Helsinki walking tour with a city planner
Overview
We will walk together in and around the city center for three hours, discovering Helsinki's secrets, learning its history, culture and traditions. Why do Helsinki people have picnic on top of graves? What was the meeting point of the bohemian people of 1880s in Helsinki? How did they build a church inside a giant granite rock? Where did Lenin hide when he was running away from the Tsarist Russia? Which statue is the one that seagulls hate the most? Where did they bury thousands of bodies during the plague? Why is the largest Orthodox cathedral located in a Lutheran country? Where can you eat the best salmon soup of your life? Why Finnish people still cheer for the opponents of the Swedish national football team? How did a Finnish architect influence generations of American architects and skyscraper designs? We will find answers to all of these questions and more, while visiting each of these less known yet important locations in Helsinki.
Inclusions
- Local guide
What to expect
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Senate Square, Aleksanterinkatu, Hallituskatu, Helsinki Finland
.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Helsinki Cathedral, Unioninkatu 29, Helsinki Finland
.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Presidential Palace, Mariankatu 2, 00170 Helsinki, Finland
.
Duration: 5 minutes
Stop At: Uspenskin Cathedral (Uspenskin Katedraali), Kanavakatu 1, Helsinki 00160 Finland
.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Market Square, Eteläranta, 00170 Helsinki, Finland
.
Duration: 5 minutes
Stop At: The Esplanadi Park, Pohjoisesplanadi, Helsinki 00130 Finland
.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Johan Ludvig Runeberg Statue, Pohjoisesplanadi Park Esplanadi, Helsinki 00101 Finland
.
Duration: 5 minutes
Stop At: Swedish Theater (Svenska Teatern), Pohjoisesplanadi 2, Helsinki Finland
.
Duration: 5 minutes
Stop At: Helsinki Central Railway Station, Kaivokatu 1, Helsinki 00100 Finland
.
Duration: 10 minutes
Pass By: Helsinki Music Centre, Mannerheimintie 13A, Helsinki 00100 Finland
.
Stop At: Central Library Oodi, Toolonlahdenkatu 4, Helsinki 00100 Finland
.
Duration: 15 minutes
Pass By: Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, Mannerheiminaukio 2, Helsinki 00100 Finland
.
Pass By: Finlandia - Talo, Mannerheimintie 13, Helsinki 00100 Finland
.
Pass By: Parliament of Finland, Mannerheimintie 30, Helsinki 00100 Finland
.
Pass By: Lasipalatsi, 00100 Helsinki, Finland
.
Pass By: Amos Rex Art Museum, Mannerheimintie 22-24, Helsinki 00100 Finland
.
Pass By: Mannerheimintie, Helsinki, Finland
.
Pass By: Ateneum, Kaivokatu 2, Helsinki 00100 Finland
.
Pass By: Finnish National Theater (Suomen Kansallisteatteri), Lantinen Teatterikuja 1, Helsinki 00100 Finland
.
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Senate Square, Aleksanterinkatu, Hallituskatu, Helsinki Finland
.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Helsinki Cathedral, Unioninkatu 29, Helsinki Finland
.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Presidential Palace, Mariankatu 2, 00170 Helsinki, Finland
.
Duration: 5 minutes
Stop At: Uspenskin Cathedral (Uspenskin Katedraali), Kanavakatu 1, Helsinki 00160 Finland
.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Market Square, Eteläranta, 00170 Helsinki, Finland
.
Duration: 5 minutes
Stop At: The Esplanadi Park, Pohjoisesplanadi, Helsinki 00130 Finland
.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Johan Ludvig Runeberg Statue, Pohjoisesplanadi Park Esplanadi, Helsinki 00101 Finland
.
Duration: 5 minutes
Stop At: Swedish Theater (Svenska Teatern), Pohjoisesplanadi 2, Helsinki Finland
.
Duration: 5 minutes
Stop At: Helsinki Central Railway Station, Kaivokatu 1, Helsinki 00100 Finland
.
Duration: 10 minutes
Pass By: Helsinki Music Centre, Mannerheimintie 13A, Helsinki 00100 Finland
.
Stop At: Central Library Oodi, Toolonlahdenkatu 4, Helsinki 00100 Finland
.
Duration: 15 minutes
Pass By: Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, Mannerheiminaukio 2, Helsinki 00100 Finland
.
Pass By: Finlandia - Talo, Mannerheimintie 13, Helsinki 00100 Finland
.
Pass By: Parliament of Finland, Mannerheimintie 30, Helsinki 00100 Finland
.
Pass By: Lasipalatsi, 00100 Helsinki, Finland
.
Pass By: Amos Rex Art Museum, Mannerheimintie 22-24, Helsinki 00100 Finland
.
Pass By: Mannerheimintie, Helsinki, Finland
.
