Winter Break in Helsinki 2021

What to do during winter break week in Helsinki and the surrounding area?

Winter break is celebrated in schools in the capital region during week eight. Move, spend time outdoors, have adventures, experience and discover - Helsinki and the surrounding area have plenty to offer for this exceptional holiday week. Winter break tips for little ones in Helsinki have been compiled with young children and their families as well as primary school-aged children in mind.

NOTE! Always check the latest information and guidelines
from the organizer's website, as sudden cancellations are also
possible due to the current situation.

Outdoor activities and hiking

Uutelan Star Trail is a self-guided reflective trail containing Ursa star checkpoints in Uutela, Vuosaari. Bring a flashlight and venture boldly into the dark forest. The trail signs and a mobile map will guide you to Ursa ry's star constellation checkpoints and the wonders of the starry sky. The one-kilometer Uutelan Star Trail begins on a forest path next to Kahvila Kampela and ends at the Niemenapaja cooking shelter (round trip is 2 km). The printed checkpoints on the Star Trail were removed from Uutela in January, but the same signs can be found on the mobile map.

You can also hike in winter! Have you ever visited Lammassaari, Kruunuvuorenlammella (a small skating rink has been ploughed on the lake) or Stansvik manor park? Talosaari, Vartiosaari (weather permitting), Tullisaari, Seurasaari, Lammassaari and even Suomenlinna are wonderful hiking destinations in winter too. Pack your food and wear warm clothes! Read tips about hiking destinations in, for example, Little Helsinki's Day Trip articles.

Uunisaari in front of Kaivopuisto has had a bridge connection for the winter months, and on the rocky island you can gaze at the horizon, marvel at passing ships and enjoy warm drinks and other delicacies at Restaurant Uunisaari.

In Sipoonkorpi you'll find, for example, the easily accessible Tasakallio - Storträsk route and the Byabäcken nature trail, formerly known as the Ponun perinnnepostia route, which leads to a grill area and a cabin for warming up. Tip from experience: with little ones, this route is best walked from the start to the grill area and back the same way, rather than doing a circular route. The grill area usually has plenty of firewood ready, so bring matches and food.
Also worth trying is the route from Kuusijärvi to Sipoonkorpi and experience the new bridge connection to the national park at the same time.
The trails in Sipoonkorpi are not maintained in winter, but there are generally well-trodden paths for walking.

Helsinki city outdoor areas can be found on the Helsinki Moving page.

New and interesting hiking spots can also be found in the Uusimaa Recreation Area Association's destinations.

For grilling after outdoor activities, you can visit, for example, Uutela's Niemenapaja fire site, Kallahden beach, Stansvik grill area and Seurasaari. Bring your own firewood!

Move in Helsinki

Ice skating at Helsinki's skating rinks
Skating rink locations, opening hours and more information can be found on Helsinki city's website. Current information on the condition of skating rinks can be found at www.ulkoliikunta.fi.
Please note any possible stick reservations. Note! Changing rooms and service buildings are kept closed except for toilet facilities, so skates are changed on outdoor benches. During the 2020-2021 season, skating is also free at Helsinki's ice rinks.

From Laajahlahti you can find a city-maintained cross-country skating track on the sea ice.

On the Espoo side, skating at the city's ice rinks is free. Tapiola Ice Garden also offers skate rentals and a café.

Cross-country skiing in Helsinki is possible with children almost anywhere. Easy practice trails can be found at least at Paloheinä sports park, next to Tullisaari playground and near Laajasalo beach. Current information on ski trail conditions can be found at www.ulkoliikunta.fi.

Espoo: Children's Espoo Skiing
Children's Espoo Skiing is a self-guided skiing adventure where families can go on a guided skiing route to spot winter forest animals at a time that suits them. How many bears, reindeer and owls can you find along the three-kilometer ski loop in Espoo's Puolarmaari? Children's Espoo Skiing starts and ends at Puolarmaari outdoor center, Espoon Suunta's clubhouse.

Helsinki's only officially maintained sledding slope can be found at Paloheinä outdoor area.

Sledding slopes! In addition to the well-known Kaivopuisto and Paloheinä sledding slopes, Helsinki has several unofficial sledding slopes: Kelkkapuisto in Kontulan, Alakivenpuisto in Myllypuro, Kaisaniemi park's slopes, Herttoniemi playground's adjacent park's excellent slope, and Taivaskallio in Käpylä offer good speeds for sledders. Also read the My Helsinki article on Helsinki's best sledding slopes.
Perhaps Finland's most beautiful (and wildest) sledding slope can be found in Porvoo in national landscapes, between Old Porvoo and Linnamäki at Maari.

