19 AMAZING Things to do in Helsinki in Winter! 2023
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Looking for the best things to do in Helsinki in winter? You’re in the right place! From drinking hot chocolate in cafes to visiting Helsinki’s landmarks, Helsinki is one of the best winter holiday destinations.
Helsinki is the capital of Finland and is full of historic landmarks, cosy cafes (the Finnish are the biggest coffee drinkers in the world), open-air food markets and gateways to some of the most beautiful national parks in the country.
It’s a special city in Europe, with lots going on at different times of the year. In this post, I’ve listed some of the best things to do in Helsinki in the cold, winter months (when you really need to wrap up warm, and hopefully experience a trip to Lapland too!).
So, let’s find out the best things to do in Helsinki in winter.
Other Finland posts:
- What to Wear in Lapland: Finland Winter Packing Guide
- 18 Unmissable Things to do in Rovaniemi, Finland
- 11 Top Tips for Visiting Finland for the First Time
Best Things to Do in Helsinki in Winter: A Summary
Finland is known for being one of the happiest countries in the world. Whether you’re heading to Helsinki, the capital city, or visiting the north for a snowy wonderland experience, Finland is one of the world’s best travel destinations.
If you’re visiting in the winter months, you can expect bustling Christmas markets and icy streets, layers of thick snow and lakes throughout the city frozen solid. You can even safely walk on the frozen Baltic Sea!
Whilst the winter months in Helsinki are often below 0°C, most of these winter activities are outdoors. Be prepared with winter clothes, lots of layers and a positive attitude to keep warm!
⛄️ Related post: What to Pack for a Winter Trip to Finland (Arctic Circle Packing List).
Weather in Helsinki in winter
If you’re visiting Helsinki in the winter, temperatures will vary. The coldest month is February, with temperatures averaging around -5.5°C. The lowest temperature recorded in Helsinki was -34.3°C (in 1987) which is extremely cold.
🧤Check out my winter in Lapland and Finland packing list before you visit Helsinki to ensure you’ve got the right gear to stay warm.
Daylight hours in Helsinki in winter
The days in Helsinki in winter are short and are approximately six hours. The sun can rise around 9-9.30 am and set around 3.30pm, although this varies depending on the month you’re visiting in.
❄️ Visit this Helsinki information website to check out the Helsinki winter daylight hours during the month you’re visiting.
Where to stay if you’re visiting Helsinki for the first time
If you’re travelling to Helsinki for the first time, these are some of the best hotels and hostels. As I’ve mentioned, Helsinki and Finland aren’t the cheapest places to travel to in Europe, so make sure to book in advance to get the lowest prices!
❄️ Hotel Mestari: a hotel in the centre of Helsinki ➡ BOOK AND CHECK PRICES HERE!
❄️ The Yard Hostel: a luxury hostel for backpackers in Helsinki! ➡ BOOK AND CHECK PRICES HERE!
Best Things to Do in Helsinki in Winter
1. Visit Helsinki Cathedral and Senate Square
Helsinki Cathedral is the most recognisable landmark in the city and Finland. Senate Square and the Cathedral make up the oldest parts of Helsinki, and the cathedral is a big ‘wow‘ moment when you see it for the first time.
Either stroll around Helsinki Cathedral at your own pace or book a tour with a local guide. Having your own guide is a great option, as they go into detail about the history of Helsinki.
In fact, the Helsinki Cathedral is a great sight to see in the city at any time of year, but with the icy stairs and snowy windows, it’s one of the best things to do in Helsinki during winter!
2. Join a small group Helsinki walking tour
One of my favourite things to do in cities is to join a small group walking tour. Not only do you get to hear about Helsinki’s history, but you get to meet other like-minded travellers (which often turns into a beer in a pub after!)
There is a free Helsinki walking tour at 1pm daily, which anyone can attend. All that is expected of you is a tip to the guide at the end of the tour. The tour lasts around 2 hours and includes parts of the city like the Market Square, House of Estates and Helsinki Cathedral.
🇫🇮 You can find out more about the free walking tour here.
3. Try a traditional Finnish sauna
Taking a trip to a sauna on a freezing-cold Finnish winter’s day is one of my favourite activities. Warm up after walking around snowy Helsinki streets, and even treat yourself to a wine in the bar afterwards.