Pass By: Ateneum, Kaivokatu 2, Helsinki 00100 Finland
.
Pass By: Finnish National Theater (Suomen Kansallisteatteri), Lantinen Teatterikuja 1, Helsinki 00100 Finland
.
Additional information
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- The tours are capped at 6 persons for your safety; each tour will feel like a private tour. Locations and attractions we will stop at are being disinfected regularly by the responsible parties.
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 6 travelers
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Ticket delivery
You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start time of the experience.
aggiesueblue
September 2021
Our 3 hours with Emek were incredibly fun and incredibly informative! We learnt so much about finish culture, the history of Finland and Helsinki and all the important sites and buildings in the city center. Emek was able to answer ALL of my inquisitive questions and did so with a big smile, rega...
Our 3 hours with Emek were incredibly fun and incredibly informative! We learnt so much about finish culture, the history of Finland and Helsinki and all the important sites and buildings in the city center. Emek was able to answer ALL of my inquisitive questions and did so with a big smile, regardless of whether they related to a building, Sauna-Etikett or the price of housing in Helsinki. We enjoyed every minute and can definitely recommend this tour!!Leslie_V
August 2021
What a tour! Emek is so kind and knowledgeable about Helsinki - This is the best tour I took while I was here. I am *that* person that asks 500 questions and Emek answered them all and gave great advice about other places to visit and where I could find a specific book I was looking for (and I ...
What a tour! Emek is so kind and knowledgeable about Helsinki - This is the best tour I took while I was here. I am *that* person that asks 500 questions and Emek answered them all and gave great advice about other places to visit and where I could find a specific book I was looking for (and I did find it!) and how to get back to the train station! Of all the places we went, I loved the Library the best - if Croatia had libraries like that I would never leave - I would just move in! Thank you Emek for being such a wonderful guide in such a vibrant city and sharing with us all the quirky things as well as the history with us. You made me truly fall in love with Helsinki!gusto104
April 2021
I have traveled to over 100 cities in the world and this tour was, by far, one of the very best! Emek is a smart, friendly, and well-informed guide -- a university professor and a world traveler himself! -- who really knows how to make the city's history come alive by showing you key locations f...
I have traveled to over 100 cities in the world and this tour was, by far, one of the very best! Emek is a smart, friendly, and well-informed guide -- a university professor and a world traveler himself! -- who really knows how to make the city's history come alive by showing you key locations from ancient times to the newest, hippest spaces (the new city library is a marvel of modern design and, inside, offers a fascinating glimpse into everyday Finnish ideals of community involvement), while always being fun and interesting. This tour is a real treat for travelers interested in understanding Helsinki's history and place in the world, and Emek is the perfect "friend" to spend the afternoon with while he shows it all to you!ajoymck
February 2021
Emek’s tour of Helsinki was extremely informative and fun. We learned so much about the history of the city and of Finland and learned some important insights into Finnish culture and the national character. Though packed full of information, it was never dry or boring...Emek really brought the s...
Emek’s tour of Helsinki was extremely informative and fun. We learned so much about the history of the city and of Finland and learned some important insights into Finnish culture and the national character. Though packed full of information, it was never dry or boring...Emek really brought the stories he was sharing alive and did so with a lot of humour. We highly recommend to anyone visiting Helsinki!! (Note: Review cross-posted from AirBnB. We took this tour in August 2019, but TripAdvisor doesn't give the option to select a time period that far back.)Storyteller800867
August 2020
I had no expectations or basic knowledge of Helsinki. I just wanted to discover the must-to-see. And I could do it with Emek! I was actually glad to have an insight of history and culture of the whole country by walking around Helsinki. The city itself is beautiful and interesting, and Emek knows...
I had no expectations or basic knowledge of Helsinki. I just wanted to discover the must-to-see. And I could do it with Emek! I was actually glad to have an insight of history and culture of the whole country by walking around Helsinki. The city itself is beautiful and interesting, and Emek knows how to show it very well in a nutshell. I loved every step of the tour and his explanations and personal experiences as an expat. It's very interesting to see the city from the point of view of an expat. The final stop of the tour was my favorite part! Definitely recommendedSlowFooder
July 2020
My wife and I signed up for this tour online to get closer to Helsinki on our short in between Corona trip. Emek is the perfect tour guide: his knowledge of Finnish history, his insights into the culture and his passion for this country were just awesome and time passed almost too fast. His frien...
My wife and I signed up for this tour online to get closer to Helsinki on our short in between Corona trip. Emek is the perfect tour guide: his knowledge of Finnish history, his insights into the culture and his passion for this country were just awesome and time passed almost too fast. His friendly, humorous and open demeanor made our time touring Helsinki together just matchless. Thank you, Emek....you are great!!