Animals

At Haltiala and Fallkulla farm you can see farm animals in outdoor enclosures even in December. At Falkulla, cattle and horses usually spend time outdoors daily around 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. when weather permits, at Haltiala throughout the day. Haltiala's playground is also open according to Little Helsinki's information. The indoor facilities of the farms remain closed.

Due to the exceptional situation, Korkeasaari Zoo is closed at least until the end of March.

Horses from Husö Riding School can be seen along the Talosaari outdoor trail (owned by the City of Helsinki) also during the winter season.

Playgrounds' winter break week

Some of Helsinki's municipal playgrounds are open during winter break week. Programs are organized in open playgrounds for both school children and younger ones. Playgrounds' indoor facilities remain closed.
Open playgrounds and more detailed information can be found on the city's website.

Winter break week experiences and adventures

Community ice castles have been built around the city. Colorful castles can be seen at least in Aurinkolahti in Vuosaari, in Lauttasaari at Kasinoranta, in Arabianranta beach park and in Jätkäsaari's Hyväntoivonpuisto. Making your own ice bricks is possible during winter break's freezing weather.

Vantaa: Snow Sculpture Park at Kulttuuritalo Martinuksen (Martinlaakso) yard is open 24/7 as long as weather permits.

Helsinki Trail Cafe has been set up in front of Laajasalo beach at Karpinselä. The trail cafe is open daily from 19-28.2.2021, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The cafe serves wall paste pancakes, salmon soup and other traditional cafe treats, and sells sausages to grill over an open fire. You can also go fishing and ride a snow scooter at the cafe.

Helsinki city cultural centers' programs include many kinds of exceptional winter break programs. Winter break events can be found in the city's event calendar.

Children's Traffic City's outdoor area is free for city residents to use with their own equipment.

HelsinkiAdventure learning games take you on adventures to Herttoniemenranta, Lauttasaari, Arianranta, North Haaga and Töölönlahti.

Espoo: Children's Culture Center Aurora offers holiday visitors self-guided activities with the Winter Adventure theme in the culture center's yard area.

Espoo: Magical Winter
Art spreads through the urban environment during winter break when Espoo's event and cultural services bring light and sound installations to different parts of the city. Go for a walk in Tapiola, Leppävaara, Espoo center and Järvenperä to see artworks from the last week of February. The works are located in the vicinity of Exhibition Center WeeGee, Espoo Cultural Center, Sellosaali, Kannusali and Children's Culture Center Aurora.

Espoo: Winter Wonderland event at Vermo Arena until 14.2.2021. Open during winter break week 22-26.2.2021 daily 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Admission fee.

Espoo: Urban Matinkylä outdoor escape game
Urban Matinkylä is an outdoor escape game played on your own smartphone or tablet that requires clever thinking and diamond teamwork. The game's theme is suitable for all ages, but in solving puzzle tasks, children under 9 may need the support of an older player. Free, requires app download.

Virtual event: City Orchestra's live broadcasts and recordings for all ages offer culture and music for winter break week.

Virtual event: Story times on the Helsinki channel.

Helsinki Places article is a lifesaver on boring days with children!

Museum during winter break

Due to the corona situation, most museums are still closed. Open museums in Helsinki include, for example, the Press Museum, Amos Rex and the Music Museum Fame.
Some museums require advance reservations for visits due to the exceptional situation. All currently open museums by location can be found on Museum Card's website. Admission fee.

In Espoo, you can book a private exhibition visit at Haltia Nature Center (paid).

Tips for virtual museum adventures can be found at least here.

Day trips

Day trip tips for winter break within about an hour's journey from Helsinki are numerous:

In Espoo, Angry Birds playgrounds, numerous outdoor areas and, for example, the magnificent Träskanda manor park are excellent destinations to visit with children. Read more: Little Helsinki's Day Trip to Espoo article.

Vantaa city's winter break compilation.

Porvoo and, for example, old Porvoo's attractions and Moomins playground.

Lahti and Launee family park and large ski jumps in Olympic spirit.

Lovisa's old buildings and Onneli and Anneli playgrounds.

Kirkkonummi and Linloo and Porkkala outdoor areas.

Inkoo's Degerby for nature and grilling at Kopparnäs recreation area.

From Little Finland you can find tips around Finland!