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Helsinki, Finland

Stay in Helsinki: see the trip Its beds, the way there and every spot near it.

Also within 20 km of Helsinki

Watch this spot We email you when Helsinki is worth the trip.

About Helsinki

Known for kitesurfing and windsurfing, by the OpenStreetMap map of the area. The shore faces SE, so wind from the NW blows out to sea (our estimate from the coastline). Facts: verified.

Water about 11°C: 4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

A spot for kitesurfing and windsurfing, as OpenStreetMap maps it, on a shore facing SE. Wind from the SE blows onshore, wind from the NW blows out to sea, and wind from the SW or NE runs along the shore. It is sheltered to the open sea. The sea floor shelves very gently: 10 m deep about 9.1 km out (1 in 909). The sea is about 1°C in February, its coldest month (5/4 or 6/5, hood, boots and gloves), and 17°C in July, its warmest (3/2 wetsuit). The town to stay in is Helsinki. Within 5 km we also list 2 wind sports spots.

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Book the trip

From Chicago: about 14 h door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Helsinki Vantaa Airport (HEL), direct.

    See flights ORD → HEL · Skyscanner from about £435 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 35 min from the airport to Helsinki.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in HelsinkiAd

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.

    Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).

    See all places to stay on Booking.com →

    Closest towns to stay in

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.

  4. Hire and lessons.

    Windsurfing lessons in Helsinki · GetYourGuideAdBoard and rig hire in Helsinki · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Helsinki on Google Maps · Directions

The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.

One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Forecast

Best on Wed 21: 18 kn gusting 25, side-onshore. Water: chop.

The score for windsurf, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoor

DayScoreWindGustsShoreWater
Sun 18Oct014knoffnot safeflat
Mon 19Oct010knsideflat
Tue 20Oct012knonflat
Wed 21Oct7925knside-onchop
Thu 22Oct017knonchop
Fri 23Oct019knonchop
Sat 24Oct6023knonchop
Sun 25Oct6323knside-onchop
Mon 26Oct6124knonchop
Tue 27Oct5026knsidechop

Day scores are the conditions out of 80. Wind is the day's best reading: the mean and the gusts in knots (10 kn is about 19 km/h); the arrow points where it blows to. Shore: "side" is side-shore, blowing along the beach, the safe way; "side-on" and "on" blow in towards it; "cross-off" and "off" blow out to sea, and offshore scores nothing for kite and windsurf. Water is the open sea's waves near the spot: flat under 0.3 m, chop to 0.8 m.

The season

Good windsurf days in a typical week, each month, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).

  1. Jan0of 7
  2. Feb0of 7
  3. Mar0of 7
  4. Apr0of 7
  5. May0of 7
  6. Jun0of 7
  7. Jul0of 7
  8. Aug0of 7
  9. Sep0of 7
  10. Oct0of 7
  11. Nov0of 7
  12. Dec0of 7

Typical, not a forecast. Reanalysis wind misses some local thermal winds, so a spot known for an afternoon breeze may do better than this.

Your trip, day by day

6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for windsurf. Change dates

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Direct flight ORD to HEL, then 35 min by road. About 14h door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 9 kn gusting 12, onshore. Water: flat.

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Windsurf Helsinki

    18 kn gusting 25, side-onshore. Water: chop.

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 13 kn gusting 17, onshore. Water: chop.

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 12 kn gusting 19, onshore. Water: chop.

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Windsurf Helsinki

    17 kn gusting 23, onshore. Water: chop.

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Direct flight ORD to HEL, then 35 min by road. About 14h door to door

Rough cost

About £820–£1,580 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing. A guide from typical prices, not a quote. Kit hire is not in it yet: we have no sourced price for it.

  • Flights £435–£900
  • To the UK airport £35–£65
  • Taxi £30–£45
  • Stay £165–£280
  • Food £155–£290

Places to eat near Helsinki

Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits

Book the trip

Getting thereAd

Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

Where to stayAd

Places to stay · Booking.com

In the waterAd

Windsurfing lessons · GetYourGuide Board and rig hire · GetYourGuide

Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.