12 days in Helsinki, Turku & Rovaniemi Itinerary

Finland's largest and most populated metropolis, the maritime town of Helsinki boasts varied architecture, a lively cafe culture, and plethora of picturesque natural delights.

Popular historic sites such as Sea Fortress Suomenlinna and Seurasaari Island and Open-Air Museum are in your itinerary. You'll discover tucked-away gems like Nuuksio National Park and Ekenas Archipelago National Park. There's more to do: take a stroll through Katajanokka.

Before you visit Helsinki, use our trip planner to discover what you can do and see there.

Phoenix, USA to Helsinki is an approximately 17.5-hour flight. The time zone changes from Mountain Standard Time (MST) to Eastern European Standard Time (EET), which is usually a 9 hour difference. Prepare for cooler weather when traveling from Phoenix in June: high temperatures in Helsinki hover around 65°F and lows are around 50°F. Finish your sightseeing early on the 2nd (Tue) to allow enough time to drive to Turku.

Sitting at the mouth of the Aura River, Turku is one of Finland's quaintest and most historically rich towns.

Explore hidden gems such as Turku Castle and Old Rauma. Turku Cathedral and The Church of the Holy Cross will appeal to history buffs. Change things up with a short trip to Bellevue Beach in Hanko (about 1h 55 min away). The adventure continues: get engrossed in the history at Aboa Vetus & Ars Nova, view the masterpieces at Gallery A, take in the spiritual surroundings of St Henry's Ecumenical Art Chappel, and hike along The Archipelago Trail.

To see where to stay, photos, maps, and tourist information, use the Turku travel route planning tool.

Traveling by train from Helsinki to Turku takes 2 hours. Alternatively, you can drive; or take a train; or fly. July in Turku sees daily highs of 70°F and lows of 52°F at night. Finish up your sightseeing early on the 5th (Fri) so you can travel to Rovaniemi.

An urban center set amongst the great Arctic wilderness, Rovaniemi serves as the capital of Lapland province.

You'll discover tucked-away gems like Pyha-Luosto National Park and Kopara Reindeer Park. Arktikum and Santa's House of Snowmobiles will appeal to museum buffs. Venture out of the city with trips to Church of Sodankyla (in Sodankyla) and Kemi Church (in Kemi). The adventure continues: explore the fascinating underground world of Syvasenvaara Fell, see Santa Claus Office, explore the different monuments and memorials at German Soldier s Cemetery, and look for gifts at Your Piece Of Finland.

To see more things to do and other tourist information, read our Rovaniemi road trip planning site.

You can fly from Turku to Rovaniemi in 5 hours. Alternatively, you can take a train; or drive. In July in Rovaniemi, expect temperatures between 67°F during the day and 52°F at night. Cap off your sightseeing on the 9th (Tue) early enough to travel back home.