How To Spend Half A Day in Helsinki

As a travel addict, there is nothing more important for me than to use my limited layover time wisely. On my recent flight to Los Angeles, I found myself with 11 hours to kill in Helsinki and I knew I would want to do something. Though part of the layover was in the wee hours of the morning, I did not let that stop me planning. In this post, I hope to share tips on how you can spend half a day in Helsinki.

Helsinki is the Finnish capital and home to way too many saunas but then again sauna is a Finnish word. The capital is not only famous for its saunas but the many art nouveau styles building the paint the city. Though Finland is part of the Scandinavian region, its language differs from its neighbours and resembles more Slavic dialects. Two languages are spoken widely; Finnish and Swedish and most people speak a third language (English).

How To Spend A Day In Helsinki

Though my visit to the capital was short, here is how I recommend you spend half a day in Helsinki. The main component of this is based upon talking the city sightseeing bus and storing your baggage at the airport. The city sightseeing bus leaves from the cathedral so a 30-minute train from the airport to the city centre then a 10-minute walk to the cathedral is required.

There are two sightseeing companies in Helsinki, I took the official city sightseeing bus which has 18 stops and audio for 10 languages. All the places I visited during my short visit to the city where along the tour line of the tour bus. The city to maximising your time is to decide in advance places of interest that you wish to explore it little be more than others.

Places of Interest in Helsinki

One of the best things about having limited time to explore a city is that you need to have planned in advance. Before visiting Helsinki, I knew that the cathedral and the rock church were places I want to spend more time at. It truly pays to be prepared instead of being in a mad dash to do everything.

The following places of interest that I visited in Helsinki are some of the most popular destinations. Helsinki is such an easy city to navigate and has one of the best transport systems in Europe. The easiest and quickest way to get to the city was via the train, for €4.20 you can arrive in the city within 30-minutes.

Helsinki Cathedral

Originally built from 1830-1852 and is located in the centre of the city around the market square. It is an Evangelical Lutheran and was built as a tribute to the grand duke at the time.

Market Square

The market square is located in the Eastern region of the city near the Baltic sea surround by the harbour. It is a vibrant area with the cathedral and an incredulous backdrop.

Temppeliaukio (Rock) Church

This Lutheran also is known as the church of the rock was designed by the Suomalainen brothers and was opened in 1969. The rock church is built into solid rock and the inside is pretty perplexing. These days the church is used as a concert venue and other activities as well as worship.

Sibelius Monument

Dedicated after the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius, the monument was erected in 1967 by Eila Hiltunen. At first glance, the monument resembles clusters of the organ pipes.

Finlandia Hall

A beautiful building in the heart of the city and often used for events and conferences, it was built between 1967–1971. The hall is a multipurpose building designed by Alvar Aalto. 

Olympic Stadium

Though currently closed until 2020 for refurbishment, the stadium has an interesting story. When it was built, Finland was happy to be hosting the olympic games until the world war brought out and the games were cancelled, it was until 8 years later when it was used

National Museum of Finland

I am a sucker for a good museum, I always ensure my trips include museum visits where possible and available. I love that this museum shares history through culture and objects from the stone age to the current day, which is super impressive and worth a visit.