37 cheap and free things to do in Helsinki

Helsinki is an expensive city, but it also has loads of free and low-cost things to do. You just need to know where to look and how to find a bargain.

If you want to visit lots of Helsinki’s main sights, for example, you could save money by buying a Helsinki Card that give you free public transport and includes admission to loads of attractions.

So, here’s how to get the best out of Helsinki on a budget! You can use the links below to hop to a section.

Parks and nature

1. Jump on ferry for a 20-minute trip from Helsinki’s central harbour to the island of Suomenlinna, an old Swedish fort and Unesco World Heritage Site. You can use a public transport pass, just like hopping on a tram.

Or, with a Helsinki Card transport and admission to the museums is free. If you don’t have a Helsinki Card, we suggest you skip the museums and enjoy the sensational fort, nature and views for free. Pack a picnic lunch and a bathing suit for the small beach!

2. Ride the #24 bus from the centre of town, then walk across the charming bridge to the small island of Seurasaari. The museum here closes in winter, but you can still walk around the historic houses and coastal forest for free. It’s beautiful and peaceful, and you can even learn a thing or two.  

In summer, there’s an admission fee for the museum, though entrance is included with the Helsinki Card.

3. Stroll by the sea, have a beer at the café, or visit the Ursa Observatory (around €5; check viewing times first) in Kaivopuisto Park. Then, take a walk down the nearby Embassy Row for more impressive views.

Historic sights

4. There’s always something going on at Helsinki Cathedral in Senate Square, the city’s most recognisable landmark – and entrance is free.

5. Just across the street from the Cathedral, the historic National Library is also free to enter, but don’t be intimidated by its imposing front doors and strict bag check.

6. Climb up from the harbour to the onion-domed Uspenski Cathedral for spectacular views and a look round Western Europe’s largest Orthodox church.

Is the Helsinki Card worth buying?

Read this guide to see how much you could save during your trip!

Public spaces and secret spots

7. You can do pretty much anything – make and build things, play games, watch movies, sing, eat, drink and, of course, read – at the spectacular Oodi Library.  Everything on the second floor, including 3D printers, a recording studio, gaming stations and the photo studio is free to use.

If you want to book any of the facilities in advance, you’ll need a Finnish library card, but if slots are available, just ask a librarian (they all speak English) or join the queue for your turn. The third-floor balcony is a great spot for coffee or just relaxing. 

8. Escape from the chaos of Kamppi Square into the calming Kamppi Chapel, an architectural masterpiece that’s also known as the Chapel of Silence.

9. No tickets needed to go inside the spectacular Finlandia Hall, designed by world-renowned Finnish architect, Alvar Aalto, even down to the doorknobs.

The building is currently undergoing renovation, so you won’t be able to explore the interior of this remarkable place until the end of 2024, but you can still check out the optical illusions on the exterior of the building.

10. Make like a student and take the lift to the seventh floor of the Helsinki University Main Library. Soak in the impressive architecture and strange silence on your way to the southern windows, then go out onto the deck for one of Helsinki’s best views. This is one of those secret spots that you won’t want to miss.

Walks

11. Tove Jansson is the author and illustrator of the extraordinary Moomin books for children and Finland’s best loved author. Follow her life on the Tove Jansson Walk, a great way to see the city. Stop en route for lunch at one of the city’s Moomin Cafés.

12. Start from the back of Finlandia Hall and take a walk around Töölö Bay. Join the jogging, strolling and pram-pushing locals, who head to the playgrounds, old houses and cafés along the east shore.

In summer, you can rent a kayak. In winter, if you’re feeling brave, you can walk across the ice!

13. Search out the graves of famous Finns such as Alvar Aalto or ‘The Marshall’ Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim in the historic and beautiful Hietaniemi Cemetery.

Museums and galleries

14. Check out the Helsinki City Museum, just off Senate Square. Especially great for kids, it’s free to visit for all.

15. Take in some art at HAM (Helsinki Art Museum). On the last Friday of every month, admission to the museum is free so you can see the permanent collection as well as the temporary exhibitions.

Frescoes by Tove Jansson form part of the permanent collection, while other works by a wide range of other artists are exhibited throughout the year.

16. See how the Finnish bourgeoisie lived in the 1860s at the Burger’s House Museum. In the oldest surviving wooden house in Helsinki, the museum has lovingly recreated middle-class life in Finland with authentic furniture and decor from the era.

It provides a fascinating snapshot into an affluent Finnish life in the nineteenth century.

17. The Kiasma Museum of Finnish modern art is free on the first Friday of every month.

18. The Amos Rex Museum may not be free to enter (unless you have a Helsinki Card or Museum Card), but if you walk around the back you can hang out at the quirky lunar landscape for free.

Grab a coffee at one of the charming cafés and watch adventurous children and tourists climb the hills, even on the iciest, snowiest, darkest Finnish days.

