1 Day in Helsinki: Our Itinerary to Cram the Best Things to See, Eat, and Do
Just one day anywhere is hardly enough. But that’s especially true in a historic city like Helsinki. There’s simply so much beautiful architecture, their unique blend of historical & modern, and far too many salmon and reindeer dishes to eat in a day.
But I certainly tried my best!
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Table of Contents
Making the Most of Helsinki
If I could only use one word to describe Helsinki, it would be: Walkable.
Which is fantastic because we pretty much had just the 1 full day to explore Helsinki. In retrospect, one day in a city like Helsinki was hardly enough. There were so many travel, food, and art options to choose from that it was hard to narrow down our final Helsinki itinerary. This is a city that packs a (touristy) punch.
In the end, we prioritized based on the very simple basis of how close the options were to each other. If the options we wanted were clumped somewhat close together on the map, that formed the basis of our itinerary.
As a result, our time in Helsinki was a whirlwind of sightseeing, eating, and getting whiplash from seeing contemporary art & historical exhibits back to back.
Here’s how my group (me, my husband, and one of my childhood friends) spent our one full day in and around Helsinki, the capital of Finland. From iconic landmarks, a futuristic library, and quite a bit of seafood.
Rise & Shine, Helsinki Style
We started bright and early… sort of. Realistically, it was more of an overcast and early start, and rather quiet. Almost too quiet – like the city was still waking up, which made sense because, well, it was.
At 7 AM, we were up and about before most businesses were even open.
So we started with a leisurely stroll through Katajanokka, the area around our hotel, Noli Katajanokka II. This district was once the headland of the Helsinki peninsula and home to the former Katajanokka prison.
But I never would’ve guessed that from the charming neighborhood we walked, next to groups of unsupervised kids that walked confidently early in the morning and until early evening.
After that trial stroll within a couple of blocks of our hotel to gauge if we were appropriately dressed (we were) and geared (I wasn’t – I ended up switching out my backpack for my sling bag), we officially went full-tourist mode.
Senate Square (+ Helsinki Cathedral)
Our first major stop was Senate Square, one of Helsinki’s most famous landmarks. Nestled in a neighborhood that retains a historical charm, it was also right next to the Helsinki Cathedral.
It’s the kind of place that feels grand and is commonly found in and around Europe – blending historical architecture with veins of modern trams or cars. But it was novel to me since there’s not much of that in Los Angeles, and similar locations in the Philippines have vastly different vibes.
Since it was still relatively early (around 8 AM), the plaza was mostly clear of tourists taking selfies and Instagram photos – which meant I got to take mine with a minimal audience. So it was only slightly embarrassing.
What was extremely embarrassing was being asked by another girl to take her photos. I’d already (automatically) agreed before I realized she had a Canon camera…
To my unfortunate fellow tourist: If you ever find this blog post, I am SO SORRY for the probably horrible, out-of-focus photos I took of you. The only explanation I can offer is that I got incredibly flustered and then embarrassed because I forgot how to find any of the buttons on a Canon camera. So I just spam-clicked the shutter button. My bad. You did some hella cute poses, though!
Eventually, I ran into my husband and friend again, who had wandered off towards the cathedral steps. Together, we walked over to Café Engel where I confessed I probably took horrible, out-of-focus photos of someone because I got flustered. Again, I’m sorry.
Café Engel
While my friend was reconfiguring her winter wear & backpack, and I was switching out my camera’s kit lens (Nikon Z 7II with the 24-70mm kit lens) for a Z 26mm f/2.8 (also referred to as a pancake lens). My husband took that time to do a cursory search for breakfast places close to our planned stops. We decided on Café Engel for their Lohikeittoa (Salmon Soup) and the Poronkäristystä (Reindeer Stew).
Unfortunately, we didn’t realize their warm dishes (essentially a lunch menu) wouldn’t be available until 11 AM…we sat down at around 8:30 AM. Luckily, their breakfast options were still amazing, though, and we were all happy with what we ended up ordering. My husband went with Café Engel’s breakfast (left) while my friend and I both ordered the Smoked Salmon with black bread (right).
Our group also shared a small dish of bread with Finnish egg spread. Which in retrospect, was probably their equivalent of an American kid’s egg salad sandwich or grilled cheese. It was still pretty tasty though, and a surprisingly new take on an egg salad sandwich – not a dish I ever anticipated trying (and enjoying!) in Helsinki, of all places.
