Just because it’s cradled in a faraway corner of Europe, doesn’t mean you underestimate the magic of Finland’s capital 🙂 From cobalt beaches to delectable food, from imposing cathedrals to quaint island dwellings, see the delights of Helsinki in a day and be charmed by her unusual beauty!

Helsinki in A Day

If you had just one day in Helsinki, then this itinerary will show how you can easily navigate the Finnish capital and experience its unique wonders.

Helsinki sprawls over 300 stunning islands that sparkle in the summer months with the Baltic waves. In winter, reindeer-drawn sleighs and snow-dusted conifers turn Finland into a winter wonderland.

Steeped in modern history and enveloped in nature, Helsinki can be as elaborate or as compact as you would like. The archipelago offers peaceful island getaways while the mainland bustles with youthful energy. While it may not have the playful and artistic vibe of Paris, Helsinki sings to it’s own unique tune.

Its ideal to spend a minimum of 2 days in Helsinki, but if you just had 24 hours in the Finnish capital, then watch how those 1000 minutes make a lifetime of memories.

 

One Day Itinerary in Helsinki : How to Make the most of your time

 

A Perfect city break in Helsinki is one that gives you a quick taste of everything. We toured Helsinki in summer, but Finland is a fabulous winter destination too.

Finland is Europe’s most sparsely populated country but what Helsinki lacks in numbers, she makes up with her convivial residents and quirky architectural surprises. 

Morning

8 A.M : 

Start your day with coffee and breakfast at your hotel. We checked into our cheerful hotel Holiday Inn West Rouholahti at downtown Helsinki the day before. The place had a vibrant and inviting decor. 

We were already getting a glimpse of the unconventional Finnish designs. The rooms were comfortable and modestly priced. A water facing room and friendly service only impressed us further. 

Vintage posters and plenty of Nordic curios made up the eclectic and relaxed style of this hotel. We ate a scrumptious Scandinavian breakfast replete with local Finnish sausages, orange juice, open sandwiches, cinnamon rolls and a variety of locally made breads.

Like other Nordic and Scandinavian countries, Finland is expensive and Helsinki is anything but cheap. Your hotel can help you get a Helsinki Card, choose a 24 hr card, that will get you free public transport and free entry to famous art galleries and island forts. You know we appreciate a good value.

 Helsinki has a vibrant coffee culture and our barista whipped up a great cup of coffee. We quickly gobbled up the rest of our breakfast as we saw our Uber pickup approaching. 

On the short ride to our destination our chatty driver gave us a quick insight into local life and a glimpse of their historic heritage. No amount of guide books and internet search can quench your thirst like a conversation with local.

The Sightseeing Begins – Helsinki in a day

9 A.M : Uspenski Cathedral :

Before we knew it we were standing in front of a brick and jade green cathedral. It’s unique architecture, golden cupolas and majestic design is a magnet for photographers. Perched on a hill, Uspenski Cathedral is a towering contrast to Helsinki’s otherwise pastel color scheme.

Nestled between Russia and Sweden, Helsinki has an unmissable cultural influence woven into her being from these countries. An intense chat with the locals revealed how strongly they felt about it.

After spending some time admiring Helsinki’s architectural wonders, a breeze from the water brought us the scent of freshly baked cakes and sweet berry preserves. Hmmm..this had to be checked out.

9:30 A.M : Kauppatori :

A short distance from Uspenski Cathedral is the famous open air market of Helsinki. We crossed buildings bedecked with flowers and  stoic guards to arrive at the market. This is Finland in a nutshell. From Reindeer fur to native tundra berries, everything was on sale.

This was right up our alley – admiring authentic personality of the country itself. We binged on fresh strawberry cream cakes which are a summer speciality in Helsinki and picked up fruits, cheese and rye bread for later. 

You can see plenty of cruise ships, especially those heading to Estonia in the waters nearby. If you have more time in Helsinki then perhaps a day trip to Tallinn will interest you.

There is a mind boggling choice of excursions and ferries across the Gulf of Finland.  Enquire at the market kiosks and select something that you fancy.

Kauppatori is the epicenter of Finnish souvenirs, traditional food and local mood. Its a crowded place so watch your wallet and enjoy seeing locals in their true element.

We saw stalls selling seafood and trinkets made out of antlers and bones of certain animals. Some vendors are friendly while some couldn’t care less.

