To see the major sights in Helsinki, you’ll need 1–2 days.
The city is often used as a gateway to the Arctic wilderness of Lapland—either by taking the overnight polar express or during a layover. As Finland’s capital, it’s likely your first encounter with Finnish culture and makes for a great introduction to the country.
Read on to find out how we spent 24 hours in the city, plus some tips if you have even less time.
What You'll Find In This Post:
1 Day in Helsinki Itinerary
This is an example itinerary featuring some of my favorite places to see.
Morning
Helsinki has plenty to offer when it comes to coffee. The Finns are some of the world’s biggest coffee drinkers per capita, after all.
If you booked accommodation without breakfast, a great place to start your day is La Torrefazione. It’s located on one of downtown Helsinki’s main streets and makes an excellent starting point for further exploration. They offer a wide range of coffees and teas, plus both sweet and savory bites.
(Free) Walking Tour Option
After breakfast at La Torrefazione, you can walk to the statue of Havis Amanda near the harbor area. That’s the starting point for Helsinki’s free walking tour.
I love free walking tours and try to do one in every city I visit. If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, it’s basically a tour of the major attractions given by a local with no fixed price. You tip your guide at the end based on your budget and how you enjoyed the tour.
Free walking tours are a great way to see a lot in a short time while learning about the place you’re visiting. The guides will also happily offer suggestions and recommendations for what to do next.
Important: The free walking tour in Helsinki only operates daily between April and October. If you’re visiting at a different time, check their website for tour dates.
The tour lasts approximately two hours. If you do the tour, jump to the “Where to Go for Lunch” section below.
‘Where to go for lunch‘ below.
Late Morning/Noon (If You’re NOT Doing the Free Walking Tour)
After breakfast, continue down the main street (Aleksanterinkatu) to Senate Square.
On your left, you’ll pass the University of Helsinki just before reaching the square and the magnificent Helsinki Cathedral. It’s a neoclassical building designed by famed German architect Carl Ludvig Engel, who also designed the surrounding buildings and Senate Square itself.
It’s an active cathedral with regular services, weddings, and other events.
Helsinki City Museum
On the opposite side of the square, you’ll find the Helsinki City Museum—voted Finland’s most popular museum.
The museum focuses on Helsinki’s development as a city over the last couple of centuries. It’s worth visiting but won’t take long. I reckon you can be done in as little as an hour.
Best of all, it’s free to enter. It provides background information about the city and introduces you to Finnish culture (they have a whole section on saunas in Helsinki).
Orthodox Church of Helsinki
After the museum, continue down Aleksanterinkatu until you reach the end. You’ll find yourself in front of Helsinki’s Orthodox Church—an imposing 19th-century building you can visit for free to marvel at the icons.
Where to Go for Lunch?
You’ll have a choice: grab something quick or sit down and enjoy something more substantial while recharging your batteries.
For a Quick Bite
Head to the Old Market Hall (Google Maps link) in the harbor area. You’ll have the choice of some local dishes or more international options there. If you haven’t done the free walking tour, you can also see the Havis Amanda statue nearby.
For a Sit Down Lunch
If you’re looking for a more upscale experience with a lunch menu, Pompier is an excellent option.
Another good option is the restaurant Helsinki. It’s in a courtyard just off of Senate square. They offer buffet lunches for as little as 13.70 EUR.
If you’re looking for a more fine dining experience at a place that also offers a lunch menu – Pompier is a good option.
Early Afternoon
After lunch, head to Helsinki’s harbor and catch a ferry to Suomenlinna (Castle of Finland), a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
This sea fortress comprises 8 different islands and was built in the 18th century. The ferry is part of the public transport network—you can buy a ticket in the app or at the ticket machine. You’ll need a zone A ticket. The journey takes about 15 minutes.
⚠️ Important: You cannot buy tickets on the ferry.
Exploring the Fortress
When you arrive, I suggest taking “the Blue Route,” which gives you a great overview of everything worth seeing.
The route is about 1.5 kilometers (1 mile) long with five information boards providing details about the place. You can download a visitor’s map from here.
You can also reserve a spot on a guided walking tour of the fortress to learn more about its history and present-day life on the islands. Tours cost 13 EUR for adults—book your place here.
Late Afternoon
Upon returning to Helsinki in the afternoon, I recommend heading to Oodi—Helsinki’s central library, which is so much more than just a library.
It’s a modern building finished in 2018 that spans three floors and houses much more than books. It’s a great place for afternoon tea or coffee with something sweet. Click here for more information on the library and what you can do there.
Evening
The evening is perfect for a stroll around the city.
Notable sights worth checking out include:
- Svenska Theater
- Esplanadi Park
- Vanha Kirkkopuisto (Old Church Park)
- The Design District, with independent shops promoting Finnish goods and design
You can also visit the SkyWheel near the harbor and enjoy the city from a different perspective.
Where to go for dinner?
I have a few restaurant suggestions for dinner. It’s always wise to reserve a table in advance, especially on weekends or for large parties.
