Things to Do in Helsinki, Finland in Winter
Winter Activities and Christmas Events in Finland’s Capital Helsinki
Oct 7, 2009 Satu Susanna Rommi
Christmas is the biggest festival of the year in Finland, and preparations start weeks in advance. Christmas events in Helsinki include Christmas markets, concerts and special events for the whole family.
Christmas Holiday in Helsinki, Finland
Helsinki’s official Christmas street is Aleksanterinkatu in the centre of the city, and traditional Christmas lights decorate the street from the last week of November. The Christmas lights on Aleksanterinkatu are a tradition that dates back to the 1930’s.
There are Christmas concerts in many of Helsinki’s churches and concert halls throughout December (see Visit Helsinki for details), and the Zoo in Korkeasaari has special Christmas events in December for the whole family. The Helsinki Zoo is open every day except on Christmas Eve.
There are several Christmas markets in and around Helsinki during the weeks leading up to Christmas. The Vanha Ylioppilastalo (Old Student House, Mannerheimintie 5) has a big indoor Christmas Market, and the Esplanade Park in the city centre has an open-air Christmas market with plenty of stalls offering gifts, decorations, food and mulled wine. The Suomenlinna Island just outside Helsinki has a Christmas market and other Christmas events. Boats to Suomenlinna leave from the Kauppatori (Market Square).
Finns celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve on the 24th of December. Shops in Helsinki close for the 25th and the 26th of December, but sales in Helsinki’s shops start already on the 27th. Helsinki’s stores are also closed on New Year’s Day.
New Year’s Eve is celebrated in Finland with extensive firework displays. Helsinki’s official New Year’s Eve celebrations, accompanied by fireworks, are traditionally held on the Senate Square (Senaatintori)
Wintertime Activities in Helsinki, Finland
The Railway Square (Rautatientori) just outside the Helsinki Railway Station transforms into an Ice Park from November to March. There is ice-skating and regular free events, skates can be rented at the venue, and hot drinks are served in the café. Ice-skating is a popular winter activity in Helsinki and the city has plenty of outdoor skating rinks. Even more popular is ice-hockey, and visitors can watch ice-hockey games at the Hartwall Arena and Helsinki Ice Hall (Jäähalli).
Not for the faint-hearted, another popular Finnish wintertime activity is ice swimming. Hardy Finns drill a hole in the ice that covers most Finnish lakes and the Gulf of Finland outside Helsinki in winter, and after a session in a sauna, dip into the ice-cold water for a refreshing swim. Devotees of the activity swear that ice-swimming invigorates the mind and the body, improves circulation and keeps colds and flu’s away, and guarantees overall good health and longevity. There are several public saunas in Helsinki, and all Helsinki hotels have their own saunas, some with spas that provide therapeutic massages and beauty treatments. For ice swimming, visitors can try the Rastila at Karavaanikatu 4.
The Esplanade, Helsinki in Winter
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