Why you shouldn’t only visit Helsinki on your Finland trip
If you’re planning a trip to Finland, Helsinki is probably already on your list. But there are so many places to visit outside Helsinki that are worth adding to your itinerary. Most travelers spend a few days exploring the capital before heading home feeling like they’ve seen Finland.
And to be fair, they have. Helsinki is Finland.
But it’s only a tiny glimpse of what this country has to offer. Finland has so much more beyond Helsinki.
Some links on this website are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Hei From Finland!
Something I didn’t even realize until I started exploring Finland myself is just how much there is beyond the capital. On a map, Finland doesn’t always look that big, but once you start traveling around, you quickly realize you could spend weeks here and still barely scratch the surface.
That’s why I always encourage people not to stop at Helsinki.
Helsinki is a wonderful introduction to Finland. But some of the country’s most unforgettable experiences begin once you leave the capital behind.
Rent a car. Hop on a train. Catch a bus. Take a ferry. However you decide to travel, venture beyond Helsinki and discover a side of Finland that many visitors never get to experience.
So, if you’re wondering what’s waiting outside the capital, let me paint a picture for you.
🗺️ Planning to travel around in Southern Finland? Check out my digital map where I have pinned 70+ of my favorite places.
Cities beyond Helsinki
Helsinki is a great introduction to Finland, but it’s far from the only city worth exploring. There are so many other great options beyond Helsinki that are worth knowing about, places full of history, beautiful architecture, and a much slower pace of life. If you’re looking for a more relaxed travel experience, getting out of the busy capital is something I highly recommend.
Turku is obviously my favorite and a very easy addition if you’re heading west from Helsinki. As Finland’s oldest city, it has a long history, a beautiful riverfront, plenty of cozy cafés and restaurants, and is also a great starting point for exploring the Finnish archipelago. Read my guide to Turku if you want to see what I’d recommend doing there.
Then there’s Tampere, Finland’s sauna capital, surrounded by lakes and known for its relaxed atmosphere, industrial history, and excellent food scene. It’s another great option if you want to experience a different side of Finland without venturing too far north.
You don’t need to visit every city in Finland to experience more than Helsinki. Even adding one or two stops to your itinerary can give you a much better sense of how different Finnish cities can feel and often with a much slower pace than the capital. And if you prefer smaller places over cities, that’s where Finland gets even more interesting…
Small coastal towns beyond Helsinki
One of my favorite places to spend time in Finland are the small wooden towns scattered along the coast. They’re peaceful, full of charm, and give you a glimpse of everyday Finnish life that you simply don’t get in bigger cities. Think colorful wooden houses, little harbors, local bakeries, and quiet streets where life moves at a slower pace.
The best part? Many of them are surprisingly easy to reach from Helsinki. Porvoo is one of the most popular day trips from the capital, and for good reason. But if you head further west, you’ll discover some of my personal favorites like Naantali, Uusikaupunki, and Rauma, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with one of the best-preserved wooden old towns in the Nordics. I’ve included all three in my 5-day Southwest Coast road trip, along with a few other stops worth adding to your Finland itinerary.
If you ask me, these are the places where Finland really begins to slow down.
Endless nature
One thing I love about Finland is that nature is never far away. Even in Helsinki you’re only a short walk from forests, the sea, or beautiful parks.
But once you leave the capital, that’s where Finland really starts to show off.
You’ll find all 41 national parks, countless hiking trails, peaceful lakes, scenic viewpoints, and places where you can spend an entire afternoon without seeing another person. Whether it’s the dramatic cliffs of Repovesi, the forests of Kurjenrahka National Park, or the breathtaking landscapes of Koli, nature becomes more than just something to look at, it’s something you experience.
Cozy cafés
Yes, Helsinki has an incredible café scene. But some of my favorite cafés aren’t in the city at all.
Imagine sitting on a sunny terrace overlooking the archipelago, enjoying freshly baked cinnamon buns while boats drift by. Or finding a tiny countryside café where everything is homemade and the owner welcomes you like a regular, even if it’s your first visit.
Those little cafés are the ones I always remember. They aren’t just places to grab a coffee, they become part of the experience of exploring Finland.
