Must see attractions in Helsinki

The 1938-completed Tennispalatsi (Tennis Palace) cultural and recreation centre was intended for the 1940 Summer Olympics, which were subsequently…

In a lovely setting on Kuusisaari island, this private gallery in a 1938 villa has works ranging from the Italian Renaissance to an extensive collection…

On the island of Kuusisaari, this striking villa is filled with elegant objets d'art, including some Mayan and Chinese pieces, Finnish golden-age works…

Part castle, part studio, this was the home of Akseli Gallen-Kallela (1865–1931), one of Finland’s most significant artists. Many of his works are…

By the bridge at Suomenlinna that connects Iso Mustasaari and the main island, Susisaari, is Suomenlinna-Museo, a two-level museum covering the history of…

Reached by a causeway, Tar Island (named for the warehouses that safely stored flammable Finnish tar here prior to export) is now a landscaped park with…

In the commuter city of Espoo, this museum has a huge collection of mostly Finnish modern art, ranging from the early 20th century to the present. Works…

While Vantaa (Swedish: Vanda), a satellite suburb of Helsinki, is best known as the location of the airport, it's also home to this fantastic hands-on…

Famous Linnanmäki is a real kid pleaser with rides (some free) including several roller coasters and a panoramic 75m free-fall tower, as well as nightly…

Designed in 1868 by Swedish landscaper Knut Forsberg in the style of a German city park, and completed in 1889 by his compatriot Svante Olsson, this…

Finland's imposing parliament building was designed by Finnish architect Johan Sigfrid Sirén and inaugurated in 1931. Its pared-back neoclassicism…

The city’s natural history museum is known for its controversial weathervane of a sperm impregnating an ovum. Modern exhibitions such as Story of the…

At Suomenlinna, the Vesikko is the only WWII-era submarine remaining in Finland (the rest were scrapped). It saw action against the Russians during the…

Built by the Russians in 1854 for their garrison on Suomenlinna, this church originally had five onion domes, and served as an Orthodox place of worship…

Helsinki's leafy zoo occupies the entire island of Korkeasaari. Established in 1889 it has 150 animal species and 1000 plant species from Finland and…

The eye-catching red-brick Uspenski Cathedral towers above Katajanokka island. Built as a Russian Orthodox church in 1868, it features classic golden…

Opened late 2018 as a 100th anniversary gift to the people of Finland, the central library is as aesthetically pleasing as it is intellectually…

Helsinki’s largest church, with seating for 2600 worshippers, is the soaring neo-Gothic St John’s Lutheran Church. Designed by Swedish architect Adolf…

Designed by Lars Sonck and completed in 1912, this 65m-high Lutheran church is a Helsinki landmark and visible from all over the city. Built from grey…

This sprawling site once manufactured sea cables and later became Nokia’s main factory until the 1980s. It’s now a cultural complex with design studios,…