10 Things to do in Winter in Helsinki

A WINTER WONDERLAND IN FINLAND

The Finnish city Helsinki by no means hibernates in wintertime. The ground may be a blanket of snow and the lakes are frozen over but this only adds to the snowy escapades in this capital city of Finland.

Helsinki is known as the “Daughter of the Baltic” and I don’t know about you but to me, even that name sounds cold! We’ve come up with 10 options of places to visit and activities for you to do in Wintertime in this snowy destination. So put your thermals on and join us for a snowy city break!

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Below are 10 things to do in winter in Helsinki, Finland.

Cook sausages over the fire

We noticed rather quickly, during our time in Finland, that the Fins love to cook sausages over an open fire. So if you’re in the city during the colder months then take a trip to Cafe Regatta. Once a fishing shed in the late 19th century, this red log cabin has brought part of the Finnish countryside to the city and has become Insta-famous in recent years for the sausages and campfire setting. If you fancy something sweet then try their delicious cinnamon buns and hot chocolate.

Not just a cafe, but more of an experience in itself, sit over the fire with locals and tourists alike, share travel stories and warm up in the easy-going environment.

Only a few minute walk away is the landmark sculpture Sibelius Monument. Dedicated to the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. The abstract artwork was designed to embody the spirit of his music and is made up of organ pipes to resemble a sound wave

2. Go ice skating

Ice skating is a popular winter activity in Helsinki. Slip on your skates and enjoy one of the multiple skating rinks around the city. During the winter season, ice skating is free of charge on all artificial ice rinks and many of the rinks have a cafe so you can take a quick break to warm up.

You can find more information about the rinks here.

3. Take a day trip to Nuuksio National park and see reindeer

If you want to escape city life then visit Nuuksio, which is one of the most popular national parks in Finland. Nuuksio is one of two national parks which is situated in the Helsinki metropolitan area and easy to get to with public transport. Here you can explore the Finnish landscape with lakes, forests and rugged crags.

While at the national park visit Haltia the Finnish Nature Centre where you can learn all about the Finnish wilderness. Known as the “gateway to all of Finland's national parks”, here you can rent hiking equipment, enjoy their sauna and have access to miles of trails in the park.

Here is a list of National parks that are easy to get to by public transport from Helsinki. Visit the HSL website to plan your travel.

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Bring Lapland to you by taking a trip to Nuuksio Reindeer Park. Meet their small family of reindeers, learn about the animals and drink coffee by an open fire.

Read our article 12 FREE THINGS TO DO IN HELSINKI for more things to do in Helsinki!

4. Walk on water

You don’t need a miracle here to walk on water, you just have to wait till winter! Something I’m sure the locals see as a normal way of getting from A to B but for us it will never get old! When the winter reaches its coldest and snowiest time, the bodies of water in Helsinki freeze, making it easy to walk on water.

The Fins make the most out of the icy conditions and transform the frozen water into a winter playground. Drill a hole and go fishing, glide over the ice with skis or (if you’re brave enough) go for a cold dunk and a spot of ice swimming.

5. Take a day trip to Tallin, Estonia

If you want to cross two countries off your bucket list then take a ferry to Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia. With its cobblestone Old Town and gothic architecture, it provides the perfect day trip from Helsinki. Tallinn Old Town is one of the best-preserved Hanseatic town centres in the world and certainly looks beautiful covered in snow.

Activities we enjoyed in Winter:

Exploring the frozen Jägala waterfall
Driving over the ice roads
Visiting Tallinn Hall Square
Seeing the snow-topped buildings from the Kohtuotsa viewing platform

Our top recommendation for dinner would be Olde Hansa. With period-garbed staff offering gamed meats in only a candle-lit environment, the medieval-themed eatery offers historically authentic meals. If you fancy something sweet then try Maiasmokk cafe. This cafe is the oldest café in Estonia. Starting in 1864 along with locomotives and photography!

You can read our travel guide of places to eat, shop and explore here. The ferry is a quick 2 hour ferry ride via the Tallink Silja line.

