Visit Helsinki: Kaisaniemi Botanic Garden

In commercial collaboration with Helsinki Partners as part of the Influence Sustainably program.

During our stay in Helsinki we were excited to take in as much as possible, from the historical island of Suomelinna to a cycling tour of the city, and as much as we were keen to discover some hidden gems we were also interested in visiting some of their most popular tourist attractions. Kaisaniemi Botanic Garden is one of the cities most visited attractions, located very close to the city centre and open all year round for nature lovers to enjoy a unique experience surrounded by nature.

Kaisaniemi Botanic Garden is actually the oldest scientific plant collection in Finland, founded in 1678 in Turku and moved to Helsinki in 1829. Currently its work concentrates on research and teaching in plant systematics as well as conserving plant species and educating others. It is clear that the garden is an integral part of botanical research for Helsinki and we learned so much just from spending a few hours wandering through the glasshouses with the children.

There are several different glasshouses, each with a different theme, such as the Rainforest House, the Palm House and the Desert House. Once you have paid to enter you are free to spend as much or as little time inside as you wish and, as is the case with every aspect of life in Helsinki, you can explore the houses at your own leisurely pace. Nature is such a huge part of Helsinki, and indeed Finland as a whole, and you can see why this is such a popular attraction for tourists and locals too. It is very much a place to embrace nature in every sense of the word and to just escape and enjoy a quiet moment amongst the most beautiful surroundings.

In the colder months Kaisaniemi Botanic Garden is the perfect place to visit to escape the temperatures outside with the glasshouses being lovely and warm to create a tropical climate. With children especially it’s a great way to warm up and it was nice to remove some of our layers which we could place in lockers at the entrance so we did not have to carry them with us. In the Spring and Summer the outdoor gardens also come into bloom and we were told they are utterly beautiful to spend some time exploring.

At various points as you move between glasshouses you can find artwork to admire hung on every wall. I love how this adds such a rustic feel to the gardens and transports you to various places across the world right there on the spot. Eva and Megan are both very into their art and really enjoyed looking at the paintings and taking photographs to recreate them at home. I love how children seek inspiration at every turn and Helsinki is just the most perfect place for doing exactly that.

Of course, for younger children the gardens are a great source of fun and Harry was in his element ducking and weaving between the plants and exploring the different glasshouses at his own pace. I think the great thing about an attraction such as this is that no matter what your age or your interests there will always be something you can take away from it. So whether you’re a keen gardener, a nature lover, a small child looking for mischief, a teenager looking for a moment of calm or a tourist looking to learn a little more about Finland, there are so many elements you can enjoy. And for me, as a busy Mum always juggling so much, I relished every moment of peace within those glasshouses.

Although each of the glasshouses are beautiful, the Central Garden was undoubtedly our favourite with the most stunning open pond with floating lily pads, brightly coloured flowers, exotic plants and views out across the gardens. I love that although the gardens are located within a city centre, within those glass walls you feel a whole world away from every day life and I guess that’s also symbolic for Helsinki as a whole. Despite being a capital city, there is still such a huge sense of calm and relaxation and you are literally enveloped by nature at every turn.

We loved our visit to Kaisaniemi Botanic Garden and can see why it is such a popular attraction within Helsinki. If you are planning a visit to the city it’s the perfect way to spend a couple of hours on a rainy day or wander through the gardens in the warmer weather. You can find out more including the opening hours and entrance fees at the Kaisaniemi Botanic Garden website here.