How to Spend 2 Days in Helsinki for Food, Culture & Design

Helsinki is a destination for architecture enthusiasts, design lovers and eaters. Known as a World Design Capital, the city exudes style and colour, and has an identity completely its own.

When walking down cobblestone streets you are surrounded by contemporary, art nouveau, neo-classical, and even avant-garde architecture. Peering into street level windows often reveals modern Scandinavian interiors inspired by the great designer Alvar Aalto.

However, beneath all the design, there is still a remarkable simplicity to Helsinki that is no doubt a by-product of the Finnish way of life. From the communal saunas on the sea to the coffee shops where Finns sip one of their average four cups a day, a quick visit can highlight what makes Helsinki one of the most livable cities in the world.

Knowing what to see in Helsinki in 2 days can be overwhelming. Ari is a Finnish-Canadian and both of his parents were born in Finland, so he has visited the country many times throughout his life. He says that every traveller to Finland should spend at least 2 nights in Helsinki as a starting point before heading off to explore more of Finland.

We have picked out what we think are the best experiences and spots for your two days in Helsinki!

Overview: 2 Days in Helsinki

Best time to visit Helsinki
Getting around Helsinki
Where to stay in Helsinki
2 Day Helsinki itinerary

Day 1: Walk through Market Square, shop Finnish-based brands in the Design District and dine on New Nordic cuisine

Day 2: Go for a sauna on the sea and explore Helsinki's alternative district and art scene

5 tips for having an authentic Finnish experience

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Best time to visit Helsinki

Helsinki - an architecture enthusiast's dream

Although Helsinki sits on the sea, it gets quite chilly during winter months. Since it's near the Arctic circle, temperatures reach below freezing from November - March.

For pleasant weather, the best time to visit Helsinki is during the summer months of June - September. These months have long sunlight hours and temperatures reach highs of around 17-21°C.

If you're considering visiting public saunas on the small islands around Helsinki, some aren't open until the summer months.

Getting around Helsinki

Since Helsinki is a compact city, it's easy to get around to different districts. The city has a neighbourhood feel almost everywhere you go with with trendy shops, cafes and eateries around just every corner.

The best way to get around Helsinki is by walking, riding city bikes or renting electric scooters. e-scooters are allover the city and available through the Lime, TIER, Voi or Bird app.

If you don't want to cycle or take an e-scooter, Uber is also an easy way to get around.

Where to stay in Helsinki

Best area to stay in Helsinki

When looking for a place to stay in Helsinki, look for one that is walking distance to the Design District and the central Kaampi/Kluuvi neighbourhoods.

We highly recommend staying in the neighborhoods of Kaartinkaupunki (southeastern) or Punavuori (southwestern downtown), since you are close to fashionable shops, galleries, cafes and restaurants, but still have a local neighbourhood feel. The architecture is stunning as well.

We don't recommend staying in the Kluuvi or Kaampi neighbourhoods, since they feel more commercial with department stores and larger hotels. Kallio is a hip district worth visiting, however we don't recommend staying here since it's across the bridge from the downtown core.

Best place to stay in Helsinki

We stayed in both an apartment and a hotel in Helsinki, and highly recommend going the apartment route. The design capital has many impeccably decorated apartments available for a great value.

We first stayed at Koti Boutique Apartments on the border of the Kaartinkaupunki neighbourhood. The stylish apartments have a Scandinavian design with contemporary furnishings, a fully equipped kitchen and luxurious bathroom. We stayed in the "Classic Plus" apartment which had lovely details with its herringbone parquet floors, classic Finnish fireplace and tall, original windows. The Marshall speaker, Nespresso machine and coffee from a local roaster were the cherry on top!

The location of Koti Apartments is perfect - it's next door to the Design District and under a 10 minute walk to the centre of downtown.

The second place we stayed was Hotel St. George, a new luxurious art & design hotel with a lot of hype. But honestly, it wasn't worth the price when you can stay in spacious and stylish apartments for half the price. We would stay at Koti Apartments again in a heartbeat!

Browse the apartments available in Helsinki on Booking.com. We like to sort by top reviewed.

2 Day Helsinki itinerary

Day 1

Walk through the centre of Helsinki to see architecturally impressive buildings, shop unique Finnish-based brands, and to experience the city's burgeoning New Nordic dining scene.

Morning

Left: Helsinki Biennial Pavilion | Right: Market Square

Browse Market Square and Old Market Hall

Take a morning walk over to Helsinki's central square on the sea, where vendors sell traditional products and Finnish treats. Look for the venders from Lapland. We bought a reindeer rug and reindeer antler coat hooks for our cabin back in Canada.

Don't miss ordering a lihapiirakka (meat pie) and hot coffee in the orange tent. The Finnish lihapiirakka is a bit different than your ordinary meat pie. The meat and rice filling is wrapped in a blanket of donut dough that is then deep fried to golden perfection. It makes for a hearty (not sweet) snack especially when you add a frankfurter and cover with mustard!

Just south of Market Square you will also find Old Market Hall (Vanha Kauppahalli), a historic indoor market from the 19th century selling Finnish specialities. Browse the stalls for baked goods, coffee, deli items, local produce and seafood. There are also a few shops selling houseware items. Ari bought canned reindeer meat which is still sitting in our cupboard today.

