Hobo Helsinki
A comfortable and convenient base for exploring Helsinki.
Europe · Finland
Helsinki
I spent about two weeks in Helsinki and loved getting to experience the city at a slower pace. Helsinki is incredibly walkable, full of beautiful architecture, parks, cozy cafés and unique experiences. I visited during fall, and the changing leaves made exploring the city even better.
- My trip
- Two weeks
- Diet
- Vegetarian
Helsinki is a great destination if you enjoy walkable cities, cafés, architecture, museums and slower-paced travel. I especially loved experiencing it during fall.
Don’t try to rush through Helsinki just checking off attractions. Some of my favorite moments were simply walking through the parks, finding another café and experiencing everyday life in the city.
Things to do
In and around Helsinki
Suomenlinna Sea Fortress
Take the ferry from Helsinki to Suomenlinna, a historic sea fortress spread across several islands. This was one of my favorite ways to get outside central Helsinki and see a completely different side of the city.
Helsinki Cathedral
One of Helsinki’s most recognizable landmarks. It’s an easy stop while exploring the city center and Senate Square.
University of Helsinki Botanical Garden
A beautiful and peaceful place to walk around. I visited during fall and especially loved seeing the gardens surrounded by changing leaves.
Ateneum Art Museum
Worth visiting if you enjoy art. It was extremely crowded when I went, but I was still glad I experienced it.
Löyly Helsinki
Add Löyly to your itinerary if you want to experience Finnish sauna culture while you’re in Helsinki. Its waterfront location also makes it a beautiful place to spend some time.
St. John’s Church
A beautiful neo-Gothic church and another worthwhile architecture stop while walking around Helsinki.
Helsinki’s Parks
One of my favorite simple things to do was just walk. Helsinki has beautiful green spaces, and visiting during fall made the parks especially pretty.
Drinks: Trillby & Chadwick
One of my most memorable cocktail experiences in Helsinki. This detective-themed speakeasy serves creative cocktails. I tried a drink made using a Perlini shaker that carbonated the cocktail. Good to know: photos and phone use aren’t allowed inside.
Drinks: Bar Mate
I really enjoyed the highballs here. The cloudberry highball was my favorite — 10/10.
Vegetarian food
Eating well in Helsinki
Where to stay
Hotels and stays
Radisson RED Helsinki
Near the train station. Pros: central location, close to the train station, clean updated rooms, nice lobby, park views, a desk for working and lots of amenities. Good to know: the rooms are on the smaller side — fine for me solo, but two people with a lot of luggage might find it tight. I paid around $175 per night.
Practical
Apps I use when traveling in Helsinki
The apps I rely on here, plus the general travel apps I use everywhere.
General Travel
GetYourGuide
Excursions, transportation, activities and tours.
Travel resources
Helpful Travel Resources
Tools and services I personally use that may make your trip easier.
Stay Connected Abroad
I use an eSIM to stay connected internationally without having to swap physical SIM cards.
Get an eSIM ↗ (opens in a new tab)Stay Active While Traveling
I’ve even taken a spin class in Chile using ClassPass. While it works internationally, I personally tend to use it more often when traveling domestically because taking fitness classes in another language can add an extra challenge.
Try ClassPass — Get 15 Workouts → (opens in a new tab)Referral link · availability varies by city
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