Are you interested in finding out which are the best areas to stay in Helsinki You’ve come to the right article with our guide to the best neighbourhoods in the Finnish capital to get a clear idea of which area is right for you, some of the most recommended are Centro, Punavuori, Etu-Töölö, Kaartinkaupunki, Kluuvi, or Kallio.
The best areas to stay in Helsinki
Helsinki is one of the most unknown Nordic cities, although it is true that more and more travellers are curious to visit it. Like the rest of its counterparts, where the standard of living is higher, prices are more expensive than in any other European city.
The advantage is that it is relatively small and accessible, so you can walk around without much trouble, which saves a few euros in transport, although you can also save by looking for accommodation options in Helsinki in neighbourhoods with more competitive prices, because, as in all cities, there are differences from one to another.
Thus, the most expensive districts to stay in Helsinki are downtown, Punavuori, Etu-Töölö and Kaartinkaupunki, while the cheapest are Kluuvi, Kallio, Ullanlinna and the airport area.
1.Centre
The city centre is home to Helsinki’s main attractions, such as the neo-classical Senate Square, which houses the Cathedral, the University, the National Library and the Government Palace.It also hosts numerous shows, concerts, art exhibitions …, so it always has a great animation.
Very close to this square, is the City Museum, which is a good opportunity to enter into its history and culture, and the Market Square, which stands opposite the port, from where the ferries depart to nearby islands visited as Somennlina.
It is dotted with food stalls, art nouveau buildings and presided over by the Uspenski Cathedral. A few steps further on is the Esplanadinpuisto Park, one of the city’s great green lungs, which also has more than a century of history to its credit, making it an excellent place to enjoy activities in contact with Mother Nature.
The heart of the city also includes the main shopping streets: Aleksanterinkatu and Unioninkatu.Both are full of shops and businesses of all kinds, where you can enjoy shopping to the fullest.
And in the vicinity of the same is the disco area, which offer a lively nightlife until the early hours of the morning.
This is the best part of the street map for staying in Helsinki if you come with the intention of visiting its main architectural attractions and, moreover, being close to them.The average of a hotel of 4 stars is around 130 euros per night.
– Accommodation in Centre
2.Kluuvi
Located in the district of Viron Niemi, it is known among the locals as the centre of the centre.It is one of the most lively ones, because here you can find some of the most popular shopping centres such as the Stockmann and Sokos department stores and the Kluuvi shopping centre.
Here is also the campus of the University of Helsinki and the central train station, so it is an excellent choice for those who want to sleep in Helsinki and make excursions to nearby islands and cities, and even to St. Petersburg, where there is a direct train.
The cultural offer is excellently represented by the Ateneum Art Museum, part of the Finnish National Gallery, which has one of the largest collections of classical art in the country, and the Kiasma Museum, devoted to contemporary art, and the Kaisaniemi Botanical Garden, which allows visitors to enter the world of plants and flowers.
Accommodation in Helsinki is comfortable and close to the main points of interest, and prices are slightly lower than in the city centre, with a 4-star hotel offering around $100 per night in the low season.
– Accommodation in Kluuvi
3.Kamppi
This neighbourhood extends to the west of the city centre, from which it is not too far, but the locals use this name to refer to its northern part, where you can find very busy places like the Kamppi shopping centre, the biggest in the city, the Tennispalace Tennispalatsi and the Crystal Palace Lasipalatsi.
Although it does not exude the splendour of the centre, it has interesting attractions such as the Chapel of Silence, built in wood and in which originality and sobriety rule, or the Church of the Rock.
It also has a good number of museums, among which the HAM or Helsinki Art Museum stands out, which includes more than 9.000 works of modern and contemporary art; and Amox Rex, dedicated to the man after whom it is named, who was the owner of the most important newspaper in the country.
It also has a good number of shops, most of them in Hietalahti Street, and the Hietalahti Market, which opens its doors from May to September, where you can taste good local gastronomy.
This is a highly recommended area to stay in Helsinki for lovers of shopping and culture. The hotel offer is very interesting, but the prices are high, although not as high as in the city centre.
– Accommodation in Kamppi
4.Kallio
It is located about 1 km northwest of the centre, from which it is separated by the Siltasaarensalmi strait, over which the beautiful Pitkäsilta bridge stands.
This is a neighbourhood that has gone from being predominantly working class and decadent to being one of the most lively, renewed and bohemian, as it is the favourite place for young people and new businesses.
It has a good offer of bars, modern cafes, shops and restaurants, which offer a gastronomic panorama of the most innovative, and that give a lot of animation.
One of its main attractions is the open-air market in Hakaniemi, with its many stalls selling products from Finnish producers, and many food stalls, which have made it the gastronomic reference point of the city.So much so that it is possible to access a 4 star hotel for about 80 or 90 euros.