6. Keep warm in the galleries

Helsinki is dotted with so many diverse galleries, you’re spoilt for choice. During your trip, you can spend time blissfully strolling through exciting exhibitions, and learn about Finnish design and visual arts that have been moulding their culture since the 19th century. During our trip to Helsinki, we scattered our gallery visits during the days we were there so we had a break from the cold weather!

Some of our favourite museums and galleries we visited:

Ateneum Museum
Design Museum
HAM Helsinki Art Museum

If you’re planning on visiting multiple museums and galleries it might be worth you purchasing the Helsinki Card to save money. The card has a number of benefits, including free entry to over 25 museums, galleries and attractions, as well as unlimited travel on HSL public transport.

Read our article “10 HANDY TIPS FOR VISITING HELSINKI, FINLAND” for tips on galleries and museums in the city

7. Visit a sauna & jump into the Baltic Sea (obviously)

The Fins say you can’t grasp Finnish culture without relaxing in a sauna. And what better way to warm up than when the temperature is below freezing!

The Löyly Sauna is a public sauna based on the Helsinki waterfront on the southernmost tip of the city. The building has become one of Helsinki's main tourist attractions and it’s the perfect place to warm up in the wintertime. The complex has a traditional smoke sauna and two wood-heated saunas along with an outside terrace and restaurant. With the building's unique architecture, you can walk onto the roof of the building and admire the city’s snowy landscape from above.

Not for the fainthearted, you can jump into the freezing temperatures of the Baltic Sea to cool down before warming back up in the sauna inside! Experience the thrill of the chill - literally! This is definitely a unique experience we weren’t expecting to do during our trip this winter!

There are many saunas to choose from. Here is a list of some of the best public saunas in Helsinki

8. Drink Glögi

Glögi is a traditional Nordic drink that’s normally drank during the cold, winter months. Usually alcoholic, this mulled wine is spiced and can be served hot. Each Scandanavian country serves Glögi differently but in Finland, they traditionally serve it with raisins and blanched almonds.

During our visits to the Old Market Hall and Hakaniemi Market Hall, glögi really warmed us up after walking around the city and was a break from the cold!

9. Visit the fortress island Suomenlinna

Suomenlinna is a Unesco World Heritage Site built gradually from 1748 onwards.

Suomenlinna (or “Fortress of Finland”) is located at the entrance to Helsinki harbour and stretches over six separate islands. The islands served to defend three different sovereign states over the years, Sweden, Russian and then Finland. In 1973 the area was converted for civilian purposes and it’s now become one of Helsinki’s most popular tourist attractions. Now packed with history, museums and a community of around 800 residents, this group of islands is an interesting example of military architecture.

Visiting in wintertime makes Suomenlinna feel that more special with a blanket of snow covering the island sitting next to the frozen sea.

10. Visit the Winter Gardens

Despite the name, this 19th-century greenhouse is open all year round. But with the warm and tropical feel, it’s the perfect place to visit when the cold gets a little too much outside.

The Winter Garden houses over 200 different plants in a beautiful mishmash of colours. The oldest is a hundred-year-old camellia tree. There and tables and chairs to relax and take in the peace and quiet along with the humidity.

It feels slightly odd but enjoyable to stroll through the glass building admiring the summery palms and bright blooms with the striking contrast of whiteness of snow outside!

WINTER TIPS

When planning your trip, always check the opening times of galleries, museums and attractions. Some may be closed during the winter period. Attractions like the canal cruises and hop-on, hop-off bus tours aren’t in operation during the winter months.

It’s pretty cold in the wintertime. Winter is long with the temperature remaining almost constantly around or below freezing (0 °C or 32 °F) from mid-November to late March. The average temperature in February is -5.5°C (22°F). The coldest month of the year is February and the warmest is July.
When it’s this cold, remember that batteries die a lot quicker. So bring portable chargers for your phone, laptop, camera and any other electronics you’ll be using while there.