Finland · Local picks
100+ Places to Visit in Finland
These are our favourite places across Finland, from harbour saunas and market halls to Lapland huskies and lakeside castles. Mix the classics with a few hidden corners, and check opening times before you go, especially outside summer.
Places to Visit in Helsinki
Arts and Culture
- Suomenlinna Sea Fortress (Suomenlinna)
A UNESCO listed island fortress reached by city ferry, perfect for walks and picnics by the sea. - Helsinki Cathedral (Senate Square)
The white neoclassical landmark above Senate Square, with wide steps for people watching. - Uspenski Cathedral (Katajanokka)
A red brick Orthodox cathedral with golden domes and views over the harbour. - Temppeliaukio Church (Töölö)
A church carved into solid rock under a copper dome, with fine acoustics. - Oodi Helsinki Central Library (Kluuvi)
A free, playful library with sewing machines, 3D printers, games and a terrace. - Ateneum Art Museum (Kluuvi)
Finland's national collection of classic art, from Gallen-Kallela to Schjerfbeck. - Amos Rex (Kamppi)
An underground art museum beneath playful domes in the old Lasipalatsi square. - Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art (Kluuvi)
Bold contemporary art in a striking building opposite Parliament. - Design Museum (Kaartinkaupunki)
The story of Finnish design, from Aalto glass to Marimekko prints. - Sinebrychoff Art Museum (Punavuori)
Old European masters in a brewery family's elegant home beside a quiet park.
Shopping and Markets
- Market Square (Kauppatori)
The harbourside market for berries, fish, snacks and the ferries to the islands. - Old Market Hall (Kauppatori)
A historic covered market for salmon soup, smoked fish and Finnish pastries. - Hakaniemi Market Hall (Hakaniemi)
A locals' market hall with food stalls downstairs and crafts and fabrics upstairs. - Hietalahti Flea Market (Hietalahti)
An open air flea market by the shipyard, busiest on summer weekends. - Design District Helsinki (Punavuori)
A cluster of design shops, studios and galleries around the Design Museum. - Marimekko Esplanadi (Esplanadi)
The flagship store of Finland's beloved bold print fashion and homeware brand.
Things to Do
- Löyly (Hernesaari)
A modern public sauna and restaurant on the waterfront with a ladder into the sea. - Kotiharjun Sauna (Kallio)
A traditional wood heated neighbourhood public sauna where locals cool off on the street. - Allas Sea Pool (Katajanokka)
Heated and sea water pools with saunas right by Market Square.
Nature and Outdoors
- Seurasaari Open Air Museum (Seurasaari)
An island of old wooden houses and forest paths with friendly squirrels. - Lonna Island (Lonna)
A tiny island on the way to Suomenlinna with a sauna and a summer restaurant. - Kaivopuisto Park (Kaivopuisto)
A seaside park for sunset walks, picnics and May Day celebrations. - Vallisaari Island (Vallisaari)
A former military island reopened as wild nature with trails and coastal views. - Nuuksio National Park (Espoo)
Forest, lakes and marked trails reachable by public transport from the city.
Cafés
- Café Regatta (Töölö)
A tiny red cottage café by the sea famous for cinnamon buns and outdoor fires. - Café Ekberg (Punavuori)
Finland's oldest bakery café, serving pastries in a classic setting since the nineteenth century. - Café Engel (Kruununhaka)
A classic café by Senate Square with homemade cakes and a summer courtyard cinema.
Restaurants
- Savoy (Esplanadi)
An Alvar Aalto designed dining room with city views, a Helsinki institution. - Ravintola Kosmos (Kluuvi)
A classic Finnish restaurant serving traditional dishes since the 1920s. - Restaurant Juuri (Punavuori)
Modern Finnish cooking with small seasonal plates called sapas. - Lappi Restaurant (Kamppi)
Lapland dishes like sautéed reindeer and cloudberries in a cosy log setting. - Soppakeittiö (Old Market Hall)
A soup counter loved for its bouillabaisse and salmon soup. - Restaurant Nokka (Katajanokka)
Nordic cooking with produce from small farms, in an old harbour warehouse. - Restaurant Olo (Kruununhaka)
A refined tasting menu of contemporary Finnish food near the harbour. - Teurastamo (Sörnäinen)
A former slaughterhouse turned food quarter with restaurants, a smokehouse and summer events.
