5 Days in Helsinki

The Finnish capital Helsinki is one of Scandinavia's most alluring destinations. It is compact - an hour's walk takes you from the beaches to the suburbs and its grid layout makes it really easy to navigate. It is spread across a cluster of promontories and peninsulas. It has clean, wide avenues lined with architecturally beautiful buildings.

Helsinki is the most densely populated area of Finland - it has 500,000 inhabitants. It covers 800 square kilometres but only half of that area is developed. The rest is parks, forests, shoreline, and lakes. It is one of the greenest cities I have ever visited. The air is really crisp and unpolluted and the waters are bright blue and clean. As an outdoor city, in my opinion, Helsinki has few rivals.

Helsinki, known as the Daughter of the Baltic, stands at the doorway to Russia but its cultural links are firmly in Scandinavia. We found it to be refreshing, modern, and lively. It is a perfect destination for families - clean, safe, and on a small scale with many car-free areas in the city centre. There are also lots of beaches and places to paddle in the water.

We loved taking ferries to the islands - Suomenlinna being a highlight, having lunch at the open-air stalls in Market Square, strolling through Esplanade Park and watching the street performers and enjoying the midnight sun.

We were lucky enough to be in Helsinki at Midsummer and were able to experience their great Midsummer celebration at Seurassi Open Air Museum - bonfires, Finnish culture, music, and dancing - it was a night to remember.

Summer in Helsinki lasts from May until mid-September. The weather is pleasant - warm and sunny and in late June there are 19 hours of sunlight.

The friendliness of all the people we met there was remarkable - not only hotel staff but also passers-by who all seemed to speak perfect English - overwhelming.

Helsinki is renowned for Scandinavian chic. It has the hottest saunas, slickest mobile phones, a tram service with a bar and a railway station that inspired the sets in a Batman film. We loved this place - the last stop city before the Arctic Circle.

Quick Tips:

We used the websites www.finland-tourism.com and www.visitfinland.com to plan our holiday.

Take an umbrella - we had fine weather but a little bit of rain most afternoons. Also take plenty of cash - Helsinki is comparable to either Paris or London - not cheap.

Restaurants are good - everything from high quality to intimate bistros, from exotic ethnic to fast food. Prices to eat out are comparable with those in most European capitals. Try the smoked fish or reindeer meat - both delicious.

The tourist office - www.hel.fi/tourism is open daily. They have lots of information in many different languages on things to do, transport, etc. We picked up loads of useful leaflets and maps. They also sell tickets to events, air, bus, and cruise tickets and the Helsinki card.

The Helsinki card provides unlimited access to all local public transportation and has discounts on some activities. We bought a tourist transport ticket - available for 1, 3, or 5 days. You can hop aboard trams, buses, the metro, and the ferry to Suomenlinna. We bought a 5 day ticket, costing 18 euros per person. Children under 7 are free and a parent with a stroller also goes free. We didn't really get full use of the ticket though. We walked almost everywhere most of the time and would have been better off just buying single tickets when we needed them.

80% of the water in Finland is classed as being exceptionally clean. Finnish tap water is of the highest quality and can be consumed throughout the country - you can really save on bottled water.

Helsinki enjoys mild and sunny weather from June to September. Temperatures range from 18-24 degrees centigrade, but in the evenings the temperature drops. There is a long twilight mid-June to mid-July. The best time to travel is June for very long, sunny days.

Finnish and Swedish are the official languages of Finland. General knowledge of English is widespread however. Most tourist information and many brochures are available in English.

Try the fresh strawberries and cherries from the open-air stalls in Market Square - delicious. Also the ice-cream is wonderful - buckthornberry is a local speciality.

Take a cruise - since Helsinki is the capital of a country of 188,000 lakes, it too is best seen from the water. You will pass innumerable little islands and navigate many peninsulas.

Best Way To Get Around:

Helsinki Vantaa Airport is 12 miles north of the city centre. We got a minibus taxi (seating eight people) which cost 29 euros (one way). It was really comfortable - leather seats, spacious, and a knowledgeable and friendly driver. Alternatively you can take a bus - catch the FinnAir bus which costs 5.20 euros per person, leaves the airport every 15-20 minutes, takes 40 minutes but only stops a couple of times. One of the stops is the Central Railway Station.

The city is really compact and very easy to get around on foot. There are trams, buses, metros and ferries - public transportation here was ranked number 2 in all of Europe in 2003.

There are lots of bus tours and sightseeing tours by boat. For an orientation tour without a guide take the tram 3T. This takes you past 35 major city buildings and monuments. You can pick up a leaflet on this tram journey from the Tourist Information Office. It lists all the stops and what to look out for at each stop - really useful. We boarded at Market Square - it costs 2 euros per person and the full loop takes 45 minutes. The tram leaves every 5-15 minutes but only runs in summer.

