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HelsinkiSelf-guided activities

Our most recommended Helsinki Self-guided activities

Helsinki: Hop-On Hop-Off City Bus Tour

1. Helsinki: Hop-On Hop-Off City Bus Tour

See the Helsinki tourist attractions that interest you most and avoid wasting time on an organized tour with this hop-on hop-off bus tour. Hop on and off as many times as you like at any of the 22 stops on the itinerary over a 24-hour or 48-hour period. You could choose to admire the unique rock architecture of the Temppeliaukio Church, visit the Parliament House, admire the neoclassical architecture in Senate Square or search for a bargain in Market Square. Enjoy an onboard audio commentary available in 10 languages and avail of excellent views from the top deck of your double-decker bus. Don't worry if the weather isn't great as the bottom deck is completely protected from the elements.

Helsinki: Sightseeing Canal Cruise with Audio Commentary

2. Helsinki: Sightseeing Canal Cruise with Audio Commentary

Head to the water and experience a canal cruise on your visit to Helsinki. Admire the most beautiful shorelines of the city and see many of its top attractions from the comfort of your boat. You’ll pass by the historic Suomenlinna Maritime Fortress, the Helsinki Zoo on Korkeasaari Island, the impressive fleet of icebreakers, and stunning Degerö Canal. On this boat ride you’ll also hear about Helsinki’s fascinating history from commentary that’s provided during the cruise. There will also be information booklets available in 8 other languages. Purchase a refreshing drink, a beer, a glass of sparkling wine, or a cup of coffee, or a pastry in the boat’s cafeteria to enjoy during the cruise.

Helsinki Archipelago: Sightseeing Boat Tour

3. Helsinki Archipelago: Sightseeing Boat Tour

Admire the main attractions of Finland's crown jewel on the Historical Helsinki route. Don't miss a beat as your boat weaves through the waterways of the Helsinki archipelago. Bask in the natural beauty, amazing architecture, and clean air of this Scandinavian gem. Depart from one of Helsinki's most famous sights, Market Square, and head out to sea. See famous Unesco World Heritage Sites such as the Fortress of Suomenlinna, as well as the Finnish ice breakers and Korkeasaari Zoo. Listen as your guide tells you stories about many of the most sought-after areas of the city. Enjoy both natural and man-made phenomena during this maritime experience. Enjoy views of the most beautiful neighborhoods of Helsinki, including Eira, Katajanokka, and Kruununhaka. Listen to historical tales of local lore from your guide about all the various hot spots, before the journey ends where it began, at Market Square.

Helsinki City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Ticket

4. Helsinki City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Ticket

Explore Helsinki according to your own interests and schedule with a 24 or 48-hour ticket for the open-air, hop-on and hop-off sightseeing bus. Take a full loop of the route in just 90 minutes to get an orientation of the city, or jump off at any of the stops to explore the attractions that interest you the most. Drive past the Sibelius Monument, and the imposing Rock Church (Temppeliaukio Church). Jump off at the Flea Market or Market Square, and see the buildings built for the 1952 Summer Olympics, including the Olympic Stadium. Your full price ticket entitles you to discounts at participating partners, including cafés, restaurants and shops. Free Wi-Fi is available on-board the bus so you can keep up-to-date with your friends and family back home and make them jealous with social media updates of your experience. In the event of bad weather, the roof of the bus can be swiftly retracted to protect you from the rain. Free rain ponchos are also provided. You can start your tour from any stop along the route. Add on an optional cruise from the Cruise Terminal, and get a different perspective of the city from the water. Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Stops: 1. Senate Square/ Helsinki City Museum 2. Olympia Terminal (Silja Line) / Mannerheim Museum 3. Cafe Ursula/ Kaivopuisto Park 4. Compass Square 5. Eira 6. Hernesaari Cruise Terminal (stop in use only on certain cruise ship days) 7. Löyly 8. Flea Market/ Bulevardi/ Sinebrychoff Art Museum 9. Swedish Theater/ Design Museum/ Museum of Finnish Architecture 10. Market Square (departure point for Beautiful Canal Route) 11. Kiasma/ Helsinki Art Museum/ Amos Rex / Central Railway Station 12. Temppeliaukio Church (Rock Church) 13. Sibelius Monument 14. Olympic Stadium  15. National Opera/ Linnanmäki/ Töölönlahti Bay 16. National Museum/ Parliament House/ Helsinki Music Center 17. Ateneum Art Museum/ Central Railway Station 18. Botanic Garden