Bars and Nightlife
- Ateljee Bar (Kluuvi)
A rooftop bar on the fourteenth floor of the Torni hotel with views across the city. - Steam Hellsinki (Kamppi)
A steampunk themed cocktail bar full of curiosities and gin. - Kaiku (Sörnäinen)
A popular electronic music club in a former industrial space.
Events
- Helsinki Festival (Citywide)
A late summer arts festival with concerts, theatre and the Night of the Arts. - Vappu on Kaivopuisto (Kaivopuisto)
May Day picnics where the whole city wears student caps and celebrates spring. - Flow Festival (Suvilahti)
A summer music and arts festival in a former power plant. - Baltic Herring Market (Kauppatori)
An autumn market where archipelago fishers sell pickled herring and dark bread.
Stays
- Hotel Kämp (Esplanadi)
A grand historic hotel on the Esplanadi, Helsinki's classic address. - Hotel St. George (Kaartinkaupunki)
An art filled boutique hotel by Old Church Park. - Hostel Suomenlinna (Suomenlinna)
A simple hostel on the fortress island, quiet after the day trippers leave. - Hotel Haven (Kaartinkaupunki)
A refined hotel by the harbour with a well loved whisky bar.
Places to Visit in Porvoo
Nature and Outdoors
- Porvoo Old Town (Porvoo)
Cobbled lanes and red riverside warehouses, an easy day trip from Helsinki.
Cafés
- Brunberg (Porvoo)
A historic chocolate and liquorice maker with a shop by the river.
Places to Visit in Rovaniemi
Arts and Culture
- Arktikum (Rovaniemi)
A science centre and museum explaining Arctic nature, the aurora and Lapland's history. - Korundi House of Culture (Rovaniemi)
A former truck depot holding northern art and the Lapland Chamber Orchestra. - Pilke Science Centre (Rovaniemi)
A hands on centre about northern forests, good for families.
Things to Do
- Santa Claus Village (Napapiiri)
The Arctic Circle line and Santa's home, a big hit with young children. - Bearhill Husky (Rovaniemi)
A large husky farm offering sled rides through snowy forest.
Nature and Outdoors
- Ounasvaara (Rovaniemi)
A forested hill with ski slopes, trails and views over the town and rivers. - Ranua Wildlife Park (Ranua)
Arctic animals such as polar bears, wolverines and lynx in large forest enclosures. - Jätkänkynttilä Bridge (Rovaniemi)
The bridge with a flame on top, lovely for evening walks and aurora watching by the river.
Restaurants
- Nili Restaurant (Rovaniemi)
Lapland cooking in a log interior with reindeer, Arctic char and berries.
Cafés
- Café and Bar 21 (Rovaniemi)
A design minded café known for waffles by day and cocktails by night.
Bars and Nightlife
- Arctic SnowHotel Ice Bar (Sinettä)
An ice bar inside a snow hotel open in winter, a chilly drink to remember.
Stays
- Arctic TreeHouse Hotel (Napapiiri)
Forest suites with large windows facing the sky for aurora watching. - Apukka Resort (Rovaniemi)
Glass roofed cabins and winter activities by a frozen lake outside town.
Places to Visit in Levi
Nature and Outdoors
- Levi Ski Resort (Kittilä)
Finland's largest ski resort with slopes, cross country trails and aurora nights. - Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park (Muonio)
Open fells and a famous hiking route between Hetta and Pallas.