There are 900km of cycle paths in the city. You can hire a city bike (standard bike without gears, bright yellow in colour and you won't miss them at the bike stands). You put in 2 euros deposit, take your bike and when you return it to one of the stands throughout the city you get your money back. It is a great idea.

Harbour tours give a waterside view of Helsinki. We went on a Royal Line cruise - they have two big windowed ships each accommodating 250 passengers. Sit on the top deck - it can get windy even on sunny days - but the views are great. Our tour - Helsinki By Sea lasted 90 minutes and cost 16.50 euros. There was a commentary in Finnish and English and lovely views of the city, yachting areas, harbour and the big ice-breaker ships they use to smash the ice in winter and keep Helsinki harbour open.

Walk as much as possible to enjoy the simple and elegant architecture. The city streets are a joy to walk - quirky, imaginative, and interesting.

We booked this accommodation directly through their website - www.rivoli.fi.

The people who own the apartments (there are four of them) also run the Rivoli Hotel. They say on their website "staying here is like having a luxury pad of your own in the city." This is entirely true. Normally they state a minimum stay of 6 nights - they did allow us to book for 5.

Our apartment - C25 - was 68 square metres and had two bedrooms. Outside the building looks a bit austere and grim. You enter through a gate into a courtyard where there are several apartment blocks. We then had to drag our luggage up three flights of quite steep stairs (there is no lift). We were very out of breath by the time we reached the front door.

Inside the apartment all the effort to get there was worth it. It was really spacious - pine floors and furnished in a minimalist, contemporary and elegant style. The living room had such a comfortable chaise-lounge, television and DVD player; the kitchen was well-equipped and had a dishwasher and microwave; there was a dining area; the bathroom had a shower/wetroom and there were 2 nice bedrooms - 1 double, 1 single.

There is a sauna in the basement of the block - you have to book and pay for use of this. For an extra charge you can also have breakfast in the hotel.

The cost for us for 5 nights was 1,100 euros. The apartment's location is perfect - on a quiet sidestreet just a few steps from Esplanade Park and from there a short and pleasant walk to Market Square and the harbour area. In the opposite direction, just a short stroll away are all the fashionable shopping streets.

We only ate out twice during our stay, the rest of the time we cooked and dined in the apartment. There is a really good supermarket on the next street and a great wine store nearby. The welcome pack in the apartment has a map with both these places listed.

It seemed like our apartment had been recently refurbished - the fridge-freezer and cooker were like brand-new. There is a nice Tex-Mex restaurant really close by. We had a great meal there one evening -not very Finnish I know, but we fancied a change. We were not disappointed - food and atmosphere were good and they had a special children's menu.

Check-in time for the apartments is after 2pm and you have to leave by midday. You collect and drop off the keys at the hotel - one street away. We left our luggage at the hotel and they sorted out a taxi for us to the airport.

This was a great place to stay in Helsinki. A beautiful, funky, trendy, modern and comfortable apartment with lots more space than you would get in a regular hotel room. Also with a young child, it gave us the flexibility to cook and eat in sometimes.

In Helsinki we visited three churches - all very different and all very interesting.

We went first to Upenski Cathedral - you can't miss it on a rocky outcrop opposite the fish market. Many people have compared Helsinki to the city of St Petersburg - a close neighbour across the water. The exotic red brick orthodox cathedral Upenski, designed by Aleksei Govnostayev of St Petersburg in the late 1800s cements the Russian connection. At the front of the cathedral there is a statue of Tsar Alexander II as a memento of Russia's occupation of Finland until 1919. The building is magnificent with a golden onion dome. Once inside we were quite surprised at how small it was. It is very ornate and decorated in an opulent way with lots of valuable icons. Upenski is quite unlike any of the other churches we visited in Finland.

The second church on our list was the Lutheran Cathedral. It is in Senate Square - you can't miss it. It is the city's main landmark and apparently Finland's most photographed and recognised building. It was designed by Carl Ludwig Engel and consecrated in 1852. The interior is beautiful - bright, airy, white and bare. All these churches are part of the sightseeing tours routes, so can get a bit busy at times.

The Church in the Rock was third on our list. It is really unusual and very different. It is built into solid rock and was consecrated in 1969. Only the roof is visible from the outside. We spotted it from the large number of tour buses parked outside. It is an awesome and unique piece of architecture. The church was designed by two architect brothers - Tuomo and Timo Suomalainen. They chose a rocky outcrop of granite rising to 40 feet above street level. The interior walls were blasted from bedrock. Because of its superb acoustics - the rock walls are roofed over with a massive concave copper ceiling, the church is often used as a concert hall. It has become one of Helsinki's most famous attractions.

