4.9
Highlights & Hidden Gems of Helsinki
- 3 hours
- City Highlight Tours
- Helsinki
Choose one of 4 locals available
Experience hosted by Anna, Timo & other locals
- Private Tour
- Carbon Neutral
- Destination
- Helsinki, Finland
- Category
- City Highlight Tours
- Duration
- 3 hours
- Transport mode
- Walking tour
- Available languages
- English, Русский, Suomi, Español, Français, Português, Svenska
- Included
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- Private guide
- 1 Local snack or drink
- All Withlocals tours are carbon neutral
- Excluded
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- Entrance to attractions
6 reasons to book this tour
- Explore the best of the city in only 3 hours
- Spot classics like Uspenski Cathedral & Design District
- Discover hidden gems away from the tourist paths
- Experience the city from a local’s perspective
- Can be 100% personalized to your wishes
- Privately guided by a local expert
What you can expect
Helsinki, is a magical place! And with the local host of your choice, you are going to experience it all. So get ready; culture, history, and local lifestyle await!
Dive into the origin of Helsinki as you see the city’s main landmarks like Uspenski Cathedral, Design District, and Senate Square. And how about the hidden gems? Oh, you’re in for a surprise! Every host has its own story to tell, so pick your favorite, and you’ll discover the city through their eyes. Experience their Helsinki to the max based on their passions and expertise. They’ll make sure you have fun enjoying a unique and local perspective of Helsinki.
Want to take a break? Leave it up to your host! This is the perfect opportunity to visit that special eatery where only the locals come and your chance to enjoy a local treat hand-picked by your host. Feel free to ask your host more about their life in their city or get recommendations about the top things to do in Helsinki. Remember, the locals know best.
The best part of any city tour is definitely the unique stories. Everybody has a story to tell, especially your host. Each one of the local hosts has a different background ranging from arts to history. They can’t wait to share their knowledge with you and exchange ideas and perspectives! Feel like changing the route a bit? No problem, the hosts will be happy to personalize the tour to your wishes and make their Helsinki, your Helsinki!
Choose your local
Get to know these 4 passionate locals, each bringing unique perspectives and talents. Choose your favorite, check their availability, and book to create an unforgettable adventure tailored to you.
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Anna
Helsinki & Porvoo Tour Expert & Artist
4.915 reviewsEnglish・Русский・Suomi -
Timo
Nature guide
5.0English・Suomi -
Ruth
Your Happy Helsinki Guide
5.03 reviewsEnglish・Español・Français・Português -
Tommy
Indigenous Helsinki Guide
4.613 reviewsEnglish・Suomi・Svenska
This is the plan
Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with the host of your choice.
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Meeting point
Meet at In front of the Stockmann Department Store main entrance, under the large clock - Helsinki to start your journey
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Itinerary
This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.
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City Highlights
See from Uspenski Cathedral, Design District, Senate Square, and other landmarks and must-sees of the city. Your local host will take you to the main spots in town so you can get the perfect overview of what makes Helsinki so unique -
Hidden Gems
Along the way, your local host will show you treasures hidden in plain sight that only the locals know about. Get to know the city through a different perspective, the local way, and discover places and stories that not many tourists experience -
Magical Storytelling
Behind every landmark and every stop, there’s a story, and your local host is ready to tell it all. Get ready to listen to incredible stories, one-of-a-kind insights, and fun facts only a knowledgeable local would know! -
Special Treat
Follow your host to one of their favorite eateries for a snack or a drink beloved by the locals. Take a break and catch up with your new local friend and get the answers to all your travel questions -
Make it yours
Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.
Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.
Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.
Flexible cancellation policy
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Feel confident booking
Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.
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Change of plans?
Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.
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Loved by travelers worldwide
Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.
Reviews from guests
Markus Wilhelm🇦🇹 Austria
(About local )
7 March 2025
Anna provided a vast range of knowledge about the history, politics, culture, art, architecture and lifestyle of both Helsinki and Finland. Anna's tour's "USP" lies definitely in her personal biography: As she grew up in Russia (St. Petersburg) and later moved to Helsinki, she offers the different angles of views especially on the historical and political topics, which we thought was essential to get (at least a basic) understanding of Helsinki and Finland. On top of that Anna is lively, kind and tries to provide a very personal tour according to your interests. Highly recommendable!Interested in Helsinki? Let Ann take over!
Felix🇩🇪 Germany
(About local )
3 March 2025
Very good and informative
Heather🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
12 February 2025
Nadja
(About local )
26 January 2025
Dear Anne, we had a lot of private tours during the last years all over the world.
You are a fantastic woman. Warmhearted, open, sheerful, funny, bubbly and you know everything about Helsinki and Finnland.
You really showed us hidden gems of Helsinki. I won't tell them. ;-)
You brought Helsinki into our heart. Thank you for that. We come back and will defnetly book you for another day.
Lovely Greetings NadjaYou are a finnish gem Anne!!!
