The Atlas Obscura Guide To Helsinki

27 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Helsinki, Finland

Updated September 28, 2023

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Unusual Attractions in Helsinki

Helsinki, Finland

Temppeliaukio Church

A subterranean house of worship carved right out of the bedrock.

Booktower Rotunda

Helsinki, Finland

The National Library of Finland

Architecturally stunning library serves as the hub of Finnish scholarly life and culture.

Turtle ashtray and peanuts

Helsinki, Finland

Götan Maailma

A lovingly curated curio shop in which the taxidermy wear newspaper party hats, and peanut shells are spread across every surface.

Kamppi Chapel

Helsinki, Finland

Kamppi Chapel

An alien church provides much needed silence in the midst of a Finland shopping center.

Original location.

Helsinki, Finland

Bad Bad Boy

This endearingly discomfited urinating statue commemorates the sneaky pees had by us all.

Fortress of Suomenlinna

Helsinki, Finland

Fortress of Suomenlinna

This irregularly shaped sea fortress has defended not one but three different sovereign states.

The Sibelius Monument

Helsinki, Finland

Sibelius Monument

An abstract monument to a symphonic composer.

Neat mineral display

Helsinki, Finland

Helsinki University Museum

A collection of collections ranging from dentistry to minerals.

See All 27 Things To Do in Helsinki

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Stories About Helsinki

The Itäkeskus swimming hall doubles as an emergency shelter beneath Helsinki.

How Cold War Fears Helped Create Helsinki's Subterranean Paradise

The Finnish capital's city-within-a-city has a church, a hockey rink, and stockpiles of life-saving supplies.

by Michael Hunt

Carpets drying in the Helsinki sun.

Finns Have Special Piers for Washing Their Carpets in Baltic Seawater

“It's the pleasure of being on the coast, and enjoying summer days and the fresh aroma of carpets.”

by Karen Burshtein

September 10, 2019

In 2012, this Cuban restaurant popped up in downtown Helsinki.

On Restaurant Day in Helsinki, Anyone Can Open an Eatery, Anywhere

By making everything from ceviche to ice cream, city residents show off their cooking chops.

by Karen Burshtein

September 6, 2019

Lists Featuring Helsinki

ALMA.

The observatory.

Ulugh Beg Observatory.

20 Out-of-This-World Stargazing Spots

These observatories boast truly stellar views.

Including Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA), National Observatory of Colombia, and Pic du Midi Observatory

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