Tourist Attractions in Finland

The most interesting and beautiful tourist sites in Finland

Photos, reviews, descriptions, and links to maps

About Finland

Finland is a harsh northern country. Ecotourism is popular among travellers coming to this country. Finland is famous for its nature – numerous lakes, water canals, national parks. All this creates an excellent ecology in the country. The climate of the country allows tourists to travel all year round. In summer, tourists prefer to visit entertainment parks and open-air museums. And in the snowy winter go to ski resorts or to the residence of Father Christmas.

Many interesting places are located in the cities. Museums, fortresses and castles, ancient religious buildings – the choice is incredibly large. Located attractions are not only in the capital. In the historical centres of smaller towns, such as Rauma and Porvoo, you can see old buildings. Many of them are magnificent examples of Scandinavian architecture.

Top Cities to Visit in Finland

Top-35 Tourist Attractions in Finland

Senate Square

 4.5/5

18832 reviews

The main square of the country’s capital. Three buildings form the basis of the square’s architectural ensemble. One of them is the State Council building, which has the oldest clock in Finland on its facade. Next to it is the building of the University of Helsinki and its library. Above them rises the Cathedral. The white-washed walls, five green domes and 12 statues of apostles on the roof make the cathedral majestic and solemn.

Open time

Esplanadi

 4.5/5

12042 reviews

The park is 400 metres long, with lime trees planted around the perimeter. It was founded in the 1830s. The park is undoubtedly decorated with beautifully designed luxurious flowerbeds. There are many monuments to famous and historical personalities in the park. Cultural entertainment is provided by the Swedish Theatre and one of the oldest restaurants, Kappeli. Artists of various genres perform daily on its stage.

Open time

Suomenlinna

 4.6/5

23032 reviews

The impregnable bastions of the fortress city of Sveaborg are located on rocky islands near Helsinki. This place is under UNESCO protection. In the fortress there is a large number of museums of different themes – military museum, customs museum, weapons museum, toy museum. There are excursions to the submarine, which participated in the Second World War. On two islands you can see the remains of military fortifications.

Open time

Olavinlinna

 4.5/5

5706 reviews

Finland’s first defence fortress, which was built with protection against artillery fire in mind. Its construction began in 1475. Nowadays, it is a popular tourist destination, and several museums with different themes – from the history of the castle to Orthodox icon painting – have been opened there. Every year, opera festivals are held within the walls of the castle. The event lasts about a month and is attended by approximately 60,000 people.

Open time

Monday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Saturday: 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Sunday: 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Turku Castle

 4.5/5

8854 reviews

One of the oldest castles in the country, located in Turku, was founded in the 13th century. The castle’s impressive size and strong granite and brick materials allowed it to be used not only for defence, but also as a prison or storage facility. The castle looks like a harsh military fortification and has a medieval atmosphere. But inside its walls it has a solemn atmosphere, and its halls are often rented out for events.

Open time

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Old Rauma

 0/5

The historic centre of Rauma. The town was founded in the 15th century, but the earliest buildings of Old Rauma date back to the 18th century. Most of the old wooden buildings were burnt down in fires. Interesting wooden buildings are the Sailor Christie’s House and the shipowner Marel’s house. They house museum expositions. Rare stone buildings are the Church of the Holy Cross and the Town Hall.

Porvoo Old Town

 4.6/5

1643 reviews

A popular neighbourhood of the city with buildings dating back to the 18th century. New buildings were erected here after the fire of 1760. Travellers are attracted by the flavour of the Middle Ages in the cosy small courtyards and narrow cobbled streets. Especially interesting is a walk along the Porvoonjoka river embankment surrounded by small wooden houses of brownish-red colour. Porvoo Cathedral is one of the most popular religious buildings in Finland.

Open time

Monday: Open 24 hours
Tuesday: Open 24 hours
Wednesday: Open 24 hours
Thursday: Open 24 hours
Friday: Open 24 hours
Saturday: Open 24 hours
Sunday: Open 24 hours

Sibelius Monument

 4.3/5

6062 reviews

It is dedicated to one of Finland’s most revered composers, Jan Sibelius. Sculptor Eila Hiltuten worked on the monument for almost 10 years. It is a composition of 600 steel pipes. The music created by the wind creates an image of nature, which was often heard in Sibelius’ compositions. The ambiguity of the monument is often criticised, yet it is one of the most visited places by tourists.