Helsinki by Bus and Boat 24-Hour Combo Ticket

5. Helsinki by Bus and Boat 24-Hour Combo Ticket

Combine 2 beautiful sightseeing experiences and see the best of Helsinki by land and water. Board a canal boat to journey along the charming waterways of Helsinki and pass sights such as the Suomenlinna Maritime Fortress, Helsinki Zoo on Korkeasaari Island and Degerö Canal. Along the way, learn the city's fascinating history from the recorded commentary played over loudspeakers in Finnish, English, Swedish, and German. Written information is also available in Swedish, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Estonian, Japanese and Chinese.  In addition, discover the top sights of Helsinki on land as you board the hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus and travel past attractions such as the Sibelius Monument and Temppeliaukio Church, known as the "Rock Church" as it is built directly into solid rock. Benefit from 19 stops along the carefully planned route, including Senate Square, the Swedish Theatre and Market Square, the departure point for the Beautiful Canal Cruise and the site of the SkyWheel Helsinki. Your ticket is valid for 24 hours. Listen to the audio commentary (available in 10 different languages) through individual, single-use headsets. Take advantage of the free Wi-Fi to post your adventures on social media as you travel. In the event of bad weather, the roof of the bus can be quickly installed to protect you from the rain.

Helsinki: Temppeliaukio Church Entrance Ticket

6. Helsinki: Temppeliaukio Church Entrance Ticket

A venue designed by the the Finnish architect brothers Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen. Well-known for its rough-hewn rock walls, the copper clad ceiling, the narrow skylights that let the light in throughout the year and for the excellent acoustic features. A building like no other in all of Finland and also remarkable in an international perspective. The venue presents a unique sight, an active Lutheran church and a renowned concert venue all in one package. The building materials are the two-billion-year old bedrock on site together with added details in concrete and copper. The religious items together with the majestic organ all represent original Finnish handicraft. When visiting you are not really underground but surrounded by nature in the form of the granite bedrock. Here in the church hall nature meets man in the shape of drilling marks from the construction era and small waterfalls along the walls: melting snow and water which cannot be kept away by man-made constructions. The altar wall consists of a split in the rock dating back to the Ice Age. When you wish to learn more we offer you guided tours also on demand and a small gift shop with unique products for sale. During the summer months it´s recommended that you also pay a visit to the Rock Garden on top of the hill.

From Helsinki: Overnight Cruise to Stockholm with Breakfast

7. From Helsinki: Overnight Cruise to Stockholm with Breakfast

Relax in a private cabin and enjoy a delicious breakfast buffet included in the price. Cross the Baltic Sea in comfort from Helsinki to Stockholm and enjoy the onboard entertainment, including saunas, bars, and restaurants. Go shopping in the shops, then arrive in Stockholm in the morning. Arrive at the Olympia Terminal and check-in. Then, board the ship and relax in your comfortable private sea-view cabin. Explore the restaurants, shops, and other entertainment on board. Eat a delicious breakfast buffet, which is included in the price of your ticket. Listen to music in the pub. Also, choose to eat at the Grand Buffet or have dinner at one of the à la carte restaurants. Then, watch an evening show in the Starlight Palace or sing karaoke. Next, relax in the sauna or have a cocktail if you like. Spend the night in your cabin. Finally, arrive in Stockholm the next morning.

Helsinki: Hop-On Hop-Off Bus and Sightseeing Boat Tour

8. Helsinki: Hop-On Hop-Off Bus and Sightseeing Boat Tour

Explore Helsinki with the Hop-On Hop-Off bus and change your transportation to a sightseeing cruise. Both departure points are in the historical city center. See the city from both perspectives - from the land and from the sea. During the bus tour you can decide on stops and attractions you want to visit and once you're done, continue your tour with the next CityTour bus from the stop where you left. Step aboard a boat for a cruise around the archipelago of Helsinki for 1.5 hours and brings you back to the departure point.

