8 Best Sights in Helsinki, Finland

The Seurasaari Open-Air Museum was founded in 1909 to preserve rural Finnish architecture. The old farmhouses and barns that were brought to this island, which is about 3 km (2 miles) northwest of the city center, came from all over the country. Many are rough-hewn log buildings dating from the 17th century, a style that was a major inspiration to the late-19th-century architects of the national revivalist movement. All exhibits are marked by signposts along the trails; don't miss the church boat and the gabled church—and watch out for the very sociable red squirrels! Seurasaari is connected to land by a pedestrian bridge and is a restful place for walking throughout the year, with its forest trails and ocean views. You can walk there in about 40 minutes from the Opera House; follow Mannerheimintie northeast, then turn left onto Linnankoskenkatu and follow signs along the coast. Alternatively, take Bus 24 from the city center, in front of the Swedish Theater at the west end of Pohjoisesplanadi; its last stop is by the bridge to the island. It's free to enter and wander around the traffic-free island at any time of the year, but there is a €10 fee if you want to go into the museum buildings, open from May 15 to September 15, and the ticket includes daily guided tours at 3 pm in summer. There is a naturist beach on the north side of the island, well shielded from public view. Plan on spending at least three hours exploring and getting to the museum.

Grand gilded operas, classical ballets, and booming concerts all take place in Helsinki's splendid opera house, a striking example of modern Scandinavian architecture. All events at the opera house draw crowds, so buy your tickets early.

This white, winged concert hall was one of Alvar Aalto's last creations. It's especially impressive on foggy days or at night. If you can't make it to a concert here, try to take a guided tour.

Since it opened in 2011, the Helsinki Music Center has been praised for its acoustics and daring design. It's home to the Sibelius Academy and two symphony orchestras. Guided tours are available, but most are in Finnish—check the website for details. The one-hour guided walking tour introduces participants to what happens here, as well as to the architecture, main audience, and the concert hall.

The spire of the National Museum is a landmark on the main Mannerheimintie thoroughfare and towers above absorbing exhibits of Finnish history and culture. The handsome stone bear at the top of the steps leading the main door is an example of how architect Eliel Saarinen and his partners combined the language of Finnish medieval church architecture with elements of art nouveau to create this vintage example of the National Romantic style. The result resembles something from a Tolkien fantasy, with granite embellishments and that sturdy bear guarding the steps to the main entrance. The museum's collection of archaeological, cultural, and ethnological artifacts gives you an insight into Finland's past, while changing exhibitions delve into other cultures. Be sure to admire the fabulous fresco in the entrance hall, depicting scenes from the national epic, The Kalevala, painted by Akseli Gallen-Kallela.

The Sibelius Monument is the main feature of the Sibelius Park on the shoreline of a Baltic inlet in the Töölö district northwest of the center. This imaginative tribute to Finland's great composer Jean Sibelius, designed by Eila Hiltunen and unveiled in 1967, resembles a cluster of soaring silver organ pipes—600 of them— accompanied by a slightly sinister silver bust of the composer and is a popular stop on coach tours of the city. It's in a beautiful park close to the sea, surrounded by rhododendron blooms in spring.

This unique place of worship is one of Helsinki's top architectural wonders, occupying a semi-subterranean location in the midst of residential apartment blocks. A magnet for tour coaches throughout the year in the Töölö district, this church with a copper roof, often referred to as "the Church in the Rock," was unveiled in 1969 and resembles a half-buried spaceship from the outside. It's really a modern Lutheran church carved into the rock outcrops below. The sun shines in from above, illuminating a stunning interior with birch pews, modern pipe organ, and cavernous walls. Ecumenical and Lutheran services in various languages are held throughout the week; during services the church is closed to tourists.

The grand house overlooking Seurasaari from the mainland is where the late Finnish president Urho Kekkonen lived from 1956 to 1986. Originally known as Villa Nissen, this grand house known as Tamminiemi was built in 1904. Inside are the scores of gifts presented to Finland's longest-serving president by leaders from around the world. His study is the most fascinating room, with its gift from the United States: a cupboard full of National Geographic maps of the world. To ensure an English-speaking guide, call ahead.