Mid Morning

11 A.M : Ferry to Soumenlinna

Time slipped through our fingers as our love for local markets got the better of us. Don’t underestimate the time it takes to Sample traditional food and peruse indigenous handicrafts.

It was now time to hop on a boat and head to the  grassy island fortress of Soumenlinna. A Short 20 min cruise across the Baltic waters gets you to this stunning sea fortress dotted with cannons and steeped in history.

12 P.M : Discover Suomenlinna

Suomenlinna is an enchanting island and a sea fortress. Remember the yummy local produce we picked up in the market before?

Find a quiet grassy spot near the castle overlooking the boisterous Baltic waves and enjoy a picnic lunch. There are a few restaurants on the island too, but we skipped them.

There is a lot of walking involved, so wear comfortable shoes as you explore this fantastic bastion which protected three realms : Sweden , Finland and Russia each at a different time.

History buffs will enjoy the guided tours here, but we navigated this beautiful fort independently. You will feel like a child again frolicking among secret hideouts and what not.

At the risk of sounding like a pig, I have to confess that I ate again on the boat ride back to mainland.  What ? I told you there was a lot of walking to do. 

Afternoon

3 P.M  Esplanadi and President’s Palace:

 After feasting our eyes on the maritime marvels of Helsinki, we were back in the mainland by 3p.m and decided to walk off all that food.

We headed to the floral green sanctuary of Esplanadi, an urban park that was bustling with people, a rarity in Finland.

Helsinki’s iconic trams crisscross the capital providing cheap and efficient connectivity. If you have the Helsinki card then hop on the tram for free and get to your desired destination.

We sipped our coffee and browsed local stores selling everything from boutique carpets to vintage dolls.

Helsinki Central station has some really interesting photo opportunities, head there for a slice of Helsinki’s striking architecture. 

We had heard about Finland’s legendary eerie emptiness on the streets and experienced it first hand in Helsinki.

Beautiful cobblestone streets and pastel buildings stared at us from every corner, except in Esplanadi which was a lively hub.

4 P.M:  As we travelled with a  child , we headed to our hotel to rest for sometime.  

Evening

5 P.M : Kamppi Chapel:

Photos of  this unique one of a kind design of spiraling wood had intrigued us enough to make a quick dash to this chapel. Its a peaceful place to get your bearings in Helsinki.

6 P.M: Senate square : 

Now for the main landmark in Helsinki. Senate Square is the centerpiece and focal point of the city. Expansive and elegant, this square is the perfect place to spend a relaxed evening. By evening temperatures begin to dip rapidly even in summer, so after playing around and exploring this lovely attraction we wanted to go someplace cozy.

 

Night

7 P. M Dinner and Drinks:

Usually, the restaurants clustered around famous landmarks have a bad reputation for being over priced tourist traps. But not this one. Right across the street from Senate Square is one of the best restaurants in Helsinki. You all know about my weakness for delicious local cuisine.

Savotta is a fantastic restaurant that serves authentic Finnish cuisine. Berries from pristine forests and fresh fish from the nearby lakes is their speciality. As if the rustic decor and wooden plates weren’t enough, I crumbled like a cookie when the food arrived. 

With her faithful consorts – the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Finland, hundreds rivers and a thousand lakes, Finnish cuisine is unsurprisingly a seafood lover’s dream. We had no idea food in Finland was this gorgeous. 

I had the fried vendace – small fish called Vendace are friend whole and served with pickled cucumbers, onions and creamy mashed potatoes. Sandeep’s pan seared salmon with herbed potatoes was equally mouthwatering. Even the kid’s menu looked too good to eat. Fried cheese served with ribbons of carrot and lingonberry preserve tasted as sensational as it looked.

 

There are some more intriguing meats on their menu too like bear and reindeer! We do like to try unique things in new countries, but we were too full this time.

We capped the night with local ice cream and headed straight to our hotel. As the cab whizzed past empty roads, we closed our eyes and allowed the grandeur of Helsinki to sink in.  Hell, it sinked in!

(by now you are used to plenty of puns on Three Tickets Please)

With our hearts full of memories and tummies full of fish, we bid adieu to Helsinki the next day. What a glorious time we had at Helsinki in a day. We will cherish the people, culture, food and sights of this freezing yet warm slice of Arctic forever!