Helsinki in one day

Quite often tourists ask which the best place to see would be if you just happen to be in Helsinki for one day. Not an easy question to answer. There are so many great things to see and do in this city.

Luckily MindfulTravel by Sara has put together a list of 10 must-sees in Helsinki that can be seen within one day.

Have a look and also check out her other posts.

Free walking tours

New to Helsinki or just here for a visit? Then you probably would like to have a tour around the city and get to know the most imporant sights and facts about Helsinki.

picture by Luminoucity

Why don't you take a free guided walking tour then? Happy Guide Helsinki offers those every Saturday and Sunday at 12.00. Meeting point are the stairs of Tuomiokirkko (the big white church). Look out for someone with a reindeer hat. That's your guide. The tour lasts 2-3 hours and gives you a good first impression of the city. Tips at the end of the tour are of course welcome.

Give it a try and expore Helsinki!

Run, Lasse, run!

Paavo Nurmi was not the only famous Finnish runner. In the 70s a new talent revived the legend of the Flying Finns: Lasse Virén

The long-distance runner from Myrskylä won four times Olympic Gold for Finland in 1972 and 1976. Today you can find a statue of him right around the corner from Paavo Nurmi at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki. But apart from that also an annual 20 kilometer run in the Sycamore Canyon in California is named after him.

Lasse Virén still a very well well-known figure in Finland and even held a seat in the Finnish Parliament twice in recent years for the Kokoomus.

If you happen to pass by the Olympic Stadium, pay the two Flying Finns Lasse and Paavo a visit.

Tipping in Finland

Whenever you arrive in a new country it is important to know how the tipping in that culture works. So how does it work in Finland? (If you are a Finn, live here already or visit often, you can stop reading now)

Tipping in Finland is not really common. Meaning that noone expects you to tip. Since most people pay with credit or debit card they anyway tend to just pay the basic price. And don't worry if you do that as well since the service is already included in the price.

If you like to tip anyway you can of course do that. Therefore you will sometimes find a tipping jar at a bar. Or you can also ask the waiter to type in a different amount when paying by card. There is no percentage you have to follow though. And expect to be looked at in surprise when you try to tip.

All in all Finnish pricing concept is pretty staight forward (especially compared to countries like the US). You pay the amount that is written on the bill.

Where Paavo Nurmi ran

Next to the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki the Finns honor one of their greatest runners of all times. Here you find the memorial of Paavo Nurmi.

Between 1920 and 1928 the middle and long distance runner won a total of nine gold and three silver medals in Olympic Games. The so called “Flying Finn” set 22 official world records at distances between 1,500 meters and 20 kilometers. During his peak he was unbeaten at several different distances.

No wonder such a prominent spot was dedicated to him later. His statue stands right in front of the stadium where he trained for some of his biggest victories while and also broke a few world records. Come and pay a visit to him if you are in the area. 

From Finland with love

You are a visitor in Finland and before going back home are searching for a nice souvenir to remind you of the Finnish summer? Or are you searching for a nice Finnish gift to take with you abroad when visiting family or friends?

Then check out the 5^th floor of Stockmann in the city center. Till the end of August the Argos Hall hosts the Feels like Finland department. Wonderful Finnish products are waiting here for you. You find a wide selection of Finnish design products from e.g. marrimekko or iittala, Finnish candy and chocolate and of course kids products from the Moomins and Angry Birds.

Have fun browsing through Feels like Finland!

Budget accommodation in the heart of Helsinki

If you are searching for a reasonably priced accommodation in Helsinki you should check out Omena Hotelli. There are three different Omena Hotels in the center of the city (Eerikinkatu, Lönnrotinkatu and Yrjönkatu) all within walking distance to the city center.

Prices vary of course depending of the season but you can get a room starting from 50 to 60 €. All rooms can accommodate up to four persons which makes it a really good deal for small groups. Omena Hotels have no reception though (you get a door code via e-mail) and no breakfast included. All rooms are well equipped though.

You can also find Omena Hotels in other bigger Finnish cities as well as in Copenhagen and Stockholm.

Fuel up in Finland

During the summer time many tourists drive around Finland with their own or a rental car. When running out of gas fueling up here in Finland can present quite a challenge.

You should know that in difference to many other countries most gas stations are self service stations. That means that you have to pay your gas in advance at the pump. Of course as always in Finland you pay by card. The amount you choose on the display is just the maximum you are willing to pay. So in case you want to fill up the tank completely choose a high number. Just the actual amount you took will be deducted from your credit card of course. After paying you normally have around three minutes to take the nozzle and fuel up.

There is always an option to choose your own language at the machines. If you just follow the instructions nothing much can go wrong.

Have a nice vacation!

Need help?

If you are new in Helsinki or just here for a visit it’s good to know where to find the tourist information. It is located on Esplanadi close to Kauppatori. If you haven’t been there you should definitely pay it a visit. Even if you get along quite well in the city already there are still lots of interesting information you can get from the friendly stuff. Also take a look at the free booklets. During the summer the information is open daily from 9 till 18.00 (9 – 17.00 on the weekend).

And not only do you get sufficient help at their office. During the summer months you can also see tourist helpers walking through the center. Just stop them if you need information, directions or recommendations. They are happy to help you.

The tourist information also offers lots of information online – in eleven different languages. Take a look at their website.