The HBH team’s insider tips on

How to get the Helsinki summer experience right

Helsinki Business Hub works as a matchmaker, connecting people & organisations all around the world that can create valuable business together in Greater Helsinki.

This time, we want to bring forth insiders who have knowledge valuable to global companies, foreign investors or Finnish startups. The idea of this blog series is to highlight both known and hidden gems of the region, in posts written by experts and opinion leaders representing a variety of sectors and domains.

Compiled & written by:

The HBH team

1. Sauna & swim from morning ’til evening

Take a morning swim and sauna at Allas Sea Pool and watch the Market Square come to life right in front of you. Afterwards you can enjoy breakfast from one of the stalls a the Market Square or the Old Market Hall right next to it.

However we Finns (or foreigners who have lived long enough here) know that sauna goes great with any time of day, so in the evening head southwest of the city centre to Löyly. There you can enjoy your sauna with a dip in the ocean, cocktails and views of the extraordinaire wooden architecture of the building and the Baltic Sea in front of you.

The Helsinki city bike system is an easy way to get around

Hietaranta beach

Cafe Regatta

Seurasaari island

2. Stretch your legs at a nice walk (or grab the city bike)

Walk or bike, the (north)western sea line of the city centre is a sight to see. If bike is your preferred mode of transportation, the Helsinki city bike system is an effortless way to get around. Read the quick guide to the city bikes here.

Route (see map above):

Start from scenic Lapinlahti area and walk along the coastline to Hietaranta beach.
Continue north and stop by at Cafe Regatta to enjoy one of their famous cinnamon rolls. Also just next to Cafe Regatta you can also find the Sibelius park, featuring the Sibelius Monument.
Continue along the coast to north, until there’s a turn further west (left) towards the Seurasaari island. Along the way, you can spot some of the old beautiful summer villas of Meilahti area as well as glimpses of the Finnish president’s and Prime Minister’s official homes.
Once you see a long white bridge, you’ve reached the Seurasaari island. Known for locals as a popular outdoor activity area for jogging & picnics alike, the small island intriguingly features also some of the oldest houses in Finland, forming an open-air museum in the most beautiful setting by the sea. Check out also Minetti ice cream stand for an mouth-watering experience. P.s. Squirrels are also easy to spot here, remember to bring nuts with you!

Bars and nightlife

Explore the local breweries

Clarion Hotel Sky Room

Hotel Torni Ateljee Bar

3. Enjoy the nightlife of the nightless night

In the mood for an afterwork or early evening drink? Take a tour to one of the city’s best breweries, like Helsinki Distilling Co, Bryggeri and Suomenlinnan panimo. Read more about different micro breweries and distilleries all around Finland here.

Want to add an unbeatable view to accompany your drink? Then the Clarion Hotel’s Sky Room or classic roof top terrace of Hotel Torni’s Ateljee Bar could be your choice.

Want to party the whole night long? Head to the urban Kallio area’s infamous nightlife complex formed of bar Siltanen, live venue Kutonen and club Kaiku, or to the middle of the Vallila industrial area to experience the infamous club Ääniwalli.

More tips for nightlife in Helsinki can be found here.

Temppeliaukio Rock Church

Suomenlinna Sea Fortress

Plan your visit to Suomenlinna island

4. Explore the landmarks

Even though most tourist booklets list the Temppeliaukio Rock Church as things to must see, it is still not the first to visit as it is a bit “hidden” in the northwestern side of the city center. However, we love the quirky architecture.

If only time for two, another must-see landmark is the Unesco World Heritage Site Suomenlinna Sea Fortress island 10-minute boatride away from the Market Square. Grab some picnic to go and explore the nature, museums and chill atmosphere of the island. More ideas on Suomenlinna walking tours here.

Lammassaari island

Vallisaari island

Espoo archipelago

5. Discover the beauty and tranquility of the Helsinki & Espoo archipelagos

Take note on these island gems our team listed, that have yet been spared from the larger masses of tourists:

Vallisaari island: Incredibly pretty island, wild nature. Take a picnic lunch with you from the market square and enjoy it on one of the beaches.

Lammassaari island: Take a walk on the Duckboards (narrow walkway made of wooden planks) to this more hidden island in the northeast side of the city.

Espoo archipelago: Have one day off from the city and head towards the Espoo archipelago. Boats are available from several locations, see their routes and schedules here. Camping is also a great idea on some of these islands.

More tips for and pics of the Espoo archipelago can be found e.g. from this engineerontour.com blog post.

Helsinki Biennal

Helsinki Festival

Kasarmitori Summer 2021

Virtual art experiences from Helsinki

6. Check out the music and arts happenings around town

Our curated picks from the Helsinki region summer selection in art and music:

Helsinki Biennial 2021: Helsinki Biennial is an international art event that will bring outstanding contemporary art to maritime Helsinki.
Helsinki Festival 2021: Finland’s largest arts festival will once again provide a diverse program of events throughout the city, with experiences ranging from classical to world music and pop, from drama to contemporary dance, and from visual art to film and children’s events.
Allas Live 2021: During the summer 2021, Allas Sea Pool is gathering the Finnish top artists to perform in its summer yard by the seashore in Katajanokka district.
Kasarmitori Square’s Summer 2021: Kasarmitori Summer is an amazing oasis of terrace areas, which brings together 13 wonderful Helsinki-based restaurants. Customers will get to enjoy a diverse high-quality offering of delicious seasonal treats including breakfast in the summer sun, fresh lunches, delicious bagels, sourdough pizza, tacos, mezes, seafood, craft beers, excellent wines, cocktails, and much more.
Virtual art experiences from Helsinki: Experience Helsinki’s cultural life through digital offerings and live streams.