Tone K🇳🇴 Norway
(About local )
27 November 2024
Tommy svarte raskt på henvendelser og var villig til å tilpasse ruten etter våre ønsker. Vi fikk sett mye av Helsinki og lærte en god del om finnene og deres levesett de 3,5 timene vi hadde sammen.
Anbefales!Lærerik omvisning i Helsinki sentrum
Jill Nicola🇬🇧 United Kingdom
(About local )
25 October 2024
Anna showed us all the best bits of Helsinki and told us so many interesting things about Finland its peoples and history. She was smiley and engaging, kind, thoughtful and responsive and also gave us great recommendations for things to do in our own time. You could not go wrong with her. A real joy to spend time with herLovely lady and excellent tour
Deirdre🇮🇪 Ireland
(About local )
19 October 2024
We had a fantastic tour of Helsinki with Anna and learned a lot about its history & culture. It was really enjoyable & well worth it. Anna is an excellent tour guide & I would highly recommend her. Helsinki in half a day
Dennis🇳🇱 Netherlands
(About local )
18 October 2024
We had a very nice interesting tour with the guide. Great way to enjoy Helsinki for a few hrs during a business trip with customersGreat morning Helsinki Tour
Verle🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
14 August 2024
We had a wonderful time with Anna and learned much about the history of Finland and its relationship with Russia. Anna has the best personality and was an absolute joy to be around. We would highly recommend her to anyone looking to learn more about Finland or Russia. A very sweet person!! Anna is the best
Anne-Marie
(About local )
26 July 2024
It was great to start our stay in Helsinki with a 3 hour tour by Anna! We have seen a lot, learned so much about the history of Finland and could ask all our questions.
We would recommend Anna to everyone who likes to learn more about Finland in a short time.Great tour, very informative!
james🇸🇬 Singapore
(About local )
26 July 2024
Tommy met me on time near the train station and we began our tour. He speaks clear and substantive English so our conversations were very free flow. He understood that I was very tired as I had just come off a 13 hour flight and was on a layover. He paced the tour knowing this. He showed me things I would never have discovered on my own or in a big tour group. We discussed Finnish history, architecture, contemporary issues and other subjects. His ability to figure out what I wanted to see and hear about made it a terrific tour. I just wish I had more time that day. We ended up back at the train station on time and he made sure I caught the correct train back to the airport. All in all, the tour felt like a leisurely stroll with a new friend rather than a guide trying to rush. Kudos for Tommy. I recommend him highly.Perfect guide for me
Brian🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
10 July 2024
With many Withlocals tours, I strongly recommend Anna and her vast Helsinki experience. Her complete knowledge of Finnish, Swedish and Russian history made the tour a lasting memory. Additionally, she allowed and answered every question we had with a smile that never ended. Anna checks all the boxes for a wonderful day. Anna is the best guide ever!
Jan🇨🇭 Switzerland
(About local )
11 June 2024
We had a wonderfull time with Anna! 3 hours full of very interesting stories! Very charming person! Would book that again! :) What a fantastic guide!!!
Loriann🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
2 June 2024
Our tour was wonderful. Anna knows so much about the history and culture of Helsinki. Anna was incredibly kind and gracious. She encourage questions and made sure to add a hint of humor to her responses and explanations. When our tour was over she made sure we knew how to make it to our next destination. Anna is the best!
Our previous review incorrectly stated we were in Estonia. Correction to Previous Review
Andrea
(About local )
26 May 2024
Wir hatten einen netten, informativen Spaziergang durch die Stadt. Tommy hat viele Hintergrundinfos gehabt. Er hat uns das traditionelle und das moderne Helsinki nahegebracht. Zum Schluss hat er uns auch noch bei der Einrichtung der Fahrradapp geholfen. Vielen Dank, Tommy, für den schönen Nachmittag!Schöner Spaziergang durch Helsinki
Linda🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
4 May 2024
We are only in Helsinki for a shot time. Being shown the city by Anna served as a great orientation and history lesson. Her warm personality made us feel like we were shown around by a friend.
I highly recommend Anna and this tour Anna made all the difference
Jennifer
(About local )
24 April 2024
My mom and I had a wonderful tour with Tommy! After giving us a brief introduction to Helsinki’s history, along with gifting us some traditional candy, we were off for a wonderful walk! Despite the rainy conditions, Tommy remained upbeat, full of life, and had so much knowledge to share with us. The tour consisted of both iconic and less well known sights of Helsinki! In addition, Tommy suggested several wonderful coffee shops/restaurants! Tommy was truly a breath of fresh air with an unparalleled sense of humor (we were laughing almost the whole time)! We highly recommend this tour for anyone looking to explore Helsinki and can handle the 3 hour duration! Thank you Tommy!Wonderful Walking Tour!
