9 days in Finland 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.

Satisfy your inner culture vulture at Sea Fortress Suomenlinna and Temppeliaukio Church. Explore hidden gems such as Seurasaari Island and Open-Air Museum and Cathedral of Porvoo. Go for a jaunt from Helsinki to Vantaa to see Heureka about 32 minutes away. There's lots more to do: take an in-depth tour of The National Museum of Finland, explore the world behind art at Kansallisgalleria, pause for some serene contemplation at Helsinki Cathedral, and contemplate in the serene atmosphere at Kamppi Chapel of Silence.

To see traveler tips, maps, ratings, and more tourist information, use the Helsinki road trip planning tool.

San Francisco, USA to Helsinki is an approximately 14.5-hour flight. The time zone difference moving from Pacific Standard Time (PST) to Eastern European Standard Time (EET) is 10 hours. Plan for slightly colder nights when traveling from San Francisco in August since evenings lows in Helsinki dip to 53°F. Finish your sightseeing early on the 9th (Fri) to allow enough time to travel to Mariehamn.

Mariehamn is the capital of Åland, an autonomous territory under Finnish sovereignty. Start off your visit on the 10th (Sat): examine the collection at Museumship Pommern, then brush up on your military savvy at Aland Maritime Museum, then step off the mainland to explore Kobba Klintar, and finally test your team's savvy at popular escape rooms.

To see other places to visit, more things to do, reviews, and more tourist information, use the Mariehamn trip planner.

Fly from Helsinki to Mariehamn in 3.5 hours. Alternatively, you can do a combination of bus and ferry; or ride a ferry. August in Mariehamn sees daily highs of 67°F and lows of 53°F at night. Finish up your sightseeing early on the 10th (Sat) so you can travel to Turku.

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

Start off your visit on the 11th (Sun): pedal to the sights with Bike Rental - by Carfield, explore the historical opulence of Turku Castle, then get engrossed in the history at Aboa Vetus & Ars Nova, and finally examine the collection at Luostarinmaen Kasityolaismuseo. Get ready for a full day of sightseeing on the 12th (Mon): wander the streets of Naantali Old Town, then get your game on at Moomin World, then get engrossed in the history at Ett Hem Museum, and finally take in the spiritual surroundings of Turku Cathedral.

To find other places to visit, photos, reviews, and other tourist information, read Turku trip builder site.

Traveling by flight from Mariehamn to Turku takes 2 hours. Alternatively, you can ride a ferry. In August, plan for daily highs up to 68°F, and evening lows to 51°F. Finish your sightseeing early on the 12th (Mon) so you can drive to Tampere.

Finland's third largest city, Tampere boasts an array of cultural offerings and a lively music scene.

Kick off your visit on the 13th (Tue): see the interesting displays at Vapriikin Museokeskus, then contemplate in the serene atmosphere at Tampereen Tuomiokirkko, then test your problem-solving skills at popular escape rooms, and finally identify plant and animal life at Hatanpaa Arboretum.

To find traveler tips, more things to do, ratings, and tourist information, go to the Tampere trip itinerary planner.

Traveling by car from Turku to Tampere takes 2 hours. Alternatively, you can take a train; or take a bus. In August, daytime highs in Tampere are 68°F, while nighttime lows are 50°F. Finish up your sightseeing early on the 13th (Tue) so you can go by car to Kouvola.

Kouvola is a town and municipality in southeastern Finland. Kick off your visit on the 14th (Wed): identify plant and animal life at Arboretum Mustila, then examine the collection at Kouvola City Museum, and then hike along Niivermaki Nature Conservation Area.

To see traveler tips, where to stay, maps, and other tourist information, refer to the Kouvola travel planner.

Traveling by car from Tampere to Kouvola takes 3 hours. Alternatively, you can take a train; or take a bus. In August, plan for daily highs up to 69°F, and evening lows to 53°F. Finish up your sightseeing early on the 14th (Wed) so you can travel back home.