https://https://uk.trip.com/toplist/tripbest/recommend/finland/best-things-to-do/10070100092090
Best Things to Do
Top 20 Best Things to Do in Finland [2025]
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Santa Claus Village
4.5
/5
298 reviews
7.6
Based on 4,710 reviews
>100 km from downtown
Phone +358163562096
Address: 96930 Rovaniemi, Finland
Recommended sightseeing time: 1 day
Featured in 2025 Europe 50 - Family-Friendly Attractions
Highlights:
Postcards with Santa's special postmark
Buy Lapland tents & antler souvenirs
Saved by 788 users116 positive reviews
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Santa Claus Village is a must-visit for those looking to immerse themselves in a winter wonderland and enjoy an authentic Christmas experience. However, it’s also a very touristy spot, and it can be expensive, so it may not be for everyone.
A visit here was amazing. To stand on the Arctic Circle line was brilliant. There is so much to see and do here. We visited in September and it was still magical minus the snow. We found a few hidden geocaches and when we saw Santa he knew all about them.
Temppeliaukio Church
4.5
/5
399 reviews
7.2
From £6.99
Based on 8,942 reviews
Etu-Töölö | >100 km from downtown
Phone +358923406320
Address: Lutherinkatu 3, 00100 Helsinki, Finland
Recommended sightseeing time: 1-2 hours
Highlights:
20 ft blue dome & beams
Great acoustics & frequent concerts
Saved by 154 users128 positive reviews
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I went to the Rock Church and although €5 to enter totally worth it, such a beautiful scenery and just a lovely experience to be in such a place carved directly into the rock.
This stone church is the Temppeliaukio Church of Love or called "Rock Church", built on February 14, 1968, made of new granite stones, located in Helsinki, the country of Stoneland. It's quite unusual and classic, a church made entirely of stone. Stop by and visit if you have the chance to pass through Helsinki, the capital of Finland.
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Helsinki Central Station
4.3
/5
115 reviews
6.1
Based on 2,993 reviews
Kluuvi | >100 km from downtown
Phone +35860041902
Address: Kaivokatu 1, 00100 Helsinki, Finland
Recommended sightseeing time: 10-20 minutes
Highlights:
Nordic architectural masterpiece by Saarinen
Walk to Senate Square & Cathedral
34% positive reviews
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Helsinki Central Station has a long history. In 1862, there was already a simple station. The current building was built in 1919. It is said that there were many Chinese workers among the construction workers at that time. Today, it is a transportation hub of Helsinki and a landmark building, with a daily passenger volume of about 200,000. In 2013, it was rated as one of the most beautiful railway stations in the world by the BBC.
In the evening, I arrived at Helsinki Central Station to take the overnight train to Rovaniemi and head to the Arctic Circle. The architecture of the train station is very distinctive. There is a large semicircular arch design in the center. The old brick walls make the station more vintage. European train stations are open-style. You can enter and exit the platform without ticket inspection and security check. There will be conductors to check tickets on the train. The platform display will show the train information, and you can find the platform of the corresponding train.
No.
4
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Helsinki Cathedral
4.7
/5
391 reviews
6.1
Based on 6,223 reviews
Kruununhaka | >100 km from downtown
Phone +358923406120
Address: Unioninkatu 29, 00170 Helsinki, Finland
Recommended sightseeing time: 1-2 hours
No. 2 of Night Attractions in Finland
Highlights:
360° view of Helsinki
360° view of Helsinki skyline
Saved by 183 users163 positive reviews
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View: Helsinki Cathedral is famous for its white granite exterior and light green dome. Its golden spire and pure white walls can be seen from a distance from the sea. It is an outstanding example of neoclassical style architecture. The church's majestic spire is 62 meters high and is a prominent feature in the city's skyline, providing a different and beautiful view both during the day and at night.
Value for money: Helsinki Cathedral is free to the public, making it a very cost-effective tourist attraction. Visitors can enter freely and admire its exquisite murals, sculptures and huge golden pipe organ without paying any fees.
