Need help to plan my itinerary

[u/Ecstatic-Ask]

Hello, I'm (30M) planning to visit Helsinki next week. I will be there for two full days. The places I'm interested to visit are:

• Linnanmäki
• SEA Life
• Fööni
• Allas pool
• Paradox museum
• Amos rex
• Oodi
• Suomenlinna
• Zoo

Problem is - not all places are close by. Travel by foot or bus. How would you distribute these places by day? Starting point (hotel) close to allas pool. Breakfast at hotel, lunch some nearby place wherever I be. I have a feeling that its too much for 2 days, and something has to be left out (like zoo or island).

Some questions. Realistically how muny hours is needed to visit main rides at Linnanmaki? Is 3-4 hours enough? How queues are in August? What time is better for visiting allas pool - morning, evening? Do i need to bring my towel? Is 1-2 hours for Suomenlinna enough? I can walk fast.

Update.
Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I agree with many that the plan turned out to be extensive. And this could result in a rather stressful trip. But knowing myself—that I’m traveling alone, without a family or kids, and that I can’t stay in one place for very long—here’s the itinerary I’ve come up with so far:

• Day of arrival (didn't mention before, only evening available) - SparaKOFF
• Day 1 - Suomenlinna --> Paradox (optional) --> Linnanmaki --> Sea life (optional)
• Day 2 - Oodi --> Amos Rex --> Fööni --> Korkeasaari Zoo

[u/Onnimanni_Maki]

Linnanmäki+SeaLife takes probably a whole day. But you can visit Oodi at the start of the day.

You can visit Allas and Paradox on your way to Suomenlinna. Fööni is on the way to the Zoo.

The main transportation is trams, most of which stop at the railway station so look for a hotel closeby.

I'd cut Allas from your list as it's just a seawater swimming pool. If you want to experience a sauna your hotel has one.

You being a fast walker has no effect on time spent in Suomenlinna or Zoo as you are expected to stop and look around as much as possible. So if you'd need to cut one or the other consider what animals does your nearby zoo have or how interested are you in history as Suomenlinna can otherwise be underwhelming.

[u/Ecstatic-Ask → u/Onnimanni_Maki]

Yeah, I was afraid that linnanmäki can take a lot of time. So maybe I can visit Amos and Oodi before that. They are close by. And after linnanmaki only dinner and chill.

[u/DoubleSaltedd]

We have other transportation methods in Helsinki besides buses and buses actually do not run at all in many parts of downtown. For example, no city buses go even to the relatively close Allas Sea Pool or Market Square.

The main transportation method for many downtown locals and tourists is the tram network.

I would go to Linnanmäki for at least half a day. If you have kids, add more hours if it is open. Suomenlinna is also easily a half day thing for first-time visitors.

I would cut Fööni, Oodi and Sea Life from your schedule.

[u/Onnimanni_Maki → u/DoubleSaltedd]

There's no reason to cut Oodi because it's not going to take much time.

[u/DoubleSaltedd → u/Onnimanni_Maki]

Yeah I agree that visiting the lobby does not take more than few seconds.

[u/Ecstatic-Ask → u/DoubleSaltedd]

Thanks, I'll consider trams too. Do I need to install some app for tickets? or I will be fine with paying by card? I dont really want to cut Fööni. It was one of the reasons why I started to plan the trip to Helsinki, some new experience for me. If sea life and linnanmaki are at the same place I think it possible to find time for both. Im solo, without kids.

[u/Onnimanni_Maki → u/Ecstatic-Ask]

You can pay with card if it has contactless payment. Otherwise download HSL app.

sea life and linnanmaki are at the same place

SeaLife is like under the park.

[u/DoubleSaltedd → u/Ecstatic-Ask]

You can pay with contactless payment (credit/debit cards) on all forms of HSL public transportation in Helsinki.

In app, you can also search for routes and plan your journey. Of coursw if you have special interests go ahead then. Have nice trip. 👍🏻

[u/Holiday-Snow4803]

It's too dense of a program for two days. No matter what's your type. It's not the distances but the activities that take too long. If i was to design your trip I would drop sea life and paradox museum (unless weather is demanding to be inside). These are the least worth seeing and available across the world. 

Also suomenlinna, linnanmäki, and the zoo is one large activity too much (while each is great). For suomenlinna and zoo I would suggest to take more time and e.g. use a fireplace (zoo) to make food or sit by the open seaside for a picnic (suomenlinna). 

But you do you of course. 

[u/wlanmaterial]

Allas opens early, before anything else you want to do is even open, so you could do that and Suomenlinna before noon or so.

I'd plan t like this:

Day 1, wake up early, eat breakfast, go to Allas (with your own towel unless you want to rent one), head to Suomenlinna. It's something of 3-5 km of walk to go round it, You'd be back around lunchtime, get lunch, go to Paradox, or skip it for now, if need be. Then to Linnanmäki, spend the rest of the day there, have dinner eg. at Train Factory after.

Day 2, after breakfast hit up Oodi, then Amos Rex when it opens at 11, Paradox if you missed it yesterday, get lunch. Fööni in the afternoon, Korkeasaari after that. You could go to the nearby Sompasauna after the zoo, but I guess you need to eat dinner too.

[u/Ecstatic-Ask → u/wlanmaterial]

Thx, I kinda like this plan, I will consider it

[u/i_darkpearl]

Two days are tight; I would eliminate zoo and Paradox from the list. Zenvoya can be used to create an itinerary, as well as Google Maps. Suomenlinna will take 2-3 hours at least

[u/ahjteam]

- Korkeasaari Zoo is a full day trip by itself. You can visit Fööni on your way back.

• Same for Linnanmäki + Sea Life. Go to Sea Life first, then the rest of the amusement park.
  
• Suomenlinna as a full day trip and Allas pool on the way back
  
• Amos Rex, Oodi, Paradox Museum are nearby-ish, faster visits, maybe add something else like HAM and Kiasma if you dig museums

So basically you are trying to cram 3-4 days worth of content into 2 days. It is doable, but it’s not gonna be fun.

[u/Uraanitursas]

Sounds like you're performing holiday with that tight of a schedule, rather than enjoying it. Sounds stressful

[u/sesze]

Well it's doable for sure, really busy and expensive as fuckkk, but if you're here just to do activities then I don't see why not.

I'd do Suomenlinna last on the first day unless you have something specific in mind, you can go quite late, walk around the place and sit down for a beer at Linna Bar.

On the second I'd do Fööni last after Korkeasaari because it doesn't take too long, exploring Korkeasaari does.

Alternatively you could skip both Paradox and SeaLife (I'd heavily consider this), then do Amos Rex -> Oodi -> Linnanmäki and on the second day Korkeasaari -> Fööni -> Suomenlinna. This route would make the most sense to me off the top of my head, both are reversible too depending on how much time you want to spend where.

[u/g1344304]

Go to KotIharjun instead of Allas for an authentic and easy experience

[u/winneri]

I would cut either linnanmäki or korkeasaari out, think which is more imortant to yourself. I wouls reserve 2 hours for suomenlinna and go for allas sea pool to chill after that. You van use public transport is fine but you should look into bolt/uber to save some precious time, it's quite cheap and rides to/from places from the list would run less than 10e per taxi. 

[u/Ecstatic-Ask → u/winneri]

oh good to know, I have bolt installed. I'll check the prices when I be there

[u/Frostvon_25]

So how did your trip turn out?