Helsinki for free

Helsinki, and whole Finland, has a reputation as an expensive destination. But if you know where to look, you can find and do a lot of fun and interesting things without using a single euro.

Here's some of the things you can experience in Helsinki for free + the bonus is that you end up hanging around in the places and neighbourhoods where the locals hang out.

TOP 3 libraries in Helsinki

There are some very atmospheric libraries in Helsinki and they have great services, the staff in the libraries is knowledgeable and helpful. Even if you are not able to borrow the books, you can still soak up the atmosphere, read magazines there and books while there.

1.    Kallio Library
2.    Rikhardinkatu Library
3.    Library 10 ('Kirjasto 10')

More libraries in Helsinki (and in the capital city area) here: www.lib.hel.fi

Kallio library
Photo by hugovk on Flickr

TOP 3 Galleries

1.    Laterna Magica is a photo gallery that also works as secondhand books store. Located in the lovely Kruununhaka neighbourhood in central Helsinki.
Address: Rauhankatu 7. And how to get there: walk!
2.    Galleria Alkovi is a window gallery in Kallio area.
Address: Helsinginkatu 19. Trams: 3B, 9, 8; tram stop: Helsinginkatu. Metro stop: Sörnäinen.
3.    Helsinki Contemporary. You should not miss this one either, especially since it's so conveniently located! Address: Bulevardi 10.

And remember also Helsinki City Museums (7 of them), they're all free!

TOP 3 Parks for picnic (in the summer...)

1.    Alppipuisto Park is a great neighbourhood park in Alppila, next to the Linnanmäki Amusement Park. In the summer you get to enjoy free festivals in the park too. Trams: 3B, 9, 8.
2.    Sinebrychoff Park, very central. Just be aware that there is an automatic watering system in use that goes off after 10 p.m.
3.    Tervasaari is peaceful little island connected to the Kruununhaka neighbourhood in central Helsinki.

Alppipuisto Park in summer 2013 during a free festival.

And if not for free, then at least some cheap shopping can be done in...:

TOP 3 Flea Markets

1.    Fida Hakaniemi (Address: Hämeentie 5 a. Trams 3B, 6, 7, 9. Metro stop: Hakaniemi) and Fida Sörnäinen (Address: Hämeentie 31. Trams: 6, 7, 8. Metro stop: Sörnäinen)
2.    Reuse Centres. There are two shops in Helsinki. Since you probably won't be shopping for furniture, visit the other that is more central. Address: Lönnrotinkatu 45, take tram number 6 (or walk).
3.    Emmaus Vallila. Do some shopping in the Vallila neighbourhood. Address: Mäkelänkatu 54, trams 1 and 7.

+ in the summer the legendary Hietalahti ('Hietsu') open air market, next to the Sinebrychoff Park.

Hietalahti open air flea market
Photo by Helsingin kaupungin matkailu- ja kongressitoimisto / Carolina Laaksonen

Sauna is the hottest place in Finland

If you visit Finland and leave without experiencing sauna even once, you have missed an essential part of the local culture. For many Finnish people sauna is a part of everyday life and it is enjoyed at least once a week.

Many Finns have a sauna in their own home. If they haven’t had it in the first place, they might have built it in their apartment – for example where their walk-in closet used to be! In apartments the saunas are electric, but in the countryside it’s often heated with wood and it gives the nice, softer heat.

If you get invited to a Finnish summer cottage you can be sure to find a sauna there. I’m not even sure if a summer cottage was considered a proper one if there was no sauna. At least the owners would be asked frequently “So, when are you going to build the sauna here?” It is expected.

Sauna by a lake. A place to relax and unwind.
Photo by Visit Finland Image Bank

It is quite magical in the summer when you can first enjoy the hot sauna and then go swimming in the clean waters of a lake or a sea. And then go back to sauna again. Back and forth!

Sauna in a Hostel

Many Finnish hostels provide their guests the real sauna experience. Many have included it in the price and you share the sauna with other guests (men and women bathe separately). Or then you can rent the sauna for yourself. Here is a complete list of all the hostels in our network that have saunas.

Smoke sauna

This gorgeous sauna building below is in the Lakeland area in the village of Joutsa at Hostel Vaihelan tila. It's a smoke sauna, so it takes a whole day to heat and therefore they are not used on daily basis. 

Here's another smoke sauna (in Finnish "savusauna"). This one is at SKO-hostel in Savonlinna, which is also in the Lakeland area.

There's a hostel called Hostel Ahopää in Saariselkä, Lapland. The hostel is part of Kiilopää Fell Centre and they offer you the experience of smoke sauna few times a week. They also have "normal saunas". Here's an introduction the all their sauna facilities.

Kiilopää Fell Centre is a home to Hostel Ahopää too in lovely Lapland.

Sauna by a Lake in Lapland

Hostel Visatupa is a real gem for anyone who loves nature and wants to experience the countryside in Lapland. They have a very good sauna too, it's right by a lake. In the winter you can even try ice-swimming!

Sauna at Hostel Visatupa in Lapland

Let's have a look inside

Without people there though...

There's a log or two ready for the next time the sauna is heated at Hostel Koskelan lomatalo in West Finland

Cozy sauna at Hostel Hirvikoski in Toholampi

City saunas

Many city hostels offer the traveller a chance to enjoy this Finnish tradition too.

The pictures below are from two hostels in Helsinki. First there's Eurohostel that has just recently renovated their saunas to resemble a very traditional Finnish smoke sauna. It is electric though. And the morning sauna is included in the accommodation price.