There are plenty of saunas to choose from around Helsinki, but our favourite was Uusi Sauna, located in Välimerenkatu 10. There are separate saunas for men and women, as well as a large restaurant and two outdoor terraces.
I’ve also heard good things about Allas Sea Pool and Sauna Hermanni. Both were on our list, but we just didn’t have the time to experience both of them. Next time!
🇫🇮 Never been to a Finnish sauna before? Read all about the customs and rules in a Finnish sauna here!
4. Go ice skating at one of Helsinki’s FREE outdoor ice rinks
During the winter months, Helsinki has over nine artificial ice rinks free for the public to use. The largest ice rink is located at Helsinki Ice Park, but some of the best rinks include Oulunkylä Ice Rink, Brahe Ice Rink, Jätkäsaari Ice Rink, Käpylä Ice Rink and Laajasalo Ice Rink.
Open and entirely free for all, you can hire skates at the entrance and enjoy a day of skating, drinking coffee and trying not to fall over. One of the best things to do in Helsinki in winter!
⛄️ Related post: What to Pack for a Winter Trip to Finland (Arctic Circle Packing List).
5. Warm up in the free museums
Helsinki is known for its art and design, and the museums demonstrate just that. Check out the Helsinki City Museum for free exhibitions and a comfy lounge to rest your tired feet in the warm.
For museums with paid exhibitions (like the Design Museum), you can get a Helsinki card for a discount. Your Helsinki card also gives you unlimited public transport journeys.
6. Visit the Helsinki Winter Gardens
Another amazing thing to do in Helsinki in winter is to visit the winter gardens. There are two large greenhouse indoor gardens in Helsinki to explore, and both are fun days out of the cold weather.
Helsinki Winter Garden (Talvipuutarha in Finnish) is free of charge and is a short walk from the sea. Alternatively, Kaisaniemi Botanic Garden, which costs 12 EUR to enter, is right by the railway station and has aesthetics taken straight from a dreamy Pinterest board.
7. Grab a hot chocolate at Cafe Regatta
One of our favourite things to do in Helsinki in winter was to sit right next to the frozen Gulf, sip on hot chocolate and watch the world go by. This is all made possible by the family-run Cafe Regatta.
Situated about 15 minutes away on a tram from the centre, Cafe Regatta is a traditional Finnish red hut cafe, serving up cakes, hot drinks, and sausages for you to cook over an open fire. The aesthetics are worth the trip, as you’ll find swings, quirky cars, bikes and plants to make your visit that extra bit special. It’s truly something.
If you visit in winter, the Gulf of Finland (leading on to the Baltic Sea) will be frozen over, and you’ll find locals and tourists sledging and taking a stroll over the solid water!
8. Check out the Sibelius Monument
About a 3-minute walk from Cafe Regatta, you’ll find the Sibelius Monument in Sibelius Park. It’s an unusual view made out of 600 hollow steel pipes and it makes for a good photo. The Sibelius Monument is dedicated to the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius and is a great addition when visiting Cafe Regatta.
⚠️ If you’re planning on walking through any parks in Helsinki in winter, be careful! It is very slippery and took us about 30 minutes longer than it should have to make the journey from the park to the bus stop. There are many parks throughout the city – in this case, in between the bus stop and Cafe Regatta and the Sibelius Monument. Tread carefully!
9. Visit Esplanade Park
If you’re visiting Helsinki around Christmas time, you’ll find Christmas markets and lights leading the way at Esplanade Park. It’s festive and fun during winter and links downtown Helsinki to Market Square!
🇫🇮 FUN FACT: Finnish law states that anyone has the right to forage in the countryside for their own food (mushrooms and berries), whether it’s public or private land.
10. Try a new dish at the Old Market Hall
The Old Market Hall is Finland’s oldest indoor market hall and serves up everything from Finnish snacks to cheese, eggs and coffee.
The interior of the hall is full of traditional Finnish stalls and a warm atmosphere. You can pull up a chair or just browse the shops, trying all kinds of Finnish foods along the way. Ever fancied eating a reindeer spring roll before? 🤪
11. Try a local Finnish restaurant
There’s nothing quite like stepping into a warm restaurant after a long day exploring in the cold! Helsinki is home to hundreds of traditional Finnish restaurants, and you can’t visit without trying one.