Next, take a walk around the Helsinki Biennial Pavilion, an architecturally impressive wooden pavilion inspired by Vallisaari Island. It's right beside Old Market Hall.

Hours:

Market Square: Everyday from 8 AM to 5 PM.
Old Market Hall: Monday - Saturday 10 AM - 6 PM; Sunday 10 AM - 5 PM

Daytime

Eat lunch at St. George Bakery

If you didn't eat too much at the market, pop into St. George Bakery for a bite before you start shopping in the Design District. Located on the street level of beautiful Hotel St. George, you will see trendy locals and hotel guests fuelling up on coffee, freshly baked pastries, sandwiches and salads. Throughout the room, colourful contemporary Finnish artworks adorn the walls.

Shop 'til you drop in the Design District

Clockwise from left: Minimalistic clothes at Nomen Nescio | artworks and sustainable products at Glasshouse Helsinki | textiles at Lapuan Kankurit.

Helsinki is called a World Design Capital for a reason. This is the first time it really felt like we "shopped 'til we dropped". There are so many unique stores to see and the fear of missing out on something special is real.

These were our favourite shops in Helsinki. They are all Finnish-based brands:

Lapuan Kankurit: sells sustainably made linen and wool textiles inspired by nature and Nordic design. We bought dish towels, a cozy blanket and sauna bathrobes.
Nomen Nescio: a gender-neutral brand selling minimalistic, alternative clothing all in black. There is a strong attention to detail on the quality and cut of each piece.
Artek: designer furniture brand founded in the 1930s by Finland's famous architects, Aino and Alvar Aalto, and their associates. The company helped introduce modern Scandinavian design to the world with its light-birch aesthetic.
Iittala: very chic glassware and tableware brand that started as a glass factory back in the late 1800s in Finland. The pieces are exquisitely made and bring elegance to the room.
Sauso: makes the softest leather gloves. My hands are abnormally small and vary from each other, so I never fit any gloves. I picked out a style I liked, they look my measurements and I got a custom-made pair shipped to my home in Canada.
Glasshouse Helsinki: a concept store with a mix of sustainable fashion/design brands and art exhibitions selling artworks and sculptures.
Momono: curates an amazing selection of new and vintage housewares/ glassware from Finnish designers.
marimekko: arguably Finland's most famous clothing brand - you may recognize its distinctive flower prints and patterns. You can find marimekko stores worldwide, however it's worth seeing the flagship store in Helsinki.

Stop for a mid-shopping snack at Fazer

Stop for a shopping break at Fazer, Finland's famous confectionary company founded in 1891. Fazer Café Kluuvikatu is the original location that's been open ever since.

The fancy cafe and delicacy shop offers a variety of savoury and sweet treats ready to eat. Our favourite is the open-face shrimp salad sandwich on rye. It's a must! Afterwards, don't forget to buy some tasty chocolates to bring back home.

Evening

Dine on New Nordic cuisine at one of Helsinki's top restaurants

New Nordic Cuisine is a buzzworthy term where old-world cooking techniques from Scandinavian countries are combined with the use of seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients in a sustainable way.

In Helsinki we saw traditional Finnish techniques like salting, curing, smoking and pickling being used with pure, local ingredients, like forest mushrooms, wild berries, fish and game. It was a treat finding so many quality restaurants offering this innovative type of cuisine.

For your first evening, choose from these happening restaurants in Helsinki. We ate at them all and highly recommend going to at least one on your trip!

Best for innovative fine dining: Ora. If you're looking for a culinary adventure, this is the place to go. The Michelin-starred restaurant is an intimate experience where the chef plates each dish with his team in front of you and passionately describes what you will be eating. It was a fantastic and light-hearted experience. With only eight tables, make a reservation far in advance to snag a spot.
Best for the ambience: Muru. This quirky bistro has a cozy atmosphere with its dim lighting, wine bottle chandelier and bar made from wine boxes. It's a great spot for a date night or if you love wine. The blackboard is where you will find the dishes of the day.
Best for sustainability and a neighbourhood feel: Nolla. Nolla, meaning "zero" in Finnish, sets the tone for the restaurant's sustainability efforts. They have a zero waste ideology from how their food and drinks are sourced to how they compost it afterwards. They even go beyond food, with monitoring their energy consumption and how their uniforms are made.
Best for art & food lovers: Atelje Finne. Located in 20th century sculptor, Gunnar Finne's former studio of 30 years, the restaurant is one of Helsinki's hottest dining spots. Dine on the fresh, regional dishes alongside Finne's artworks that are placed throughout the three levels.

Drink artisanal cocktails at one of Helsinki's coolest bars

Enjoy a night cap at one of these snazzy bars:

Trillby & Chadwick:

This eccentric, prohibition-style speakeasy doesn't allow any pictures and its patrons have to exit out a back door, adding to its elusiveness. Every cocktail has an interesting backstory and the ambience and furnishings are everything you could want in a speakeasy. To get inside, find the nondescript blacked-out door to enter the foyer. Once inside the foyer, you will see an old-school telephone - pick it up and ask to come inside.

Runar:

Runar may be a located in a hotel, but this funky bar has an identity of its own with its innovative cocktails, awesome music selection and large neon-lit "bitter beats boring" sign. It's a great spot to hang out.