Favorite Helsinki Sights, Sounds, Tastes for Weekend in March?

I'm not much of a coffee drinker but I do love Cafes.

I recently came across this guide to the coffee scene in Helsinki.

That aside, I highly recommend paying a visit to Café Regatta (if it's a sunny day) to catch the sunset, have some blueberry cake and unlimited coffee. You even get paid 5cents every time you refill ;)

It's accessible by tram/bus + a 15min walk. http://goo.gl/ysSBmi

Cafe - Café Regatta

Restaurant - Ravintola Torni restaurant (for the views)

Place - Kaivopuisto / Brunnsparken and Suomenlinna (especially in the summer)

Food - Kaalikääryleet, Makaronilaatikko, Karjalan paisti, Reindeer Stew (all traditional finnish foods, the first two might be difficult to find in restaurants but at home those are very regular dishes.)

Buildings - The same ones you will see in any tourist guide: Parliament House, Suomenlinna, Helsinki Cathedral, Uspenski Cathedral, Temppeliaukion kirkko.

Least intimidating sauna - Probably at your hotel.

For the sauna, definitely go to Kulttuurisauna (culture sauna), you can find it at www.kulttuurisauna.fi

For coffee, there's this place that's open only on Saturdays and Sundays called Freese Coffee Co. by a well known young Barista: www.freesecoffee.fi It's a good place for a small Saturday breakfast with great coffee. Other good coffee spots: La Torrefazione (very central), Moko Market (a bit outside, good if you're walking to the seaside)

Food; you could try Café Bar 9 (cheap hangout with good food, legendary, city center). Sandro (more expensive Maroccan-style great food in Hip  Kallio).

The first thing you have to see is the glorious  Helsinki Cathedral, right next to it the Helsinki University Museum and walk in  Eteläesplanadistreet and park.

After that you are very close to  Uspenski Cathedral, the Russian Orthodox Church which is a must-see sight.

Via Etelaesplanadi you find Mannerheimintie the main street of Helsinki where you can see  Stockmann, a big and well-known shopping center.

Afterwards you find Kamppi Square and Kamppi Center. In there it is located the impressive  Kamppi Chapel of Silence.

Now, you are very close to the Parliament House Helsinki and the Finnish Museum of Natural History. Also the  Temppeliaukio Church (Church of Rock) is worth-visiting.

Explore Mannerheimeintie street on its north when you will see the  Helsinki Music Centre, the  National Museum of Finland,  Finlandia-talo(Finlandia Hall) and a great park to walk!

A great monument is  Sibelius Monument where is located in Sibeliuksen Puisto (the park.) If you are in Manerheimeintie take tram number 10,4,4T or 7B which run along Mannerheimintie and walk down Humalistonkatu to find it.

Suomenlinna is a six-island fortress very close to Helsinki and an UNESCO World Heritage site. The access is free and all you have to pay is the ferry from the port. Also, try a day-trip to Tallinn as all the Finns do!

Karl Fazer Cafe is nice to visit. The special thing is the history of Fazer Company. Cafes where you can eat a lunch also:  Bulevardin Kahvisalonki and my favourite Cafe Bar No. 9 in Uudenmaakatu 9. Great coffee places  Johan & Nyström and Sis.Deli+Cafe in Kalevankatu 4.

Take a hotel room in east & rougher side of the center, Scandic Paasi is really nice. Visit the great bars (for example https://erikoispaikoissa.wordpress.com/2013/10/14/hip-weekend-for-adults-in-kallio-helsinki/). Definitely bath at the public sauna and chat with regulars, who have been going there for decades: Kotiharjun sauna (so exotic this is only in Finnish http://www.kotiharjunsauna.fi/). If you want to have your sauna with a view and hipster company, visit Kulttuurisauna http://www.kulttuurisauna.fi/. In case you want to have a naked dip into a pool with a glass of wine, visit Yrjonkatu swimming hall http://www.hel.fi/hki/Liv/en/sports+facilities/swimming+halls/yrj_nkatu+swimming+hall.

I hope you're coming this weekend:

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