10 Top Things to See and Do in Helsinki
![Helsinki at sunset](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/20x11/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/pexels-photo-3.webp)
Helsinki is a city with a distinct and charming atmosphere and a particular finesse, making it like no other place else on Earth. The architecture stands out with a mixture of Scandinavian, art-nouveau, and modernist styles, and remains at once industrial, utilitarian, and cool. Then there’s the city’s palette of seasonal colours; fluctuating between vivid summer greens, intense Baltic blues, and the crystalline white of Nordic winter. Through it all there are some fantastic things to see and do. Here are just some of the best.
1. The Market Square
Market, Finnish
![36524676084_1f5a222612_k](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/36524676084_1f5a222612_k.webp)
2. The Chapel of Silence
Church
![35618774233_322ca80615_k](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/35618774233_322ca80615_k.webp)
3. Juttutupa
Pub, Restaurant, Finnish
![4980722846_9a346fbc82_o](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/4980722846_9a346fbc82_o.webp)
4. Helsinki City Museum
Cathedral, Museum
![5788149941_f070194b8e_b](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/5788149941_f070194b8e_b.webp)
5. Helsinki University Botanical Gardens
Botanical Garden, University
![3631034740_c55a97b1fe_b](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/3631034740_c55a97b1fe_b.webp)
6. Suomenlinna
Ruins
![3717900014_95de8d7c1b_b](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/3717900014_95de8d7c1b_b.webp)
Design District
With a profound accumulation of boutiques, workshops, antique shops, galleries, and restaurants, there are plenty of opportunities to discover the unmistakable simplicity of minimalistic Finnish design in this district in southern Helsinki. In short, the Design District unravels the subtle power of Scandinavian design and décor though awe-inspiring collections of handmade products, simple-cut clothing shops, and functional architecture alike.
![Street in Helsinki Design District](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/5921682136_cff88dc9e4_b.webp)
7. Café Ekberg
Cafe, Patisserie, Finnish
![Cafe_Ekberg_-_Bulevardi_9_-_Kamppi_-_Helsinki_1](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/cafe_ekberg_-_bulevardi_9_-_kamppi_-_helsinki_1.webp)
8. Moomin Café
Restaurant, Finnish
![35591485744_2c19adcb47_k](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/35591485744_2c19adcb47_k.webp)
Kotiharjun Sauna
For the Finns, the sauna represents a place of meditative refreshment; a divine delight dating back to the Viking period. Besides the obvious stress relief, there is a multitude of health benefits on offer: it improves cardiovascular performance, helps weight loss, soothes muscle and joint pain, and helps with insomnia. Kotiharjun Sauna is one of only three traditional public saunas left in Helsinki, and is an excellent spot to experience Finland’s sauna culture, where locals and visitors alike sweat it out side by side.
Harjutorinkatu 1, Helsinki, Finland, +358 97 531535
![Kotiharjun Sauna](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/sauna_kotiharju_neon_sign.webp)