Helsinki in 2 days: everything you need to visit

Helsinki is a great destination to visit during the winter, especially if you’re also going to the Finnish Lapland. But I decided to escape the heat and visit during the summer. While Western Europe has temperatures close to 40 degrees Celsius, Helsinki was around 20 Celsius. I loved it! In this blog post I’ll share what you should do in Helsinki in 2 days. This post contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase I may get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Find out more here.

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Helsinki is a smaller European capital and it has less tourist attractions compared to Madrid, Paris or London, for example. But the capital of Finland is a really charming place.

Compared to a busy city like NYC or Athens, I found Helsinki to be so calm. People don’t speak loudly on the street, there were no car honks, even little children seem to be more behaved in Scandinavia. Even the airport is quieter.

I came back more relaxed and centered. I like to call Helsinki the zen city. Everyone is minding their business and lives their life in peace. No wonder Finland is the happiest country in the world.

Table of Contents

Helsinki card

Before I dive into the main attractions in Helsinki, I want to give you a heads up about the Helsinki card. If you have the card you get free entry to the main attractions, free public transport, and also a free train ride to the airport.

It also gives you discounts for shopping, tours, dining. It’s much cheaper to get the card rather than buying individual tickets for everything.

What should I visit in Helsinki?

Senate Square

The Senate Square should be at the top of your Helsinki itinerary. It’s a great place to start your exploration of the Finnish capital. Senate Square is the main plaza in Helsinki and it has some of the oldest buildings in Helsinki.

You can find the Helsinki Cathedral, the Government Palace and the main building of the University of Helsinki here. There is also a Helsinki sign in the square, which is the perfect place for a picture.

Helsinki Cathedral

The Helsinki Cathedral stands tall in the heart of Helsinki. The building was completed in 1852 and it’s one of the landmarks of the city. It is a Finnish Evangelical Lutheran cathedral. You can learn more about it as part of an architectural walking tour. It’s definitely worth visiting, especially if it’s your first time in Helsinki.

Uspenski Cathedral

The other famous cathedral in Helsinki is Uspenski. The Helsinki Cathedral is the white one, while Uspenski is the crimson one. Uspenski Cathedral is a Greek Orthodox Cathedral. It’s a unique church and it’s considered to be the largest Greek Orthodox church in Northern and Western Europe.

It was designed by a Russian architect and it was built while Finland was an autonomic Grand Duchy of the Russian Empire. It’s built on a hill and the views of the city center are amazing.

Helsinki Market Square

The Helsinki Market Square is an outdoor market at one end of Esplanadi Park, by the water. There are booths serving food, while other booths sell fresh produce. Some of the local food you can find at the booths is reindeer and fish.

They have reindeer burgers, hot dogs, meatballs. And they have seafood plates where your salmon or mixed fish comes accompanied by potatoes and veggies. Simple and delicious.

Finland is on the more expensive side, so even a street food plate at this market costs around 15-20 euros. There are tables at the market where you can sit down and eat or you can just get it to go and eat in Esplanadi Park on a bench while people watching.

Esplanadi Park

Esplanadi Park is central Helsinki’s most famous park. It’s a great spot for a walk and for sitting down on a bench and people watch. During the summer months it’s always packed with locals and tourists alike. I assume it’s a different story during the winter months.

Kappeli is a nice restaurant in the middle of the park. It has delicious salmon soup. Or you can just grab a coffee and people watch.

Helsinki SkyWheel

SkyWheel is Helsinki’s Ferris wheel. It’s located in central Helsinki, walking distance from most top attractions. One of its cabins is a sauna and this makes it unique among all the other Ferris wheels. If there’s one thing Finns love is their saunas.

You can buy tickets in advance to avoid wasting time in line on the day you visit. A ride lasts 12 minutes and that’s about 3 spins. The wheel is 40 meters tall, so the views are fabulous.

Old Market Hall

Old Market Hall is one of the oldest indoor markets. It has been operating since 1889. It has a bunch of food stalls where you can get Finnish delicacies like reindeer meat or salmon.

