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Author: Barry Pickard
Helsinki is a vibrant and unique city that offers a range of activities for travellers without breaking the bank. From exploring the picturesque streets to indulging in its rich culture, there is something for everyone in this Finnish gem. Whether you are a first-time visitor or a seasoned traveller, this city promises to leave a lasting impression with its free activities.
Don’t forget that Tailor-Made Itineraries delights in creating bespoke self-guided tours. So, if visiting any of these attractions appeals to you, reach out to me by email. I would be more than happy to design a self-guided tour around your requirements incorporating the free things to do in Helsinki, or indeed, a general tour of Helsinki.
It is difficult to create a list of the best free activities to do and is sure to be a little controversial with some, but here’s my top twenty-one.
Free Activities in Helsinki
21 - 16. Bad Bad Boy, The Cable Factory, Street Art, Tram Museum, Lapinlahden Lähde, Helsinki University Library
Bad Bad Boy is a pink sculpture made of concrete created by sculptor Tommi Toija and represents a naked urinating boy. The sculpture is 8.5 metres (28 ft) tall and weighs seven and a half tons.
Cable Factory is one of the largest cultural centres in Finland. Once an industrial complex producing marine cables, the centre houses three museums, galleries, dance theatres, restaurants and cafés, art schools, artists, bands, and companies active in the creative industry.
Helsinki doesn't have a big street art culture, however, the exception are their colourful electrical boxes that appear on many of the city centre streets. Keep an eye open for them!
Helsinki's oldest tram depot houses the small, but interesting Tram Museum. The museum presents the history of trams in Helsinki from a passenger's point of view. At the Tram Museum, you can have a seat in an old tram that instantly transports you to the Helsinki of yesteryear.
Lapinlahden Lähde (The Mental Museum), in the main building of the former Lapinlahti hospital, is a small exhibition about the treatment of mental health disorders. There is also a café, where you can learn about the transformation of the hospital into a mental well-being center, now open to everyone.
Enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of Helsinki University Library and soak in the beautiful architecture and interesting views of this architectural gem.
15. Old Market Hall
The Old Market Hall was established near the Market Square in 1888. The building was designed by Gustaf Nyström who had studied how market halls were built in large European cities. At the time of opening the hall had 120 stalls as well as 6 shops in the central gallery. Regulations stated that vendors were allowed to sell meat products, eggs, butter, cheese and garden produce. At the turn of the century, some of the fish trade from the outdoor marketplace was also moved into the hall.
Tailor-Made Top Tip: The Old Market Hall is an ideal place to pick up some traditional Finnish foods and ingredients. Fancy some reindeer or bear meat?
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14. Helsinki Central Library Oodi
Helsinki Central Library Oodi is a stunning new library that opened in 2018 and must be one of the most user friendly and welcoming libraries in the world. It is more than just a place to borrow books. It is a space for people to learn, create, and connect. The library has a wide range of facilities, including a reading room, a music room, a makerspace, and a café.
Tailor-Made Top Tip: Oodi is a great place to relax and unwind. Pick a space on the stepped area at the back of the main library area and enjoy the view.
13. The Old Church (Vanha Kirkko)
The Old Church of Helsinki is a hidden gem in the heart of the city. It is a beautiful wooden church that was built in 1826, designed by Carl Ludvig Engel. The church is located in a small park is a simple building, but it is very elegant. The exterior is made of wood, and the interior is decorated with simple white walls and dark wood accents. The church has a capacity of about 500 people, and it is used for a variety of events, including weddings, baptisms, and concerts.
Tailor-Made Top Tip: The Old Church is a great place to visit if you are looking for a quiet and peaceful place to relax.
12. Juttutupa Bar and Helsinki Congress Paasitorni
The down-to-earth Juttutupa is one of Helsinki’s oldest restaurants, having opened in 1884. Its warm, beer hall-like atmosphere is both bohemian and traditional, tinged with an air of relaxed and unhurried activity. At the bar's "revolutionary table," Vladimir Lenin met with fellow conspirators and plotted Russia's Revolution.
The bar is only one part of the ruggedly beautiful granite building, known today as Paasitorni, which was designed by the architect Karl Lindahl. At the time of its completion in 1908, it served as Helsinki Workers’ House. The extension to the building was completed in 1925.
In terms of its architectural style, the oldest part of Paasitorni, completed in 1908, represents late Art Nouveau. The extension from 1925 represents the Nordic Classicism of the 1920s. Paasitorni houses nearly 30 characterful and adaptable meeting, party, and event spaces for 8–800 participants, complemented by restaurants and hotel rooms.
Tailor-Made Top Tip: Tours of the Paasitorni can be organised, giving a fascinating insight into this stunning Art Nouveau masterpiece. On the tour, you can also get access to the roof and get panoramic views of Helsinki.
