Visit Helsinki on a Cruise: DIY Itineraries, Tips, and Tours

If Helsinki is one of the stops on your cruise, you can organize a half-day trip to discover, at least in part, the beauty of one of the cities with the best quality of life in Europe and the world. Helsinki, the capital of Finland, is located not far from the Arctic Circle. It is a city where tradition perfectly coexists with modern Nordic architectural styles, a cutting-edge metropolis with a vibrant nightlife, also famous for its historical and cultural heritage.

Here are some tips for visiting Helsinki on a cruise.

Itinerary for DIY Cruisers: 10 Things to See

With the time available for an excursion during your cruise stop, usually half a day, it is obviously not possible to thoroughly explore a city.

However, we can still recommend which points of interest to include in your itinerary during such a short timeframe:

Suomenlinna Fortress the Castle of Helsinki, a seaside fortress with an ancient history
Distance from the port: 4.6 km, about 40 min between walking and ferry 19 - Get directions - Cost: $4.00
Seurasaari Open-Air Museum 87 ancient Finnish buildings with citizens in traditional costumes.
Distance from the port: 8.9 km, about 50 minutes walking and bus 24 from the South Harbour - Get directions - Cost: between $6.00 and $9.00
Temppeliaukio Church a gem of Finnish architecture, entirely carved in rock.
Distance from the port: 3.3 km, about 21 minutes walking and tram 2 from the South Harbour - Get directions - Cost: $3.00
National Museum of Finland tells Finnish history from the Stone Age to the present.
Distance from the port: 2.9 km, about 20 minutes walking and tram 2 from the South Harbour - Get directions - Cost: $14.00
Kiasma Contemporary Art Museum hosts the contemporary art collection of the Finnish National Gallery.
Distance from the port: 2.2 km, about 15 minutes walking and tram 2 from the South Harbour - Get directions - Cost: $15.00
Uspenski Cathedral a masterpiece of neo-Byzantine architecture, famous for its onion domes.
Distance from the port: 1.4 km, about 15 minutes walking and tram 2 from the South Harbour - Get directions - Cost: free
Kauppatori Market Square typical products, food, handmade souvenirs, reindeer hides, and other local specialties.
Distance from the port: 0.9 km, about 13 minutes walking from the South Harbour - Get directions - Cost: free
Helsinki Cathedral one of the symbols of the city, also hosts the opening and closing sessions of Parliament.
Distance from the port: 1.7 km, about 13 minutes walking and tram 2 from the South Harbour - Get directions - Cost: free
Kaisaniemi Botanical Garden 900 plant species divided into two sections, one indoor and one outdoor.
Distance from the port: 3.8 km, about 22 minutes walking and tram 2 from the South Harbour - Get directions - Cost: $9.00 for the indoor garden
Parliament House on Tuesdays and Fridays you can attend the plenary sessions of the Finnish Parliament.
Distance from the port: 2.6 km, about 19 minutes walking and tram 2 from the South Harbour - Get directions - Cost: free

Recommended Itinerary: What to See in Half a Day

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First Stop: Uspenski Orthodox Cathedral, Lutheran Cathedral Helsingin Tuomiokirkko, Senaatintori

From the port, the first stop is the Uspenski Cathedral or "Cathedral of the Dormition", the Orthodox place of worship of the city. Not far away is the symbol of the city, the white Lutheran cathedral Helsingin Tuomiokirkko, which can be reached on foot or by tram 2.

It is located on an elevated position and overlooks the Senate Square, Senaatintori, which is also bordered by the government palace and the main building of the University of Helsinki.

Second Stop: Kauppatori, Esplanadi Park

Descending from the hill, you reach Kauppatori, the market square. Right here, every day, the traditional market takes place with many stalls selling mainly fish and local crafts.

Locate the statue of Havis Amanda, here the Esplanadi park begins, with shops, luxury boutiques, shopping centers, and restaurants to shop and find some souvenirs from the city.

Third Stop: Parliament House of Helsinki, Temppeliaukion Kirkko

With a short walk, or by tram 2 (single trip $1.80), you can reach the Parliament House of Helsinki (Eduskuntatalo), and if you have enough time, you can choose to visit it or attend the plenary sessions of the Finnish Parliament, which take place every Tuesday and Friday.

Then head towards Temppeliaukion Kirkko, the church carved into the rock with its large copper dome, the last stop of the day.

In Summary:

Distance traveled 7.7 km / 1 h 41 min
Places visited Uspenski Orthodox Cathedral (free), Helsingin Tuomiokirkko (free), Senaatintori (free), Kauppatori (free), Esplanadi park (free), Parliament House (free), Temppeliaukion Kirkko ($3.00)
Recommended card, ticket, and tour panoramic bus tour of Helsinki 5-hour tour of Helsinki and Suomenlinna
Where to eat quick lunch at Restaurant Story, inside the covered market (Get directions), average cost $20.00 / Full lunch always near Kauppatori at Ravintola Nokka (Get directions), prices between $50.00 and $70.00

Tours and Excursions for Cruisers:

Helsinki Tourist Bus: Cost, Itinerary, and Stops

The classic tourist bus offers only one itinerary (there aren't too many points of interest in Helsinki), the route takes about 6 hours and includes a total of 19 stops.

Stops available a route, red line (Senate Square, market square, Amos Rex, Kiasma, central station, Temppeliaukio, Sibelius monument, Botanical garden)
Cost from $32.00 per person
Buy online Helsinki: panoramic bus tour

Useful Tips

Get around on foot all the attractions listed are within short distance both from the port and among themselves
Consider taking the tourist bus if you don't want to miss any attractions, at a great price you can admire many city beauties on your half-day visit - Helsinki: panoramic bus tour
Have a quick meal with only half a day available don't linger over lunch, at the covered market you can choose delicious street food at affordable prices
Avoid museums even though they are special points of interest, you have little time, so focus on outdoor attractions like squares and monuments
Plan your itinerary in advance it will save you time and allow you to visit Helsinki in half a day.

Where Cruises Dock in Helsinki

International cruise ships dock at South Harbour, Katajanokka, West Harbour, and Hernesaari:

Hernesaari: connected to the center by bus 14.
Katajanokka: connected to the center by tram 4 or 5.
West Harbour: connected to the center by trams 7 and 6T
South Harbour: connected to the center by trams 2 and 3

How to Get from the Port of Helsinki to the Center

Distance from the center 1.7 km from South Harbour
How to get there on foot travel time 23 minutes - just outside the port there is the tram stop 2 Eteläranta (Get directions)
How to get there by Tram travel time 16 minutes, tram number 2, $1.80 - Get directions

How to Get Around

The city center directly overlooks South Harbour but other terminals are quite close and well connected by public transport, which is punctual and efficient.

Just outside the docks where international cruises dock, there are the stops for lines that travel through the center. Depending on the dock where you will dock, you can consider various means of transport: bus 14 from Hernesaari; tram 4 or 5 from Katajanokka; trams 7 and 6T from West Harbour; or trams 2 or 3 from South Harbour.