It’s one of the most popular tourist attractions as it’s close to the waterfront and it’s a convenient location for people who come to Helsinki on a cruise ship. Even though it caters for tourists, they serve good food and prices are on par with other restaurants in Helsinki. It was a pleasant surprise.

I highly recommend you go to Kumpi Peruna. It’s a small booth that sells the most delicious potatoes with salmon or reindeer and unlimited toppings. I still dream about it!

food from kumpi peruna at old market hall in helsinki

Shopping at Stockmann

Stockmann is a Finnish department store with a lot of locations in Finland, Estonia, and Latvia. The flagship store is at one end of Esplanadi Park. It’s one of the best places to do some shopping in Helsinki. You can find both international brands and Scandinavian brands here.

Finnish National Theatre

The Finnish National Theatre is the oldest theatre in Finland as it was built in 1872. It’s in a nice plaza by the train station, and across the street from Ateneum Art Museum. It’s about a 5 min walk from the Helsinki Central Library Oodi. You should check it out while you’re in the area.

Helsinki Central Library Oodi

The Oodi Library is a contemporary public library and Helsinki’s central library. It also has meeting spaces, rooms where you can work or study in, places where children can play, and places where you can read books.

The building has a modern Finnish design and it is free for all, locals and tourists alike. I wish every city could have a spot like this one.

Museum of Contemporary Art

The museum of Contemporary Art is one of the museums that make up the Finnish National Gallery. It’s in a funky-looking building. It’s located close to the Central Library Oodi, so you should visit both while you’re in the area.

Ateneum Art Museum

The Ateneum Art Museum is a museum that exhibits Finnish art. It is one of the three museums that make up the Finnish National Gallery. The other two are the Museum of Contemporary Art and Sinebrychoff Art Museum.

Suomenlinna Sea Fortress

the author on suomenlinna island near helsinki

Suomenlinna is an island located 15 min from Helsinki by ferry. You can buy the ferry ticket in advance. The Suomenlinna Sea Fortress is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It should definitely be part of your Helsinki 2-day itinerary. You could also book a walking tour if you want to learn more about the fortress.

Try a sauna

Saunas are a big part of the Finnish culture. If the hotel you’re staying at doesn’t have saunas, Helsinki has public saunas you can use. Löyly is the most popular Finnish sauna in Helsinki and it has direct access to the water so you can take a dip after the sauna.

Where should I stay in Helsinki?

the author at the hotel maria in helsinki

I stayed at The Hotel Maria. It’s a luxury, 5-star hotel in central Helsinki. I loved my stay here. The staff was amazing, the suite I stayed in was the epitome of luxury (they even had Japanese toilets!), the breakfast spread was delicious.

It has four buildings that are interconnected through passageways and an outdoor courtyard. They are historical buildings in Helsinki that used to be the ministry of agriculture.

The hotel is owned by a 3-time Olympic gold medalist at ski jumping. You can see his medals exhibited in the hotel lobby. It’s a new hotel, they opened in December 2023. If you’re looking for a luxury hotel, The Hotel Maria is a great choice.

What should I eat in Helsinki?

Salmon and other seafood

Helsinki is famous for their salmon, so you should try some of the ways it’s prepared in Helsinki: salmon soup, roasted salmon, smoked salmon, salted salmon.

The other seafood you can find at a lot of restaurants and food markets is herring and vendace (those little fish). I loved them all.

I didn’t see a lot of chicken in Helsinki. They probably prefer to eat fish over chicken. And I can understand why. It’s abundant, it’s delicious, and it’s healthy.

Reindeer

plate of food at a restaurant in helsinki

Reindeer is another Finnish delicacy. They eat it more often than beef or pork. And they cook it in a lot of different ways: stew, meatballs, hot dogs, burgers. It tastes similar to beef and it’s tender. I personally loved it.

I highly recommend you go to Konstan Möljä for lunch or dinner one day. They serve traditional Finnish food (including reindeer stew) in a buffet style, so you can sample all the local food in one go.

