Uusimaa

Outdoors around Helsinki

A capital where the sea, the forest and the sauna are all inside the transit map.

Helsinki packs an unusual amount of outdoors into a short stay: island beaches reachable by ferry, a continuous forest corridor running into the city centre, and a living public sauna culture. Almost everything here can be reached without a car.

11 verified experiences

Place · Helsinki

Allas Sea Pool

5 min from Helsinki

Heated and sea-water pools plus saunas directly on the Market Square harbour.

2 hEasyCar-freeFamilyAccessibleSauna nearbySwimming nearby

0.6 km from Helsinki · 5 min by transit · 5 min drive

Route · Helsinki

Helsinki Coastal Walk: Hietaniemi to Seurasaari

5 km

12 min from Helsinki

A flat five-kilometre shoreline walk linking the city beach, the bay and the museum island.

1 h 30 minEasyCar-freeFamilyAccessibleFreeSwimming nearby

2.4 km from Helsinki · 12 min by transit · 9 min drive

Place · Helsinki

Keskuspuisto Central Park

20 min from Helsinki

A ten-kilometre forest corridor running from the city centre to the northern border — real forest, reachable on foot.

2 hEasyCar-freeFamilyAccessibleFree

5 km from Helsinki · 20 min by transit · 12 min drive

Place · Helsinki

Kotiharjun Sauna

12 min from Helsinki

The last traditional wood-heated public sauna in Helsinki still operating in its original building.

2 hEasyCar-freeSauna nearby

2.5 km from Helsinki · 12 min by transit · 9 min drive

Place · Helsinki

Löyly

15 min from Helsinki

A waterfront public sauna with a sea ladder, a terrace and a wood-heated smoke sauna.

2 hEasyCar-freeAccessibleSauna nearbySwimming nearby

2.8 km from Helsinki · 15 min by transit · 10 min drive

Place · Helsinki

Seurasaari

25 min from Helsinki

An open-air museum island of wooden buildings, connected to the mainland by a footbridge.

2 hEasyCar-freeFamilyAccessibleFreeSwimming nearby

5.2 km from Helsinki · 25 min by transit · 14 min drive

Place · Helsinki

Hietaniemi Beach

12 min from Helsinki

The city's main sandy beach, a fifteen-minute walk from the centre.

1 h 30 minEasyCar-freeFamilyAccessibleFreeSwimming nearby

2.4 km from Helsinki · 12 min by transit · 9 min drive

Place · Vantaa

Kuusijärvi

55 min from Helsinki

A forest lake with traditional smoke saunas and year-round ice swimming, just outside Helsinki.

3 hEasyCar-freeFamilyAccessibleSauna nearbySwimming nearby

22 km from Helsinki · 55 min by transit · 25 min drive

Place · Helsinki

Pihlajasaari

35 min from Helsinki

A ferry-only island with two beaches, forest paths and a public sauna.

4 hEasyCar-freeFamilySauna nearbySwimming nearby

5.5 km from Helsinki · 35 min by transit

Route · Espoo

Punarinnankierros, Nuuksio

4.4 km

75 min from Helsinki

A 4.4 km marked loop past forest lakes and rock outcrops, the best first taste of Nuuksio.

2 h 30 minModerateCar-freeFamilyFreeSwimming nearby

36 km from Helsinki · 75 min by transit · 45 min drive

Place · Espoo

Nuuksio National Park – Haukkalampi

75 min from Helsinki

The closest real wilderness to Helsinki: mossy gorges, small forest lakes and marked loops starting at a staffed nature hut.

3 hModerateCar-freeFamilyFreeSwimming nearby

36 km from Helsinki · 75 min by transit · 45 min drive