What to do in Helsinki for a day in winter

Here is what to do in Helsinki for a day whether you have a long layover or you are here for a short time, here is what I would recommend seeing and doing. Be sure to check out my Travel Guide to Helsinki in Winter for more tips and advice.

What to do in Helsinki for a day in the morning

In the morning start with a sauna. The Finns love a sauna and there are plenty in the city to choose from. Allas sea pool is open all day from very early morning to late evening and is, therefore, a perfect choice. They have an outdoor pool as well as a pool which takes water from the sea and is a chilly 1 degree. The sauna is situated in the changing room where the lockers are. Allas sea pool also has a restaurant where to grab a bite to eat and enjoy the sweeping sea views.

Remember to bring a swimming costume and a towel if you want to go to Allas Sea Pool. You will need to rent both if you forget.

Where to eat in Helsinki cheap

When you finish the sauna head to the old market hall which is just around the corner from Allas sea pool and try a Finnish delicacy – salmon soup. The prices I found were reasonable and the soup was delicious. You can also get a cinnamon bun in the old market hall and some coffee. Finnish coffee is very good, some restaurants also have free refills on filter coffee be sure to look out for them.

What to do in Helsinki for a day in the afternoon

Take the ferry to Suomenlinna fortress a UNESCO world heritage site. You can see the ferry terminal from Allas Sea pool and the old market hall. The ferry takes 15 minutes and it is completely free to enter Sumonelinna fortress – you only need to purchase a return ticket for the ferry. Make sure you purchase your ticket BEFORE you go on the ferry. You can purchase tickets at the ticket booths next to the ferry terminal or through the HSL app for convenience and get a digital QR code.

Suomenlinna Island is beautiful but it is all outside so maybe not be the best choice if the weather is bad. It is super windy as it is an island and there was a lot of snow and ice around. It took me a lot longer than I thought to visit Suomenlinna Island as I had to take care to slip on the ice. Suomenlinna is a fortress and has many museums on the island most of them there is an additional charge.

Take note of the ferry times when you arrive as they come as they are at weird times and don’t come frequently ie an hour or longer.

Walking Tour of Helsinki

Another popular option of what to do in Helsinki for a day is to do a walking tour. These are usually free to do and if you enjoyed the tour you can tip the tour guide at the end. Helsinki is a walkable city and is therefore a perfect choice to take a walking tour of Helsinki.

Most walking tours begin at Senate Square where you will find the Helsinki Cathedral. Alternatively, you could do your own walking tour of the city as it is pretty easy to navigate.

24 hours in Helsinki alternative itinerary

Helsinki has a lot of museums some offer free admission at certain times. The museums in Helsinki are very interesting if you like museums. You can also visit the Rock Church called Tempeliiakio. It costs €5 to enter, sometimes they have concerts or someone practising during visiting hours. Do note that there are no toilets at the rock church and the nearest public toilet is about a 10-minute walk.

What to see in Helsinki in one day breakdown

• Head to senate square and check out Helsinki Cathedral. It’s free to enter!
• Finland National Library
• Upspenski Church
• Rock Church cost €5 you can take the tram to save time
• HAM
• National Museum of Finland
• Amos Rex Museum
• Allas Sea Pool, Yrjönkatu swimming hall or Loyly for a sauna/swimming experience

Top Tip: If you want to use public transport in Helsinki download the HSL app (it is blue with a sun-like symbol) This allows you to have your pass digitally and is cheaper than buying from the machines. You can buy a day pass for €8 or you can buy a single journey if that is all you require.

First Time in Helsinki what to pack

If it is your first time in Helsinki in winter I would recommend wrapping up warm ie lots of layers. Bring a warm waterproof coat and some waterproof boots. In winter I would bring sturdy shoes that have a decent grip as you may encounter a lot of snow and ice. Definitely bring some gloves a scarf and a hat, Helsinki is right by the sea and the wind is chilly.

If you would like to try a sauna experience I would recommend bringing a swimming costume and a towel with you. Allas sea pool for example charges you €8.50 to rent a towel.

Day Trip to Helsinki from Tallinn

If you have been to Helsinki before you may be interested in seeing a new country. A cruise to Tallinn Estonia only takes 2 hours one way and you can easily make this into a day trip.

One Day in Helsinki from Cruise Ship

What to do in Helsinki for a day:

• Head to Senate Square – here is where you can find Helsinki Cathedral and you can enter Helsinki Cathedral for free!
• Opposite Helsinki Cathedral is the Finland National Library. If you want to see a cool library with high levels stacked with books this place is for you.
  Note: You do need to remove your coat and bags when you enter this library – they do provide coat hangers and a locker free of charge.
• Head to one of the cafes on looking at senate square for a coffee or a bit to eat.
• If you love a cathedral head to Upsenki Cathedral a short walk away. There is free admission.
• For lunch go to the Old Market Hall where you will find a huge variety of food on offer. I would recommend Salmon Soup for a traditional Finnish dish.
• If you have time Allas Sea Pool is a short walk from Old Market Hall where you enjoy 3 hours of swimming and sauna by the sea.

All of these locations you can walk to so there is no need to get public transport.

Thanks for reading what to do in Helsinki for a day and I hope you have found this article useful. Let me know if you do any of the activities mentioned or if you think I’ve missed something.