Things to do
What’s on in Helsinki this September: the best things to do
Welcome, autumn – we’re ready for you.
Things to do in Helsinki
Your essential guide to the best stuff on in Helsinki right now
Things to do
Best things to do in Helsinki: a local’s guide for 2026
Forget bucket lists and 'must-see' sights (we don’t have many, honestly). Helsinki is its own beast.
Things to do
Helsinki on a budget: the city’s best free attractions
The best things in life are free, right?
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Things to do
Street dancers take over Senate Square this Saturday
Sixteen dancers, surprise tracks, one winner – and the crowd decides who takes it on Saturday 5 September
Things to do
Serious liquorice news: Kouvolan Lakritsi is opening a flagship store on Keskuskatu
1,000 kilos of liquorice up for grabs on opening day, Saturday 5 September
Things to do
Open House Helsinki is opening the doors to some of the city’s most curious buildings
The architecture festival is giving the public access to a power plant, Parliament House, artists’ studios and private homes
Things to do
Trams will start crossing Kruunuvuori Bridge in November
The new tram lines will connect Laajasalo with both Pasila and Helsinki Central Railway Station
Things to do
What’s on in Helsinki this September: the best things to do
From festivals and gigs to exhibitions and unexpected one-offs, here are the best things to do in Helsinki this September
Things to do
Helsinki Opera Summer: a hungover passion and other musical surprises
Helsinki’s independent opera and musical theatre festival returns with a delightfully unpredictable programme
Things to do
UFO seen in Helsinki
No need to call Mulder and Scully: the flying saucer that has landed in Kaisaniemi is actually part of Helsinki Design Week.
Things to do
Best things to do in Helsinki: a local’s guide for 2026
Finland’s capital mixes cool Nordic vibes with the heat of traditional saunas. Here’s how to explore Helsinki at its very best.
Things to do
Swedish sweet sensation Bubs is opening a pop-up shop in central Helsinki
There’s sweet news in store for central Helsinki at the end of the summer, as Bubs opens its own pop-up shop in late August
Things to do
Flow Festival 2026: the weekend's best gigs, hour by hour
Too much to choose from? We’ve picked the must-see sets from Flow’s nearly 150 performances
Book a hotel stay in Helsinki
Hotels
The best hotels in Helsinki in 2026
Helsinki’s hotels are much like the city itself: stylish, surprising and full of stories. The city’s diversity shines through the windows of its...
Hotels
Helsinki’s Best Budget Hotels – 10 places where you can find a room for under €100
Looking for a place to stay in Helsinki that leaves you with money to spare for everything else?
We Finns often say that travelling in our own country is...
Hotels
24 hours in Hanaholmen hotel
When it comes to the ultimate iconic nature experience around Helsinki, three elements are essential: the sea, pine forests and the occasional whooper swan...
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Give your budget a break
Shopping
The best shops in Helsinki
Shopping might not be the hottest thing right now, but let’s be honest – sometimes there’s nothing better than treating yourself to a new (or...
Shopping
Helsinki's best thrift stores
Forget fast fashion and the same old high-street chains. In Helsinki, the best shopping happens in second-hand stores. These places are full of genuine...
Shopping
The best bookshops in Helsinki
Helsinki takes its bookshop culture seriously – and you’ll notice how quickly locals speak up to defend it. Residents are fiercely loyal to their...
Try something new
Things to do
Helsinki Distilling Company – visit the city’s finest distillery
What would a city be without its own distillery? Helsinki’s very own, The Helsinki Distilling Company, sits in the trendy Teurastamo district –...
Things to do
Let Arctic Helsinki surprise you – these experiences will make you forget you’re in the city
Planning a couple of days in wintery Helsinki? Many travellers heading to Lapland via the capital don’t realise that Finland’s biggest city also...
Things to do
Best day trips from Helsinki that even locals swear by
Want to experience Helsinki in an unexpected way? To see more than the usual sights, even if you’ve only got one day? You can – even without...
More tips for exploring Helsinki
Art
The best art galleries in Helsinki, according to artists
Looking for the best galleries in Helsinki? We asked artists and art world insiders which galleries they get most excited about
Shopping
Helsinki’s best thrift stores for vintage and second-hand finds
From vintage gems to bargain second-hand, here’s where to thrift your way through Helsinki's pre-loved scene.
Shopping
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Forget your average shopping trip – 7 reasons Helsinki Outlet comes out on top
At Helsinki Outlet, the whole family can enjoy a relaxed day out filled with shopping, good food, and a range of services and events
LGBTQ+
The best LGBTQ+ events in Helsinki this spring
Spring is bringing a rainbow of things to do in Helsinki, from drag and crafts to comedy and erotic bingo – pick your favourites and get them in the diary now
Art
Eero Nelimarkka exhibition opens at the Ateneum this March
A sweeping new show at Helsinki’s Ateneum re-introduces the versatile Finnish painter whose evocative landscapes and portraits reveal unexpected depths
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Nightlife
Hi-Hat Bar brims with theatrical flair
You could easily imagine you’ve stumbled into the Roaring Twenties at this new bar on Iso Roobertinkatu’s pedestrian street
Art
Move over, Avatar: the GENESIS multimedia spectacle lights up Kallio Church in Helsinki
The grand, granite architecture of Kallio church becomes a vast, living canvas in this multimedia show
Kids
Best things to do in Helsinki with kids
Get ready for an unforgettable family adventure – because when you experience Helsinki with children, the city becomes one big playground: the trams rattle,...
Art
A new art event arrives in Torikorttelit: free and open around the clock
The outdoor art event brings works by young artists to windows, balconies and courtyards
Nightlife
The Grand Comeback of Kämp Bar
The bar of Helsinki’s most legendary hotel, Hotel Kämp, has reopened in a renewed form, showcasing theatrically smoking dishes and a cocktail served from a...