, you can board a ferry that will take you to the Suomenlinna Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s one of the most popular Helsinki attractions, and it’s spread across a couple of islands. If it’s a hot day, it’s a great place to go swimming.
Don’t Miss the Russian Orthodox Uspenski Cathedral
Don’t confuse Russia with Finland because Finland fought to be independent of Russia. However, they are neighbors and Uspenski Cathedral shows the influence Russia has had on Helsinki as it’s the largest orthodox church in Western Europe. It’s beautiful inside, so if you have a chance to visit, check it out! The inside is much more impressive than the interior of the Helsinki Cathedral, which is a pretty major landmark of the city.
Don’t Try to Understand Finnish
Fortunately, finding English speakers in Helsinki is not a problem. Normally, we recommend learning a little bit of any language before visiting, but Finnish is nearly impossible to understand. For starters, they don’t use prepositions. It’s a very confusing language. If you learn one word, Kiitos is thank you.
Don’t Forget About the Sauna
Sauna (pronounced Sow-na, not Saw-na) is a Finnish tradition and just because you’re staying in a big city doesn’t mean you have to miss out on it. Chances are, no matter where you stay in Helsinki, you’ll have access to a sauna. Most hotels have them, and many apartments have one in the unit, if not a shared one for the building. There are also public saunas you can visit.
Don’t Skip Helsinki Museums
Helsinki has some pretty cool museums to check out when you visit.
Don’t Rule Out a Layover Option
We’ve stayed overnight in Helsinki a few times en route to Asia. It’s such a walkable city and it’s easy to see a lot in one day, and it was a nice way to break up our trip. Some airlines will even build in a multi-day layover so you can sneak in a quick trip to Helsinki.
Five Things You’ll Love & Hate About Long Layovers
Don’t Miss Out on Helsinki Food
There is some great food to try in Helsinki, especially if you like pastries. The locals might try to talk you out of eating Finnish food because it’s not really world-renowned for cuisine. That said, there are some good dishes to try when you visit Helsinki. The salmon is super fresh, and the meatballs are nearly as good as Swedish meatballs! And don’t worry about tipping in Helsinki; it’s not expected!
Vanha Kauppahalli is a food hall next to Market Square and it’s a great place to find cheap food in Helsinki. If you’re trying to stay on a budget, these Finnish foods are (relatively) cheap.
- Korvapuusti is a Finnish cinnamon roll; try one with coffee while you relax on the Esplanadi.
- Karelian pies are little hand pies with a rye bread crust; it’s similar to a pierogi, with a rice porridge filling.
- Lihapiirakka is a small meat pie; it’s very simple, very tasty, and very affordable. You can find these practically anywhere, including convenience stores.
- Salmon soup is also prevalent and affordable; it’s a creamy dill broth almost like a chowder, with big chunks of tasty salmon.
- Candy stores are super fun in Helsinki. The local delicacy is Salmiakki, which has a black licorice flavor, so it’s not for everyone. But don’t worry, there are lots of other great flavors to try!
Don’t Miss a Day Trip to Tallinn
If you’re spending several days in Helsinki, then you might want to consider some day trips. The most popular one is the day trip from Helsinki to Tallinn, Estonia. There’s a ferry that takes a little over two hours, and you’ll have the whole day to explore one of my favorite cities in Europe. It’s also much more affordable than Helsinki, so your money will go further!
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Don’t be surprised if you fall in love with Helsinki! For a European capital city, it’s very manageable to get around and see the highlights in just a few days. Although it’s expensive, it’s totally worth visiting Helsinki for your first time in Finland.
Want more tips for traveling in Scandinavia? Check out some of our other blog posts: