9 Best Sights in Helsinki, Finland

Finland's love affair with the sauna—one of the very few originally Finnish words that are internationally recognizable—has never diminished, but this very traditional national pursuit has been enjoying a resurgence in popularity, not least with a younger crowd. You are not obliged to sample this most Finnish of activities at the hugely popular Allas Sea Pool in the South Harbour, but a dip in one of the year-round pools built into the sea—one of which is heated—wouldn't really be complete without a visit to the mixed sauna (swimsuits and towels are available for rent). The Allas concept also embraces events and concerts and has food and drinks available from the separately managed Allas Cafe and Terrace (a prime harborside sun-trap), which serves breakfast to prework bathers and wholesome lunches.

The Helsinki City Museum is housed appropriately in five of Helsinki's oldest buildings opposite the Lutheran Cathedral on the southeast corner of the Senate Square. The main building, with free entrance, holds exhibitions on the history and culture of the capital. The museum is also a "parent" for various smaller museums across the city, namely the Villa Hakasalmi, the Tram Museum, the Burgher's House Museum, and the Workers' Housing Museum. The main museum includes an especially imaginative "Time Machine" exhibition based on a vast collection of historic photographs, inviting visitors to walk back through the city's history.

Seurasaari's old farmhouses and barns that were brought to this island, which is about 2 miles northwest of the city center, came from all over the country. Many are rough-hewn log buildings dating from the 17th century, a style that was a major inspiration to the late-19th-century architects of the national revivalist movement. All exhibits are marked by signposts along the trails; don't miss the church boat and the gabled church—and watch out for the very sociable red squirrels! Seurasaari is connected to land by a pedestrian bridge and is a restful place for walking throughout the year, with its forest trails and ocean views. You can walk there in about 40 minutes from the Opera House; follow Mannerheimintie northeast, then turn left onto Linnankoskenkatu and follow signs along the coast. Alternatively, take Bus 24 from the city center, in front of the Swedish Theater at the west end of Pohjoisesplanadi; its last stop is by the bridge to the island. It's free to enter and wander around the traffic-free island at any time of the year, but there is a cost to visit the museum buildings, and the ticket includes daily guided tours at 3 pm in summer. There is a naturist beach on the north side of the island, well shielded from public view. Plan on spending at least three hours exploring and getting to the museum.

Vallisaari (and its two immediate neighbors), originally outliers of the 18th-century Suomenlinna sea fortress, were closed to public access until recently due to their military functions. Now they are popular and rewarding destinations from May to September (and at other times, if you can befriend a private-boat owner). Water bus services run to the islands in the Helsinki archipelago, making the 20–25-minute voyage from a quay near the old Market Hall in the South Harbour to the two connected islands of Vallisaari and Kuninkaansaari and to Lonna, the tiniest of the three with a fine restaurant and host of a summer jazz festival. On Vallisaari, the largest of the three, visitors must stick to the trails running through designated areas to protect the unique and beautifully wooded natural environment—as well as to avoid the site of historic munitions explosions. The trail leads to a viewing platform above the fortifications. The views are glorious, stretching back to the city across Suomenlinna and out to the open sea, and there is the occasional spectacle of cruise ships and ferries slipping through the narrow straits between islands. Vallisaari has a quayside café and bar, picnic benches, and a marina for visiting boats. Guided nature, history, and photography tours are available through Finland National Parks, which maintains and manages the island. One can reach the smaller Kuninkaansaari from Vallisaari across a short causeway and explore the old gun emplacements.

The train station—the terminus for routes all across the country—and its adjoining Railway Station Square are the city's bustling commuter hub. The station's huge, iconic granite figures clutching illuminated globes are by Emil Wikström; the solid granite building they adorn was designed by Eliel Saarinen, one of the founders of the early-20th-century National Romantic style. The complex of tunnels underneath the station lead to a variety of shops and the city's most central Metro station.

The resident Amur tigers, snow leopards, and reindeer are familiar with the cold winters here, one of the world's northernmost zoos, but there are all sorts of other animals to view, including pygmy marmosets and bison. Korkeasaari has a good reputation for breeding and conserving endangered species and is home to a wildlife hospital. Entirely within the limits of this small island, the winding paths make the zoo seem larger than it actually is. Between May and September, ferries depart from the Market Square and from a quay in the Hakaniemi district. Tickets, which can be bought on the ferry, cost €7 round-trip and are free for children under 18. Zoo tickets are sold at the zoo entrance. The trip takes 15 minutes; arrival and departure times are posted at the harbor. Alternatively, you can take the metro to the Kulosaari stop, cross under the tracks, and follow the signs for a 20-minute walk to the zoo, crossing the island of Mustikkamaa. Bus 16 runs to the zoo from the Central Railway Station.

Helsinki's amusement park, to the north of the city center, is a great option for families and one of the most popular attractions in the whole country. Linnanmäki includes a unique "heritage" wooden roller coaster and the Sea Life aquarium, and even stages an annual Carnival of Light to brighten up the onset of fall in October. Other attractions include a horror festival in September that amplifies the children's yells that are always audible anywhere near the park, as well as Ferris wheels, bumper cars, a water-rafting track, an "octopus" ride, a viewing tower, a freewill ride, various carousels, a clowns' house, and a minitrain. The park's season opens on the May Day holiday and continues through September, with the October Light event in the second half of that month. No summer is complete for Helsinki children without a visit to Linnanmäki.

The Sibelius Monument is the main feature of the Sibelius Park on the shoreline of a Baltic inlet in the Töölö district northwest of the center. This imaginative tribute to Finland's great composer Jean Sibelius, designed by Eila Hiltunen and unveiled in 1967, resembles a cluster of soaring silver organ pipes—600 of them—accompanied by a slightly sinister silver bust of the composer and is a popular stop on coach tours of the city. It's in a beautiful park close to the sea, surrounded by rhododendron blooms in spring.

The grand house overlooking the Seurasaari Open-Air Museum from the mainland is where the late Finnish president Urho Kekkonen lived from 1956 to 1986. Originally known as Villa Nissen, Tamminiemi was built in 1904. Inside are the scores of gifts presented to Finland's longest-serving president by leaders from around the world. His study is the most fascinating room, with its gift from the United States: a cupboard full of National Geographic maps of the world. To ensure an English-speaking guide, call ahead. There's a pleasant café, Cafe Adjutant, in the expansive grounds.