7 very Helsinkian things to do over Christmas
Want to spend the Helsinki Yuletide like the locals?
From hot Christmas saunas to scenic island paths and horse sleigh rides, singing carols to dancing the night away, here are some tips for spending some seriously serene Christmas-time in Helsinki.
Enjoy!
1. Have a Christmas sauna (and a dip in the sea!)
For many Helsinkians, Christmas wouldn’t feel complete without sauna. The cherished joulusauna tradition invites everyone to slow down, relax and prepare for the festivities in the warmth of steam. You can experience this authentic Finnish ritual in the city’s public saunas open in December and some even during the Christmas holidays! Combine your sauna visit with either rolling in fresh snow or dipping into icy waters and you will feel truly heavenly.
Try one – or all – of these seven saunas this Christmas!
2. Have a hot drink by the fire
So, it’s winter and Christmas is approaching. It’s also very dark outside. What could be better than sitting by a warm fireplace, especially when it’s stormy or frosty or snowy? Many things! Having a mug of hot glögi (mulled wine) in hand, for one. Looking into the sea whilst drinking it. Better yet, being by the sea outdoors, whilst drinking it. Yes! An outdoor fireplace can be cozy too, if the weather isn’t too cold and you have a blanket. Here are our three top picks for an indoor experience:
- Löyly, the famous design sauna complex, is especially known for its award-winning wooden architecture and great food. Löyly’s restaurant offers a beautiful location with a modern glass fireplace providing a warm contrast to the panoramic views to the sea.
Hotel Rantapuisto in Eastern Helsinki has a large and cozy brick fireplace to drink that hot glögi by. The hotel also offers a Christmas seaside sauna for guests seeking peace and well-being.
Restaurant Plats on Hanaholmen island is housed in the Finnish-Swedish cultural centre and while staring into the fire you’ll also be surrounded by art, design and the sea.
And, if you wish to be outside there is always the atmospheric Café Regatta in Töölö neighbourhood. They also sell incredible cinnamon buns and hot cocoa with whipped cream on top. But, as it’s Christmas we recommend glögi together with luumutorttu (Finnish plum pastry, that is).
3. Go Xmas shopping with a clear conscience
That’s easy in Helsinki! We have the Design District here, first of all. Spanning over 25 streets in central Helsinki, the area is filled with little shops where you can get the most amazing Christmas gifts. From time-tested design icons to fresh ideas by local artisans you can be sure to shop ethically and sustainably. The same goes for Helsinki’s most well-known Christmas Markets such as Vanhan Joulutori in the Old Student House and Tuomaan Markkinat on Senate Square. They both offer skilfully crafted, locally made gifts and design pieces. Helsinki’s many museum shops are also a great place to find unique presents. Vast in variety, 100% committed to responsibility, the shops sell everything from iconic Finnish art and design to Helsinki-specific souvenirs. Pretty much all locally made.
Read more about shopping in Helsinki!
Bazaars
Christmas
4. Try some traditional Finnish Christmas foods (we dare you!)
What is “traditional” you may want to ask first. According to some culture experts, only the humble lanttulaatikko (swede casserole) can be traced back as being a truly authentic Finnish Christmas food. Yet, if we’re not too pedantic about all this, there are plenty of dishes that we can claim to hold the tradition crown by now. Rice porridge with plum sauce. Plum pastries (what is it about plums?). Fish of all kinds – especially cured or smoked. Then there is the hate it or love it rosolli – a funny dish made of little beetroot and potato cubes. And let’s not forget all these casseroles – laatikot (“boxes”) – made out of root vegetables. Swede, potato and carrot being the best known, but sweet potato climbing to fourth place. Accompany these with kotikalja (home made beer) or glögi (mulled wine) and you are getting there!
Many Helsinkian restaurants serve the traditional Christmas meal during a longer-than-usual lunch break but also over dinner time.
Read more about Helsinkian Christmas foods and where to eat them here.
5. Go sing to to your heart’s content
If there is one thing the Finns love to do over Christmas it is to sing. Kauneimmat joululaulut (The Most Beautiful Christmas Carols) is a series of concerts organised by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland that attract around a million Finns a year to sing in their local churches, restaurants, shopping centres and schools. Many beautiful Helsinkian churches organise these sing-along carols and everyone is welcome to join the communal atmosphere. Of course, Finnish is a little tricky (just a little!) so may just want to listen – or take part in an English version of this festive event.
6. Go ice-skating!
To get an even better feeling of winter and Christmas, there are several ice-skating rinks all around the city, where you can have some fun. Right on the spot, you can rent the skates, so no need to worry about not having the right gear. All the city-run artificial ice fields in Helsinki are free and they are all open by December, depending on the weather. You can check the situation and ice condition on the City’s Outdoor Exercise Map.
When the winter is consistently cold, it is possible to skate even on the frozen sea! But usually this does not happen until after Christmas. See some ice-skating tips and locations here.
7. Hop on a sleigh on Boxing Day (or dance until dawn)
In Helsinki, the quiet family-oriented Christmas celebrations traditionally end on Tapaninpäivä (Boxing Day or Stephens Day) on 26 December. In the Finnish countryside, the day after Christmas was usually spent enjoying sleigh rides, visiting friends, having parties and even dancing. These days Helsinki too comes back to life by the evening of Boxing Day at the latest. Many restaurants and music venues host traditional Boxing Day dances, and cinemas are packed with people happy to get out of the house! If you wish to dance until dawn (OK, it’s pitch dark at 4am in December, but you get the point!) then head to Old Student House Tapanin Tahtiin Dance. During the day you may find horse sleigh rides throughout the city – for example on Seurasaari Island!
Or, if it is snowy, just go for a walk and marvel at the city covered in white. Cemeteries, such the historical Hietaniemen Hautausmaa in Kamppi neighbourhood, are covered in a sea of candles, remembering those who are no longer here with us.