Open time

Monday: Open 24 hours
Tuesday: Open 24 hours
Wednesday: Open 24 hours
Thursday: Open 24 hours
Friday: Open 24 hours
Saturday: Open 24 hours
Sunday: Open 24 hours

Temppeliaukion Church

 4.4/5

12007 reviews

One of the most unusual churches in the world. Its interior is carved into the rock and natural light enters through glass domes. The rough and untreated rock creates unusual acoustics in the church. The church’s organ has 3,001 pipes. One of the church’s Masses in 2016 was held to heavy rock music. About half a million people visit the church per year.

Open time

Monday: 10:00 AM – 4:50 PM
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 4:50 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 4:50 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 4:50 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 4:50 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 4:50 PM
Sunday: 12:00 – 4:50 PM

Kamppi Chapel

 4.4/5

3086 reviews

The shape of the chapel resembles a wooden bowl without a handle. The internal walls are made of black alder, the external facades are made of spruce lath, the furniture is made of ash. The altar cross is silver. There is not a single window in the chapel. No services are held in it, its purpose is for meetings and conversations in silence, away from the bustle of the world. Psychological help to parishioners is provided both by the chapel’s ministers and by the staff of social services.

Open time

Monday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed

Uspenski Cathedral

 4.5/5

6313 reviews

The height of the cathedral is 51 metres. It was built at the end of the XIX century. The red brick walls are crowned with 13 gilded domes. The interior of the cathedral is made in the traditional Byzantine style. The columns are made of solid blocks of granite, and the arched vaults decorated with paintings rest into them. The main drawing is made on the upper part of the vault and above the altar. The Holy Spirit is depicted in the middle, with a starry sky around it.

Open time

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM
Wednesday: 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM
Thursday: 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM
Friday: 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Sunday: 12:00 – 3:00 PM

Turku Cathedral

 4.6/5

3845 reviews

Lutheran church built in the 13th century in the Gothic style. The building has survived a major fire, several reconstructions and rebuildings. Currently, the height of the vault of the main nave is 24 metres and the height of the cathedral tower is 101 metres. The walls of the cathedral are decorated with frescoes and the chapels with stained glass windows. The cathedral’s attraction is the organ with 81 registers. The church has a museum dedicated to the history of the Cathedral.

Open time

Monday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Thursday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sunday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Arktikum

 4.5/5

1058 reviews

A modern architectural complex that includes a museum and a science centre. A special feature of the building is a glass atrium 172 metres long. It is called the “portal to the Arctic”. The tunnel is located on the embankment of the river Ounasjoki. It is decorated with natural materials typical of the region. Various exhibitions tell visitors about the culture and history of Lapland, nature and Arctic exploration.

Open time

Art Museum Ateneum

 4.5/5

7476 reviews

Art Museum with the largest collection of artworks in the country. The museum has more than 20,000 exhibits of different types of art – sculpture, graphics, paintings. The works of masters from the middle of the 18th century to the middle of the 20th century are represented. In total, more than 4000 paintings and about 700 sculptures are exhibited. The museum’s collections contain paintings by famous artists such as Repin, Van Gogh, Levitan, Chagall and Shishkin.

Open time

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 8:30 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 8:30 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 8:30 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 8:30 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Seurasaari

 4.7/5

646 reviews

An open-air museum island. The museum’s houses and buildings are designed to familiarise visitors with the way of life and traditions of the Finnish people. The 87 buildings have been collected from all over the country. Among them there are examples of rural architecture from the 17th century and the estates of wealthy peasants from the 19th century. The oldest building in the museum is a wooden church from the village of Karuna, built in 1686. The museum is visited by tens of thousands of visitors every year.

The National Museum of Finland

 4.4/5

6207 reviews

It was built in the early 19th century in the style of romanticism of national architecture. The building is adorned with a tall cone-shaped tower. The museum’s expositions tell about the history of Finland from the Stone Age to the present day. Most of the exhibits were found during archaeological excavations. The museum’s collections are wide-ranging – coins, weapons, orders, jewellery, they tell about the culture and traditions of the country.

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Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma

 4.2/5

7077 reviews

Museum of Contemporary Art. It is considered to be one of the most visited museums in Finland. Opened in 1998, the Museum of Contemporary Art has gathered a collection of 4000 exhibits. Paintings, photographic works, video installations, spatial art objects are presented. The building itself attracts attention as much as the exhibits within its walls. Its architecture is interesting with curved lines, mirrored windows reflecting sunlight.

Open time

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 8:30 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 8:30 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 8:30 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 8:30 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Turku Art Museum

 4.4/5

1270 reviews

Located in a Romanesque castle with grey walls. The building is built on Puolalanmäki Hill. The museum has a rich collection of art objects – paintings, graphics and sculptures, works by foreign and Finnish masters. There is an exposition of wooden sculptures from the Middle Ages, collections of weapons, coins and old toys. The art objects belong to different historical periods – from the Stone Age to the present day.

