Sport in Helsinki

Sandudd. Helsinki’s popular beach with café, beach volleyball, basketball and minigolf course.

Ugnsholmen. Sunbathing and picnics on a shallow sandy beach and cliffs.

Rönnskär. A favourite with anyone who likes bare cliffs. Also two sandy beaches.

Simstadion. 50-metre pool with 25-degree water. Next to the Olympic Stadium.

Georgsgatans Simhall. Finland’s most beautiful public baths. Bathing in the nude with separate times for men and women. Two steam saunas. Georgsgatan 21 B.

Hermannin Sauna. The ceramic stones in the sauna stove make this a great sauna. Bath attendant. Tavastvägen 63.
Kotiharjun Sauna. The city’s last public wood-burning sauna. Bath attendant and cupper. Åstorgsgatan 1.
Suomen Saunaseura (Finland’s sauna society). Five wood-burning saunas, three of which are smoke saunas, by the seashore. Kopparudden, Drumsö.

Buy a tourist fishing permit for drag fishing and spinning at, for example, Havs-Info by the Museum of Technology. Free map of the fishing waters is available from the city’s Sports Department, Paavo Nurmis, Alley 1 C or at Helsinki-info, Norra Esplanaden 19.

Athlon. High-class exercise centre in the centre of the city. Simonsgatan.
Esport Fitness Centre. Light, airy fitness centre in the city. Salomonkatu 1.
Motivus Center. Modern gym with a wide-ranging programme, opposite the railway station.
Motivus Stockmann. Gym with priority for ladies. Also beauty and health treatments. In Stockmanns Varuhus.

Jog or take a long walk in the city’s green parks, including Kajsaniemiparken right in the centre, or along the water. Try stick walking and other forms of exercise at the Nordic Fitness Sports-Park at Mäntymäentie 1.

In a country of classic runners like Paavo Nurmi and Lasse Viren, running races are very popular. The Helsinki City Marathon is held in August, and Damtian, ten kilometres along Helsinki’s streets, is held in May.

There are 180 kilometres of cross-country ski tracks in and around Helsinki in the winter. The best one is in Centralparken. Tölöviken Friluftscenter hires out equipment and gives advice to beginners. Slalom and snowboarding can be practised in, for example, Serena, Alhovuori and Tallmo (the big snowboarding favourite).

Golf. Helsinki has two 18-hole courses with many more outside the city.

Kayak. Available to hire at Tölövikens Friluftscenter or Bear & Water by Kägelstranden in Esbo.

Canoe. Available to hire at Helsingin Melontakeskus or Tölövikens Båtuthyrning.

See Paavo Nurmi’s spikes, Matti Nykänen’s skijumping skis, videos of the greatest moments in Finland’s sporting history and much more at the Sports Museum. Close by is the famous Olympic Stadium where the Olympic Games were held in 1952 and the World Championships in Athletics in 2005. There is a wonderful view over Helsinki from the 72-metre stadium tower.