Fly to Helsinki with SAS from the US
The capital of Finland
There's always something to catch your eye when you travel to Helsinki, Finland - it's as if the city was designed to impress. You'll be amazed at architectural wonders like Temppeliaukio Church, fashioned from rock, and the design temples that line Esplanadi. No matter what you do when you visit Helsinki, don’t overlook the humble sauna, a sacred place for most Finns.
Esplanadi
A must see for any family traveling to Helsinki is the Esplanadi. Running from Market Square all the way to the Swedish Theater, Esplanadi is a boulevard to match any in Paris. But it's not only the upmarket stores lining Esplanadi that keep people flocking. The two avenues that make up Esplanadi flank one of the liveliest parks in Helsinki. Here is something for everyone traveling to Helsinki.
Esplanadi is a favorite with Helsinki locals and visitors alike as a place to see and be seen—or just to take it easy and enjoy your holiday. Whether you're waiting to be seated at restaurant Kappeli or ticking off the list of sculptures dedicated to prominent poets and writers like Johan Ludwig Runeberg, Eino Leino or Zacharias Topelius, Esplanadi Park is a must stroll.
Of course, Esplanadi is also a must for designer buildings in Helsinki like the Hotel Kämp, a neoclassical landmark, and the Alvar Aalto-designed Academic Bookstore. Fans of Finnish design have to check out the Iittala Concept Store and Artek and Marimekko flagship stores, too. It seems like there's always a bargain to be had at Esplanadi, when you are traveling to Helsinki.
Sauna
Which guide to Helsinki would be complete without the sauna? A sweat bath, or sauna, is a staple of Finnish life—as indispensable as rye bread. In Helsinki, you're just as likely to find a sauna at the bowling alley as at your hotel.
The sauna has been around for about 2000 years and is used for everything from curing meat to giving birth. The sauna was once a place of magic and superstition, mostly to do with healing and love. Nowadays the sauna is about socializing, cleanliness and well-being. A sauna is relaxing, exhilarating and, above all, fun.
Public saunas are slowly dying out, but you'll find the last of the wood burners at Kotiharju Sauna. Another hidden gem is Yrjönkadun Uimahalli, a 1920s art deco bathhouse in the heart of Helsinki.
Temppeliaukio Church
Hewn from solid rock, Temppeliaukio Church is a wonder of modern architecture and a place of worship for churchgoers and design aficionados alike. The church is often used for classical concerts in Helsinki because of the quality of its acoustics. Don’t miss out on hearing a choir concert at Temppeliaukio.
Designed by the architects Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen, Temppeliaukio Church opened in 1969. Natural light streams through the copper cupola ringed by skylights. The interior of Temppeliaukio Church is cool and sparse, with few pews and a plain granite altar—reflecting the stark simplicity characteristics of Lutheranism. From above, Temppeliaukio Church looks like a flying saucer sunk in rugged rock.
Temppeliaukio Church is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Helsinki, with half a million visitors annually.