All of these churches are very interesting in their own way and all are worth visiting. The vast number of organised sightseeing tours of the city all include the three churches in their trips, so plan the time you visit carefully. If you do this, instead of sharing the churches with crowds of tourists taking photographs, you will be able to appreciate the architecture, admire the beautiful interiors fully and enjoy the special atmosphere each one has.

Linnanmaki Amusement Park is a good place to go for a fun afternoon out - particularly if you have children. The funfair is 2 miles north of the city centre - we got there on Tram 3T from Market Square. The tram stop is right by the entrance. A day pass for adults costs 20 euros or you can pay by ride. It is free to walk around. We bought 5 ride tickets for our son and he then selected those he wanted to try out.

The amusement park is a bit like an old-fashioned funfair. It has merry-go-rounds, a ferris wheel, splashing fountains and a few thrill rides. It has several gentler rides suitable for young children. In total there are 37 rides - ranging from scary to easy-going. The wooden rollercoaster is quite interesting as it is 50 years old.

The amusement park was founded in 1950 by the Children's Foundation to raise money for the thousands of children in Finland orphaned by World War II. It is still raising money for children.

We spent a couple of hours there. They have a few restaurants and cafes, mostly selling fast-food.

Another fun place to visit, outside of Helsinki but not far away is Serena Water Park. It is in Lahnus - 20km from Helsinki and easily reached by public transport. Bus 339 leaving from the bus depot at Kampi shopping centre drops you right at the entrance. There is 1 bus per hour and Helsinki cards etc. do not cover you for this trip. It costs 4.90 euros per person each way. The bus journey to the water park takes 45 minutes.

Serena Water Park is the largest tropical water park in the Nordic countries. Children under 4 go in free, but an adult all-day pass costs 19 euros. There is an indoor and outdoor area and everything is pristine and nicely kept.

The indoor area has fountains, bubble pools, two children's pools and slides, a large wave pool and several "thrill" slides and rides. These are really quite thrilling and were (for me) quite frightening!

The outdoor attractions include a couple of slides, a ring river, the Liane Tower and a Dead Sea pool where you can lie back, float, and relax.

We could not bear to go outside - although it was a sunny day, the weather was decidedly cold. The Finns are a hardy lot though, as many of them were splashing around quite happily outdoors - some were even sunbathing!

The temperature of the water indoors, although warmer was definitely bracing! It was not like any other tropical swimming complex I have ever visited. You really did need to keep swimming and moving around to stay warm.

There is quite a nice little cafe inside where they serve drinks and snacks - surprisingly we got delicious muffins from there.

4-5 hours is more than enough time to do all the rides and make use of all the facilities.

The ferry to Suomenlinna leaves from Market Square. It goes frequently - about every 20 minutes and it takes 15 minutes to get there.

Suomenlinna is a historically significant fortress, not only a major military monument worthy of the UNESCO World Heritage list, but also home to 900 Finns who live in the renovated barracks. It was built during Swedish rule in the 18th century and is on an island at the entrance to Helsinki harbour. The fortification became a strategic military shipyard with one of the biggest dry docks in the world. The Russians successfully attacked it in 1808.

The architecture is great but there are also plenty of other things to do. There are seven museums, a number of galleries, restaurants, cafes, parks, beaches, and nature areas. Guided walking tours are offered and especially in summer events like exhibitions, jazz shows, and theatrical performances take place.

The ramparts are covered in grasses and bright yellow flowers - our son loved climbing on the cannons. It is a great place to spend the day with a family.

The visitors centre is at C74 in the middle of the fortress. They have maps and details of any special events.

Wear sturdy shoes when you visit - the paths are quite rough, some areas are cobbled and with flip-flops or sandals it can be difficult to walk. Try and avoid bringing strollers if you have young children - unless you have a heavy duty rugged version they are a nightmare to push.

We had lunch at a great cafe/restaurant right by the dry docks. Cafe Vaiko is inside what looks like a former bunker - the roof is covered with grass and it is a bit alternative. They sell delicious soup and have locally brewed beer on the menu. There are only a small number of tables, but the atmosphere is cosy and atmospheric.

You can also tour the submarine Vesikko during your visit here. It was built in 1933 and was used in World War II against the Russians. It is the only Finnish submarine not to have been scrapped after the war. It costs 4 euros to go inside. It is small, narrow, and fascinating. We have never been on a submarine before - it is hard to imagine how a whole crew could have operated and slept here. The cramped bunks over the torpedoes emphasise this. Our son was intrigued by the whole experience.

One of the best areas on Suomenlinna in our opinion is Kings Gate. There are ramparts and bastions around the gate and a lovely view of the water. Children (and adults) will have a great time exploring the embankments and passages, running through the tunnels, and climbing on the huge cannons.