Places to Visit in Inari
Arts and Culture
- Siida Sámi Museum and Nature Centre (Inari)
The best place to understand Sámi culture and northern nature. - Sajos Sámi Cultural Centre (Inari)
The home of the Sámi Parliament with a Sámi crafts shop.
Places to Visit in Saariselkä
Nature and Outdoors
- Urho Kekkonen National Park (Saariselkä)
Wide open fells and wilderness huts for hikers and skiers.
Stays
- Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort (Saariselkä)
The original glass igloos for watching the sky from bed.
Places to Visit in Turku
Arts and Culture
- Turku Castle (Linnankatu)
One of Finland's largest medieval buildings, full of halls, towers and stories. - Turku Cathedral (Old Great Square)
Finland's national shrine, rising over the river for more than seven centuries. - Aboa Vetus and Ars Nova (Itäinen Rantakatu)
Walk through excavated medieval streets before seeing modern art upstairs. - Luostarinmäki Handicrafts Museum (Luostarinmäki)
Wooden houses that survived the 1827 fire, with crafts shown in summer. - Forum Marinum (Linnankatu)
A maritime museum with historic ships moored on the river.
Things to Do
- Föri River Ferry (Aura River)
The little free ferry that has crossed the river for over a century.
Shopping and Markets
- Turku Market Hall (Eerikinkatu)
A beautiful old covered market for cheeses, fish and archipelago bread.
Nature and Outdoors
- Ruissalo (Ruissalo)
An island of oak forest, beaches and botanical gardens at the edge of the city. - Archipelago Trail (Nagu and Korpo)
A ring of bridges and ferries through countless islands, best by bike in summer.
Restaurants
- Restaurant Kaskis (Kaskenkatu)
A small, inventive Nordic restaurant loved by locals. - Smör (Läntinen Rantakatu)
Seasonal Finnish cooking in a vaulted cellar by the river.
Cafés
- Café Art (Läntinen Rantakatu)
A riverside café with home baked cakes and a terrace on the water.
Bars and Nightlife
- Panimoravintola Koulu (Eerikinkatu)
A brewpub in a former school building with a large beer garden. - Boat bars on the Aura (Aura River)
Restaurant boats that fill with people on summer nights.
Events
- Ruisrock (Ruissalo)
One of Europe's oldest rock festivals, held on the island each July. - Declaration of Christmas Peace (Old Great Square)
A centuries old Christmas Eve tradition broadcast across Finland.
Stays
- Radisson Blu Marina Palace (Linnankatu)
A riverside hotel close to the castle and the old town. - Hotel Kakola (Kakola)
A former prison on a hill converted into a stylish hotel.
Places to Visit in Naantali
Things to Do
- Moomin World (Naantali)
An island theme park of Moomin characters for younger children.
Nature and Outdoors
- Naantali Old Town (Naantali)
Wooden houses and a harbour promenade that glow on summer evenings.
Places to Visit in Tampere
Arts and Culture
- Moomin Museum (Tampere Hall)
Original Tove Jansson drawings and handmade tableaux for fans of all ages. - Vapriikki Museum Centre (Tammerkoski)
A former mill with natural history, games and hockey museums under one roof. - Amuri Museum of Workers' Housing (Amuri)
Wooden homes showing how mill families lived across a century. - Finlayson Area (Tammerkoski)
A red brick former cotton mill area full of museums, cafés and shops. - Tampere Cathedral (Tampere centre)
A national romantic church with symbolist frescoes that stunned its era.
Things to Do
- Rauhaniemi Folk Spa (Lake Näsijärvi)
A lakeside public sauna with a pier for swimming all year. - Rajaportti Sauna (Pispala)
Finland's oldest public sauna still in use, simple and wood heated. - Kaupinojan Sauna (Kaupinoja)
A forest sauna by the lake loved by winter swimmers. - Kuuma (Laukontori)
A harbour sauna and restaurant with a terrace by the water. - Särkänniemi (Näsijärvi shore)
An amusement park with rides, an aquarium and an observation tower.
