More tips and ideas for exploring the local nature

The City of Helsinki’s Experience Helsinki Nature webpage offers a series of downloadable brochures and other materials to help families with children enjoy the urban nature. There are tips for how to start birdwatching, how to play nature bingo and how to make your own nature trail. There are also instructions for how to identify different species using a mobile app and tips for observing nature along the seashore. You can find all of Helsinki’s nature sites using the kartta.hel.fi online map.

Urban nature in social media

The Facebook group Kaupunkiluonto Helsingissä reports on what is happening in nature right now, from city parks to nature reserves. The information is updated by experts from the City of Helsinki’s Urban Environment department. You can also follow the team at the Harakka Nature Centre on Facebook and Instagram.

Outdoors in nature

Helsinki is one of the few capital cities in the world where the real nature is so close to its inhabitants. The local nature offers lots of attractions, each one prettier than the next, that all visitors to Helsinki should experience. You can find the ten best nature sites easily on the citynature.eu/en/helsinki/ website using your mobile device. The service offers directions for how to get to the nature attractions, as well as route recommendations and lots of information about the nature, species and history. You can also download the Explore Helsinki Nature brochure in pdf-format.

The Experience Helsinki Nature brochure series makes it easy to discover Helsinki’s best recreational areas and nature reserves. The brochures have been compiled by both nature and tourism experts and cover the following areas: Seurasaari and Meilahti, Vartiosaari, Viikki, Kallahdenniemi, Uutela, Lauttasaari, Vantaanjoki and Mustavuori.

Please pay attention to outdoor recommendations during the corona crisis. Suomen Latu, the Outdoor Association of Finland, has compiled a code of ethics for enjoying the outdoors responsibly (in Finnish). The Finnish Nature Centre Haltia has also published useful information with a link to the coronavirus guidelines posted by Metsähallitus Parks and Wildlife Finland.

Experience Helsinki’s enchanting nature digitally and responsibly