The 15 BEST things to do in Helsinki in the winter

Last updated on December 23rd, 2025

Planning a winter getaway to Finland? We’re sharing the best things to do in Helsinki in the winter!

As Finland’s largest city and capital, Helsinki is the perfect launching point for a winter getaway to Finnish Lapland or a day trip to Tallinn, Estonia. But it also makes for a destination on its own!

Here you can find a unique mix of architecture, delicious Finnish treats, and fun activities (like exploring an island!). And while it is a popular summer destination, it offers quite a bit to do in the winter as well. Especially for those willing to channel their inner sisu and embrace the weather. If we (two Texans) can do it, so can you!

In this guide we’re sharing 15 finntastic (sorry, we had to!) things to do in Helsinki in the winter. Plus helpful tips for your visit, like how to stay warm. Because trust us, it will be COLD!

Should you visit Helsinki in the winter?

Before we dive into the best things to do in Helsinki in the winter, let’s first address your possible burning question. Should you even visit Helsinki in the winter?

Many people argue that summer is the best time to visit Helsinki. And we’d certainly love to experience Finland in the summer. The endless sea of green trees, islands, and hikes look right up our alley!

But despite its very frigid winters, we do think Helsinki is worth visiting in the winter as well. Yes, it is cold. Yes, it can be very gray and cloudy. And yes, the daylight is limited. But for those looking for a true winter getaway, Finland is hard to beat. 

As long as you have the right clothing and mindset you’ll have a wonderful time in Helsinki in the winter. After all, as the Scandinavian saying goes “there is no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing.” Plus there are plenty of indoor activities, soups, and activities to keep you warm!

The 15 best things to do in Helsinki in the winter

1. Enjoy a Finnish sauna

One of the highlights of our trip to Finland was trying the Finnish sauna experience. This entails getting really hot and steamy in a sauna room and then going outside and dunking in frigid water (or rolling in snow).

It is an exhilarating experience! Dipping yourself into ice cold water is mentally challenging, but the feeling you’ll have afterwards is 100% worth it. In fact, research shows that this experience has tons of health benefits. Some of which include lower blood pressure, improved skin condition, reduced stress and inflammation, and muscle and joint pain relief.

We personally tried a Finnish sauna at an off-grid private island in Northern Finland, but there are tons of saunas in Helsinki as well! 

And one of the most popular Finnish saunas in Helsinki is at Löyly. This is a beautifully designed sauna, located right on the sea. Here you can enjoy a traditional smoke or wood-burning sauna. Both sauna options include direct access to an outdoor seating area and the sea. This is definitely a bucket list experience! In fact, in 2018 it was named by Time Magazine as one of the world’s 100 greatest places. 

At Löyly you have the option of using a public or private sauna. Most travelers will use the public sauna, but if you have a group you could reserve a private sauna. It is highly recommended to make a reservation. 

Traditionally, Finnish saunas separate men from women and you enjoy the experience naked. However, Löyly wanted to create a sauna culture that can be enjoyed with friends no matter the gender. It also makes it more accessible for foreign visitors who aren’t used to bathing naked. 

Not only can you have a world class sauna experience, but the architecture of the building is beautiful. And there is also a restaurant on site where you can have an amazing Finnish meal. The restaurant offers salads, burgers, steaks, and of course, Finnish salmon soup (more about this later!). 

Other popular saunas in Helsinki are Kulttuurisauna, Kotiharju, Uusi Sauna, and Allas Sea Pool. Oh, and there is even a sauna in a ferris wheel (although closed in the winter)!

A+K tip: In Scandinavia and the Nordic countries “sauna” is pronounced as “sow-nah” instead of “saw-nuh”, like how most pronounce it in the US.

2. Celebrate the holidays

New Year’s Eve

We visited Helsinki at the very end of December, which meant that we got to celebrate New Year’s Eve in the city! It was our first time ringing in the new year outside of the United States and it was such a neat experience.

