72hrs at a wonderland of culture
Your perfectly imperfect itinerary for Kamppi – the central neighborhood and a home of high culture in Helsinki
Looking to visit Helsinki for 3 days? Exploring a new place is an art, and we know there’s research to do not to miss the hotspots! But when the schedule’s too tight, there’s no space for curiosity. Getting lost is a cliché for a reason: it matters. Our perfectly imperfect itinerary series for Helsinki neighborhoods has you covered. Start with local knowledge on where to start and what not to miss, while leaving you space to play it by ear and discover your own favorite spots in Kamppi – Helsinki’s central neighborhood.
Day 1: Art of shopping
Kamppi and Hietaniemi have a lot to offer. Being in the city centre you’ll find plenty of shops, restaurants, hotels, exhibitions and museums – a true wonderland of culture, art and fashion. All the main tram-lines go through Mannerheimintie so you can get from A to B.
Find your way to balance between art and shopping
A great place to get the Helsinki vibe is to start your day with breakfast at Ekberg Café. It serves a traditional breakfast buffet and brunch on the weekends. Reserve plenty of time to get the most out of this unique place.
Coolest galleries in town
The Helsinki contemporary art scene is bubbling with many upcoming young artists that are represented by galleries nearby. If you want to get an overview of the contemporary art scene, take a tour at Helsinki Contemporary at Bulevardi 10, Galerie Forsblom at Yrjönkatu 22 and Galerie Anhava at Fredrikinkatu 43. They are all located at a walking distance from Ekberg Café.
Shop until you drop
When it’s time to fulfil your material needs, you can walk along Fredrikinkatu towards Kamppi. There is a lot of interesting small shops along Fredrikinkatu and Kamppi has everything is you have energy left. If you are into Japanese food, Muji at Kamppi shopping center serves a great lunch.
Kamppi has many architectural monuments that Finns are proud of: Finlandia Hall by Alvar Aalto, Contemporary museum Kiasma by Steven Holl and National library by Ala Architects. All of these buildings are within walking distance from each other.
You deserve a cold beer
After all the highs of the high culture in Helsinki, end your promenade with a cold beer at Urho’s Pub named after late Finnish president Urho Kekkonen. The pub usually hosts members of parliament and journalists. You can either continue to a classic jazz club Storyville next door or have a memorable dinner at Ateljee Finne.
Day 2: Wonder into the urban nature
Hietaniemi is at the eastern part of the city centre and provides a get away from the more hectic part of the city. Renting a bike or using a city bike is a great way to explore the city. Ride along Baana from Kiasma towards Hietaniemi cemetery. Hietaniemi beach is located just behind the cemetery and is a popular hub for sunseekers and sports enthusiasts. The beach has two big outdoor gyms, beach volley and paddle courts.
Grilling with the homies?
Continue either towards Lapinlahti where you can find a great bakery and café with a nice outdoor terrace for chilling out, or north where you find a weirdly popular Cafe Regatta. Regatta is popular all year round with an outdoor fireplace to grill sausages. This place is popular among expats and exchange students for a good reason.
Day 3: Art, art, and some more art
To get a grip of the Helsinki art scene, it’s good to book a whole day for it. All the major museums are located in Kamppi just a walking distance from each other.
Underground art
Start the day from Amos Rex that is located beneath Lasipalatsi, a functionalist icon on Mannerheimintie. Amos Rex hosts experimental contemporary art exhibitions that challenge the viewer. Amos Rex with its reclaimed architecture has quickly become a favourite destination among local art fans.
Home of Helsinki art scene
Next stop is HAM (not a barbecue joint but Helsinki Art Museum). It’s located at an old tennis centre that has been turned into an entertainment and cultural hub. HAM curates interesting exhibitions all year round and is also behind the contemporary art event Helsinki Biennale.
Just the building is worth it
The Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma is located just across the street from Amos Rex. Besides exhibitions, Kiasma organizes events and workshops. Café Kiasma is a great place for lunch or afternoon tea. When Kiasma was opened in 1998 it was a big deal. The building designed by an American architect Steven Holl raised controversies not because of how it looked but because of the distance from a beloved statue of Mannerheim riding his horse.
That’s it folks.. Kamppi awaits!
