Travel to Helsinki with travel insurance from Essential Travel

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Information on Helsinki with travel insurance from Essential Travel

Travel to Helsinki

Helsinki feels more like a small town than a capital city and it is best appreciated by walking or cycling. There are no high-rise buildings, but rather plenty of parks, markets, nearby islands and museums to explore.

Getting there

Helsinki is served by the airport at Vantaa, 19kms north of the city, where about 120 international flights touch down each day. To get into town, you can either take a taxi or the number 615 bus to the railway station; journey time is approximately 30 minutes. By car, there are land border crossings into Finland from northern Sweden, Norway and Russia. As Helsinki is on the sea, you can also come by ferry from Germany, Sweden or Estonia.

Key Attractions

The Kauppatori (Market Square), also known as the Fish Market, is on the waterfront. This is the most colourful square in Helsinki and is best seen in the morning when it’s at its liveliest. Stretching west from here is the shopping avenue of Eteläesplenadi.

Inland from the Kauppatori is Senaatintori, a square designed by Carl Ludwig Engel dominated by a cathedral and surrounded by government and university buildings. Farther east, across a bridge, on the tiny island of Katajanokka is the Eastern Orthodox Cathedral. West of Senaatintori is the main street of Mannerheimintie, as well as the National Gallery and the Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art.

Out and about

The countryside around Helsinki offers sleepy harbour towns, quaint villages, stately manor houses, medieval churches and castles. West of Helsinki is the 19th century spa town of Hanko, which used to be a favourite of the Russian royal family and is close to some deserted beaches. Another seaside town worth visiting is Ekenas.

Alternatively, there are the ruins of a 14th century castle at nearby Raseborg. Fifty kilometres east of Helsinki is the historic town of Poorvoo, the second oldest town in the country; it boasts beautiful cobbled alleys and brightly coloured wooden houses.

Leisure options

Helsinki’s main shopping avenues are Pohjoisesplanadi and Eteläesplenadi, where you can find shops full of high quality goods such as jewellery, knitwear, leisurewear, leather garments, glassware, interior decoration articles, antiques, art and consumer electronics. Helsinki’s cultural centre is the Kaapeli Tehdas (Cable Factory), an industrial building which houses a restaurant, the huge Cable Gallery, which doubles as a theatre, and a number of small but interesting museums.

Safety

When travelling abroad, language barriers and strange routines can unfortunately lead to missed travel arrangements or incorrect bookings. Travellers should try to remain alert to any potential problems or hazards which could place them at more risk, such as driving. For peace of mind, we recommend you buy travel insurance for you and your family.

Weather

The country’s coastal position dictates the weather of Helsinki’s quite distinct seasons. Winter is blustery cold with heavy snow with temperatures as low as -15°C. Summer months can be most pleasant, especially during the summer equinox, where the city experiences no less than 19 hours of daylight per day. July is by far the warmest month with an average temp of 15°C.

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