Richness of scenery: The interior of the church is spacious and bright, and natural light shines into the interior of the church through the huge windows, creating a solemn and sacred atmosphere. In addition, Senate Square in front of the church is also the best place to appreciate neoclassical architecture and Finnish cultural activities.
Education level: Helsinki Cathedral is not only a religious place, but also an important cultural heritage in Finland. It was built in the early 19th century to demonstrate Finland's cultural and religious independence to the Russian rulers of the time. The church is therefore not only a place of religious ceremony but also a symbol of Finnish national pride.
Interesting: Because of its unique architectural style and rich cultural background, Helsinki Cathedral has become an important place for tourists to explore the history and culture of Helsinki. The artistic works and regular concerts and cultural activities held in the church provide visitors with a rich cultural experience and interest.
In general, Helsinki Cathedral is a beautiful, culturally rich and interesting tourist destination, and it is free and open to the public and has a high cost performance.
Helsinki cathedral is such a beautiful site and the art is amazing, close by is the Senate Square, Presidential Palace, the market ( food and souvenirs) Uspensky Cathedral, Atheneum, Harbour
The city known for its innovative art, unique culture, and modern architecture. Love it!
No.
5
Suomenlinna
4.4
/5
233 reviews
5.8
>100 km from downtown
Phone +358968999850
Address: Suomenlinna C74, Suomenlinna, 00190 Helsinki, Finland
Recommended sightseeing time: 2-3 hours
Highlights:
Open-air concerts & theater
Baltic cities' views by ferry
Saved by 123 users
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Suomenlinna is built on a string of small islands off the coast of Helsinki. It is a masterpiece designed by Oksdin. Built more than 250 years ago, it is one of the largest existing coastal defense military fortresses in the world and one of the most important and famous attractions in Finland. Suomenlinna also has churches, military camps, city gates and other historical sites. It has rare maritime military relics in the world. In 1991, Suomenlinna was listed on the World Heritage List by UNESCO and was protected.
The Suomenlinna also has churches, military barracks, city gates and other historical sites, and has rare maritime military relics in the world. In 1991, the Suomenlinna was listed on the World Heritage List by UNESCO and was protected.
No.
6
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SkyWheel Helsinki
4.4
/5
17 reviews
5.4
From £13.10
Based on 404 reviews
Katajanokka | >100 km from downtown
Phone +358404804604
Address: Katajanokanlaituri 2, 00160 Helsinki, Finland
Recommended sightseeing time: 0.5-1 hour
No. 3 of Night Attractions in Finland
Highlights:
Overlook Helsinki's iconic landmarks
40m-high Helsinki sea view
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I really want to sit on it and experience it. This Ferris wheel is really big. It looks so beautiful at night. If you get up early in the morning, you can still see the sunrise. The way the sun rises complements each other so well. In Helsinki in winter, you can watch the Ferris wheel and quietly drink a cup of coffee and enjoy the night view of the sea. It’s a great enjoyment🥰.
It's been a while since I wrote a review. It's hard to live these days. I'm going to write about romantic dating places for an event. I think living is the only way to be romantic these days, and the location is not important anymore. I went to the Ferris wheel in Helsinki in the summer, and I didn't feel particularly romantic at the time. But now looking back, maybe I was born in a romantic environment but I'm not satisfied... Maybe living is the most romantic thing? !
No.
7
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Sibelius Park
4.6
/5
277 reviews
5.4
Based on 1,681 reviews
Taka-Töölö | >100 km from downtown
Phone +358931039000
Address: Mechelininkatu 39, 00260 Helsinki, Finland
Recommended sightseeing time: 1-2 hours
Highlights:
Nature's symphony with sea breeze
Baltic Sea sunset in summer
Saved by 117 users28% positive reviews
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There is an inland park in Helsinki, Sibelius Park, named after the famous Finnish musician Sibelius. There is an inland lake in this place, with beautiful swans and seagulls. There are many visible natural scenery here, which is worth seeing.
The rock church is very elegant and famous for its landscape design level, so many people come here to see the beautiful architecture instead of praying. This is why the rock church is the most famous. Many buildings are the same, as long as the design is thoughtful, it will be recognized by people.