Our favourite was Lappi, due to it reminding us of the traditions of Lapland (and serving some incredible food!)
❄️ Check out HerFinland’s post on the best restaurants in Helsinki here!
12. Check out a Finnish library
If you’re like me, you’ll like checking out the local libraries in every new city you visit. And Helsinki was no different! You’ll find hundreds of locals in Helsinki’s local libraries, with the best named Oodi, which is close to the Helsinki rail station.
It’s definitely architecture worth a nod to the designers in the city. Plus, it’s a perfect thing to do in Helsinki in the winter because it’s warm!
🇫🇮 FUN FACT: Helsinki has the cleanest tap water of all the cities in the world.
13. Get your adrenaline pumping during an ice-floating experience
One way to get your heart racing would be to whack on a survival suit and go ice-floating! Whilst it may not be your average Helsinki experience, it’s definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
You’ll slip on a neoprene survival suit and feel completely warm and dry in the dangerously cold water. Once you’re confident enough in the shallows, you’ll have the chance to plunge into the deeper water.
You can book your once-in-a-lifetime ice-floating experience here.
14. Experience the magic of Christmas at the winter markets
Who doesn’t love a European Christmas market?! Some of the best Christmas markets in the continent are in Helsinki, Finland.
Small wooden cabins selling everything from mulled wine to hand-crafted trinkets, playing Christmas music and serving up all of the delicious Christmas food – it’s the perfect way to get excited about the festive season! Most Christmas markets start around the end of November and run into late December.
⛄️ Check out this year’s Christmas market dates here.
15. Set sail to the Suomenlinna Fortress
If you fancy something a little different whilst visiting Helsinki in the winter, plan a day visiting the Suomenlinna Fortress. Just a 15-minute ferry ride from Helsinki Market Square, it’s a UNESCO world heritage site and one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country.
Suomenlinna is an 18th-century sea fortress and is situated on a group of islands off the coast of Helsinki. It has many walking trails and parkland for tourists to enjoy, as well as the sights of the King’s Gate drawbridge and the Suomenlinna Museum.
If you’re spending the day at Suomenlinna, there are a few waterside restaurants and there’s even a brewery to enjoy. It’s a great activity when visiting Helsinki in the winter, especially as the fortress looks much more dramatic in the snow!
16. View a light show at Lux Helsinki
Lux Helsinki is an annual light event, usually taking place in January. It’s a free activity to do in Helsinki and consists of light artworks across buildings and various spaces of the city, designed by both international and Finnish artists.
Over half a million people visit the light show each year, and it’s worth checking out if you are in Helsinki in January!
❄️ FUN FACT: The coldest temperature ever recorded in Finland was -51.5°C. Yikes!
Day trips from Helsinki in winter
Want to head a little further afield? There are plenty of winter day trips you can take from Helsinki, especially if you want to experience some of the incredible Finnish countrysides.
17. Visit Nuuksio National Park
Known as one of Finland’s top nature attractions, Nuuksio National Park is one of the most beautiful national parks in the country -especially in winter. You’ll step into a winter wonderland, surrounded by frozen lakes, snowy trees and ancient cliffs.
You can book your Nuuksio National Park tour here.
18. Take the Santa Claus Express to Finnish Lapland
This one may not be a day trip from Helsinki, but it’s one of the best things to do if you have the time in Finland. As you may or may not know, Finland is home to wintery Lapland, including the home of the ‘official’ Santa Claus.
From Helsinki, you can board an overnight train to the capital of the Arctic – Rovaniemi, or book a one-hour flight to the north of the country. We spent a week in the Finnish Lapland and fell in love with its magic. It’s somewhere I would recommend to anyone, young or old.
🎅🏽 Not sure what to do or how to visit Lapland? I have a whole Lapland guide here!
19. Take the ferry to Tallinn, Estonia
If you fancy taking a day trip out of Helsinki in winter, there is the opportunity to visit Tallinn across the Gulf of Finland. The day trip lasts around 11 hours, including a 2-hour return ferry to and from Tallinn port.
Spend the day strolling around Tallinn’s old town, with its medieval charm and countless museums, shops and restaurants.