Also Hostel Domus Academica, located in central Helsinki, offers its' guests a morning sauna. Plus a refreshing swim in the pool.

Want to learn more about sauna? Start by reading an article '10 Sauna Tips for Beginners' on VisitFinland.com.

And if you wonder about the health effects sauna has, here's some information at Visit Sauna website.

HI Membership goes sauna!

Hostelling International members, make use of your membership even outside the hostels while in Finland: Forum Sauna in Turku gives you a 10% discount on all sauna and spa treatments


See you in sauna!


by Kati


updated in October 2014

Follow Hostelling International Finland's board Finnish Sauna on Pinterest.

Hostel Workers' Meeting 2013

Finnish Hostel Workers' Meeting kicking off and saying HI to the World!

19 people from 13 different hostels around Finland got together this morning for two days of talks of what hostelling is all about. We're looking into the future: what do we want to become in the future? Which way do we want to develop ourselves? How can we serve the travellers even better?

And since we are meeting in the town of Lappeenranta, which is right next to the border of Russia, we'll also learn more what are the specific expectations of Russian tourists.

Our meeting is at Finnhostel Lappeenranta, which is part of a large tourist resort that also includes a camping site. There's a lake right next to the hostel.

We want to thank our hosts at the Hostel: Riku, Juha and Seija!

The Big Blog Exchange - Let's change the world using the power of blogs!

Hosted by Hostelling International (HI), the Big Blog Exchange is seeking 16 passionate, talented and adventurous bloggers from around the world, who will have the once in a lifetime opportunity to exchange lives, places and blogs with one another for ten days (7th June – 17th June 2013). 

From March 1st until April 15th, bloggers will be able to register their blogs at www.bigblogexchange.org for the exchange, express their motivation for taking part, before then encouraging readers, family and friends to vote for them.

“The winning bloggers will get the chance to swap places with another winner. They will then spend 10 days in each other’s countries learning about the people, culture, food, and environment and of course we will want to share this with them by reading their blog about their experience,” said CEO of Hostelling International, Mikael Hansson.

With the aim of creating a digital blogging global community like no other, which interacts in real life, the competition has already attracted the attention of over 1,000 bloggers worldwide, from more than 100 countries.

“We never expected that we would reach out and inspire so many people in so many countries,” said Mikael Hansson, “The reasons for bloggers wanting to take part have been hugely varied and in some cases have been extremely humbling. The level of interest has just confirmed that people are excited to learn and understand more about different cultures and different ways of life. Hostelling International has always aimed to encourage and promote global interaction so we look forward to watching this exciting project unfold.”

UK blogger Glen Shorey, who writes ‘Adventures of Wheelchair Boy’, has a particularly poignant motivation for taking part, which he wrote about on his blog. Diagnosed with Friedreich’s Ataxia at a young age, he is hoping to be one of the winning bloggers so that he can travel for the first time in seven years.

“As soon as I read about this exciting opportunity, my eyes lit up. Obviously, being able to go abroad without worrying about the cost is a great relief but I also want to change people’s mind-set when it comes to disability.,” Glen explained.

The winning bloggers, who will be announced on April 29th in a live online draw, will have their travel and accommodation expenses paid for by Hostelling International, in addition to a pocket money allowance for their stay.

Will we see Finland represented in the competition?

HI Finland is hoping that there will be (at least!) one Finn in the 16 winning bloggers. Ville Virkki, who owns Dream Hostel in Tampere, thinks the same: "I think it's a great idea and I'm excited to see the results of it. I like the fact that there will be more than one winner. We are encouraging our contacts in Tampere Region to take part in the competition", said Ville.

Ski season goes on till late April in Lapland

Levi is situated in Finnish Lapland in the village of Sirkka. It is the biggest and busiest ski resort in Finland. But it is a great destination for a visit any time of the year. The four changes in the season are very distinct. 

View to Levi Village from the Front Piste.

There is still time to catch the end of ski season, which continues until late April. Spring is great time for skiing in the beautiful sunshine. Summertime is time of the midnight sun and great time for hiking and mountain biking. Autumn brings along the amazing leaf colours, different shades of red, orange and yellow. And again in October the nature is covered by a white blanket of snow for the next six months and Polar night arrives. January is the coldest month, but it is also the best time to spot the Northern lights.

Levi offers a wide range of services, anything from wellness services to restaurants and activities. You can also hire the equipment needed for winter sports and even outfits, if you didn’t pack enough warm clothes to wear.

You can find all sorts of services in Levi. And activities too; anything from bowling to winter sports.

Skiing is the activity number 1 in Levi. There are 43 pistes in total.

Newly opened Hostel Hullu Poro (‘Crazy Reindeer’) is situated within a walking distance from the Levi Centre. It has apartments that each has two bedrooms with two single beds. Dorm beds are available too. Each apartment has its own kitchenette and living room.

Hostel Hullu Poro. The name means 'Crazy Reindeer'.

How to get to Levi?

By air: There’s Kittilä Airport only 15 minutes away from Levi with the airport shuttle bus.
By train: Take the train either to Rovaniemi or further north to Kolari. From these destinations you can continue by bus. For train timetables check vr.fi. 
By bus: You can catch a long distance bus to Levi from several places in Finland. For bus connections and timetables check matkahuolto.fi. 
Rent a car: SIXT Rent-a-Car gives a 10% discount, if you have a valid HI Membership. See terms & conditions here.


Pictures: Henna Kokko