The city of Helsinki, close to the Baltic Sea, is very beautiful and has unparalleled geographical advantages. It can reach St. Petersburg, Russia, and then Moscow by land. Therefore, Finland is a very important country in Europe. The importance of Finland can be seen in several world wars.
No.
8
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Uspenski Cathedral
4.5
/5
181 reviews
5.2
Katajanokka | >100 km from downtown
Phone +3589634267
Address: Pormestarinrinne 1, 00160 Helsinki, Finland
Recommended sightseeing time: 1 hour
Highlights:
Popular church attracts 500k visitors
Jesus & saints in murals
Saved by 108 users31% positive reviews
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I'm amazed everytime I visit some old churches. And this was the best so far, This is located along the road Kanavatu, Helsinki. From Metro station i just walked around 17minutes to get here.
Uspensky Orthodox Church is the largest Orthodox church in Scandinavia. It has a strong Moscow architectural style and was built in the mid-eighteenth century. The exterior is a green dome with a golden spire and red bricks all around, which is quite eye-catching. It is said that the interior walls are very simple and were all painted by Russian painters. I have not done any in-depth research on religion, but the building itself is quite beautiful.
No.
9
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The SnowCastle of Kemi
4.3
/5
3 reviews
5.1
Based on 270 reviews
>100 km from downtown
Phone +35816258878
Address: Lumilinnankatu 15, 94100 Kemi, Finland
Recommended sightseeing time: 2-3 hours
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The Snow Castle is a large-scale snow and ice art project in Kemi, Finland. It is also the world's largest fortress-shaped building made of snow and ice. The Snow Castle was first built in 1996 and immediately attracted 300,000 tourists. Since then, the Snow Castle has been built every winter in Kemi, and it has become one of the most famous winter tourist attractions in Finland. The Snow Castle is set with a different theme every year, with a total construction area of about 13,000 to 20,000 square meters. The raw materials of the Snow Castle are taken from the frozen seawater on the Kemi Bay.
I went there in November.
The inside of Lumilinna wasn't that big, but there were various ice sculptures and it was beautiful.
There was also an ice slide that you could slide down.
There were also souvenir shops and a place where you could book tours.
No.
10
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Icebreaker Sampo check-in
4.7
/5
36 reviews
4.9
>100 km from downtown
Phone +35816258878
Address: Lumilinnankatu 15A, 94100 Kemi, Finland
Recommended sightseeing time: 4-5 hours
Highlights:
Ice-breaking boat tour: 4 hours
Icebreaker shatters 26-foot ice
49% positive reviews
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Kemi Icebreaker. Icebreaker trip on the Arctic Circle
The Sampu icebreaker, founded in 1960, is no longer used by scientific expedition teams, but is now used by tourists for sightseeing. The experience of an icebreaker moving on the Arctic Circle is truly unforgettable. If you come to Rovaniemi, you must come to Kemi to experience the icebreaker. The whole trip takes about 4 hours. It is best to join in the morning. If you join in the afternoon, it may be darker when you return. You must feel the moment when the ice breaks at the bow.
The Sampu is a passenger icebreaker that is docked in Kemi, an important seaport city in the Finnish Lapland administrative region. It specializes in tourist cruises. As of 2013, the Sampu, as Finland's most distinctive "excellent tourism product", has received nearly 200,000 tourists from more than 50 countries around the world. The Sampu cruise starts from the port of Ajos in Kemi and the entire voyage takes about 4 hours. The operation time of the Sampu icebreaker tourist cruise is roughly from mid-December to early May of the following year.
Every winter from December to May of the following year, a layer of sea ice several feet thick will form in the northern part of the Gulf of Bothnia, located on the west side of Finland. According to the historical meteorological records of the Finnish Meteorological Institute [2], the average ice period at the port of Ajos in Kemi is 177 days per year; and in the past 20 years, despite the challenge of global warming, the annual ice period at the port of Ajos has remained between 140 and 196 days.
Facing the frozen ocean, icebreakers have become an indispensable means of transportation. The "Sampo" icebreaker has been sailing on the ice sea of the Gulf of Bothnia since 1961. In 1987, the Sampo became the world's first professional icebreaker dedicated to tourist cruises.
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