You can also find reindeer dishes at all the food halls and food markets in Helsinki.

Korvapuusti

the author eating a cinnamon roll in helsinki

Finland is also known for delicious pastries. The most famous pastry is their cinnamon bun, or korvapuusti. You can find it in every bakery. I got mine at Ekberg, a bakery founded in 1852.

It has outdoor seating as well and you’re right in front of the tram, so the vibes are great. The decor reminded me of the cafes in Paris, so if you like that vibe you should check it out.

Blueberry tart

Finland produces a lot of berries and their blueberry tarts are delicious. You can go to Cafe Engel to try it, right across the street from the Helsinki Cathedral.

The view of the cathedral from the cafe is amazing. And they also serve lunch food, if you need more than a coffee and dessert.

Is Helsinki safe for solo female travelers?

Yes, I felt very safe in Helsinki. I traveled a lot in Western Europe and I have to say Helsinki feels much safer than Western Europe. I personally didn’t see any scammers or pick pockets even in crowded areas.

People mind their business and tend to be friendly towards tourists. I think Helsinki could be a great destination for a first solo trip.

How to get cell phone data when visiting from abroad?

The cheapest and most convenient way to get data while visiting from abroad is to buy an eSIM. An eSIM is a digital SIM that lets you activate a data plan from a provider without having to use a physical SIM card. They are super easy to use.

I use Nomad eSIM (use code IOAN43TM for 25% off your first purchase). You can go to their website, select the country you’re traveling to, select how many GB of data you want, and how many days you want the eSIM to be active for. After you pay you will receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to activate the eSIM.

You can activate it on your phone and the process takes under 1 minute. Once the eSIM is activated you don’t have to do anything else. When you’re at your destination you will automatically get data.

What is the best time for a trip to Helsinki?

I think the best times to visit are either the summer or the winter. If you go in the summer the days are longer and the weather is around 20+ degrees Celsius. So it’s warm, but much colder than Western Europe, and you can walk around and explore the city.

If you’re combining your trip to Helsinki with a visit to the Finnish Lapland, then winter is the best time to visit. You get to do all the winter activities, see the Aurora Borealis in Lapland, and see the major attractions in Helsinki too. There is plenty to do indoors in Helsinki if you’re not a big fan of the cold.

Do I need to book tickets for attractions in advance?

I highly recommend you book all the tickets online in advance of your trip. While Helsinki is less touristy than other places in Europe, I still think it’s a good idea to book things in advance. I’m a planner, though, so I’m biased.

Do people speak English in Helsinki?

Yes, people speak English in Helsinki. They are friendly towards tourists, but a bit cold. What do I mean by that? For example, in a store, they will help you at the register, but there won’t be much chit chat and there is rarely a smile. As I said, friendly, but not warm.

Do I need cash?

I didn’t use cash at all when I visited, I paid for everything with a credit card. But it’s always recommended to carry some cash with you so you can tip tour guides or buy souvenirs or something else from small mom-and-pop shops in case they don’t accept credit cards.

Pro tip: always get cash from an ATM in the airport instead of going to an exchange place. Your bank will always have better exchange rates when taking out cash in a foreign currency from an ATM.

How many days do I need in Helsinki?

I think 2 or 3 days are enough to see the main attractions in Helsinki since it’s not such a large capital. If you want to explore some hidden gems or do some day trips, then I recommend 4-5 days.

How can I get to the city center from Helsinki Airport?

There are a lot of options to get from the airport to the city center. You can take the train, located under the terminal. Local I and P trains both go to and from the airport. You can buy tickets at the train station. It will take about 30 minutes to get to the city center.

You could also take the bus. The ride takes about 40 minutes. The bus station is outside the arrivals hall. You can buy a ticket there.

If you have a lot of luggage and don’t want to deal with public transportation you can take a taxi or order a car on ride-sharing apps.

Alternatively you can also schedule a private transfer.

How can I get around Helsinki?

Helsinki, like most European cities, is very walkable. They also have great public transport options, so you can take the subway, tram, or bus to get to all major attractions.