Helsinki throws a FREE New Years Eve celebration at Kansalaistori Square, which during our visit, featured a concert by Käärijä. While we didn’t know any of the songs (or anything the emcee was saying), it was SO fun to dance with locals. Which also doubled as a nice way to warm up in the -12ºC weather.

3. Visit a museum

4. Explore Old Market Hall

One of the best things to do in Helsinki (anytime of year!), is to visit the Old Market Hall. This market has been here in Helsinki since 1889, making it the oldest market hall in Helsinki! Inside you can find a bunch of different stalls that sell seafood, baked goods, plus traditional food items. 

A few popular stalls to check out are SOUP+MORE Vanha Kauppahalli, Kumpi peruna, Scandinavia Cafe, and Restaurant Story. 

5. Wander around Market Square

Right on the waterfront in Market Square is where you can find Kauppatori, Helsinki’s outdoor market. The market sells traditional market foods, handicrafts, and souvenirs. While visiting an outdoor market may not sound fun in the winter, we highly recommend swinging by. Especially to try fried Muikku, which we will share more about in a bit!

The market is open everyday (yes, even in the winter!) and you can see the hours at the market website. 

6. Warm up at a cafe

There’s no better way to warm up on a frigid Finnish day than at a cozy cafe. Cafe Regatta is likely the most popular cafe in Helsinki and for good reason! It’s located right on the water in an adorable red hut that has been here since 1887!

They are known for their hot chocolate, plus pastries. Don’t leave without trying a Korvapuusti, which is a Finnish cinnamon roll, and Mustikkapiirakka, a blueberry pie with vanilla sauce. 

And while there is some indoor seating, the outdoor seating is what makes this place shine. You will find a communal fire pit, which is the perfect spot to warm up as you sip on a hot chocolate. They also sell sausages that you can roast over the fire! Despite being out in the cold, this was one of our favorite experiences in Finland.

But if you’d prefer an indoor cafe, check out Cafetoria Café & Shop, Andante, Kaffa Roastery, Fazer Café Kluuvikatu, and Finca las Ventanas Café. 

7. Admire the architecture

One thing that stuck out to us in Helsinki is the mix of architecture. There are buildings with super modern, minimalistic design, plus others with more neoclassical design.

This mix is especially noticeable in the city’s churches. The Temppeliaukio Church, or Church in the Rock, is a church carved into a rock, with exposed rocks in the interior and a copper dome ceiling. The inside is only open to the public during specific hours and there is a fee (8 EUR) to go inside. We thought it was a bit expensive, so only one of us went in.

8. See the Helsinki Winter Garden

Another one of the best things to do in Helsinki in the winter is visiting the Helsinki Winter Garden. This conservatory has been around since 1893 and has over 200 plants! The species found here mostly focus on plants that have thrived in Finnish homes over the last 100 years. 

There are 4 different areas to explore and the garden is open year round with no admission fee. It’s the perfect spot to escape the snow and experience some green in the drearier months!

Another garden option is the Kaisaniemi Botanic Garden, which has been around since 1829!

9. Try Finnish food

Poronkäristys 

No trip to Finland is complete without poronkäristys! This is the traditional dish of the Sami people, who are the indigenous people of Finland. It is a dish of reindeer meat served with potatoes and lingonberry jam. 

While it’s most popular to eat up in Lapland, you can also try it in Helsinki. We hear Lappi Ravintola serves a great take on this dish, along with lots of other traditional Finnish classics.

Looking for non Finnish food? Check out Big Bowl Noodle. We tried this noodle shop on New Year’s Eve and had the BEST bowl of Lanzhou noodles here! The noodles are hand pulled, with your preference of thickness, and the broth is deep and flavorful. We can’t recommend this place enough!

10. Visit the Sibelius Monument

Jean Sibelius is said to be the National Composer of Finland. He played a pivotal role in shaping Finnish music during a time when Finland was striving for independence from Russia. 