Ravintola Savotta
This traditional rustic Finnish restaurant features waiting staff who explain each dish in great detail. You can try Finnish staples here. Though prices are a bit steep, the food is excellent if you can afford it.
Budget-Friendly Traditional Options
If you’re looking for something more affordable but still want traditional Finnish cuisine, these two restaurants are next to each other and offer delicious food with a cozy atmosphere at reasonable prices:
Something different:
I can wholeheartedly recommend Everest. It’s a Nepalese restaurant just outside the harbour area. We went there on our first night in Finland and had an amazing time. The food is fantastic and the owner is very friendly and helpful.
Is the Helsinki Card Worth It?
Unless you’re able to visit more than 4 museums in 24 hours, the Helsinki card isn’t really worth the money. However, it may offer some benefits if you’re staying longer.
The Helsinki Card now comes in three different versions, each with different benefits and price points. Let me break down whether it’s worth it for a short visit.
The Three Helsinki Card Options
Helsinki Card Digital (51 EUR for 24 hours)
- 50+ benefits including museums and attractions
- Public transport NOT included
- Available only online
Helsinki Card City (62 EUR for 24 hours)
- 50+ benefits including museums and attractions
- Public transport in zones AB included (does NOT include airport)
- Most practical for city center visits
Helsinki Card Region (66 EUR for 24 hours)
- 50+ benefits including museums and attractions
- Public transport in zones ABC included (covers the airport)
- Best if you’re arriving by plane
What’s Included?
All three cards give you:
- Free entrance to numerous museums (Amos Rex, Ateneum, Kiasma, and more)
- Free access to Suomenlinna Sea Fortress attractions and guided tour (more on this below)
- Free hop-on-hop-off bus tours (May-September)
- Free sightseeing cruises (though most of them don’t operate in winter)
- Discounts in restaurants and shops
The City and Region cards also include unlimited public transport for the duration of your card.
The Math for 24 Hours
Here’s the reality: unless you’re visiting 3-4 museums plus taking multiple tours, the card is hard to break even on in just 24 hours.
For example, with the City card at 62 EUR, you’d need to do something like:
- 2 museums (normally 20-22 EUR each) = ~42 EUR
- Suomenlinna guided tour (normally 14 EUR) = 14 EUR
- Public transport day ticket (10 EUR) = 10 EUR
- Total value: ~66 EUR
That’s already quite a challenge considering many of Helsinki’s best sights are free or not included in the card and the city is pretty walkable.
For Longer Stays
If you’re spending 48 or 72 hours in the city, the card makes more sense. The 48-hour City Card costs 77 EUR, and the 72-hour costs 93 EUR. With more time, you can realistically visit 4-5 museums and make better use of the benefits.
Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide based on your travel style and budget. Just bear in mind that for a quick 24-hour visit, it’s not really a bargain unless you’re planning an extremely packed itinerary.
Where to Stay in Helsinki?
Helsinki’s city center is remarkably compact—you can walk almost anywhere.
If you’re not spending much time in the city, opt for accommodation in downtown Helsinki. This way, you won’t waste time traveling to the city center before starting your exploration.
We stayed at the Scandic Helsinki Hub. It was centrally located, had excellent reviews, and was affordable. We paid 115 EUR for a spacious double room for one night, with breakfast included. The staff were welcoming, the room and hotel were clean and the breakfast was varied with a lot of home made options. All in all, an excellent value for money!
Just be aware that Scandic is a large hotel chain with several Helsinki properties that vary in price and quality. Depending on the season, hotels can get pricey, so consider checking for a suitable Airbnb or hostel if you’re backpacking.
Do I Need to Use Public Transport in Helsinki?
As mentioned above, you can discover most of what Helsinki has to offer on foot.
Most attractions are within walking distance. However, if you struggle with sustained walking or have mobility issues, don’t worry—Helsinki has an excellent and affordable public transport network.
Ticket Prices
- Single ticket (zones AB, where most major sights are): 3.40 EUR
- Day ticket (zones AB): 10 EUR
- Airport ticket (zone ABC): 4.70 EUR
You can buy tickets at machines in metro stations or stops, but we highly recommend downloading the HSL app. It’s extremely easy to use with a clean design and you get a small discount on the tickets if you buy them with the app. You can also plan your journey, so you’ll know exactly where to get on and off.
Just remember the airport is in zone C, so you’ll need an ABC ticket (4.70 EUR) to get into the city initially.
Personally, we prefer walking—you get to breathe in the atmosphere of a city and can uncover hidden gems and small streets throughout.
Conclusion
Although you may not see absolutely everything in 24 hours, you can accomplish quite a lot in that time.
For alternative ideas on what to see and do—especially if you’re visiting in the middle of winter like we did—check out our article on 11 Things to See and Do in Helsinki While Staying Warm.
I hope I’ve given you a good idea of what’s possible in a short time in this city. Safe travels!
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