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11. The National Library of Finland
The National Library of Finland is a must-visit for any book lover visiting Helsinki. The library is home to a vast collection of books, manuscripts, and other materials, dating back to the 16th century. The library also has a beautiful and historic building, which is worth visiting even if you're not a bookworm.
The library is located in the heart of Helsinki, opposite the Senate Square. The building was designed by Carl Ludvig Engel in 1836 and built between 1840 and 1845. The library's main hall is a stunning example of Neoclassical architecture, with high ceilings, marble columns, and a large chandelier. The annex is called the Rotunda and was built in 1902-06, architect Gustaf Nyström.
Tailor-Made Top Tip: Access the gallery in the main hall for some of the best views of this stunning room.
Read on to find out which free activities are in our top ten.
10. Bank of Finland Museum
Ironically for a museum about money, it is actually free to enter! The Bank of Finland Museum's displays include the history of money in Finland and abroad. The permanent exhibition is constructed around three themes. The main focus is on the operation of the Bank of Finland and the European System of Central Banks and monetary policy. The history section presents the history of cash in Finland and around the world as well as monetary policy developments as part of Finnish society. In the banknotes section, the emphasis is on developments in banknote art and banknote graphics since the early 19th century.
9. Helsinki City Museum
The Helsinki City Museum is a great place to learn about the history of Helsinki, the capital of Finland. The museum is located in the heart of the city, in one of the oldest buildings in Helsinki.
The museum's collection includes exhibits on a variety of topics, including the history of Helsinki, the city's architecture, and the lives of its residents. The museum also has a number of interactive exhibits, which make it a great place for families.
Tailor-Made Top Tip: The museum seems very popular with the locals and can get quite busy, so it is a good idea to go early or late to avoid the crowds.
8. Hietaniemi Cemetery
Hietaniemi Cemetery is the final resting place of many heads of state and other dignitaries and is culturally and historically the most important cemetery, not only in Helsinki but also in the whole of Finland. Established in 1829, this cemetery consists of a number of separate areas all with their own individual characteristics that reflect various periods in the history of Helsinki and Finland. It is divided into 5 sectors which are called Old Cemetery, New Cemetery, Hietaniemi Area, Urn Grove and The Cemetery of the Guard of Finland.
More than 50 nationally and internationally acclaimed Finnish artists and their spouses are interred in a special section at Hietaniemi Old Cemetery, so called Artists' Hill. The first artist buried there was painter Akseli Gallén-Kallela in 1943.
The Heroes' Place, which spreads in front of the Heroes' Cross and the surrounding area with its monuments commemorating fallen soldiers has become the symbol of the nation's unity and history.
Tailor-Made Top Tip: The western end of the cemetery is bounded by Hietaranta Beach, which is a great place to relax on a beautiful day (but unfortunately, there was freezing fog when I visited!).
Read on to find out which activity tops the list.
7. Art Nouveau Buildings
Helsinki is home to a large number of Art Nouveau buildings, which are mainly in the German-inspired Jugend-style. These buildings were built during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, during a time of great economic and cultural growth in Helsinki.
The Art Nouveau style was a reaction to the Industrial Revolution, and it emphasized natural forms and curves. Jugend-style is a variation of Art Nouveau that is particularly popular in Finland. Jugend-style buildings are often brightly coloured and decorated with floral motifs.
You can spend a fascinating day just walking the streets of Helsinki admiring the Jugend architecture. These buildings can be found in all parts of the city, but some of the most popular areas include: Katajanokka, Kruununhaka, Ullanlinna, and Eira.
Tailor-Made Top Tip: A free map of Helsinki’s Art Nouveau buildings is available from many of the tourist brochure displays at various museums and attractions throughout Helsinki. Alternatively, look out in a few weeks’ time for a dedicated post on these beautiful buildings that I will be publishing.
6. Kallio Church
The grey granite Kallio church from 1912 is one of the most prominent landmarks of Helsinki. The church is another example of Art Nouveau architecture, but I feel that this impressive house of worship needs its own entry in this list, especially since it is one of the few that you can actually enter.
Architect, Lars Sonck, is said to have taken the shape of the church from the dimensions of the Solomon's Temple, described in the Old Testament. The interior dimensions, on the other hand, are reminiscent of the Temple in Jerusalem. Longitudinally, the altar of the church is exactly in the same place as the screen in the Temple in Jerusalem between the Holy and the Holy of Holies.
The seven German bells in the granite tower play a tune by Jean Sibelius at noon and six o'clock pm. Yleisradio, the national broadcasting company, used the tune for decades for its evening bells on Saturdays.