And Helsinki is home to Sibelius Park, which has a monument in honor of him. But unlike many monuments depicting the person, this monument is made up of 600 steel pipes that are unevenly grouped together. Unfortunately it was closed for renovation during our visit, but from the photos we have seen, it looks super cool! Plus, it’s very close to Cafe Regatta!

11. Walk around Esplanade Park

When looking at a map of Helsinki you’ll see lots of green space. There are countless parks all around the city, with one of the most famous being Esplanade Park.

This park, which is sandwiched between Market Square and the Swedish Theatre, is popular with both tourists and locals. In the summertime, you can enjoy live music, have picnics, and watch performances. But even in the winter it makes for a great place to people watch, admire the surrounding buildings, and enjoy nature.

12. Take the ferry to Suomenlinna 

Helsinki is part of an archipelago that consists of 330 islands and one of the most popular to visit is Suomenlinna. At only a 15 minute ferry ride from Market Square, it makes for one of the best things to do in Helsinki in the winter!

This island was built in the mid-18th century when Finland was part of the Kingdom of Sweden. Its purpose was to not only protect the Swedish empire, but also to serve as a naval base. 

Over the years, Suomenlinna has been under Swedish, Russian, and Finnish control and today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Plus it’s home to 800 residents!

Suomenlinna is very walkable (although it can be icy in the winter) and there is quite a bit to see. To get started, we recommend popping into the Visitor Center, which has a museum you can pay to go into and plus lots of information about visiting here. The easiest way to explore and see the top sights is to follow the Blue Route, which runs from North to South. 

On this route you’ll see a variety of old buildings, tunnels, seaside and city views, and the famous King’s Gate. There are also a variety of restaurants and cafes on the island, including a brewery! We warmed up with a hot coffee in Cafe Vanille. And next time, we want to check out Cafe Silo!

How to get to Suomenlinna Sea Fortress

It’s very easy to get to Suomenlinna via the HSL ferry. Depending on the season, the ferry runs up to four times an hour between Helsinki and Suomenlinna. The ferry leaves from the east side of Market Square and arrives at the main pier on the north shore of Suomenlinna. 

Tickets can be bought online using the HSL app or at the ticket machine at the departure pier. If you bought a public transportation pass to get around Helsinki, your pass might include this ferry. 

13. Visit nearby national parks

14. Go on a day trip to Tallinn 

Helsinki is located just a 2 hour ferry ride across the Gulf of Finland from Tallinn, Estonia, making it an easy and fun day trip!

While just a short distance away, visiting Tallinn offers an experience very different from Helsinki. Here you’ll find a well-preserved medieval Old Town, ancient city walls to explore, and unique dining experiences. We LOVED our day trip to Tallinn! Even on a gloomy winter day, we had so much fun exploring the city, visiting its Christmas Market, and trying Estonian treats.

To learn more about taking a day trip to Tallinn from Helsinki, check out this detailed guide, which covers how to get there and back, plus tons of things to see and eat!

15. Head up to Finnish Lapland

If you want to see the Aurora Borealis, meet Santa Claus in his hometown, stay in a unique accommodation, get a true Finnish sauna experience, learn about reindeer, and so much more, then you must visit Finnish Lapland! 

Finnish Lapland is the northernmost region of Finland. And despite very limited daylight and frigid temperatures, it’s an outdoor paradise, with countless things to do. Yes, even in the winter!

You can get to Finnish Lapland by taking a less than 2 hour flight from Helsinki to Rovaniemi. Or for a more memorable experience, take an overnight train, which is what we did. We loved our time in Finnish Lapland, frozen fingers and all!

3 day Helsinki winter itinerary

While you could spend one jam packed day in Helsinki, with limited daylight in the winter, we think 3 days is perfect to experience the city’s top sights, plus go on a day trip. Here’s how we would suggest crafting some of the best things to do in Helsinki in the winter into a 3 day itinerary!

