1. Have a picnic in the Suomenlinna Fortress island
Buy your food supplies from the main Market Square or hall and take a 20 minute ferry ride from the Market Square to Suomenlinna island. Suomenlinna ferry is part of the city transport network and oneway ticket costs around 2 euros. Suomenlinna is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Finland’s most popular sights. It attracts more than 700,000 visitors every year.
2. Take a ride on the Finnair Sky Wheel
See Helsinki from a bird’s eye view! The 40-metre-tall observation wheel called Finnair SkyWheel opened in summer 2014 at Katajanokka harbour in central Helsinki. It has climate-controlled gondolas, and the 15-minute ride costs 12 euros for adults and 9 euros for a child. The VIP cabin with a glass floor costs 199 euros for 4 persons, including a bottle of Veuve Cliquot Champagne.
3. Take a selfie in front of the amazing big white church, Helsinki Cathedral
Enjoy an ice-cream on the stairs of the Helsinki Cathedral while watching tourists and locals bustling around. The church was originally built during 1830-1852 as a tribute to the Grand Duke of Finland, Tsar Nicholas I of Russia. The Cathedral is surrounded by The University of Helsinki and Government buildings.
4. Shop at Stockmann‘s, the largest department store in the Northern Europe
You can find almost anything at Stockmann‘s located in the heart of Helsinki. Summer sale starts at the end of June and there are many world famous brands to choose from. Check the fabulous food section downstairs called Herkku. You can find many restaurant corners to have a bite in fish, meat or cheese sections as well as enjoy the freshly brewed coffee from all over the world.
5. Have a drink at Mattolaituri restaurant in Kaivopuisto park
A 20-minute walk away from The Market Square you can find a nice summer restaurant Mattolaituri (“a carpet pier” in English), which has a great variety of drinks. You can watch yachts and boats passing by and locals washing their carpets on a warm summer day.