Helsinki can be a dark and freezing cold place in the winter. But in the summer, the city is warm and full of life as we Finns enjoy the long daylight time and light nights. It is not without reason, that joke our summer to be warm and having only very little snow.
Thus the summer is without doubt the best time to visit Helsinki. Even if the city is one of the most expensive places in Europe, you can find a lot to do even when travelling on a very low budget. In the following, I'll give you a few travel tips for your visit in Helsinki -- there are many things to experience out of your hotel in Helsinki!
Tip 1: The Suomenlinna Sea Fortress
The Suomenlinna Fortress is my own favourite place in Helsinki. The fortress was built more than 200 ago on six islands a couple of kilometres south of Helsinki.
If you have chosen to stay in some of the hotels in Helsinki centre you can easily walk to the market place from where the ferries leave two or three times per hour.
There are both municipal and independent commercial ferries to the fortress. You should certainly take the municipal public transport, as it is much cheaper than the commercial alternative. In addition, the ferries are bigger and thus more comfortable in case of rough sea.
The fortress was built by the Swedish Crown to protect Finland and Sweden from the Russian army. Unfortunately, it did not stop the Russian army from conquering Finland in 1809. This fact, of course, does not diminish the beaty of the historical fortress.
In addition, there are several small interesting museums, cafés and a gastropub brewing its very own beer. The pub is located next to the ferry quay and you certainly should visit it when on the way back to the mainland.
Tip 2: Pub stroll in Kallio
After having a pint or two in Suomenlinna, you probably thirst for yet another beer after the 15-20 minutes sea trip back to the centre of Helsinki.
If you are willing to continue your evening in an alternative atmosphere, you should certainly walk to Kallio (or take a tram, if your feet are already hurting).
Some of the cheapest pints in the town are sold in the Kallio area. Kallio was for decades known as a working class district, but since the 80's and 90's the area has become one of the most popular living districts for students and young professionals.
Most of the pubs are very local in atmosphere. They are only rarely visited by foreigners, but as long as you speak English and do not look to 'exotic' this should not cause any problems to you. Just enjoy your pint with a few locals - but don't be surprised if you have to drink your beer alone, as most of the local winos are probably sleeping by time you arrive in Kallio!
If you plan to visit Kallio by night, it is probably a very good idea to book your hotel stay in the area. I can recommend you very warmly the hotel Cumulus Olympia Helsinki.
Tip 3: Skinny dipping in Seurasaari
If the summer is hot, you probably would enjou a swim in the refreshing sea water. There is no need to buy a swimming suit, as you can go skinny dipping on a few beaches in Helsinki. There is probably no better way to recover after a night in Kallio!
In order to get yourself to the Seurasaari island, you should take bus 24 leaving from Mannerheimintie near Stockmann and Swedish theater. The ride to the last bus stop takes something between 20 and 30 minutes.
Next you walk over the bridge and to the other end of the rather small island. There you will find a fenced area for naturists -- there are separate areas for men and women so even if this is your first time skinny dipping this should not be too embarassing for you.
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