19. Under 18s can visit the Ateneum (the Finnish National Gallery of Art) for free, though adults without a Helsinki Card or Museum Card will have to pay €22 at the admissions desk, or €20 online in advance.

20. Kids and transport buffs will love the fun Tram Museum, which has six different types of restored tram on display, including a horse-drawn one. You can climb on board some of them and simulators allow you to drive the trams or try out conductor duties. 

21. Visit the Kirpilä Art Collection, a private collection of artworks gathered by doctor Juhani Kirpilä and his partner and antiques dealer Karl Rosenqvist. The art is displayed in their opulent former apartment, and is open to the public on Wednesday and Sunday afternoons.

Events

22. Freezing? Dark? Sleeting sideways? Who cares when Lux Helsinki is on? At the beginning of January each year, the main streets in the centre of Helsinki are closed for this outdoor light festival, where thousands of Finns push prams, drink beer, and wander along a route lined with light installations, laser shows and lantern gardens.

23. The best €13 euros you’ll ever spend! The joyous Lakritsi & Salmiakki Festival each October celebrates liquorice and salty liquorice, a curious (some may say revolting) national obsession.

24. In October, drop into the Helsinki Baltic Herring Festival, where you can sample pickled, smoked, marinated and other herring bites right off the back of fishing boats in Helsinki’s main harbour.

The festival has been running since 1743, but has now expanded to include a pop-up sauna, handicrafts and other Finnish fishy delicacies.

Health and fitness

25. Look out for free ice skating in Helsinki’s public parks. Charming, free rinks pop up all over the city in winter. It’s BYOS (Bring Your Own Skates), so you may want to hit one of the many cheap second-hand equipment stores first.

26. Go swimming at one of Helsinki’s public beaches. There are 25 public beaches in Helsinki, some of which have life guards in the summer. We’re not saying that the water is warm, but you can join the locals to sunbathe and have a refreshing dip.

27. Get naked (or wear a swimsuit – Finns don’t judge) at the free, volunteer-run Sompasauna. This ramshackle sauna on the end of an unassuming pier is a do-it-yourself, at-your-own-risk, jump-in-the-bay community experience. A great way to make friends and meet the locals. 

28. Join the locals at the Helsinki Park Run. Like cities the world over, Helsinki hosts a weekly park run every Saturday at 9.30am. It’s a fun, free waterside run round two bays in the pretty Tokoinranta park.

29. Go kayaking for free. Helsinki is one of several Scandinavian cities where you can take a kayak out for free on the water – provided you fill a sack of litter as you paddle.

The fantastic Green Kayak organisation has two bases in Helsinki where you can book a kayak and explore the harbour while cleaning up the waterways.

Shopping

30. Flea Markets are a big deal in eco-conscious Finland, so don’t miss the excellent Hietalahti Flea Market. It’s outside the Hietalahti Food Market in summer and opens in winter too – if the weather permits!

31. If you’re plagued with expensive taste but an empty wallet, the Iittala & Arabia Design Centre museum is free, while the adjacent shop can have some amazing bargains on these usually expensive, distinctive Finnish brands.

32. To buy some distinctive Finnish designer brands, such as the iconic Marrimekko – or just to window-shop – visit the stylish Kämp Galleria. Or, for budget souvenirs, head to Uniqeco and buy one of its inexpensive reflectors for your clothes and bags – the mark of a true Finn.

Eating and drinking

33. At the back of the Hotel Torni take the lift up to the Ateljee Bar, where you can mosey onto the outdoor decks for a panoramic view of the city and the sea beyond. Don’t miss a trip to the bathrooms, where the views are even better. Mixed drinks are pricey here, though beers are cheaper.

And if you stay at the hotel itself, you can enjoy breakfast up here – with views as far as Tallinn on a clear day!

34. After pretending to know that Sibelius wrote Finlandia at the Sibelius Monument in Sibelius Park, head over to the Café Regata for Helsinki’s best cinnamon rolls, an outdoor fire, and a warm blanket by the sea.

35. Wander the alleys of Helsinki’s Hakaniemi Market Hall for great eats and shopping. The historic hall is over a hundred years old, but has recently reopened after a full renovation and is definitely worth a visit.

36. Grab a bargain bowl of steaming ramen at Fat Ramen at the Hietalahti Market Hall. Slurp it upstairs with views of the Saturday flea market and harbour below. A perfect weekend afternoon!

37. Fancy trying traditional Finnish salmon soup? The best is at the Old Market Hall, just off the central Helsinki harbour. Or pick up some reindeer and chips on the go.

Where to stay

And if you’re looking for somewhere cheap-and-cheerful in a central location, you can’t go wrong with the good-value Yard Hostel, a five-minute walk from Helsinki Station.

The comfortable dorms have wooden bunks with privacy curtains and there’s a friendly lounge area and a well-equipped communal kitchen.

See also:

Is the Helsinki Card worth buying?
Five fun day trips from Helsinki
Getting around Helsinki