First Day

• Start the morning with hot chocolate and sweet treats at Cafe Regatta.
• Visit the Sibelius Monument.
• Explore Helsinki’s iconic buildings, like the Temppeliaukio Church, Kamppi Chapel, Uspenski Cathedral, and the Helsinki Cathedral.
• For lunch, head to Old Market Hall and try a variety of Finnish dishes.
• Spend the rest of the afternoon enjoying a Finnish sauna.
• For dinner, enjoy lohikeitto at Merimakasiini.

Second Day

For your second day in Helsinki take a day trip to Tallinn, Estonia! We suggest doing this your second day, since it takes the full day and we prefer to have a lighter day before and after a travel day. But you could easily do this any day!

Third Day

• Grab coffee and a pastry from Cafetoria Café & Shop.
• Spend the morning visiting Suomenlinna! While on the island, grab coffee and lunch. 
• Once making it back to Helsinki, explore the Helsinki Winter Garden or check out one of the museums!
• For dinner, grab a delicious bowl of Lanzhou noodles at Big Bowl Noodle.

Planning your trip to Helsinki

Getting to Helsinki

By plane

If you’re flying to Helsinki, you’ll fly into Helsinki Airport (HEL). The airport is located pretty north of the downtown area of Helsinki, but it is a comfortable and easy one hour train ride.

By ferry

Since Helsinki lies right on the Baltic Sea you could take a ferry from Germany, Poland, Sweden, Latvia, or Estonia.  

Getting around Helsinki

Helsinki has an extensive and very efficient public transportation system. You can get just about anywhere you want to on the bus, tram, metro, or even a ferry!

The system is divided into four zones identified by the letters A, B, C, and D. You’ll need to buy the corresponding pass (many zones can be combined) for all zones you wish to travel in. The HSL Journey Planner can help you figure out which pass you need to purchase for your visit. 

If you purchase a Helsinki Card (detailed in the things to know section) it comes with access to public transportation in zones A and B, which covers most of the things to do on this guide. 

Besides public transportation, Helsinki is a very walkable city, with most of the most popular sites within walking distance. There are also city bikes for rent in the warmer months between April 1 and October 31. 

Where to stay in Helsinki

For the ultimate convenience, we suggest staying near Helsinki’s city center. This will allow you to walk most places, as well as give you easy access to public transportation. 

Hotels

What to wear in Helsinki, Finland in the winter 

Winters in Helsinki bring very cold weather and snow. During our visit in late December, the temperatures reached below -14ºC (6ºF).

Since you’ll be spending a lot of time outdoors, you will want some solid winter gear. We are sharing all of our winter hiking gear here, but below are a handful of items we want to emphasize bringing when visiting Helsinki in the winter.

Base layers

Winter jacket

You will also want a solid, insulated winter jacket. Adam wore an LL Bean jacket and Kathryn wore a North Face parka similar to this one. We both wore lighter jackets (like the Columbia Men’s Powder Lite Jacket and Columbia Women’s Heavenly Hooded Jacket) underneath as well.

Gloves/mittens

Gloves and mittens are a key element in staying warm. Mittens are preferred, since they keep your fingers together, which generates more heat. But they can be tricky to maneuver your hands with. So we like to do a mix of 3M Thinsulate Touchscreen Gloves with Carhartt Insulated Mittens over them.

Hat and buff

Keeping your head, neck, and face warm will make a huge difference. We like to wear a beanie or headband and also a buff.

Wool socks

We only wear wool socks in the winter. They do well with moisture, keeping your feet warmer even if wet. These MERIWOOL Merino Wool Hiking Socks are 75% wool and worked great for us.

Winter hiking boots

Besides our hands, our feet tend to struggle the most in the cold. One thing we learned while in Finland is that you actually want to buy boots one size too big, so that your feet have plenty of room, even with thick socks. The key to keeping your feet warm is circulation and if the boots are too tight, you won’t have proper circulation. 