And if you’re curious about what to actually try while you’re here, I’ve put together a list of 13 traditional Finnish summer dishes that are worth looking out for during your trip.
Summer cottage life
If there’s one experience I recommend to every visitor, it’s spending a few days at a Finnish summer cottage.
For Finns, the summer cottage isn’t just a place to stay, it’s a way of life. It’s where weekends are spent swimming in the lake, heating up the sauna, grilling dinner outside, picking berries from the forest, and enjoying long evenings that never seem to get dark.
Most cottages are tucked away in peaceful locations surrounded by forests, lakes, or the sea, making them the perfect escape from busy cities.
If you really want to understand why Finns love summer so much, book yourself a cottage for a few nights.
☀️ Not sure how to book one, what to pack, or where to find one? Download my free guide and start planning your Finnish cottage getaway.
The Finnish Archipelago
One of the biggest surprises for many visitors is that Finland has the largest archipelago in the world by number of islands. Thousands of islands are scattered along the coast, many connected by bridges or free ferries, making them surprisingly easy to explore.
Spend a day driving from island to island, discover tiny harbors, stop at local cafés, or simply enjoy the peaceful scenery. The journey itself becomes part of the experience. You might find yourself waiting for a little ferry, driving along narrow island roads, or stopping at a tiny harbor with barely anyone around. It’s one of the most unique parts of Finland, yet many travelers never experience it because they never leave Helsinki.
And you don’t necessarily need a lot of time to experience it. Even a day trip from Turku can give you a taste of island life, while staying overnight lets you slow down and experience the archipelago when the day-trippers have gone home.
Cozy & Unique Stays
One of my favorite things about traveling around Finland is discovering unique places to stay. Instead of booking the same chain hotel every night, you can wake up in a cozy cabin surrounded by forests, spend the night in a glass cabin under the stars, stay on a tiny island in the archipelago, or relax in a boutique hotel full of character.
Some of my favorite travel memories in Finland haven’t come from famous attractions.
They’ve come from the places I’ve stayed. Slowing down by a lake, enjoying a morning coffee on a cabin terrace, or watching the sunset from a peaceful hideaway often becomes just as memorable as the destination itself.
One of my favorite places is Herrankukkaro, a one-of-a-kind retreat in the Finnish archipelago where you can stay in unique birdhouse accommodations, experience a traditional smoke sauna, and completely disconnect from everyday life.
If you have the chance, I highly recommend spending at least one or two nights somewhere outside the city. It completely changes the way you experience Finland.
A traditional lakeside sauna
Helsinki has some incredibly unique public saunas. You can even find one built inside a Ferris wheel and several modern seaside saunas that have become famous around the world.
They’re absolutely worth experiencing.
But for me, nothing compares to a traditional wooden sauna by the lake.
The sound of the fire crackling in the stove. Jumping into the cool water after a hot sauna. Sitting on the dock with a cold drink in your hand while the evening sun reflects off the lake.
It’s simple, peaceful, and one of those experiences that stays with you long after your trip is over.
SO, HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU NEED:
If you’re flying all the way to Finland, I’d personally give yourself at least a few days beyond Helsinki if you can. Even adding one or two nights elsewhere can completely change the experience.
✈️ 3–4 days: Helsinki + an easy day trip, such as Porvoo.
🚗 5–7 days: Helsinki + Turku + the Southwest Coast. Check out my 5-Day Southwest Coast Road Trip for an easy way to plan it.
🌲 7–10 days: Helsinki + the Southwest Coast + another region of Finland.
🏡 10+ days: Now you have time to really slow down, add more nature, spend a few nights at a cottage, or explore further north.
The Finland I fell in love with
Growing up in Finland, I didn’t always appreciate what was around me. It wasn’t until I started exploring my own country that I realized how much I had overlooked.
That’s why I created Hei From Finland. I want to help travelers discover the side of Finland they probably wouldn’t find on their own.
So yes, visit Helsinki.
But don’t stop there.
Because some of Finland’s best memories are waiting just beyond the capital.
Keep planning your Finland trip:
- Best time to visit Finland: local’s guide to every season
- Your ultimate summer bucket list for Finland.
- Ultimate Turku Summer Guide: What to Do, See & Eat