Between the three of us, we paid a little over 50 euros for breakfast. Admittedly rather pricy. But considering Café Engel’s prime location, food quality (great!), and atmosphere, what we paid for was essentially the experience.
The atmosphere and the flavor – especially the great bread – felt quintessentially European. It could’ve been distinctly Finnish, but to be honest, I didn’t have enough experience to pinpoint it. Regardless, there were none of those “quick business meeting” or “parked at a table all day to work/study” vibes seen at Starbucks.
Midday in Helsinki: Museums, Markets, & More
After breakfast, we passed through the Senate Square towards the Helsinki Cathedral, which was right behind it. From there, we took a winding path of side streets to arrive at my main addition to our group’s itinerary, the Kiasma Museum.
Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma
I do prefer modern art to classical, even if it’s mainly because it doesn’t remind me of Art History homework.
But honestly, the main reason I picked this museum was because they have a free admission day, on the 1st Friday of the month. Since our 1 day in Helsinki fell on the first Friday of February, it seemed like a no-brainer to go.
During our visit, they showcased the Milky Way Tour, which ran until March 23, 2025. It was nice, and I had joked with my group that in case we missed out on the Northern Lights during our (then upcoming) time in Iceland, at least we had this exhibit
Even if it’s not a free admission day, if you enjoy modern art then Kiasma is worth a visit. At the very least, enjoy some of the outdoor sculptures nearby if self-guided city tours are more your speed. Which we did a little of, after Kiasma.
Since we made the mistake of not checking the distance of the Winter War Museum, we had some unexpected space in our itinerary. We used it to walk around the general area of Kiasma, checking out a local park and the lake, before we found ourselves in front of the public library.
Admittedly, Oodi wasn’t quite on our original itinerary. But it looked interesting (and more importantly, warm), so we checked it out.
I’m extremely glad we did because Oodi ended up being the highlight of our day! It was a masterpiece of design, functionality, and accessibility – dare I say, the ultimate “third space.”
A place that’s neither home nor work, a third space is a neutral ground where everyone is welcome, and there’s little to no financial barrier. People can come to hang out to socialize or find a quiet spot to read and be left alone.
Anyway, after tearing ourselves away from probably the best, most well-equipped social service I’ll probably never experience in the US…
Totally unrelated to how awesome this library was, but they had the cutest robot – which in my mind was considered part of the staff, and therefore a librarian robot.
Additionally, they offer access to a wildly large assortment of amenities, including but not limited to: reading spaces, recording studios, and a Makerspace that has 3D printing machines, Die-cutting machines (like Cricut), and even sewing machines! All are available for public use (though presumably with a library card).
Anyway, after tearing ourselves away from probably the best, most well-equipped social service I’ll probably never experience in the US…
Helsinki City Museum
We started heading back in the direction of our hotel, to hit up the spots from our itinerary that either weren’t open yet or in the opposite direction of our starting loop.
Since the café inside Oodi didn’t have matcha, we briefly stopped by Fazer Café Kluuvikatu before we made our way to one of the items left on our itinerary: the Helsinki City Museum, which hadn’t opened until 11 AM.
The Helsinki City Museum might be small, but it offered a packed (and occasionally interactive) glimpse into the rich tapestry of Helsinki’s history & culture. But the best part was that it’s always free entrance!
Kauppatori (Harborside market)
We might have gotten briefly distracted tasting free samples (and purchasing) some local Finnish chocolate at Billnäs Chocolate Factory, but finally, we arrived at the harborside market.
By the time we arrived around 2 PM, the market was close to winding down. Luckily, there were still a few stalls open, and I was able to browse and buy some souvenirs: magnets for my parents while my husband got a small piece of reindeer pelt for our home.
Being by the harbor, so close to the water, was refreshing and amazing, but also very cold. But that was fine since we were already right next to the famous Old Market Hall.
Eating Reindeer or Salmon Soup at Vanha Kauppahalli (Old Market Hall)
Given the earlier missed opportunity for Salmon soup at Café Engel, it was another no-brainer to find it again among the many food stalls located inside the Old Market Hall.
The good news is that not only did we find that highly-anticipated Salmon soup, but they were also serving Reindeer soup!
We weren’t even hungry yet, but we wanted to give both a try. So we decided to split the two bowls of soup between the three of us. Besides, we were surrounded by so many other stalls (especially the pastry stalls!) that even if we were still hungry, we had plenty of options.
