Hotels near Market Square (Kauppatori) and the Old Market Hall

Market Square (Kauppatori) is Helsinki's outdoor waterfront market and the departure pier for every Suomenlinna ferry and every archipelago sightseeing cruise. The square runs along the South Harbour in front of City Hall, the Presidential Palace and the Swedish Embassy. Stalls open daily from 08:00 to 16:00 (extended to 18:00 in summer, closed most Sundays in winter) with grilled salmon, fish and chips, cloudberry jam, reindeer sausage and wool hats. The bronze Havis Amanda mermaid fountain by Ville Vallgren (1908) is the square's mascot - crowned with a student cap on Vappu (30 April) at 18:00.

One street west, on the same waterfront, sits the Old Market Hall (Vanha Kauppahalli), Helsinki's oldest indoor market hall, opened in 1889. Its neat rows of dark-wood counters carry Finnish specialities: reindeer meat and pate at Poroherkku, salmon soup at Soppakeittio, licorice at Pariisin Ville. Opening hours are Monday to Saturday 08:00-18:00, closed Sunday. The Old Market Hall complements Hakaniemi Market Hall (500 m north on tram 3B) and Hietalahti Market Hall (500 m west near Loyly).

Pro Tip: Eat the 12 EUR salmon soup at Soppakeittio in the Old Market Hall for the definitive Helsinki lunch - locals queue at 12:30. Outside, buy a paper cone of muikku (crispy fried freshwater smelt) from Kauppatori's grill stalls for the same price. Avoid the mid-priced tourist buffets on the north side of the square.