I Love Helsinki - Tips for travellers

Okay, I was born in Helsinki. I have lived here ever since. So maybe, I'm little biased. Only a little. 

What to see in Helsinki? It depends of course on your preferences. 

City Center (Keskusta)



Normally the street names
are in Finnish and Swedish

Market Square (Kauppatori) - strawberries, peas, cherries, ice cream - watch out for seaguls! - ferry to the Suomenlinna Sea Fortress.

Market Square, Helsinki

Suomenlinna Sea Fortress

Katajanokka (or as we say "Skatta" from Swedish Skattudden) - ferries to Tallinn and Stockholm - and all those pretty buildings.

Esplanadin puisto, also known as Espa - have a stroll there on your way to the Market Square, sit on a bench in the shady trees near the Swedish theater. 

Hotelli Torni - okay, I probably shouldn't advertise but there's a nice view from the Ateljee Bar. It took me years to enter the hotel and climb the stairs but it was worth it. Also recommended if you are interested in history. 

Second Hand Bookstore Kirjava Lintu (Yrjönkatu 21). I go there once in while. Good selection of books in English, other languages as well. 

Rikhardinkatu Library (Rikhardinkatu 3)  For the first time I visited Rikhardinkatu Library, I thought it was a gloomy place but it isn't. 

Kaivopuisto - if you like Sunday walks as I do, I'd recommend to start your walk from Kauppatori and just walk until Olympia Terminal. Take a seat on a bench and just admire the view. When you feel up for it, continue to Kaivopuisto. You might see a familiar flag as there are many embassies in the area. 

Little further from the Center

Hietalahti flea market - walk along the Bulevardi or take tram number 6 to Hietalahti. 

Seurasaari open-air museum. The easiest way is to take bus number 24  from Erottaja to Seurasaari but when I lived in the Western Helsinki I walked to Seurasaari from Munkkiniemen aukio.  

Within the reach of metro network

Korkeasaari Zoo and Mustikkamaa - it's possible to take a ferry to the zoo from Kauppatori or bus  number 16 from Central Railway Station Rautatientori. I worked in Korkeasaari for two summers. I used to walk from Kulosaari metro station to Korkeasaari.

If you like shopping, there's a big shopping center in Itäkeskus. Just take the (orange!) metro (destination Vuosaari or Mellunmäki) and hop off in Itäkeskus. 

The Mellunmäki metro station, the last stop on the line, is the world's northernmost metro station.


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When I'm going to visit a place or just got back from there, I like to watch films shot in those locations. For example, after visiting Brighton, I watched Brighton Rock. Tips for Helsinki films: 

Vuosaari (Naked Harbour, 2012) Well, after seeing this film you'd probably never want to visit the place. 

Tyttö sinä olet tähti (Beauty and the Bastard, 2005)

Ruokala Lokki (Kamome shokudô, 2006, a Japanese film shot in Helsinki)