Helsinki, Finland often appears on lists of the world’s most expensive cities to live and to visit. If you want to visit Helsinki on a budget, there are a few ways to cut costs. Accommodation is the biggest expense, but sightseeing can be cheap or even free.
Cheap Sightseeing and Free Attractions
A cheap way to go sightseeing in Helsinki is to take the trams 3B or 3T. A single public transportation ticket costs €2.50 (kertalippu in Finnish), is valid for an hour, and you can use it to change from the tram to the metro. The 3B and 3T travel on a circular route around Helsinki and they stop near many Helsinki tourist attractions including the Senate Square, the Helsinki Cathedral, the Market Square and the Railway Station.
Free attractions in Helsinki include the Senate Square and the Helsinki Cathedral, the Suomenlinna fortress and several museums. The Helsinki City Museum consists of 11 different museums and all are free. The Visit Helsinki website has a list of these and other free museums in Helsinki.
The Suomenlinna sea fortress stands on an island just outside Helsinki. Some attractions on the island charge for entry, but you can enter the island and tour the fortress for free. Ferries to Suomenlinna leave from Kauppatori (Helsinki Market Square) and the return ferry ticket costs €4.00.
Eating and Drinking in Helsinki
Lunchtime is a good time for budget travellers to eat out in Helsinki as most restaurants offer affordable lunch menus. Ethnic restaurants are often affordable places to eat (by Helsinki standards) and Chinese restaurants especially can be found around Helsinki. Unicafe (Ylioppilasaukio, Mannerheimintie 3 b, and other locations) serves subsidized meals for students with a valid Finnish student card but anyone can eat in the restaurants by paying the full price (still very affordable even without the student discount).
Alcohol in Finland is pricey and a night out in a club or a bar can end up being very expensive. Some Helsinki nightclubs do not charge entrance fees but there is generally a charge for leaving your coat in the cloakroom and this charge can be several Euros. For a cheaper night out, head to a pub. Many pubs stay open until 2 am especially on weekends. The Kallio district is a former working class neighbourhood that is now becoming increasingly trendy especially among young media types, and it has lots of affordable bars and pubs. Some are a little rough around the edges. Trams 3B and 3T stop in Kallio.
Cheap Accommodation in Helsinki
Hotels in Helsinki are infamously expensive but there are some places to stay even for budget travellers. There are several hostels in Helsinki:
- Eurohostel (Linnankatu 9)
- Hostel Academica (Hietaniemenkatu 14, only open in the summer)
- Hostel Erottajanpuisto (Uudenmaankatu 9)
- Hostel Suomenlinna (on the Suomenlinna island)
- Stadion Hostel (Olympic Stadion, Pohjoinen Stadiontie 4)
- Summer Hostel Karavaani (Karavaanikatu 4) in the Rastila campsite.
Hostels in Helsinki generally have high standards of cleanliness and security.
Getting Around Helsinki on a Budget
Helsinki city centre is easy to get around on foot. You can walk from the main railway station (right in the city centre) to the Esplanade Park, the Helsinki Market Square, the Senate Square and many other attractions. The Helsinki Tourist Information brochure See Helsinki on Foot includes seven routes for independent walking tours. The brochure is available for free from the Tourist Information (Pohjoisesplanadi 19) or you can download it from the Visit Helsinki website.
