Helsinki in A Day ~ Best Stops on City Sightseeing Helsinki
Whatever your reasons, if you only have one day in Helsinki, you’ll want to see the best sights! Helsinki in a day is doable, but you won’t be able to see it all! I’m going to highlight the BEST things to do for you. You’re welcome to either use public transportation, taxis, or my preferred mode of transportation would be the City Sightseeing Helsinki Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour.
Whenever I get to a new city, that’s my favorite thing to do to acclimate to the city and understand where I am in relation to everything! I like to buy my ticket beforehand, so that way I am good to go immediately. The City Sightseeing Helsinki tour actually stops at a bunch of different places, so I’m going to point out the ones that I felt were the most worth it during my Helsinki in a day whirlwind tour (I actually had one day in Helsinki before and after a conference, so I’ve left out the ones that didn’t strike me as amazing. This will focus on the top spots off of the City Sightseeing Helsinki tour).
Key Things to Know About City Sightseeing Helsinki Tour For Your One Day in Helsinki
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- Buses run every 20-30 minutes
- The first tour at 10 am and last one *starts* at 4 pm from Stop 1
- It takes 90 minutes to go around the whole loop without getting off
- You can add on the Boat Tour (departs from Stop 10)
- If you’re planning on getting this, and boat tour, you might want to look into the Helsinki Card
- Print off your voucher
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This map is taken from the Official City Sightseeing Site
Since you’re able to join the tour at any stop, I’m going to go in numerical order! You’re welcome to start at any point! So… what to do in Helsinki for a day? Let’s see!
Stop 1 ~ Senate Square (A MUST For Helsinki in a Day)
Recommended Time: 10-20 minutes (catch next bus)
The Senate Square is dominated by the Helsinki Cathedral. With its bright white structure and soft green domes, it’s a lovely sight to behold.
Because it’s a square, it’s also a great place for activities! The square is a great place for gatherings, and I was lucky enough to get there as part of the Samba Parade! Please don’t forget to scoot inside!
Stop 3 ~ Kaivopuisto Park
Recommended Time: 20-40 minutes (1-2 bus rotations)
If you have kids or enjoy parks, you might want to stop at Kaivopuisto Park. This area is so beautiful, that many governmental bodies have built their embassies here! The park is a lovely spot to chill out, see the water, and stretch your legs in nature, right in the middle of Helsinki.
Stop 5 ~ Eira
Recommended Time: 20-40 minutes (1-2 bus rotations)
I think I would pick either stop 3 or 5, but Eira is a small community, right on the water. In nice weather, you can even sit at a little beach! It’s named after the Norse god of healing which I think leans into the importance of our connection to nature and water.
Stop 8 ~ Flea Market
Recommended Time: 20-40 minutes (1-2 bus rotations)
If you like to shop, this is where you need to go! The flea market will have lots of wares (not just Finnish souvenirs), but also my favorite… local and hand-made crafts!
If you’re there around lunchtime, there are also food vendors available, so you can try some Finnish foods!
Stop 10 ~ Market Square (A MUST! What To Do in Helsinki For a Day? THIS!)
Recommend Time: 1-4 Hours
This stop is a must-do! There are a few activities to do here.
The Market
Market Square obviously gets its name from the Market! People offer their wares (store-bought or homemade) as well as lots of food options. You must try the salmon soup or moose meat! Many of the food vendors will also let you sample! I would recommend doing this part of the square last, so you have a better idea of how much time you can spend meandering.
Uspenski Cathedral
I was tight on time and didn’t have a high, personal interest to go inside it, but right off the square on a hill is the Uspenski Cathedral. It’s still very beautiful and worth seeing from the outside. I saw lots of people hanging out on the hill to see what I imagine was a lovely view of the harbor. I’m sure the inside was nice, but I was kinda church-ed out at the time.
Flying Helsinki
You get a discount on the Flying Helsinki experience if you have the Helsinki Card. It’s an interactive movie exhibit where you sit in “flying” seats and zoom back and forth and up and down while watching a large-screen movie of either Helsinki or Finland. I opted for the Finland one because I wanted to see more of the country since I was already doing Helsinki in a day.
Swimming in Allas Sea Pool
You can either choose to swim in the Baltic waters or a pool! I didn’t opt to do either because I wanted to do the next activity. But hey, it’s a choice! You can see the place to swim in the above picture of the harbor!
Suomenlinna (A MUST)
This is a sea fortress and a UNESCO world heritage site! People actually live there, and because of that, it’s accessible by public transportation. If you have the Helsinki Card, public transportation is included. You catch the boat to cross right from this harbor. This is what will take up the most time at this bus stop.
Boat Cruise (Extra Fee)
You can add the boat cruise to your City Sightseeing Helsinki bus tour. It’s a slow cruise around the barrier islands along with some commentary. Snacks and drinks are available onboard! I would get there a little early, so you can pick your seats. They operate at a few different times at different seasons, so make sure you confirm what time you want to try and go!
Stop 12 ~ Rock Church (A MUST For Your One Day in Helsinki)
Recommended Time: 10-20 minutes (catch next bus)
This is dependent on what’s going on that day, but I didn’t feel the need to stay much longer. Much like the Eiffel Tower, this church was originally not enjoyed by the people who lived in the city, but over time it grew on them, and it is now well-beloved.
From the outside, it’s just a mound of rock, but from the inside, it’s an underground church carved literally out of the rock. It does amazing things for acoustics, so concerts are held here not just church services. It is a stunning example of Finnish architecture and ingenuity.
Stop 13 ~ Sibelius Monument (A MUST)
Recommended Time: 10-20 minutes (catch next bus)
The only reason I would suggest staying here for 2 rotations is to get a picture without all of the people! When I first arrived, lots of people were swarming around, but right when the next bus was supposed to arrive, the area was clear! I was able to get this beautiful picture from the front of the monument… person free! This was built to honor the composer Jean Sibelius.
Person free!
PRO TIP:
I also snuck behind the monument. And not only had NO one else done that (another person free picture), but there were actually lovely flowers back there too!
Stop 14 ~ Olympic Stadium
Recommended Time: 0 minutes
You’re more than welcome to hop off here, but I didn’t. Instead, keep a watchful eye out on the left side of the bus for a naked man statue lol.
Stop 15 ~ Linnanmaki Amusement Park
Recommend Time: Up to you!
I didn’t stop here because I had some other places I wanted to see since I was trying to cram Helsinki in a day, but if you have kids, this might be a fun stop!
Stop 16 ~ National Museum
Recommended Time: An hour
If you’re choosing to stop here, make sure you’re really looking around! I really enjoyed the National Museum as soon as I walked in. Across the ceiling are murals depicting Finnish Folk Legends… yesssssss. Throughout the museum showed clothing, architecture, and history of the Finns. A very cool museum!
Stop 18 ~ Botanical Gardens
Recommended Time: 30-60 minutes
Ask the bus driver to point you in the right direction for the entrance. I apparently wandered the wrong way, and it took a lot of walking just to find the entrance! So, don’t be me! Once I was inside though, it was nice! I like looking at different plants. They have a few interactive areas to learn and play.
I hope this gave you a great idea of what to do if you’re trying to cram all of Helsinki in a day! I think there is something for everyone, so definitely pick and choose which are the best for you.
TIME-SAVING TIP:
If you’re on a bit of a time crunch and definitely don’t want to see anything from Stops 2-9 (honestly… I think you can easily cut it. I think they added that route more for the Cruise ship passengers), you can walk from Stop 1 to Stop 10. It’s a very short walk.
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