Uspenski Cathedral
After warming ourselves up with soup, it was time to brave the cold again.
We only had one more tourist spot on our itinerary before retiring back to our hotel for a short rest: the Uspenski Cathedral. By this point, we’ve passed by it multiple times and seen it from multiple views – albeit from afar.
But this time, we took the steps up to get a closer look at its striking red-brick exterior and golden domes. It’s a stark and interesting contrast to the stately neoclassical look of Helsinki Cathedral from earlier that morning.
The view over Helsinki, with the top of Helsinki Cathedral peeking out, was well worth the climb. Eventually, it got too cold to take photos, so we simply enjoyed the view and then the walk back to Noli Katajanokka II.
Goodnight, Helsinki
Rested and having retired my heavy camera for the day (this was the longest I’d ever carried it non-stop), we strolled around our hotel’s neighborhood again. It seemed a fun idea to pop by the local grocery store to check it out.
Ok, I lied, it was a mission to get my hands on a carton (or two) of that delicious blueberry juice I had on our Finnair flight from New York to Helsinki. Also, this would be my second carton since my husband and I already grabbed (and finished) our first carton on the night of our arrival.
No joke, Finnair’s blueberry juice has been the most life-changing minor detail of my life so far. I have and still dream of how smooth it felt and tasted on my tongue.
If I ever see this damn drink in US grocery stores, I don’t care who I have to cut in front of – grandmas, children, pregnant women – just to get my hands on it.
But apart from the blueberry juice, they did have a lot of interesting snacks and even some microwave meals I wouldn’t have minded trying out if I had the time.
Drinks at Stadin Poseidon then Dinner at Ravintola Everest Katajanokka (Nepalese Cuisine)
After dropping off my precious blueberry juice (minus a few ounces) back at the hotel, we set out to have dinner & drinks at the Poseidon bar.
Unfortunately, they only had drinks that night due to…some reason I was never too clear on since both my friend and my husband got absorbed in conversation with the bartender and one of the local patrons (respectively). I made my introverted self join in, and I did have a good time.
After a few drinks, we peeled ourselves away to check out the local restaurant recommended by the bartender and 3 and ½ other people at the bar. The ½ is because one guy in the back didn’t say anything but nodded quite empathically when everyone else was shouting out their favorite dishes at Ravintola Everest.
Well, those 4 ½ Finns knew what they were talking about. The food at Ravintola Everest was delicious. Just because we never would’ve imagined choosing Nepalese food in Finland, we would’ve been crazy to dismiss a restaurant that got unanimously recommended by 4 ½ locals.
Honestly, all the food was great. The only thing I wouldn’t recommend was the mango lassi – it wasn’t bad, but I’ve had better. The mango flavor was just mid, but I’ll admit the texture and tartness of the yogurt almost made up for it.
1 Day in Helsinki: Worth it?
Hands down, the best part of the trip was Oodi – and I swear it wasn’t because of the robot! At least, not entirely…
What I love about Oodi is that, unlike a library, there’s an area set aside to be able to eat & drink. Fine, I also love the librarian robot.
Normally, libraries are “no food or drink” spaces, so one has to choose between not eating/drinking for the duration of their stay or packing up all their work/study materials in between. But unlike a café (looking at you, Starbucks), there’s no inherent expectation that you have to spend money to be able to use the space.
Even if you only have 1 day in Helsinki, do not skip Oodi.
On the other hand, my biggest regret from our 1 day in Helsinki was leaving the Kauppatori (Harborside market) for the afternoon.
If I could do it again, I would go in the morning when everything was just opening. Visiting it in the afternoon meant missing out on the full experience of a bustling Finnish market.
It might’ve meant less energy and/or even more tired feet, but I could imagine that the energy of the harborside market in the morning was very different. I would’ve been interested to check out if there were any stalls selling pastries and hot chocolate and enjoy it while watching the ships and seagulls.
Was it worth cramming everything we did into 1 day in Helsinki? Absolutely. Our itinerary had a solid mix of travel, food, and art. Though with that being said, if I ever come back, I would take it a little slower. There were quite a lot of cafés we passed by that looked so cozy and inviting, whether to read a book or just indulge in some people-watching.
But for only having 1 full day to explore, I’d say it was time well spent!
