If you want to see the city at its lively, smiling best, then come in the summertime. But bear in mind that during and after the midsummer festival the locals pour out to the countryside, leaving the city full of tourists, somewhat of a snoozy - but still pleasant - shadow of itself. Summer is the time for picnicking in the park, wining and dining on the terraces, hopping from one exciting event - be it a festival, street market, or an art exhibition - to the other, and seeing how Helsinkisiders really take ownership of the city spaces. In the winter the cold, icy beauty of Helsinki is something magical in itself and locals buckle down to make the most of the warm cafes and bars, good music and fairytale atmosphere. The nature around the city is amazing at any time of year and you don’t have to venture far afield to get to it. Be sure to check out some of the islands not far from the centre.
Arlan Sauna
Sweat it out with the locals
Sarah Hudson /
A much-loved public neighbourhood sauna since 1929. That's a lot of history and a lot of ...
Circus Helsinki
Fun at the circus
Sarah Hudson /
A huge and well-equipped converted warehouse circus school for children, amateurs and ...
Hietaniemi Beach
Copacabana of Helsinki
Sarah Hudson /
Being beachside in Helsinki is not actually as bad as it might sound and during the loooong ...
Orion Cinema
From cult to culture
Sarah Hudson /
Helsinki’s beautiful classic arthouse and foreign cinema, housing the national ...
Uimastadion
Home of Speedos
Sarah Hudson /
Stadikka, Finland's home of Speedos. This Olympic length swimming pool is a mecca on hot days ...
Yrjonkatu swimming hall
Public sauna from 1928! Go Finn!
Pauli Sortti / Marvelous piece of architecture and the first public indoor pool in Finland from 1928. It ...
CIRKO Center for New Circus
Circus spectacular!
Sarah Hudson /
The Suvilahti area has all of a sudden turned into a cultural hub in just the last year or two ...
Linnanmäki
Helsinki <3 Amusement park
Katariina Mäkelä /
Amusement park in the heart of Helsinki. This is the place where Helsinkians have screamed ...
Taitoliikuntakeskus
Playground for grown-ups
Sarah Hudson /
The favourite new craze in Helsinki, an amazingly well-equipped "sports acrobatics ...
The swimming stadium – Hammarskjöldintie
Outdoor swimming pool
Pauli Sortti / Open from early May until the mid September. A place where you swim, sunbath and do ...
Töölö Sports hall
Some sports at Olympics arena
Pauli Sortti / Built in 1935, this sports hall was used in the 1952 Olympics for gymnastics, boxing ...