Things to do with Friends while on exchange in Helsinki

While Helsinki can be an easy place to grasp, with a relative small size and population, there are also many interesting things to do and enjoy. So here is a list of my favourite activities I did in Helsinki during my time there.

1. Ice skating. After the ice skating rinks opened up towards the end of November, my friends and I often went down to the nearby rink to skate with my friends from school. Skating there is a lot more affordable than what we are used to, with the rink usage being free and skates being a mere €5 an hour. We enjoyed our snowball fights while on skates and racing each other. We even managed to teach some of our friends to skate.
2. Sledding. Sleds are common possession in Finnish households and also very affordably sold. My friends and I borrowed a sled from our Finnish friend and then got a recommendation for some famous sledding hills around town. It was a very fun and exhilarating experience, sledding down the very steep hill.
3. Sauna. The fact that every apartment complex is likely to have sauna facilities makes it exceptionally accessible for all. The sauna experience is one that takes time to get used to, but will leave you wanting more.
4. Watch an Ice hockey match. Ice Hockey is a highly appreciated sport in helsinki, thus to experience the culture, my friends and I would go down to watch the helsinki ice hockey team (HIFK) whenever we had discounts on the tickets.
5. Visit famous places. Places such as porvoo and suomenlinna have a rich history with a mix of both architectural and natural beauty.
6. Go on a hike. Visit some of the many national parks around helsinki, or simply join one of the organised hikes for university students.
7. Sushi Buffet. There is a surprising number of buffet restaurants in Helsinki. One particular restaurant called Haru sushi had a good selection of sushi for only €13.90. Missing my asian food, my friends and I ate there 4 times during our time in helsinki.
8. Badminton. My friends and I often booked badminton courts on our on campus sports facilities to enjoy some sports together. It was always fun to get active and have some friendly competition.
9. Christmas Market. In December the long awaited helsinki christmas market opens. It is an interesting experience with an amazing atmosphere that one should not miss out on.