Jaun
(About local )
9 April 2024
Tommy is defnitely the best guide you could have on your visit to Helsinki, he is very educated and informative. He gave us a decent introduction and guidance in a short time to Helsinki, some history and understanding on Finland, the culture, customs and the wonderful people, food and much more. You should visit with Tommy before you start exploring Finland, for an introduction to Finland. I hope to see Finland again, and I hope that I will see Tommy in the future maybe. Tommy was essential.
liam🇦🇺 Australia
(About local )
13 February 2024
We had a great tour with tommy
I would highly recommend him as a guide
He was knowledgeable and has a great sense of humor Tommy is a legend
Arjun
(About local )
28 January 2024
It was a wonderful time with Anna. She was very friendly and knowledgeable. She designed our tour as per our requirements and took us to less touristy places too. Overall a fantastic person to take along for a local experience. Amazing Experience
Lisa🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
20 May 2023
Tommy was such a nice man with extensive knowlede about Hilsinki! He led around town and showed us places we never would have gone in our own. Great tour with Tommy
Petra🇩🇪 Germany
(About local )
22 March 2023
Uns hat die Tour mit Tommy sehr gut gefallen. Er hat uns die wichtigsten Sehenswürdigkeiten Helsinkis vorgestellt, uns die Stadt und Finnland näher gebracht und hat uns darüber hinaus auch noch individuelle Tipps für unseren weiteren Aufenthalt gegeben. Wir können Tommy als Guide jederzeit empfehlen. Kurzweiliger und interessanter Rundgang
Lucia
(About local )
22 February 2023
We had a private guided tour of 4 hours with Tommy and he was very well-prepared, lively, with a good
sense of humour, and friendly. We saw all the main monuments and it was very informative. Thank you
Tommy for the good time together! Half Day in Helsinki with Tommy
Dave🇨🇦 Canada
(About local )
25 October 2024
Anna was absolutely excellent to tour with.
Her knowledge of Helsinki’s and Finlands history was fascinating and meaningful.
I feel very grateful to have had the opportunity to tour with Anna. I can’t imagine all the things I would have missed out on without this tour and time with her.
I would highly recommend Anna. Her communication skills and knowledge delivered significant value to my visit here.Helsinki Tour
Amber🇬🇧 United Kingdom
(About local )
13 September 2024
Ruth was wonderful! Her language skills were amazing and her food choices were spot on. She tailored the tour to what we wanted to see/eat/ had already seen and let us take a "bubbly" break vs a coffee break. She's very personable and knowledgeable about history as well as local food and architecture. We loved our tour and 100% recommend Ruth.Tasty food and tastier tidbits
Ann
(About local )
6 August 2024
Ruth was a very knowledgeable and friendly guide who was well prepared with information and brochures about what we were seeing with her and recommendations for later.
Her food tasting were excellent and we went back to some the next day. She effortlessly modified the tour for our walking ability and pace.
The tour was so much more than a food tour with ‘tastes’ of history and local life. A taste of Helsinki - more than just food
Stefan
(About local )
29 May 2024
Wir waren sehr wissbegierig und Anna hat uns viel über die Geschichte und Architektur von Helsinki erzählt. Sie ist sehr engagiert und wir hätten wahrscheinlich den ganzen Tag mit ihr verbringen können! Nochmals vielen herzlichen Dank, Anna!tolles Erlebnis
Davor
(About local )
3 May 2024
Bruce🇦🇺 Australia
(About local )
3 July 2023
We enjoyed our time with Ruth very much. Enjoyment
Andrew and Jeanne
(About local )
3 May 2023
Tiiu was an incredibly welcoming and knowledgeable tour guide. We loved her energy and enthusiasm during our tour10 out of 10
Sherry🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
23 February 2023
We met Tommy in our hotel. He was prompt and immediately informative about Finland’s history and sights. We traveled by foot for the next two and a half hours to various locations. Tommy was highly intelligent but lacked a unified theme of his tour. Furthermore, the tour was advertised as a food tour, however we only stopped at a vendors food market and 3-4 sampled small dishes instead of the 10 tastings that was advertised. This happened within the first thirty minutes of the tour and we did not eat or drink anything at all for the next 1.5 hours. The temperature was frigid, but despite this we never snuck into a cafe and grabbed a cup of coffee or warm drink. We were parched by the end of the tour. We had mentioned to Tommy, but he ignored any discussion about coffee, beer/alcohol or any drink. The final straw that showed that this was not actually a food tour was when He had brought us to a grocery store and purchased candy for us to eat later. We have been on many food tours; and what we expectedly would be sampling small bites and beverages during a walking tour of the city. When we spent thirty minutes in the grocery store, of which he was not familiar with, we realized that he may just be making the tour up as he went along and not had a plan for the day. The highlight of the tour was the Finland library which he left us to explore on our own. Lecture rather than food
Helene
(About local )
22 July 2022
Tommy jumped in at the last minute since our scheduled guide tested positive for Covid. He was terrific and
very knowledgeable as well as a delightful person. We had a great day and ended with a tour of the Helsinki
library which is amazing. His tour was just the right combination of history versus cultural facts to give us an
insight into this amazing place. Tommy saves the day
Withlocals experiencesare always
Private & personalizedNo strangers, just you. Fully customize your trip to your needs.
With a local expertFrom historical facts to the most up-to-date health regulations.
Without the crowdsExperiences designed to take you away from the crowds towards authentic local spots.
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