Season guide · Helsinki · Finland
Helsinki in spring
March–May: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Cope Baronet, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
Lingering snow in March, then a fast thaw and the explosive May Day celebrations; May is often bright and dry. Expect highs up to 15°C (59°F) and lows around -4°C (25°F), with about 21 rainy days across March–May. May is among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- March–May
- Temperatures
- -4°C (25°F) to 15°C (59°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 21
- Sea
- 0°C (32°F) to 7°C (45°F)
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in spring
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March | 2°C (36°F) | -4°C (25°F) | 8 | 11.6 h | 2/5 |
| April | 8°C (46°F) | 1°C (34°F) | 7 | 14.5 h | 2/5 |
| May | 15°C (59°F) | 6°C (43°F) | 6 | 17.1 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 8°C (46°F) against a yearly 10°C (50°F), and 21 of the year's roughly 111 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 3/5 on average.
What's on in spring
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- April: Vappu Eve — students cap the Havis Amanda statue on Market Square (30 April)
- May: May Day — city-wide picnics, largest in Kaivopuisto (1 May)
Good choices for spring
Religious site · Töölö
Temppeliaukio Church (Rock Church)
Designed by the brothers Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen and opened in 1969, this Lutheran church was blasted into a granite outcrop, with raw rock walls and a copper dome ringed by skylights.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- Iconic
- Rainy day
Gallery · Kluuvi
Ateneum Art Museum
Head for the Finnish Golden Age rooms first; they explain the national-romantic imagery you see across the city.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- History
Gallery · Kamppi
Amos Rex
This art museum opened in 2018 in galleries dug beneath Lasipalatsi square, a 1930s functionalist building.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Architecture · Kluuvi
Oodi Central Library
Go up to the top floor for the terrace view, then use the free toilets and Wi-Fi as a mid-day break.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- Kids
Museum · Seurasaari
Seurasaari Open-Air Museum
A footbridge leads to Seurasaari island, where farmsteads, manor houses and a 17th-century wooden church have been moved from around Finland.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Nature
Day trips in spring
- Tallinn (About 2 hours each way by ferry) — Several ferry lines cross the Gulf of Finland to Tallinn, whose medieval Old Town of walls, towers and Town Hall Square is a short walk from the port.
- Porvoo (About 1 hour by bus) — Finland's second-oldest town has red ochre riverside storehouses, a medieval stone cathedral and cobbled lanes of painted wooden houses in the Old Town.
What to pack
- Layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is spring a good time to visit Helsinki?
Yes: May is among the best months. Lingering snow in March, then a fast thaw and the explosive May Day celebrations; May is often bright and dry.
+What is the weather like in Helsinki in spring?
Highs of up to 15°C (59°F) and lows around -4°C (25°F), with about 21 rainy days over the season.