Helsinki, Finland’s capital, sits on a rocky peninsula plus a number of islands in southern Finland. The area was first settled after the end of the Ice Age around 5000 BC, but Helsinki didn’t become Finland’s capital city until 1812 (the capital had previously been Turku.)
Liberally sprinkled with vast green spaces, neoclassical buildings, and restaurant patios, Helsinki invites exploration on foot. We enjoyed fine weather during each of our three visits to Helsinki. Most of these photos are from our summer 2011 visit.
Traditional and modern. The spires of the 19th-century Eastern Orthodox Uspenski Cathedral vie for sky space along Helsinki’s waterfront with the 21st-century SkyWheel. Both are tourist attractions, with the 40-metre SkyWheel offering rides that include champagne, sauna, or just spectacular views of the harbour, city centre, and market area. (This photo is from 2014, the year the SkyWheel opened.)
Sea fortress. Suomenlinna fortress, built in the 18th century, spans eight islands sheltering Helsinki’s busy harbour area. The cobbled lanes and leafy lawns make it a popular picnic place for locals and tourists. Ferries operate between the fortress and Helsinki harbour regularly.
Temppeliaukio Church. This “Rock Church” is mostly below ground, blasted out of the bedrock on which much of Helsinki is built. From the street, there isn’t much to see except a rocky mound, as the domed roof’s profile is too low to be visible. Inside, it’s magical: a circular space with natural and quarried rock walls, topped by a gentle dome full of windows and light.
Lutheran landmark. The elegant Helsinki Cathedral towers over the expansive Senate Square in central Helsinki. Like its orthodox cousin, the Uspenski Cathedral, Helsinki Cathedral is both a functioning church and a tourist attraction.
Do not open until 2012. During our 2011 visit, many public buildings, such as the National Library of Finland on Senate Square, were being spruced up ahead of Helsinki’s designation as the World Design Capital for 2012.
Student Union cast-off. This castle-like edifice was built in 1903 for the Student Union of Helsinki’s former University of Technology. In 2011, the building housed the Hotel Linna (at which we stayed); it is now the GLO Hotel Art.
Travel note: Helsinki’s Vantaa airport is 17 km north of the city, and is linked by regular bus service to downtown. The centrally located train station provides rail service to all major cities in Finland; train service to St Petersburg and Moscow in Russia has been suspended since 2022. Regular ferry service runs between Helsinki and Stockholm, Sweden, and Tallinn, Estonia. For getting around Helsinki, we purchased transit passes for use on buses, trams (streetcars), and the ferry to Suomenlinna.