Helsinki for Couples: What a Day Costs for Two
Helsinki for Couples: What a Day Costs for Two
A Helsinki day for two can cost no more than a pair of ferry tickets, or run past €100 without trying. Every price below is already doubled, so you can build a day that fits your budget before you leave the hotel. Figures are in euros, for two adults.
Free together
Oodi, the central library opposite Parliament, is free on all three floors. Sit side by side in the top-floor reading room under its white wave of a ceiling, step onto the terrace, or try the second-floor workshop with 3D printers and sewing machines. It is open 08:00 to 21:00 on weekdays and 10:00 to 20:00 at weekends (oodihelsinki.fi ).
Sibelius Park in Töölö has Eila Hiltunen’s monument of more than 600 steel pipes, open all day. The granite Lantern Men on Eliel Saarinen’s Central Station cost nothing to admire, and Seurasaari’s forest island, reached by bus 24 and a wooden footbridge, is free to walk all year.
Under €20 for two
Suomenlinna ferry, €6.60. Two AB tickets on the HSL app (€7 contactless) take you to the sea fortress in about 15 minutes, and the islands are free to explore.
Temppeliaukio, €16. The church cut into granite charges €8 each (temppeliaukionkirkko.fi ). Check its calendar for a recital, since the rock walls make the room ring.
Helsinki Cathedral, about €16 to €20. The white cathedral on Senate Square has an entry fee of about €8 to €10 per adult, and the crypt is free (helsingintuomiokirkko.fi ). Uspenski Cathedral, the red-brick Orthodox church on Katajanokka, adds €10 for two outside services and is closed on Mondays.
€28 to €48 for two
Salmon soup at the Old Market Hall, about €28 to €36. Two bowls of lohikeitto with rye bread at Soup+More or Scandinavian Cafe make an easy lunch.
Kotiharjun Sauna, €32. The wood-heated public sauna in Kallio charges €16 each, but men and women use separate rooms, so you will meet again on the pavement outside between rounds. It is open Tuesday to Sunday, 14:00 to 20:00.
Allas Sea Pool, €38 or €48. Two people pay €38 Monday to Thursday and on Friday before 14:00, and €48 from Friday afternoon to Sunday, for two hours of heated pools, a seawater pool and saunas side by side (allaspool.fi ).
€42 to €64 for two
Ateneum, €42 online. Two online tickets for Finland’s national collection of classic art, closed Mondays.
Löyly, €58. Two hours in the smoke sauna and wood sauna with towels included, plus a ladder into the sea. Bring swimwear to avoid paying €8 each for rental. If you want a session that comes with a guide, browse sauna experiences on Viator .
Alvar Aalto Studio, €44, or the Aalto House, €64. Guided tours only, with up to 15 people per group and online tickets until an hour before (alvaraalto.fi ).
Money savers
Use the HSL app for every ride, since it is 20 cents a ticket cheaper than contactless. Fill water bottles from the tap. Pay by card everywhere; cash is rarely needed. For a room, check rates on Booking.com and compare places near Kallio as well as the centre.
Verdict: Löyly is the one splurge worth making together, and the ferry and Oodi make the best free-to-cheap pairing.
Read more: Romantic Helsinki by season covers candlelit dinners and concerts.
Tip: pair Kotiharjun with a Kallio dinner on a Tuesday to Sunday evening, since the sauna is shut on Mondays.