– Accommodation in Kallio
In addition to this post about the best areas to stay in Helsinki you might also be interested in these others: Where to stay in Stockholm, where to stay in Oslo, where to stay in Copenhagen, where to stay in Reykjavik
5.Ullanlinna
Located to the south of the city centre, it is one of the most distinctive of Helsinki, because many of its avenues run parallel to the sea and have an aesthetic dominated by modernist and art nouveau buildings.
This neighbourhood is full of designer boutiques, craft shops, modern cafés and restaurants serving Russian and Finnish cuisine, most of which are located on Korkeavuorenkatu, Huvilakatu and Merisatamanranta streets.
The green spaces and parks are very important, being the most outstanding (also the largest) the Tähtitorninpuisto, from which you can enjoy beautiful views of the sea, as well as practice many outdoor activities. It houses the observatory tower, which stands on top of a hill at 30 meters, offering a panoramic view of the most evocative.
Another point of interest is the Church of St. John, which has an impeccable neo-Gothic style and is located at the top of a hill, where the celebrations of St. John usually take place, so the visit is almost unavoidable.
It also houses some interesting museums such as the Finnish Architecture, where you can see scale models of architecture and different collections of photographs and drawings; or the Design, which allows you to learn a little more about Finnish industrial and graphic design.
It is an area that should not be discarded when staying in Helsinki, especially for those who seek to stay in quiet areas, overlooking the sea or in neighborhoods with personality.
The accommodation arrangement is not as generous as in the centre, but there are options with more interesting prices, always bearing in mind that we are in an expensive city, so much so that for about 100 euros a night it is possible to access a 4 star hotel.
– Accommodation in Ullanlinna
6.Punavuori
To the southwest of the centre, at 20 minutes on foot, is this neighbourhood, which stands out for being one of the most bohemian of the Finnish capital and, also, one of the quietest.So it’s a great option to stay in Helsinki for those who travel with their families, in couples or to escape from the crowds.
Its streets are decorated with industrial buildings, many of them converted into offices, which coexist with other art nouveau, neo-renaissance, minimalist and old wooden houses, giving the neighborhood a very authentic aesthetic.
The architectural attraction of this neighbourhood is the Church of Mikael Agrícola, which stands out because of the tower that the jalona, which is more than 100 metres high and, moreover, is crowned with a 30-metre high spike.
On the other hand, travellers with cultural interests can find their compensation in the Sinebrychoff Art Museum, which, besides being part of the Finnish National Gallery, keeps interesting collections of European art from the 14th to the 19th century and interesting collections of miniatures, silver and porcelain.
Sinebrychoff Park, one of the most popular parks in Helsinki, is also located here, where you can enjoy both a picnic in summer and a sled ride in winter.It includes an observation tower and an interesting collection of plants and flowers, as well as a children’s playground and a public toilet.
The gastronomic offer is also very interesting, as it is full of restaurants serving national and international cuisine: from Greek and Thai to Mexican.
However, the great attraction of this area is the Design District which concentrates more than two hundred shops, workshops, galleries of design brands, antique markets, museums and theatres.
With these characteristics, Punavuori is an excellent district for accommodation in Helsinki. However, the offer of accommodation is not too extensive, so the prices are high. For less than 120 euros or 130 euros it is difficult to book a hotel.
– Accommodation in Punavuori
7.Etu-Töölö
Close to the center is this neighborhood, which many people confuse with Töölö, which is also very close, but it is a district.It is known for housing the Finnish Parliament, so the atmosphere is more elitist and, as you would expect, the prices of everything are higher.
However, it also has other attractions such as the Finlandia Hall concert hall, designed by Alvar Aalto, which hosts many events, or the Temppeliaukio Lutheran Church, which is built on a rock but receives natural light through its huge dome and has good acoustics, so it hosts many concerts, which is undoubtedly one of the great architectural attractions of Helsinki.
The National Museum is also located here, providing an insight into the country’s history from the Stone Age to the present day, and the Helsinki Kunsthalle, a space devoted to contemporary art, including architecture and design.
It even has wonderful green spaces such as the Hesperian Park, which surrounds the bay, and also has access to the Hietaranta Beach, where locals come to enjoy swimming or sports such as volleyball, basketball and even mini-golf, as there is a field nearby.
Etu-Töölö is a very complete neighborhood, which, in addition to being quieter than those closest to the center, has access to the beach, so you have to take it into consideration when staying in Helsinki. However, there are not too many hotels and are expensive.So much so that a 3-star hotel costs on average 100.
– Accommodation in Etu-Töölö
8.Kaartinkaupunki
In this neighbourhood, which is south of the centre, facing the sea, residential and office blocks coexist, so it is quite lively.It also has a good range of restaurants, bars, shops and places with live music, which are mainly concentrated along Pieni Roobertinkatu Street.
The Kauppatori market square and the Old Market Hall are the neighbourhood’s main attractions, where you can find both Nordic-style crafts and typical Baltic cuisine, especially herring.
When it comes to resting or enjoying nature, the reference address is the Esplanadi Park, known among the locals as Espa, which also hosts numerous live shows and concerts during the summer season.It even has a restaurant on the eastern side, which is an interesting option for savouring local dishes.