Open time

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Wednesday: 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Thursday: 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Friday: 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Saturday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Helsingin päärautatieasema

 4.2/5

1602 reviews

A world-famous example of Finnish architecture. The building is built in the Nordic Art Nouveau style, designed by architect Eliel Saarinen. The railway station was opened in 1919. The practical architecture of the modern building has been decorated with interesting details. The clock tower is almost 50 metres high. The walls of the restaurant hall are decorated with paintings. At the main entrance, sculptures with lanterns in their hands were installed.

Open time

Vanha kauppahalli

 4.4/5

1381 reviews

Founded in 1815, it is located on the waterfront near the Trade Square. It attracts the attention not only of tourists, but also of Helsinki’s gourmets. Gastronomic stalls offer a wide range of dishes – both traditional products and delicacies from Lapland. In total, there are about 40 stalls in the market. Recently, the market was closed for more than a year for extensive reconstruction.

Open time

Monday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Thursday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Friday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sunday: Closed

Westas Group

 4.6/5

30 reviews

The industrial village of Verla has a unique atmosphere. Its woodworking factory was founded in 1872 and is a UNESCO protected site. It is now a real industrial museum. You can learn about the history of the country’s timber industry. Pristine factory buildings, factory machines and workers’ huts have been preserved. The cardboard produced at the factory was shipped to various places around the world, even to South America.

Open time

Monday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Tuesday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Wednesday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Thursday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Friday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed

Pyynikki Coffee Shop & Observation Tower

 4.5/5

6014 reviews

The tower is located in a nature reserve in the city of Tampere. The tower was built on top of a ridge in 1929. The tower is 26 metres high, so its observation deck is 180 metres above sea level. It offers a beautiful view of the city and the two lakes. There is a café on the ground floor of the tower. It sells delicious doughnuts and local artists organise exhibitions of their paintings there.

Open time

Monday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Thursday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Sunday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Lemmenjoki

 4.5/5

17 reviews

Finland’s largest park and one of the largest national parks in Europe. It has an area of 2,850 km². Most of the park is made up of impenetrable forest. There are more than 60 hiking trails in places accessible to tourists. The trails lead to the main attractions of the park – Ravadasköngäs waterfall, Lemmenjoki River Valley, Ukonsaari Island. You can also try your hand at gold mining – there are gold mines in the park.

Urho Kekkonen National Park

 4.7/5

1515 reviews

A picturesque national park in northern Finland. The main excursions start in the village of Saariselkä. About 180,000 tourists visit the park per year. Including families with children – for them there are resort areas on the border of the park area, where you can even go skiing. The unofficial attraction of the park is the Korvatunturi hill. According to local legends, Father Christmas lives on this hill.

Open time

Monday: Open 24 hours
Tuesday: Open 24 hours
Wednesday: Open 24 hours
Thursday: Open 24 hours
Friday: Open 24 hours
Saturday: Open 24 hours
Sunday: Open 24 hours

Kuivasaari

 4.7/5

11 reviews

The National Park, founded in 1938, is part of a UNESCO reserve. Its peculiarity is its unusual landscape – several thousand islets and rocks. There is a permanent population on the larger islands. From the animal world interesting representatives are moose, in the coastal waters there are seals and seals. There are a number of attractions on the islands – stone and wooden churches, lighthouses and defence structures.

Saimaa

 4.7/5

155 reviews

Finland’s largest lake is formed by eight interconnected bodies of water. The entire water surface area is more than 4000 km². There are about 13,000 islands of various sizes in the waters of the lake. Among the abundance of inhabitants are rare forked salmon and the endangered Saimaa seal. Dense coniferous forests grow along the shores. It is an excellent place for nature holidays.

Saimaa Canal

 4.4/5

50 reviews

The water canal is 60 kilometres long and connects the Gulf of Finland and Lake Saimaa. It has eight locks, three of which are located in Finland and the rest in Russia. Both river and sea vessels can navigate the canal. A water trip along the Saimaa Canal is popular among tourists. It is a great opportunity to enjoy the nature of the shores, historical objects, monuments and sights.

Sapokka Water Garden

 4.7/5

2819 reviews

The picturesque and well-maintained park in Kotka is beautiful at any time of year. The flowers in it are planted in such a way that their blooms alternate with each other. The main feature of the park is the use of water as the main element of the landscape design. Ponds, streams, waterfalls create a special atmosphere. Natural stone is also used to decorate the park. Original compositions made of it have repeatedly received awards at international competitions.

