Whether you're debating the merits of the Helsinki Card or simply wondering what you can do for free, check out these tips on spending smart in the Finnish capital.
Helsinki Budget Tips
Tourist Office Information
We always recommend stopping by a tourist information center upon arrival. Helsinki's tourist information center is located at The Pavilion at the Lyypekinlaituri pier, next to the Old Market Hall. It is open from 9 AM to 6 PM Monday through Saturday and 9 AM to 4 PM on Sundays.
Museum Prices
Museums in Helsinki usually cost between €7 and €16. Many museums in Helsinki offer free admission on various days of the week, so plan ahead to save even more.
Admission Prices at Popular Helsinki Museums:Ateneum: €18 (€16 reduced; free for anyone under 18) Note: The Ateneum is currently closed for renovations with plans to reopen in 2023.
Design Museum: €12 (€10 reduced; €6 for students)
Kiasma Contemporary Art Museum: €18 (€16 reduced); free to visitors under 18
Helsinki City Museum: Free
National Museum of Finland: €15 at the museum, €14 online (€10 reduced at museum or €9.50 online); free to visitors under 18; free admission Fridays from 4 PM to 6 PM
The Helsinki Card
The Helsinki Card affords visitors free entry to over 30 tourist attractions (including museums) and free, unlimited travel with the city's public transportation network. A one-day card costs €51 (€25 for children under 16), a two-day card costs €63 (€31 for children), and a three-day card costs €74 (€37 for children). If you plan to visit many museums on your trip, the Helsinki Card could save you some precious euros on admission fees.
Free Sights
Many of the city's most iconic sights (including the looming Lutheran Cathedral) are absolutely free. The Suomenlinna fortress (once you get there) and the Bank Museum of Finland are free, all the time.
Don't forget the great outdoors! Exploring Helsinki's Market Square and parking on a bench in the beautiful Esplanadi Park will both cost you nothing.
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From our Helsinki blog
With plenty of museums, historic and elegant churches and charming cafés, Helsinki is a capital city with a lovely smalltown feel. It also has a very modern side, with a mix of both eclectic and minimalist design in th ... read
Sometimes we run across a city that just has a very good feel. Often these are university towns, places that are not in the premier league of tourist destinations, but spots that have a decidedly laid-back and welcoming ... read
The new high-speed rail service linking Helsinki with St. Petersburg, just launched last December, has been an immediate success, with passenger numbers in the first four months of 2011 up over a third on the same period ... read
Europe’s ferry schedules are famously fluid, and it’s often devilishly hard to keep pace with new route developments. Here is our choice of a quartet of interesting ferry options for spring and summer 2011. 1. St. Pe ... read
March is the month when many Europeans crawl out from their winter shells and start exploring. And with spring beckoning, we have come up with a handful of easy daytime rail journeys that just clamor to be taken. There i ... read