Here you can also find the port, from where excursions to nearby islands and the Gulf of Finland depart.Other points of interest are the Design Museum and the Museum of Finnish Architecture.
Therefore, it is worth considering this district when staying in Helsinki, particularly for those who want to be close to the sea, plan to visit a nearby island or enjoy Baltic gastronomy.Thus, a 4 star hotel does not cost less than 120 EUR or 130 EUR per night.
– Accommodation in Kaartinkaupunki
9.Airport
The airport of Helsinki-Vantaa is located in the town of Vantaa, which is about 20 km from the centre of Helsinki.It is one of the most important airports in the country and also one of the busiest, so it is perfectly connected to the centre by the train, which is caught in terminals 1 and 2, and the bus, which leaves every 20 minutes.
The hotel offer is interesting and, moreover, much more economical than in the centre. In fact, it is possible to sleep in a 3-star hotel for about 70 euros or 80 euros.
– Accommodation in the airport area
What is the best place to sleep in Helsinki?
The Finnish capital, located on the southern coast of the country, is a small city with a lot of charm, whose center can be visited quietly on foot. The center monopolizes most of the hotel establishments in Helsinki, is the best area to stay in Helsinki , because from this area you can easily visit the main tourist attractions of the city, shopping on the streets Aleksanterinkatu and Unioninkatu, which are the most commercial streets of the city and those with more sophisticated premises, as well as the most famous craft shops, the most exquisite cafes and the most exclusive restaurants in the Finnish capital.
The Senate Square is located in the city centre, the best starting point to get to know the city.This square is home to landmarks such as the Cathedral, the Government Palace, the main building of the University and the National Library.
If you are interested in knowing where to sleep in Helsinki , you may also be interested in knowing where to stay in St. Petersburg, where to stay in Moscow, where to stay in Stockholm and where to stay in Reykjavik.
Helsinki city centre, the best area to stay
If we visit Helsinki for a few days, the most interesting thing is to stay in the surroundings of the Senate Square, located in the historical centre of the city and very well connected to the airport by several bus lines.This square is one of the main places of interest in the city because of its versatility, as it hosts many concerts, art exhibitions and also other curious and rare activities such as ice sculpture competitions and even snowboarding competitions. Besides offering fun and being a meeting point for people of different ages, is a focus of attraction for tourists, as it hosts landmarks of Helsinki, such as the Lutheran Cathedral of Helsinki, a temple built as a tribute to Nicholas I, Tsar of Russia, and located at the top of a staircase.The neoclassical temple stands with its high green dome and stands out in the city’s architectural ensemble. Next to the Senate Square is the Government Palace, a nineteenth-century building that houses the office of the Finnish Prime Minister, and the central building of the University, from 1932.And closely linked to the latter is the National Library, the most important in the country and the repository of Finland’s bibliographic heritage.
The main commercial premises and the most exclusive shops are located around the Senate Square, especially on the famous Aleksanterinkatu and Unioninkatu streets, where exclusive clothes and souvenirs of the city can be purchased.Also in the area around the square are the city’s trendy clubs and music bars, which bring together young people who want to have fun at night.
Just five minutes south of Senate Square is another of the most important and popular squares in Helsinki, Market Square.For more than a century, it has had the most international, famous and bustling market in the city, where the Finns buy all kinds of food products and those who visit the city can get hold of some of these or buy some souvenirs of the city’s crafts, such as the typical and famous reindeer skins or any accessories made from this material.In the center of this square stands an obelisk on the occasion of the visit of the Russian imperial couple Nicholas I and Alexandra in 1833 and from there often leave boats and ferries that make trips along the coast and allow travelers to enjoy the beauty of the islands that make up the beautiful Finnish archipelago.
One of them is Suomennlina, located just 15 minutes by ferry from the market square, it is worth visiting, as it is the most impressive fortress in the Baltic and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.And, as it is located in front of the port, the Market Square and its surroundings are a point of interest for nightlife, as there are several bars and places with a lot of atmosphere where you can have a drink and have fun.To the north of this square is the Town Hall, which for a century was a hotel, until 1930.
A few steps further on is the Presidentiinlinna, the Presidential Palace and former palace of the czar, a 19th century building which, since 1918 has been the residence of the president of the Republic, although during the First World War it was a military hospital.Next to this square is one of the most impressive green areas in the city, the Esplanadinpuisto Park, which is ideal for a pleasant walk, a bike ride, a picnic when the weather is fine, or any other outdoor activity.From here you can walk quietly or take a bus, tram or the underground (and get off at Kaisaniemi) to the Kaisaniemi Botanical Park, a spectacular green lung where various animal species and plants meet and which is well worth a visit.At the foot of the park is the National Theatre, a beautiful building of Finnish grey granite and red tiles with an antique look, although it was designed a little over a century ago, in 1902, and is in the Modernist style.
