City Guide



Helsinki Shopping:


The main shopping areas in Helsinki are Esplanadi and Aleksanterinkatu where you will find large department stores and shopping centres. For small boutiques visit Fredrikinkatu and for antiques try Mariankatu. In summer Helsinki has many good markets which are big attractions in the city.

STOCKMANN, Aleksanterinkatu
Stockmanns is the largest department store in Scandinavia which offers a vast range of quality goods. Located in city centre.

KAMP GALLERY
A new shopping gallery selling designer goods and gifts.

FORUM, Mannerheimintie
Also located in city centre, Forum is Helsinki's largest shopping centre with 120 shops on four floors.

SOKOS, Mannerheimintie
Large department store close to the railway station selling a wide range of goods.

ITAKESKUS
Itakeskus is only 10 minutes from the railway station by train and has hundreds of shops, and many restaurants and cafes.

MARKET SQUARE
Lively market in Esplanadi which sells handicrafts and food.

KLUUVI
A smaller shopping centre with restaurants and cafes situated by Senate Square.

SHOPPING HOURS

Department Stores - Monday-Friday 09.00am - 09.00 pm
Saturday 09.00am - 06.00 pm

Small Shops - Monday-Friday 09.00am - 05.00 pm
Saturday 09.00am - 02.00 pm

Shops by the railway are open on Sundays until 10.00 pm.


Museums


Finlandia Hall (Home of the annual Helsinki Summer Festival)

Mannerheimintie 13, Helsinki 00100
Tel: +358 9 402 4246

National Museum (Museum)

Mannerheimintie 34, Helsinki 00101
Tel: +358 9 405 0470

Sibelius Park Monument (Park)

Sibelius Park on Mechelininkatu, Helsinki

Soumenlinna Fortress (18th Century sea fortress)

Suomenlinna Island, Helsinki
Tel: +358 9 668 880

Uspenski Cathedral (Cathedral)

Kanavakatu 1, Helsinki
Tel: +358 9 634 267

Market Square ( Market Square)

Eteläranta and Pohjoisesplanadi, Helsinki

Senate Square (Square)

Bordered by Aleksanterinkatu and Hallituskatu, Helsinki

Temple Square Church (Church)

Lutherininkatu 3, Helsinki
Tel: +358 9 494 698


Restaurants


Traditional Finnish foods include Salmon, Herring and Crayfish. These are normally eaten with new potatoes and dill as a summer dish. In Autumn, berries are served fresh with ice-cream or in pastries. Another speciality in Finland is reindeer which is served in many of Helsinki's restaurants. As well as Finnish cuisine, you will find a wide range of restaurants including Russian, Asian and Italian.

Here are a few of the best restaurants Helsinki has to offer.

FINNISH:

LAPPI, Annankatu 22, Helsinki Tel: +358 9 645 550
Lapp restaurant serving traditional Finnish dishes including reindeer. Also has the Kelonkolo bar which has a good atmosphere.

ELITE, Et. Hesperiankatu 22, Tel: +358 9 434 22 00
Good quality restaurant just a few minutes from the city centre by tram. There is also a terrace in the summer.

KONIG, Mikonkatu,4 Tel: +358 9 6844 0713

Atmospheric restaurant founded by Karl Konig with a varied menu and good service.
OMENAPUU, Keskusatu 6, Helsinki Tel: +358 9 6844 0331

Cosy restaurant in Helsinki's city centre, good for families.
RESTAURANT PALACE, Eteleranta 10, Palace Hotel, Tel: +358 9 1345 6787
Enjoy spectacular views of the harbour from the Palace Hotel's restaurant

RUSSIAN:

BELLEVUE, Rahapajankatu 3, Helsinki Tel: +358 9 179 560
This is the oldest restaurant in Helsinki serving classic Russian food in a peaceful atmosphere.

BABUSHKA IRA, Uudenmaankatu 28, Helsinki, Tel: +358 9 680 1405
Great restaurant in city centre serving authentic Russian cuisine.

ALEKSANDER NEVSKI, Pohjoisesplanadi 17, Helsinki Tel: +358 9 639 610
Excellent restaurant located by the Market Square with live music from Monday-Saturday.

INTERNATIONAL:

TORNI, Kalevantu 5, Helsinki Tel: +358 9 131 131
Hotel restaurant which has been recently renovated, with Finnish-International cuisine. Wide variety of wines available.

KAMP, Pohjoisesplanadi29, Helsinki Tel: +358 9 5761 1204
Well-known gourmet restuarant part of the luxury Kamp Hotel on Esplanadi.

KAPPELI, Etelaesplanadi Helsinki Tel: +358 9 179 242
Beautiful restaurant located on Esplanadi Park, has a cafe, bar and terrace in the summer.

ITALIAN:

PAPA GIOVANNI, Keskusatu 7, Helsinki Tel: +358 9 622 6010
Popular Italian restaurant serving excellent food in a good location. Advisable to book a table.

RODOLFO, Kirkkokatu, Helsinki Tel: +358 9 625 024
Rodolfo is a small Italian resturant where you will find good food at reasonable prices.


Clubbing


In recent years Helsinki has seen an explosion of nighttime possibilities. Friday and Saturday nights are impossibly overcrowded, so if you plan to go out, you need to show up early at a club, or you may not get in. The older crowd sticks mainly to bars in popular hotels, such as the Scandic Hotel Continental.

Nearly all theatrical performances are presented in Finnish or Swedish. However, music is universal, and the Helsinki cultural landscape is always rich in music whatever the season. The major orchestral and concert performances take place in Finlandia Hall. Operas at the Finnish National Opera are sung in their original languages.

The main agency for theater, concert, and opera tickets is Ticket Service Finland (Lippupalvelu), Mannerheimintie 5 (tel. +358 9 613 8611), in the center.

Clubs and Nightlife in Helsinki


Clubs - Details of some popular Helsinki Clubs

Club Konig , Mikonkatu 4, Helsinki,.. Tel +358 9 6844 0713

Cafe Tin Tin Tango, Töölöntorinkatu 7, Helsinki 00260,.. Tel +358 9 2709 0972

Kaarle XII, Kasarinikatu 40, Helsinki 00130,.. Tel +359 9 612 9990

Lost & Found, Annankatu 6, Helsinki,.. Tel +358 9 680 1010

CASINOS

Several Helsinki nightclubs have small-stakes casinos -- usually just a roulette wheel with an attractive croupier and a deliberately low maximum bet. For more serious action, head directly for Casino Ray. Situated in the second floor of the Ramada Presidentti Hotel, bets here range from 2€ to 3,100€ in blackjack, Punto Banco, Red Dog, Money Wheel, and roulette.

Casino Ray, Etelainen Rautatiekatu 4, Helsinki,.. Tel +359 9 68 08 00

Alcohol

The legal age for drinking beer and hard liquor throughout Finland is 18. Many nightclubs and dance clubs, however, admit only "well-dressed" (and non-rowdy) patrons, and sometimes insist that they appear to be 24 or older. Age limits (or even the appearance of age limits), however, usually don't apply to pubs. Laws against drunken driving are rigidly enforced in Helsinki.