While Helsinki Adam wore Columbia Bugaboot Snow Boots and Kathryn wore Columbia Ice Maiden Snow Boots.

Sun protection

The sun’s reflection off the snow can be incredibly intense, so make sure to not only wear sunscreen, but also sunglasses! Adam wears Men’s KALIYADI Polarized Sunglasses and Kathryn wears Women’s Ray-Ban Chris Sunglasses. 

Hand warmers

Hand warmers are a lifesaver in the cold! We love HotHands Hand & Toe Warmers. Slip these into your gloves or boots, and they provide up to 10 hours of warmth. 

Things to know when visiting Helsinki, Finland in the winter

What currency do they use in Helsinki?

Finland uses the Euro for currency. And while some countries, like Germany, still heavily rely on cash, we found that almost all places took credit cards in Helsinki.

To see which travel credit cards we use, which give us zero foreign transaction fees, check out this post! And when we do need to get cash, we have a Charles Schwab checking account specifically for international travel. They refund ATM fees from ANY ATM worldwide! This gave us lots of freedom to use whichever ATM was most convenient.

Is Helsinki expensive?

Nordic countries are known for being a bit pricier, but we didn’t find Helsinki to be horribly expensive. Especially when compared to Copenhagen! 

If we had paid for our hotel it would’ve been between 100-150 EUR per night. Most meals were between 15 EUR-20 EUR ($17-$22 USD), which is pretty comparable to eating out in the US these days. Coffee was on par with US prices as well. 

Read the Finnish Way

To get a grasp on the Finnish people and culture, we highly recommend reading The Finnish Way by Katja Pantzar before your trip. We learned a lot from this book and understood more of what we were seeing around the country on our visit. 

If nothing else you’ll learn about the Finnish concept of Sisu, which is basically having courage and fortitude to continue on in tough or uncomfortable circumstances. Just about all of us could use a bit more of that!

Tipping culture

In general, tipping isn’t the norm in Finland. As Americans, we are used to tipping at least 20% at restaurants. But we’ve read that service workers in Finland make a liveable wage and don’t rely on tips for their income. So any tips they get is just a bonus. At some places, we didn’t even have the option to tip, but when given the option, we typically tipped 5-10%. 

Helsinki Card

If you’re in town for several days we’d recommend looking into the Helsinki Card. This card gives you free or discounted entrance to many popular attractions and public transportation in Helsinki.

How much sunlight is there in Helsinki in winter?

Since Helsinki lies so far north, the daylight in winter is very limited. Depending on when you visit you’ll have only 4-5 hours of sunlight a day. And the sunlight itself is more like sunrise and sunset lighting (which was beautiful!), since the sun never gets high enough in the sky. 

When we visited at the end of December, the sun rose around 9 AM and it was dark again by 3:30 PM! However, only one day of our time in Helsinki was actually sunny. The other days were gloomy, making it feel darker all day.

While the lack of daylight does make it harder to explore, especially for things that you want daylight for, we did like how it forced us to start our days later (yay for sleeping in!) and do less in a day. 

How cold does it get in Helsinki in the winter?

Very cold!

While the temperatures can vary day to day, you should expect for it to be freezing or below freezing every day. Our visit was during an extra cold snap, with temperatures well below freezing. We won’t lie, it was kind of brutal at times!

Although it does snow in Helsinki, depending on when you visit, you may not see snow fall. However, you will likely see huge piles of snow on the streets. We also noticed that they don’t really plow the sidewalks, so the surfaces can be snowy or icy. Make sure to be careful as you walk!

While it may be cold, one thing we learned while visiting Helsinki in the winter is that locals do not let the cold stop them from living life. So to enjoy your time in the city, we suggest channeling your inner Finn and embracing the weather!

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