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Helsinki Cathedral above Senate Square

No. 63 Top 100 City Destinations 2025

Helsinki

Finland

Finland's seaside capital of design, saunas, island fortresses and white summer nights.

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Photo: JIP, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Overview

Helsinki is No. 63 in Euromonitor International's Top 100 City Destinations Index 2025. Finland's capital lies on a peninsula in the Gulf of Finland, surrounded by islands.

It is known for its Neoclassical centre, its Nordic design and architecture, and its sauna culture, from traditional public saunas to modern seaside ones.

Aerial view of the Suomenlinna sea fortress, Helsinki
Aerial view of the Suomenlinna sea fortress, Helsinki. Photo: Michal Pise, Michal.Pise, CC BY 2.0, source

Best time to go

June to August brings long, light evenings, island trips and outdoor cafés.

Winter is cold and dark, but saunas, sea pools and Christmas markets make it atmospheric.

Top sights

  • 1

    Senate Square and Helsinki Cathedral

    The white, green-domed cathedral above a Neoclassical square designed by Carl Ludvig Engel.

  • 2

    Suomenlinna

    An 18th-century sea fortress spread across several islands, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, reached by ferry from the Market Square.

  • 3

    Market Square and Old Market Hall

    Harbourside stalls and a historic food hall selling fish, berries and snacks.

  • 4

    Temppeliaukio Church

    A church carved into solid rock, with a copper dome.

  • 5

    Oodi Central Library

    A striking library opened in 2018, with workshops, a cinema and a terrace.

  • 6

    Ateneum and Kiasma

    The national art museums for classic and contemporary art.

  • 7

    Public saunas

    Try a modern sauna such as Löyly or Allas Sea Pool, with a dip in the sea.

Getting there

Helsinki Airport (HEL) is about 17 km north of the centre. Trains reach Helsinki Central Station in about 30 minutes.

Ferries sail from Tallinn (about 2 hours), Stockholm and Germany.

Getting around

HSL runs the trams, metro, buses and the Suomenlinna ferry; buy tickets in the HSL app.

The centre is compact and easy to explore on foot.

Practical tips

Currency
Euro (EUR). Cards, including contactless, are accepted almost everywhere.
Language
Finnish and Swedish. English is very widely spoken.
Safety
Helsinki is very safe. The emergency number is 112.
Visa & entry
Finland is in the Schengen Area. Many visitors, including citizens of the US, Canada, the UK and Australia, can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. The EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) now records non-EU travellers' entries and exits at the border, and the ETIAS travel authorisation is due to follow. Check the official EU site travel-europe.europa.eu and your own government's travel advice before you go.
Power
230 V, 50 Hz; plug types C and F.

Official information: MyHelsinki (official tourism website). Check opening hours, prices and entry rules there before you go.

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