Helsinki Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt and City Tour

9. Helsinki Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt and City Tour

Get to know Helsinki at your own pace on this interactive scavenger hunt walking tour played on your phone. Decipher riddles, interact with the most important attractions of the city, and unlock interesting facts and legends. An ideal outdoor activity for first time visitors, couples, groups, families, and children. Can be used as a great team-building activity. After downloading the tour app on your mobile device (instructions received via email after booking), simply use the app and integrated maps to find your way to 10 attractions in Helsinki. You can choose to start the activity at any time. At each stop, learn about the attraction and solve a location-based riddle that can only be solved if you reach the specific location. Use logic, imagination, observation, and team spirit to unlock the correct code and reveal the next destination of the city sightseeing game. Once you begin, you'll solve a location-based riddle at each attraction and unlock the next location you need to visit. Work as a team and use logic, imagination, observation, and problem solving to make your way around the city. The app also includes facts and information about each location you stop at, so you'll be close to a local by the end of your adventure. As you explore, you can stop for a coffee, lunch, or a break at any time. Start your tour at the imposing Finnish National Theatre, with its excellent acoustics! Visit the Ateneum with its unique exhibits and explore Helsinki Cathedral with its stunning white facade. Take a photo at Helsinki's Market Square in the city center and get lost in the historic Vanha Kauppahalli, with its unique history. Visit the uniquely themed Shipwreckinen. You will also pass by Helsinki's Design Museum with its unique exhibits. Admire St. John's Church, the largest stone church in Finland. See, walk, and relax Old Church Park in the city center, while the Three Smiths Statue will be the icing on the cake of this unique tour.

Helsinki: Historical Highlights Self-Guided Audio Tour

10. Helsinki: Historical Highlights Self-Guided Audio Tour

Terve! Welcome to Helsinki, the capital of Finland. On this walking tour, I’ll show you around the city while I share its historical ties to Sweden and Russia and fill you in on Finnish culture. Our walk begins in the shadows of Helsinki Cathedral in Senate square, the city’s political, religious, scientific, and commercial center. From there, I’ll point out some of the city’s main sites, and a few lesser-known ones too, like the Helsinki City Museum, one of the city’s oldest buildings. It’s home to approximately 1.5 million artifacts. I’ll also share a few amazing stories like how a salt warehouse was transformed into the Presidential Palace and how the Uspenski Cathedral, the largest orthodox church in Western Europe, was built. You’ll have the opportunity to stroll through Market Square, just like locals do, and hear the story of the Empress’ Stone. You’ll see Helsinki’s old market hall, and I’ll tell you how the First World War and the Finnish Civil War affected it. While you stroll through Esplanade Park, I’ll fill you in on the festival of Vappu and the story of Havis Amanda, the bronze statue that caused a splash when it was first revealed. Along the way, you can look forward to: • Decoding the symbolism hidden in the Alexander II sculpture • Taking in the impressive Allas Sea Pool and SkyWheel • Walking through the most famous park in Finland, Esplanade Park, which is also the green heart of Helsinki • Discovering the “Kappeli” restaurant, a local favorite among poets, writers, and artists in the 1900s • Finding out about Johan Ludvig Runeberg, a famous Finnish author, poet, and priest with Swedish roots • Hearing stories about the Swedish theatre, Svenska Teatern, and finding out about its current status • Passing by Stockmann, the oldest department store in Finland • Strolling down Alexander Street, one of the main shopping streets for locals This 90-minute tour is perfect for anyone who wants a taste of Finnish history while enjoying a glorious stroll in the heart of Helsinki!

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Other Sightseeing Options in Helsinki

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What people are saying about Helsinki

Very good option for people who travel on cruise ships and who do not have much time to get to know the city, it is worth it, since the bus leaves directly from the disembarkation area and returns you to the same place, it also gives you a very good explanation and relevant data, and if time permits you can get off and get to know the places that are of most interest to you, you also have Internet on the bus. The prices are affordable and different from the transportation options and tours offered by cruise ships.

Perfect taken care of at the foot of the Poesia, audio guide in French.

Great tour for those who aren’t sure what to do in Helsinki.

Very fun to see Helsinki from a different point of view

The ride was very nice. I recommend it to visitors