Open time

Monday: Open 24 hours
Tuesday: Open 24 hours
Wednesday: Open 24 hours
Thursday: Open 24 hours
Friday: Open 24 hours
Saturday: Open 24 hours
Sunday: Open 24 hours

Imatrankoski

 0/5

A waterslide in the city of Imatra. Some admiring tourists call it the “Finnish Niagara”. Until the 1920s, the waterfall was natural. However, the construction of a hydroelectric power station changed everything. Since then, the water from the reservoir is released strictly according to a schedule – twice a day on Sundays in summer. In honour of the water release, sometimes a whole show with fireworks and musical concerts is arranged. There are observation platforms for watching the flow of water.

Yyteri Beach Oy

 4.1/5

23 reviews

A sandy beach in the west of the country about 6 kilometres long. Popular not only with locals but also with travellers. Large areas of shallow water are well heated and the entrance to the water is smooth. This is especially appreciated by holidaymakers with small children. For lovers of surfing and kiting, the beach of Uyuteri is one of the best places in the country. The waves here are not particularly high, but stable, which is especially valuable for beginners of these sports.

Open time

Särkänniemi

 4.4/5

80 reviews

An amusement park of unbelievable size, covering an area of 50,000 m². There are 34 rides for every category of visitor. There are small play areas for kids, and 30-metre slides for extreme adults. A separate entertainment zone is based on the Angry Birds game. In addition to rides, Särkännniemi Park has a planetarium, an oceanarium, a mini zoo and the highest observation tower in the country.

Linnanmäki

 4.5/5

26262 reviews

An amusement park located in the country’s capital. It has 43 rides, amusement arcades, an oceanarium, an observation tower, cafés and restaurants. Popular Finnish artists perform on an outdoor stage in the summer. The annual number of visitors to the park is more than one million people. The most popular attraction is the wooden roller coaster. The carousel installed in Linnanmäki in 1896 is still in operation in the park.

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Santa Claus Village

 4.2/5

23275 reviews

The village of Joulupukki (Santa Claus, or Father Christmas) is located in Lapland, inside the Arctic Circle. It is traditionally considered to be the permanent home of the Finnish Father Christmas. This place is one of the most visited by tourists. In the residence of Joulupukki there is a lot of entertainment. There is a fairy-tale post office, a museum of snowmobiles, a reindeer farm. Guests are attracted by the Snowman’s Ice World zone with slides and ice sculptures.

Open time

Monday: Open 24 hours
Tuesday: Open 24 hours
Wednesday: Open 24 hours
Thursday: Open 24 hours
Friday: Open 24 hours
Saturday: Open 24 hours
Sunday: Open 24 hours

Parikkala Sculpture Park

 4.5/5

2136 reviews

The park is located in a forested area. The park’s 500 concrete sculptures were created by the self-taught sculptor Veijo Rönkkönen. The sculptor spent about 50 years creating the works. He depicted people, animals and fairytale creatures. The cartoon figures evoke different emotions in visitors. Some admire them, others call them ugly and creepy. But no one remains indifferent. Entrance to the park is free, a wish of Veijo Rönkkönen himself.

Open time

Monday: Open 24 hours
Tuesday: Open 24 hours
Wednesday: Open 24 hours
Thursday: Open 24 hours
Friday: Open 24 hours
Saturday: Open 24 hours
Sunday: Open 24 hours

Moomin World

 4.3/5

3948 reviews

One of the best theme parks in the world where you can immerse yourself in a fairytale atmosphere. In it you can meet your favourite characters and see how they live. The park is located on an island and is an image of the Valley of the Mummy Trolls. It has a Mummy house and houses of other characters, a laboratory, talking trees. The children are played by artists in the characters of Tove Jansson’s books. There are performances on stage several times a day.

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Tourist Attractions in Finland

About Finland

Top Cities to Visit in Finland

Helsinki

Imatra

Kotka

Lappeenranta

Turku

Top-35 Tourist Attractions in Finland

Senate Square

Esplanadi

Suomenlinna

Olavinlinna

Turku Castle

Old Rauma

Porvoo Old Town

Sibelius Monument

Temppeliaukion Church

Kamppi Chapel

Uspenski Cathedral

Turku Cathedral

Arktikum

Art Museum Ateneum

Seurasaari

The National Museum of Finland

Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma

Turku Art Museum

Helsingin päärautatieasema

Vanha kauppahalli

Westas Group

Pyynikki Coffee Shop & Observation Tower

Lemmenjoki

Urho Kekkonen National Park

Kuivasaari

Saimaa

Saimaa Canal

Sapokka Water Garden

Imatrankoski

Yyteri Beach Oy

Särkänniemi

Linnanmäki

Santa Claus Village

Parikkala Sculpture Park

Moomin World