We spent about 3.5 hours altogether on the island - including lunch. We used all this time to just wander, explore and enjoy being outdoors. We did not visit any of the museums.

Helsinki is a beautiful city - green, clean, and really friendly. There are lots of interesting sites to see, great shops, a beautiful harbour with all kinds of ships and boats forever coming and going as well as loads of parks and beaches.

Esplanade Park is a good place to start sightseeing. It is always busy, buzzing with lots of street-performers and people strolling through. Amongst the more unusual buskers we saw included a lady performing with three cats and a poodle (it was great!) and a trio of Red Indians in full costume playing great music.

At the end of Esplanade Park near the market is the Havis Amanda statue - the symbol of Helsinki. Helsinki's bustling Market Square, at the end of Esplanade Park, is not only where traders set up shop selling food and other goods, but is also the central meeting-point of the city, sandwiched between the sea and a row of impressive historical buildings, which include the City Hall, the Swedish Embassy, and the Presidential Palace. If you visit the market do sample the strawberries and cherries - there are no end of stalls selling these and they are delicious. The market is also a good place to buy souvenirs and little trinkets. All the traders were friendly and all those we encountered spoke perfect English.

The market is a great place to have lunch. We enjoyed a mouthwatering fish dish. You have to be careful and watch out for aggressive seagulls. They hover around the food stalls and swoop at you and actually try to steal your food. We managed to escape with the food intact.

Trams and waterbuses come to Market Square and it is here you catch the ferry to Suomenlinna and the zoo. Watch out for people selling salmon and potatoes from their boats. The Old Market Hall is worth wandering around. The stalls here are quite upmarket and they sell all types of food products.

Senate Square, very close to Market Square is lively and has splendid neoclassical buildings. The square is dominated by the city's main landmark, the Lutheran Cathedral, designed by Engel. It celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2002. Other buildings in the Square designed by Engel are the Palace of the Council of State and the University Buildings of 1832 - including the library, regarded as Engel's finest masterpiece.

Helsinki's harbour area is fascinating and very beautiful. You could spend hours here, watching all the activity. Ships are forever coming and going. It is a nice place to stroll in the evenings.

The Sibelius monument - commemorating Finland's most famous composer is a little way from the centre, but is good to see. We caught tram 3T, it's a short walk from the stop. The monument is in a beautiful park, right by the sea.

One of the best things about Helsinki, is that wherever you go and whichever street you walk down, you can easily reach the sea. The views everywhere are beautiful.

Midsummer is a really important celebration for the Finns. The actual festivities do not necessarily fall on the longest day itself but on the Friday closest to this date. Lots of people go off to the countryside, many couples get married but everyone parties.

We were lucky enough to be in Helsinki for the Midsummer celebrations. All shops, restaurants etc. close on Friday lunchtime and do not reopen again until Monday.

Helsinki's main Midsummer event was at Seurassi Open Air Museum. It is on a lovely green island, reached from the mainland by a footbridge. The museum has a collection of farmsteads, parsonages, rural churches, manor houses, and other old buildings all preserved and relocated from their original sites around the provinces of Finland. The 86 buildings have been arranged to form a complete replica of a country district, reflecting what life was like in various levels of rural society between the 18th and 20th centuries.

The location is fantastic - a nature-lover's paradise. You can wander on paths through green, leafy woods; there are ponds with ducks and swans and shallow beaches where you can paddle. Look out for wild strawberries in the grasses.

We left the city centre at 6pm on Midsummer night on bus 24. The bus was absolutely packed - it seemed like everyone left in the city was going to the same place. At Seurassi it cost 13 euros entrance - they only accepted cash, no cards.

There were lots of stalls with handicrafts, people singing and performing in traditional costume and in the centre of the island was a big stage with music and dancing. There were lots of food stalls selling sausages, paella and other titbits. Many people had brought their own picnics - we wished we had done this.

We saw a wedding at the island church - a bride and groom and their guests left the church and walked to a restaurant nearby.

In a large grassy area there were things for children to do and play with. They had wooden swings decorated with ribbons, ropes which sparked off enthusiastic and noisy tug-of-war competitions, and stilts to try out.

At 7pm the children's bonfire was lit at the water's edge. Lots of boats had moored up at the edge of the island to get the best view of the later bonfires. At 9pm they had the "community" bonfires and finally at 10pm the bridal couple lit the big main bonfire.

Later on there was music and dancing - which apparently would last all night. We had to leave at 10:30 because of our sleepy three year old son, but some people were just arriving then. It was amazing, strolling back across the beautiful island at that time of night, with the sun still shining brightly.

On the bus trip back to the city centre we saw bonfires burning at different spots along the coast - it felt like a really magical night.