If you’re planning on doing the Tallinn day trip, you need to book online beforehand. The trip fills up quickly and there is no guarantee that there will be space left if you don’t!
🇪🇪 You can book your Tallinn ferry day trip here.
The Best Things to Do in Helsinki in Winter: FAQs
1) Is Helsinki worth visiting in the winter?
Yes! The winter wonderland city is well known for its fun winter activities, and the blankets of snow just make it that little bit more special. If you’re visiting before Christmas, you can check out the markets and go ice skating. In January and February, Helsinki is a frozen wonderland and has so many fun winter activities on offer.
2) How should I dress for Helsinki in the winter?
With lots of layers. Layer up and layer up some more. Check out my essential winter in Finland packing list to ensure you have all of the right clothes to stay warm!
3) What is a Helsinki card?
If you’re visiting Helsinki in the winter, it’s worth getting a Helsinki card. It’s a card that allows entrance to all of the top attractions and museums in the city, as well as public transport. The card is valid for 24, 48 or 72 hours from the first time it is used.
4) Do I need a car to travel around Finland?
This is down to personal preference. We found Finland easy enough to travel around via buses, trains and even flying (for example, from Helsinki to Rovaniemi).
But, driving in Finland is safe and straightforward. Some of the main towns and cities are a distance away from each other, so to maximise your time in the country, you may want to hire a car.
🇫🇮 If you’re looking to hire a car in Finland, we rent our cars from this company. They’re reliable, cheap and have car rentals all over the world! ➡ You can check out the prices for car hire in Finland now!
5) Do I need a SIM card to travel around Finland?
Yes, it’s worth downloading an eSIM on your phone to ensure you can use it for directions and avoid roaming charges as soon as you arrive.
ESIMs are easy to download and ready to use within a few minutes of purchasing, so there’s no longer a need to hunt down free Wifi! ➡ You can check out the prices and packages for eSIMs here!
Package holidays to Lapland, Finland
One of the best budget ways to visit Lapland in Finland is via a package holiday. With prices starting at just £579 per person, this is an amazing way to see the country without breaking the bank!
What does a package holiday to Finland include? The package holidays will include both flights and accommodation. They’re also all ATOL protected, and you can book with a simple low deposit, spreading the total cost of the holiday across a period of time.
➡ You can look at incredible package holidays to Lapland here!
Volunteering or house-sitting in Finland
The most budget-friendly options for staying in Finland on a budget include either volunteering or pet-sitting. Both of these options will give you free accommodation in return for your services. So, how do you find these opportunities?
🥕 Volunteering: Use Worldpackers. They’re a trusted site with volunteering opportunities all over the world. You can choose the job you do, how long for and how many hours you work per day. Check out Worldpackers opportunities here! (Plus my link gets you $10 off your membership!)
🐈 House or pet-sitting: Use Trusted Housesitters. We have used this company all over the world in exchange for free accommodation. Use the website to find a suitable house sit for you (dogs, cats, lizards, chickens), set the dates you’ll be there and how long for, and apply for a sit!
The Best Things to Do in Helsinki in Winter: In a Nutshell
So, there you have it! Everything you need to know about the best things to do in Helsinki in winter. When you’re planning a trip to Finland, make sure you let me know over on Instagram or in the comments below!
If you haven’t seen my blog before, I write posts aimed at first-time backpackers on a budget. I’m currently travelling around the world with my boyfriend (read more here!), creating guides and itineraries for you to follow in our footsteps!
Keep an eye out for more Finland content, all written from a personal and realistic point of view. You can sign up for my newsletter and juicy travel updates here!
As always, thanks for reading and supporting the blog!
Happy travelling 🙂
Jennie x
🇫🇮 Where to next?
- What to Wear in Lapland: ULTIMATE Arctic Circle Packing List!
- 18 Unmissable Things to do in Rovaniemi, Finland
- 11 Top Tips for Visiting Finland for the First Time
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MEET THE AUTHOR!
Hi! I'm Jennie! As a part-time travel blogger based in London, I'm using my 10+ years of travel expertise to encourage & inspire you to step out of your comfort zone through sustainable, mindful and purposeful travel.
If I'm not writing, I'm either reading, drinking coffee or taking a wild swim (all at the same time if I'm feeling impressive).
