From Christmas markets to saunas and the warmth of the Winter Garden to cafés, from boutiques offering wonderful finds to tasty delights. Christmas in Helsinki will not leave you cold.
Helsinki Christmas Market
In my opinion, the most atmospheric Christmas market in Helsinki can be found in Market Square. The otherwise somewhat dull square comes to life in December: the lovely carousel and beautiful lights combined with the colours designed by Linda Bergroth create a wonderful atmosphere. At the Helsinki Christmas Market you can find lovely handicrafts and taste mulled wines and other treats.
Winter Garden
Helsinki City Winter Garden by the Töölönlahti bay always has a great atmosphere. Especially in the winter darkness, it’s lovely to visit the calm green oasis. During the Christmas season you can admire the flowering poinsettia, azaleas, tulips, amaryllis, hyacinths and lilies of the valley.
Hopia Café
By the side of the Hesperianpuisto park in Töölö you will find a small and tiny café unlike any other in Helsinki. Hopia's entire selection comprises traditional Finnish pastries, and the same goes for the coffee too – it hasn’t gone down the special coffee route. The beautiful Karelian-inspired 50's style is nicely preserved.
Café Engel
Next to Senate Square you will find my personal favourite café in Helsinki. Engel doesn’t follow fashion or trends, preferring to stick with the classics – I always order the legendary beet steak. In wintertime I like to make dates for morning porridge and coffee at Engel, where at the same time I can enjoy the lights and colours in the Helsinki Christmas Market through the windows.
Restaurant Espa
This restaurant recently opened on the corner of the Market Square and is a must for anyone who is interested in Finnish aesthetics and design. Designed by Hanni Koroma, Espa is unbelievably beautiful, and the wooden interior and atmosphere combine to create the feeling of a warm lap. Everything inside the restaurant, from the furniture to the art, is Finnish, as is the food, of course.
LOKAL
Our own gallery Lokal is naturally one of my favourites. At Christmas you will find here a selection of seasonal honey products and our Christmas Almond exhibition, the name of which refers to the Finnish Christmas porridge tradition. According to tradition, an almond is hidden inside the Christmas porridge, and the lucky person who finds it gets to make a wish. The Christmas Almond exhibition is a beautiful creation by two Finnish designers, Erja Hirvi and Pasi Kärkkäinen-Tunkelo.
Salakauppa
The best Christmas decorations can be found at this small shop founded by the Company design duo. Some of the most fun Christmas decorations of all time in my opinion are the Matryoshka-style Christmas trees, inside of which are smaller Christmas trees, as well as the Christmas tree with tiny animals inside.