WELCOME to Red Umbrella Tours Helsinki - a company with guides who are PASSIONATE about the city we live in, and who will do our best to show you all that Helsinki has to offer! We aim to give the best tour experience - by showing you not only the MOST VISITED PLACES, but also the HIDDEN PLACES, and tips that only locals will know. Book our tours with GuruWalk, and we look forward to meeting you! 🏛️ Discover historical monuments and beautiful buildings. 🌆 Enjoy impressive viewpoints 📚 Learn about Helsinki's architecture, inspirations and captivating history 🍽️ Get insider tips on the best places to eat and explore after your tour 🌍 The tour is in ENGLISH ✨ Operated solely by Finnish and local guides, with exclusive tips! www.instagram.com/free_tours_helsinki www.freewalkingtourshelsinki.com
Free Walking Tours of Helsinki with Red Umbrella Tours - since 2017
⌛ DURATION: 2-2.5 hours
📍 MEETING POINT: Statue of Alexander II
🔍 LOOK FOR: Our Red Umbrellas!
Our Helsinki Free Tour is the perfect way to get to understand and explore the city of Helsinki, in the limited time that you have here. Our knowledgeable guides will take you on a tour that visits all of the most famous places in Helsinki. We will also explore some lesser known places and routes that only our local guides can tell you!
Along the way we will show you our beautiful architecture, tell you about our history, give stories about the city, invite questions, and leave you knowing the best places to eat and further explore, after the tour.
Tours start at the Historic Alexander II Statue in the Senate Square, and end at Oodi Library - the place voted as the most beautiful building in Finland! For more details of where exactly we visit, read our TOUR HIGHLIGHTS (below).
Free Tours are COMPLETELY FREE to join, and at the end of the tour you are welcome to leave the guide a tip by card or cash - based on your personal budget and experience of the tour.
TOURS RUN MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY - so check our calendar to choose the time of the tour that suits you the most.
We look forward to showing you our beautiful city.
BOOK YOUR PLACE BELOW to reserve your place on the tour!
The meeting point of the tour will be the Statue of Alexander II, in the Senate Square. Just look out for our guides with a Red Umbrella!
The statue of Tsar Alexander the 2nd in the center of the Senate Square, marks the start point of the tour. This is the most historical part of Helsinki, and some say the most beautiful - with it's Russian Neoclassic architecture. Here we can see the Helsinki Cathedral, the University of Helsinki, and a great viewpoint of the Senate Square for photos.
Following our visit to the Senate Square, our next stop is the White Helsinki Cathedral. Perhaps one of the most impressive buildings in Helsinki, it is also the most visited building. We will allow a little time to visit inside (providing there are no services or weddings), and we will allow time to take photos of this building so you have a souvenir to take home.
National Library of Finland is nestled in the very heart of the Senate Square, and has an impressive interior. This treasure trove of knowledge and culture, houses manuscripts, rare books and exhibitions. We will allow time to visit inside, if the groups aren't too big, and if the library is open (on week days). Otherwise we have photos of the magnificent interior to show you!
Our next stop is the Bank of Finland - where all central monetary deposits in Finland are held. From here, we have a connection that links us to World War 2, where we will discuss Finlands relationship with its military neighbours, friends and adversaries - both old and new.
Our next stop is the Relandersgrund Boat. This stop is more than just a boat, it has important historic connections to Helsinki's past. Great photo stop with views of Uspenski Cathedral, so get your cameras ready!
Alvar Aalto is one of Finlands most famous Architects - and a person who many people visiting Finland already know well. This great example of his work (also known as "the sugar cube") was well ahead of it's time, and has a large footprint on the most central part of Helsinki.
One of the most impressive stops of the tour - and an opportunity to visit the largest Orthodox Church in Western Europe. On certain days it is even possible to visit inside, which we will warmly encourage you to do. From here you will also have a great viewpoint of Helsinki on a clear day.
Traditionally the slums of Helsinki, Katajonokka is now the most expensive area to live in Helsinki, and houses the second largest collection of beautiful Art Nouveau Architecture in Western Europe! See how Finland broke free from Russias russification policies in the late 19th century, and nowadays where the locals of Helsinki really live.
This Sauna stop has a great view of Kauppatori market stall, our most central Sauna, and you can also take the boat to Suomenlinna from here. Follow our guides recommendations on places to visit after the tour.
Our next stop takes us through Esplanadi park - also known as the "living room of Helsinki". This park is at its best in the summer where you will find locals sitting and enjoying the sun, but even outside of summer we can show you some great cafe recommendations, and also give advice on where to see some of the best Finnish Design.
From here will see the Central Railway Station - the place where you can take international trains around Finland, and the very heart of Helsinki. We can also take a stop next to the Ateneum National Art Gallery, which has beautiful Neoclassical Architecture.
Our final and End Point of the tour will show you several buildings, one of which we can go inside. We won't tell you what this building is yet, as it is a surprise! This district houses our Modern Architecture, which started from the early 1990s, through to 2017. The end point of the tour has a very special Library, "Oodi", which is the perfect place to visit immediately after the tour. You will find here a cafe, toilets, and lots of fun things to explore.
Free tours do not have a set price, instead, each person gives the guru at the end of the tour the amount that he or she considers appropriate (these usually range from €10 to $50 depending on satisfaction with the tour).