Nature and Outdoors
- Pyynikki Observation Tower (Pyynikki)
A tower on a high esker ridge with a café famous for sugared doughnuts. - Pispala (Pispala)
A hillside of colourful wooden houses and steep lanes between two lakes.
Shopping and Markets
- Tampere Market Hall (Hämeenkatu)
The place to try black sausage with lingonberry jam.
Restaurants
- Restaurant C (Rautatienkatu)
Creative tasting menus from Pirkanmaa produce. - Ravintola Näsinneula (Särkänniemi)
A revolving restaurant at the top of the observation tower.
Bars and Nightlife
- Plevna Brewery (Finlayson)
A brewpub inside the old Finlayson weaving hall.
Events
- Tampere Film Festival (Citywide)
One of Europe's leading short film festivals each March. - Tammerfest (Citywide)
A summer city festival of concerts and street events.
Stays
- Lapland Hotels Tampere (Yliopistonkatu)
A modern hotel near the station with northern touches. - Hotel Tammer (Satakunnankatu)
A historic Art Deco hotel close to the river.
Places to Visit in Savonlinna
Arts and Culture
- Olavinlinna Castle (Savonlinna)
A fifteenth century castle on a rocky island, best on a guided tour. - Riihisaari Lake and Nature Museum (Riihisaari)
The story of Lake Saimaa and its rare ringed seal. - Lusto Finnish Forest Museum (Punkaharju)
A museum about Finland's forests and the people who work in them. - Kerimäki Church (Kerimäki)
Often called the largest wooden church in the world.
Events
- Savonlinna Opera Festival (Olavinlinna)
Opera in the castle courtyard every July.
Shopping and Markets
- Savonlinna Market (Kauppatori)
Lakeside stalls for fried vendace and lörtsy pastries.
Nature and Outdoors
- Punkaharju Ridge (Punkaharju)
A pine ridge between two lakes with walking paths and views. - Linnansaari National Park (Rantasalmi)
Lake islands for paddling and possibly a glimpse of the Saimaa seal. - Kolovesi National Park (Enonkoski)
Quiet waters, cliffs and ancient rock paintings best explored by canoe.
Things to Do
- Lake cruises on old steamers (Savonlinna harbour)
Historic steamships cruising Lake Saimaa in summer.
Restaurants
- Restaurant Huvila (Savonlinna)
A lakeside brewery restaurant across the water from the town.
Stays
- Spa Hotel Casino (Kylpylaitoksensaari)
An island spa hotel a short walk from the castle.
Places to Visit in Kuopio
Nature and Outdoors
- Puijo Tower (Kuopio)
A tower over the lakes with a revolving restaurant.
Things to Do
- Jätkänkämppä Smoke Sauna (Rauhalahti)
A huge traditional smoke sauna by the lake.
Places to Visit in Koli
Nature and Outdoors
- Koli National Park (Lieksa)
The hilltop view over Lake Pielinen that inspired Finnish painters.
More to Explore
We are still checking these with fresh sources, so confirm opening times before you go.
- Sompasauna (Sompasaari, Helsinki)
A free, volunteer run public sauna by the sea where you bring your own towel and firewood spirit. - Kulttuurisauna (Hakaniemenranta, Helsinki)
A small architect designed public sauna by the water, calm and contemplative. - Bar Molotow (Kallio, Helsinki)
A friendly neighbourhood bar typical of Kallio's relaxed nightlife. - Restaurant Roka (Rovaniemi, Rovaniemi)
A small kitchen serving seasonal Lapland flavours. - Reindeer farm visit at Sieriporo (Rovaniemi, Rovaniemi)
A family reindeer herding farm offering sleigh rides and stories of herding life. - Hotel Punkaharju (Punkaharju, Savonlinna)
Finland's oldest hotel, a wooden villa on the ridge.