I've been thinking about Helsinki a lot lately and how much I miss it. I've seen a few people around the blog world lately who have Helsinki on the brain, so I thought I'd give a few of my own recommendations for Helsinki:
(Because I lived in the center of Helsinki and know it best, this is where almost all of these places are located. Of course there are more nice shops and restaurants to be found a bit outside of the center!)
To eat:
Bar 9 - One of my favorite local hangouts in Helsinki. You can get delicious fish soup here. I can't recommend Bar 9 enough.
Brooklyn Café - This café is definitely the best place to get American pastries in Helsinki. The brownies, cookies, and bagels are to die for. Maybe even better than something I'd get here in Montana. Address: Fredrikinkatu 19
Café Carusel - A popular spot by the sea to come and hang out, with a casual dining feel. The pizza here is quite good (though I'd say the pastries here like karjalanpiirakka and pulla are pretty average), and you can't beat the patio that overlooks the sea!
Fleuriste (read about it
here, too) - One of the most stylish cafés in Helsinki. Really nice quality coffee and really, really good cake, too.
Helsingin Jäätelötehdas - My favorite ice cream kiosks in Helsinki! These are all around Helsinki, especially around the sea and the Kaivopuisto area. (After your visit to Carusel, come here for dessert!) Good, creamy ice cream.
Kaffa Roastery - Best quality coffee in Helsinki, hands down. I'm not a huge coffee girl as I usually take tea, but even I can taste the difference with Kaffa.
Kakkugalleria - Probably Helsinki's most popular bakery, and with three of them in the center, you're bound to be close to at least one. Kakkugalleria (Cake Gallery) is just what its name suggests - cake. There is even a cake buffet if you're that daring.
Lokal - Stylish art gallery mixed with coffee. What could be better?
Mattolaituri - This is one upscale spot that I think is worth the few extra euros. Come here for champagne and cake and to look out onto the sea. The staff has always been very friendly to me. Worth a visit. (Mattolaituri opens in the spring and stays open, I believe, until late summer/early fall.)
Moko Market and Café - Moko is my favorite lunch and brunch spot. They have delicious salads and their Saturday brunch can't be beat (I mean it really, really cannot be beat). The atmosphere in Moko is nice as it's part vintage and design shop, too.
Ravintola Tori - Best quality fresh and simple food in the Helsinki center.
To shop:
C. Hagelstamin Antikvaarinen kirjakauppa - Picture an old bookstore you might see in the movies, and you have C. Hagelstam. I could spend hours in here. There is a large selection of books available in Finnish, Swedish, English, and other languages.
Design Forum - Best place to go to get a larger scope of Finnish design. This shop has carefully curated pieces from all kinds of Finnish designers. (There is also a Kakku Galleria in this shop!)
Hakaniemi - A fresh marketplace feel with both shops and food alike. I love it there.
Hietalahti flea market - Come here in the summertime if you're into flea markets. With a large selection of people selling, you're sure to find something vintage you love.
Iittala outlet (located in the Iittala factory) - I love the Iittala outlet! You can find "second quality" Iittala products here for just a bit cheaper than "first quality". Also, you can find other outlets around as well, like Finlayson and Pentik.
Kauniste shop - I'm in love with almost everything Kauniste sells, and now instead of only selling their products in other shops, they've opened their own!
Marimekko shop on Uudenmaankatu - This is probably my favorite Marimekko store in Helsinki. I love the small, cute feel it has. (If you're looking for vintage Marimekko, try secondhand stores in the center like
the UFF on Fredrikinkatu.)
Napa Books (read about it
here, too) - Napa Books has been well advertised in the blog world and for good reason, too. Lovely books and products to be found here, all run by
Jenni Rope.
Pino (read about it
here, too) - A cute and carefully curated store with brands like
Baggu and
mt washi tapes. I love the feel and atmosphere there.
Salakauppa - This means "Secret Store" in English, and although Salakauppa isn't too secret, I love it. A (tiny) glass box of a store with lovely items in it. It's just outside of Kiasma, so make sure you stop.
To see/do:
Ateneum - Helsinki's traditional art museum. Right now there is a
Helene Schjerfbeck exhibition going on.
The Botanical Garden in Kaisaniemi (see my post about it
here) - One of the loveliest places in Helsinki; a beautiful area with a large array of plants and flowers. The greenhouse is beautiful, too. You can get into the greenhouse for free on Thursdays from 4:00 - 6:00 pm.
Eira area - An old neighborhood near the sea. I love to walk through this neighborhood because the architecture of the houses is so beautiful.
Kaivopuisto - A beautiful and famous park in Helsinki, also where everyone comes for
Vappu. A wonderful picnic spot.
Kiasma - Helsinki's modern art museum. The gift shop has nice things in it, too.
Kotiharjun saunat - These wood-burning saunas in Sörnäinen are a little outside the center of Helsinki, but easily accessible by metro. This is my favorite sauna spot in Helsinki, a wood-burning sauna cannot be beat!
Seurasaari - I spent my Midsummer here and I'm glad I did. Come here to get away from the city vibe of Helsinki and to understand more of what rural Finland is like. You can easily get a bus to Seurasaari from the city center.
Suomenlinna - Suomenlinna (literally "The Fortress of Finland") isn't far at all from the harbor by
Market Square (Kauppatori). You can use a regular transportation ticket to get there (They're easily obtained at the ferry terminal at the harbor.) and then explore Suomenlinna. When it's a nice day, it's a great place for a picnic.
Yrjönkadun uimahalli - Although the saunas here are electric, I love the feel of this old swimming hall. Built almost one hundred years ago, the architecture of the place is so beautiful and interesting.
Also, in case you're looking for a typical Helsinki experience (which isn't bad, either!), here are a few suggestions: Check out
Tuomiokirkko (come here in the morning and sit on the steps as the sun rises, it's lovely) and the
National Library (then have breakfast at
Café Engel almost directly across). Shops on Esplanadi like
Artek, Marimekko (Pohjoisesplanadi 33), Iittala, and
Aarikka are all lovely (although usually quite full of tourists). I also recommend some of the shopping and eating around
Lasipalatsi (I love
Eat&Joy) and seeing a show at
The National Opera House.
Pictured above: A view of Esplanadi, Moko logo on a take-away bag, C. Hagelstamin Antikvaarinen kirjakauppa, decorating mugs at Iittala, champagne and cake at Mattolaituri.
