It was day trip time as I took a ferry from Tallinn to Helsinki to spend the majority of New Years Eve exploring Finland’s capital which sits on a peninsula in the Gulf of Finland.

With a rich history combined with a modern and sustainable approach, Finland is known for design, architecture and commitment to environmental sustainability making Helsinki, which was named World Design Capital in 2012 a popular destination for Eco-conscious travellers.

The city earned the nickname “The White City of the North because of the light coloured granite used on many of the buildings around the city centre.

Helsinki has its own archipelago with over 300 islands around the Finnish coast which are accessible by ferry or boat. One of the islands, Rajasaari (dog island) is an island completed dedicated to dogs to run freely off the leash, making it one of the more unique island attractions.

People living in Finland are known to be happy. For the seventh consecutive year, Finland was named the happiest country in the 2024 World Happiness Report. 90% of Helsinki residents shared the sentiment and their high satisfaction with their lives.

Helsinki Cathedral

If there’s one landmark in Helsinki you’ll think of off the top of your head, it’ll be Helsinki Cathedral.

Built in 1852, it’s one of ten Cathedral Churches of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. It was designed to serve as the main Lutheran Church of the Grand Duchy of Finland.

Helsinki Cathedral is located on Senate Square which is home to some of Helsinki’s important landmarks including the Government Palace, and the University of Helsinki.

The cathedral was originally named St Nicholas Church (Nikolainkirkko in Finnish). After Finland gained independence in 1917, it was called Suurkirkko (The Great Church). When the Diocese of Helsinki was formed in 1959, it became Helsinki Cathedral (Helsingin Tuomiokirkko).

Helsinki Cathedral has appeared in a number of TV shows and movies including Tom Cruise’s Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol.

It has steps that rivals the Rocky steps in Philadelphia. With my poor balance and a knack for being accident prone, I decided against attempting them.

Uspenski Cathedral

Uspenski Cathedral is a Finnish Orthodox Church which was inaugurated in 1868.

Located on the highest hill in the Katajanokka district over looking the city and the South Harbour, Uspenski Cathedral is the largest Orthodox Church is Western Europe.

The construction involved used over one million bricks which have a distinctive reddish hue. They were brought to Helsinki from the Bomarsund fortress in Åland. The 13 golden domes on top of the Cathedral represent Jesus and the 12 Apostles.

It’s one of the most visible symbols of Russian influence on Finnish culture. In the front stands a statue of Tsar Alexander II which is a reminder of Finland’s Russian heritage until Finland gained independence.

Uspenski Cathedral served as a cultural bridge between the two nations.

Old Market Hall

The Old Market Hall has been serving people since 1889 in Helsinki Market Square.

Called the Vanha Kauppahalli in Finnish, the vendor selections features what you’d expect. From Seafood, meat and non-meat options, to fruits, spices and teas and coffees as well as gift items.

The market also has Finland’s smallest Alko store (Alko being Finland’s national alcoholic beverage).

It was here I would try two of Finland’s traditional dishes. The first was reindeer in a baked potato with blue cheese, lingonberry jam and cottage cheese in roasted paprika which I was eager to try. It was tender and something I would have again without the jam.

The other was salmon soup. It was alright for what it was. People have been known for travelling long distances for the salmon soup and fish sandwiches. I don’t really eat soup that much. If I do, my go to is tomato and red pepper or just tomato.

Before getting side tracked, if you enjoy your food markets and street food, the Old Market Hall is a good place to stop off even if to get away from the sub zero temperatures.

Temppeliaukio Church

Temppeliaukio Church is a Lutheran church in the Töölö neighbourhood. It was designed by architect brothers Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen and opened in 1969.

Known as the “Church in the Rock”, It’s one of Helsinki’s unique architectural attractions. People visit to experience the outside as much as they do on the inside.

it was an engineering feat using solid granite and excavating directly into solid rock. The church is covered with a dome and is lined with 22kgs of copper, and supported on the rock walls by reinforced concrete beams.

With one eye on the time wanting to give myself plenty of time to have dinner and make it back for the return ferry in time. I mainly walked around the outside of the church and had a glance inside.

Due to its excellent acoustics, Temppeliaukio is often used for musical events and has become a popular attraction in Helsinki with nearly half a million visitors every year.

Keskustakirjasto Oddi

Rather than trying to pronounce this and butcher the Finnish language, we’ll just call this for what it is, Helsinki Central Library.

Situated in the Kluuvi district close to Helsinki Central Station, it cost close to €100m to build, including a €30m grant from the government to make it one of Finland’s key centennial projects.

It opened in 2018 and stands at 17,000m² with the main parts of the structure manufactured in Finland.

There isn’t really much you can talk about with a library. It looks good from an architectural standpoint. There are several libraries I’ve been to which look good including Malmo and Portland.

I guess I highlight it more for people who appreciate architecture regardless of its influence, and for those of us who enjoy taking photos of buildings that stand out.

You can easily fit in a day trip to Helsinki from Tallinn. I woke up early to make sure I caught the 7am ferry to be there for 9am. You could turn up late morning or early lunch time and see the main sights here. I had time to walk through some cool neighbourhoods as well as taking in the sights.

There are several ferries departing and returning everyday so you’ve got flexibility with your day trip.

What started out as a civilised -3°C when I arrived at the beginning of the day got to -16°C by 4pm. I wasn’t as well prepared as I anticipated despite wearing multiple layers.

I’ve never been in anything like it. It was a shock to the system as much as it was refreshing at times. It didn’t feel much warmer when I arrived back to Tallinn for the countdown to the New Year.

If you need to warm up, sauna culture is an integral part of everyday life for Finns. A cornerstone to their traditions, there are over 3.3 million saunas for a population of 5.5 million people. I sadly didn’t get a chance to visit one on the day trip but something to definitely do when the chance to go back to Finland presents itself.

The good thing about Helsinki and Finland in general is it’s known to be one of the safest places in the world.

Helsinki is a good day trip. If you’re staying central that’s all it will be. If you want to explore outside of the centre, it’s worth staying an extra day or two. You can add to your Finnish itinerary and include Lapland if you want to spend more than a day here.